Tag: Grocery Retail

how to attract the best retail candidates

How we Attract the Best Candidates to our Retail Roles

Posted on | by Excel Recruitment

Recruiting the best candidates for retail roles is essential for the success of any retail business. Having the right team in place can make a significant difference in customer satisfaction, sales, and overall store performance. Below is a guide that you may find helpful to structure your recruitment process in order to attract and hire top-notch talent for your retail positions.

Write Your Job Spec 

Creating a comprehensive job specification is the first step in attracting the right candidates. It ensures that both you and the candidates share the same expectations about the position. Your job spec should include the job title, general duties, day-to-day responsibilities, a brief company overview outlining your company’s culture and values, job location, and working hours, including likely shift patterns and contracted hours. Including these elements ensures candidates have a clear understanding of what the role involves and whether it aligns with their expectations and career goals. 

List Your Must-Have Skills and Attributes 

Identifying the essential skills and attributes for the role is critical. These should be based on the duties listed in your job spec and the characteristics of successful past hires. Some examples of “Must have” skills might include the ability to work certain shift, a particular visa, command of the English language and some customer-facing experience. Your “would like to have” attributes could range from previous experience in a deli or food retail store to experience using a particular POS system, or leadership potential.  

Compile Your Questions to Reflect Your Desired Attributes 

To effectively assess candidates, develop a set of questions that reflect the skills and attributes you are looking for. For example, if Customer Service Skills is high on your must-have list perhaps you include a question such as  “Can you describe a time when you turned a dissatisfied customer into a happy one?”. You can choose the skills that are most valued by you and compose a question on each topic.  By scoring each answer, you can objectively compare candidates and ensure you are making the best hiring decision. 

Prepare Your Pitch 

The interview is a two-way process.  While an interview is an important opportunity for you to fully screen candidates, it’s equally important to sell the role and your company to them. The second half of the interview should involve: 

→ Detailed Role Explanation: Clearly explain what the job entails, including tasks, responsibilities, and expectations. 

→ Benefits and Opportunities: Highlight the benefits of working with your company, such as employee discounts, health benefits, training programs, and career progression opportunities. 

→ Success Stories: Share examples of employees who have thrived in your company, demonstrating the potential for growth and success. 

This not only gives candidates a clear picture of what to expect but also gives you the chance to portray your company as an attractive place to work.  

Reply to Each Candidate Promptly 

Prompt communication is crucial. Whether you are offering the job, rejecting a candidate, or inviting them for a second interview, timely responses are essential. News travels fast, and a local store that doesn’t respond to applications or inform candidates of their status after an interview will likely see a drop in applications as word spreads. Additionally, as a retailer recently pointed out to me, these job seekers are often our customers first. Therefore, it’s crucial to protect the store’s reputation, regardless of the interview outcome! Clear and respectful communication enhances your company’s reputation and ensures candidates are not left in limbo. 

Job Offer 

When making a job offer, be enthusiastic and positive. Outline all benefits, big or small, to show the full value of the offer. Follow up verbal offers with a detailed written offer letter which includes; job details, salary, all immediate or long-term benefits, acceptance deadline, start date, and next steps.  

Call for Backup 

For junior roles, having a second opinion in the same interview can be beneficial. For more senior roles, conducting a second interview with another interviewer helps ensure a well-rounded assessment of the candidate. 

Trust Your Gut 

While structured interviews and scoring matter, trusting your gut is important too. If a candidate feels like a great cultural fit and matches your company values, that’s a strong sign they are right for you!  

For more information call us on 01 814 8747 or email nikki@excelrecruitment.com.

Do today’s candidates have less “staying power” than those in years gone by?

Do today’s candidates have less “staying power” than those in years gone by?

Posted on | by Excel Recruitment

In today’s rollercoaster world of grocery retail candidates who start but don’t stay can cause huge disruption to any team or store. We are hearing more stories from retailers who have gone through full recruitment drives, inductions, and training delivery only to be told within the first few months that this new hire is already moving on.

Is this a generational thing? Do today’s candidates have less “staying power” than those in years gone by? Have we shifted to a culture where it’s now acceptable to let your feet do the talking to your employer by leaving a job where you are finding the going tough, or just slightly unpleasant?

So why is this happening? And what, if anything, can or should retailers do to reduce these flighty new starters?

Manage expectations

Candidates today certainly have higher expectations than those of previous years. Often what retail staff would have considered as a nice extra, is now a minimum expectation. Many candidates start new roles with skewed expectations of what their actual hours, responsibilities, or place in the businesses will be. Inevitably their expectations are much more favourable than the reality. When faced with this realisation many new starters are choosing to leave their new role and start over, rather than adjust or compromise. In most instances, ensuring full disclosure on all facets of a new job can dramatically reduce candidate “fallouts.” When we took a sample of candidates who had left their jobs in less than 6 months, the number one reason they stated was the role was not what they expected. Laying out your shift patterns, and contracted hours is imperative. However, retailers with better retention are going one step further and giving a detailed breakdown of the role they are offering – including challenges that may arise for a new hire.

First impressions count

Even in instances where retailers have done a thorough job of explaining the role, company and responsibilities, still a cohort of new starters will leave before they have even completed their training. Candidates now expect an enjoyable induction, to feel valued from arrival, and to be made feel like they are part of a team. They also look for a robust training plan which ranges from 6 weeks to 6 months, covering not only their role but company highlights, organisations plan, and wider social and cultural inclusions. This may feel like a big ask for some retailers, but setting aside some time to welcome on board each employee pays dividends. Poor induction or training was the second highest ranked on our list of reasons a new-hire leaves.

Market demands

Today’s recruitment market is still candidate-led – meaning that candidates have ample choice between employers. It is widely understood by today’s candidates, particularly at entry-level and slightly above, that they have the “upper hand.” It’s a phenomenon that arose from an overheated market, coupled with a mindset shift over the last 5 years. Any employer who is not aware of this new employee attitude is unlikely to have much success with their new team additions. When I asked several retailers how they are managing this shift, the most successful all seem to have one thing in common. They are investing more time and resources in their recruiting and onboarding practices.

Mentors

Long gone are the days of training solely by “shadowing”. Today’s new starters tend to spend days clicking through online training and signing sheets of compliance documents. This is often followed by off-site training or training in a different store to get a more “well-rounded” experience. The problem here is that while “shadowing” is no longer seen as best practice in most incidents – what it did do well was appoint a mentor by default. Someone who could help you understand the culture of the store and guide you to find your fit within it. A lot of the candidates who left prematurely made statements like – “I was left,” “forgotten about” or “ignored.” Appointing a mentor or following the old routine of shadowing one team member during the first few critical weeks really limits this and is certainly food for thought!

Feedback

My favourite one-size-fits-all solution. I believe open, honest, direct, and fair feedback can improve any professional relationship and it appears that it has an impact in these scenarios too. Another reason cited by these leavers was a lack of appreciation or feedback. Today’s candidates are unwilling to wait for the 6-month review to get a pat on the back – weekly and monthly check-ins are the way forward in order to hang on to those newbies!

You can check out this feature in the most recent edition of ShelfLife Magazine here. For more information call us on 01 814 8747 or email nikki@excelrecruitment.com

You can view all of our live jobs here

5 things you should keep in mind when applying for your next big career move

5 things to keep in mind when applying for your next big career move

Posted on | by Excel Recruitment

New Year, New job? 

February tends to be one of our busiest months for retailers looking for a move. With many too busy to interview in December and often taking some time back with family and taking stock of their lot through January – It tends to be February by the time they contact us to discuss their new year’s resolution of finding a new job.  

So, for those looking for a move here is a list of 5 things you should keep in mind when applying or interviewing for your next big move.  

Understand your WHY!  

When you are applying to new roles it’s really important to know your motivating factor, and more important to keep it at the forefront of your mind. If you are making a move for a better work-life balance, then make sure you are applying to roles that offer less contracted hours or advertise a nicer shift pattern. It’s easy to get distracted by €€€ signs and fancy titles, but if your reason for making a move is lost in the process chances are you won’t be any happier!  

Honesty is the best policy!  

Look,  I know plenty of people exaggerate on their CV. But my honest advice is DON’T. The Irish Grocery industry is a tight-knit sector, where you are likely to have interactions with previous employers at some point in the future! Don’t be tempted to say you were running a €1 million a week store if it wasn’t or that you were the Store Manager in all but name if you weren’t. Firstly, you likely won’t be able to back this up when you delve further into your experience but more importantly, being honest about your experience will earn the respect of the person interviewing you. Ultimately most employers are looking for integrity in their new hires.  

Similarly, be upfront and honest when explaining your reason for making a move – It’s nearly always apparent when a candidate says they “just need a change” that you are not getting the whole story. If you are not honest around this, you are doing yourself a disservice and indeed your new employer. If you are leaving because your last manager was a micro-manager and you don’t enjoy that environment – explain that – otherwise, you are likely to end up repeating the same mistakes. If you are looking for fewer hours or more money, explain that also – that way you are allowing a new employer to meet your needs, or pass. But no matter which – you will still be moving in the right direction for you.  

Don’t be tempted to overstate your salary either – if you are moving for more money that is okay, and it’s okay to explain that to a potential new employer. But be honest, otherwise you might get yourself excluded from a salary increase because you have overstated your current package! 

What are your wins?

You should have a list of 3-7 “wins” that you have achieved in each role you have held.  If you can summarise these I would include them on your CV. Either way, I always recommend jotting them down before an interview, so they are fresh in your mind on the day!  

These “wins” or achievements are the most accurate representation of you and your experience – and they will go a long way in an interview when you are asked for examples.  

These wins may range from driving sales in a specific department or reducing waste, to a couple examples of amazing customer service or passing an audit or indeed developing the people around you.  

Do your research 

I cant overstate the importance of this one! You should assume the first or second question you will be asked in any interview is “What do you know about us” or “Why do you want to work for us” and prepare accordingly.  

Aside from coming across well in the interview – you should also do your research about the company and job beforehand and ensure that the job you are interviewing aligns with your “WHY”. If you are looking for a better work-life balance – speak to some of their past or current managers and ask some questions about this! If it’s a shorter commute have a look at their store locations and see where you are happy to commute to.  

If your “why” and their business are not aligned, then this is unlikely the role for you and it’s better to identify that than waste everyone’s time! 

Be prepared for counter offers 

I have seen time and again that most candidates who accept counter offers still go on to make a move within 6 months – frustrating everyone in the process.  

My advice is this – before you go on to the market – speak up! Have an open honest chat with your employer – at least that way you will know if they would like you to stay and if they have any scope to meet your needs. You don’t have to hand your notice in – just explain your situation and ask if you could work together on a solution or plan. Think of what you would need from your current employer to stay. Are you actually happy in your current role but want to be paid more? Or want Wednesdays off? or perhaps want some progression opportunities? Or more autonomy? Have that conversation before going to market – not after!  

Other than that good luck!  

You can check out this feature in the most recent edition of ShelfLife Magazine here. For more information call us on 01 814 8747 or email nikki@excelrecruitment.com

You can view all of our live jobs here

 

Careers in Retail

The advantages of making a career in retail

Posted on | by Excel Recruitment

Our Director of Grocery Retail Recruitment, Nikki Murran, featured in the latest edition of ShelfLife Magazine to discuss the numerous advantages of making a career in retail. Highlighting that with limitless opportunities for progression, and countless new things to learn, a career in retail is much more than just ‘a job in a shop’. 

Retail jobs can get bad press and often do. It is an industry filled with hard-working employees, some on minimum wage, dealing in overwhelmingly busy stores and with an unpredictable public. However, this past month I have been asking retailers, and past retailers who now work on my team – what do you love about the industry? It’s been inspiring hearing about their stories and their passion for the industry. So it prompted me to compile this list for anyone thinking of turning their part-time retail job into a full-scale career. Or indeed any store owners looking to convince their staff to take that leap with them.

Career kickstart

There are few other industries that will allow you to join with no experience, no further education and measure you solely on your ability and work ethic. Nearly every retailer, at every level I speak to, started their retail career during school, they enjoyed it, did well, and progressed. Not through their exam results or who they knew. Rather, based on how well they worked. Just because you are not a straight-A student does not mean you won’t be a straight-A retailer!

Learning life-long skills

Dealing with customer complaints, handling money, learning about food safety or manual handling skills – regardless of your role in retail you will learn so many skills which will stand to you in every aspect of your life!

Teammates

Nothing brings people together more than working alongside each other toward a common goal. In every store in the country, you will find passionate, hard-working, dedicated teams of people. Usually, people who are warm, caring and outgoing, as this goes hand in hand with dealing with customers successfully, day after day and indeed year after year. In every store I have ever worked in, I have been overwhelmed by the talent and dedication of the teams I have worked alongside. I met so many people from outside my usual social circle, people from all walks of life, all nationalities, and all age ranges. It was always one of the best parts about working in retail as I got to understand so many different cultures and meet and build friendships with such a diverse group of fabulous people.

The customers

To be fair, this can sometimes be the biggest challenge, but often, it is one of the biggest rewards. I started my retail career in a local convenience store, in a quiet area, with an aging population. The boss said to me on my first day – “remember, for some of these customers you may be the only person they speak with today.” That stuck with me for the next decade while I worked in retail and I gained so much from spending an extra moment or two with each customer who was looking for a connection. Not only did it help me to develop empathy but It brought me so much joy, laughter, and genuine pleasure.

Building confidence

Retail is the ultimate confidence builder. Working in retail gives you so many opportunities to excel in various tasks. From merchandising a section in the store, to helping a customer, achieving a sales target or just knowing you have done a solid day’s work. People who have spent time in retail build a level of confidence that is difficult to replicate!

Something for everyone

The retail industry really does have something for everyone! Do you like physical work? Why not try out a Pack Out Manager job? Great with numbers? Stock control manager! Do you love people? In store HR Manager might be for you. A true Foodie? Fresh food manager it is! Do you love chatting with new people? Checkout supervisor may be your calling! Or perhaps you love doing a little of everything? Convenience management is for you so! There are endless possibilities, and most retailers will support their staff to find the right fit for them. Most managers work their way through many departments before they progress to store manager. If you are not sure what’s right for you, find a good recruitment agency who will help you pinpoint your retail talents! (ahem)

Community

Many of the stores throughout Ireland are deeply embedded in their community. They often support local charities, sponsor the local GAA team, and provide spot prizes for the local school’s annual raffle. It’s a wonderful feeling being involved in your community and being part of your local retail team is a sure-fire way to make that happen!

Work-Life Balance

Retail employment can get a bad name when it comes to work life balance. But, in the past number of years, most retailers have reduced their contracted hours and many others offer much more flexibility. Because stores open longer than the usual 9-5 most retailers are finding that they can navigate their personal life, be it childcare or sports, with just a little flexibility from their employer. Many retailers work morning shifts and are home in time for training, whilst others drop the kids to school in plenty of time to make the start of their shift. Retail can be whatever you make it and with so many retail employers open to flexibility it really is a great fit for many!

Ownership

Regardless of how long you have worked in retail, for those who ask they will nearly always be given the opportunity for growth and ownership. Grocery stores work best when the teams running them each take responsibility for their own section, area, department or just the flower stand! You don’t need to wait – as soon as you feel ready you can be sure any request for more will be met with enthusiasm and support from your manager!

Fabulous Irish product

You only have to look around any of the grocery stores here to see how most embrace beautiful local Irish products and help small businesses bring them to wider markets. For those with a passion for food, working in this space gives a lovely opportunity to work with some amazing brands and fabulous products.

Limitless progression

You can start your retail career as a sales assistant or trainee and steadily climb the ranks to Store Manager, Regional Manager, or Fresh Food Area Manager to name but a few. In fact, most of the senior retailers in the country started as Sales Assistants. Many retailers will help you through college, others offer outstanding training programs, in everything from HR to Food safety, while others still will offer apprenticeships in Butchery and Baking. The sky really is the limit and for those willing to work hard and learn your career path, really is in your hands!

You can check out this feature in the most recent edition of ShelfLife Magazine here. For more information call us on 01 814 8747 or email nikki@excelrecruitment.com

You can view all of our live jobs here

childcare in retail

The realities of juggling childcare while working in retail

Posted on | by Editorial Team

With the summer holidays upon us, our Director of Grocery Retail, Nikki Murran, reflects on the realities of juggling childcare while working in retail and looks at what the government could do to help parents and carers in this situation

This summer we planned out our childcare for my 8-year-old – it was like a military operation; involving spreadsheets, booking summer camps (these can be harder to secure than Taylor Swift tickets!), carpool agreements with neighbours, and roping in of grandparents to make up the difference. It was going to be a balancing act, but we were confident we had it covered and my kiddo would likely be a football star by the end of it. (Based on the number of hours he would be playing and the amount of money we were spending anyway!)

The first day of the first camp started with thunderstorms and a cancelled camp. Thankfully Nana was happy to help, and we figured it was a once-off. Day 2 he fractured his wrist. After the doctor explained it was 4-6 weeks of downtime my devastated son asked in the car – what about football camp? GAA camp? Golf camp? Hurling Camp? Athletics Camp?  “What indeed!” I thought!

We went back to the spreadsheets, back to the grandparents, and back to our bosses. We both shifted our summer to add a little working from home and within a few hours – problem solved.

It made me think, though – what if I was still working in retail? Working from home would not have been an option. What if we both were? What about the 300,000 people working in retail in Ireland this summer? How many of them have kids? What do they do on thundery days or when an arm gets fractured, or a chickenpox appears?

In a recent survey conducted by Excel Recruitment, it was found that 6 in 10 workers feel the cost of childcare is unaffordable. The survey also found that 58% of couples with children said their partner had to give up work due to the cost of childcare – and in 62% of these cases, the person that left the workforce was female.

My 3-year-old daughter is in a wonderful creche – they love her, she loves them, they paint, dance, go to the beach, the park, and plenty more. It’s expensive, like a second mortgage expensive, but they have early drop-off and late collection. However, it still means that one of us does a later shift so we can drop – and the other does an earlier shift to be back in time for collection. If one of us worked in retail, I can’t help but wonder how we would manage.

How do single parents, working in retail or hospitality juggle it all? How do they find childcare at the weekend? In evenings? On Christmas Eve? New Years Eve? All these peak trading days?

With a continued staffing crisis, and Ireland reaching its lowest level of unemployment in 20 years it’s imperative that all is done to ensure those willing to work are given the opportunities to. But with the current cost of childcare and the lack of childcare outside office hours, we are blocking a large cohort of available talent from the retail sector.

The government should do more, it should fall to them to make childcare more affordable, give better support to childcare providers, incentivize more flexibility from employers, and look for more novel approaches to combat this issue.

However, the government moves slowly, and the staffing crisis is upon us now, so it falls to retailers to look for workarounds. In recent months, more and more of my clients are adjusting their hiring practice to welcome part-time staff for full-time roles. I have placed a handful of Deli Managers working 4 days, an Assistant Manager who needs Wednesday nights and Thursday mornings off while his partner (a Nurse) does her long shift, and a Store Manager who needs most Saturdays off as he coaches his daughter’s GAA team. These candidates would have been unplaceable a couple of years ago, during a time when retailers were demanding full flexibility from employees. But the time has arrived where it is now employees demanding this flexibility from employers!

The main tool retailers have in their arsenal to tackle this issue is their store rota. What is working for many retailers is doing the rota weeks in advance, rather than just for the following week – often this extra notice is enough for parents to adjust childcare needs. I’ve also heard of successes with partnering, particularly in local stores – where a role is divided between two staff members – both with kids in the same school – here, they split their job, and both worked a 3-day week – covering the store for 6 days rather than 5 and they minded each other’s kids on the respective days off – it was a win-win for all.

From the feedback we have gotten from retailers making these adjustments – the best advice on offer seems to be open-mindedness – ruling nothing out and spending just a little longer on the scheduling and giving staff more input into the rota from the outset. These tweaks may cost a little time each week, but ultimately may result in a more dedicated, loyal workforce – seems a worthwhile trade to me!

You can check out this feature in the most recent edition of ShelfLife Magazine here. For more information call us on 01 814 8747 or email nikki@excelrecruitment.com

You can view all of our live jobs here

 

Online Interview

How to ace an online interview – Nikki Murran, Director | Grocery Retail

Posted on | by Editorial Team

Post-Covid, online interviews have become a much more commonplace occurrence. Here, our Director of Grocery Retail Recruitment, Nikki Murran, shares her top tips to ensure you create a positive impression during your online interview

There have been many residual factors left in our post-Covid lives, from the normalisation of working from home to a nostalgic fondness for homemade banana bread. One of the main shifts we saw in the recruitment industry was the acceptance of online interviews.

Pre-Covid I can’t think of one client who would have been satisfied to move to the job-offer stage without looking the candidate in the eye and shaking hands. But now, we still have about 35% of our interviews held online. Of that number, 20% of those are concluding their process, whether it be an offer or rejection, without having ever met the candidate face to face.

In March 2020 I was scrambling to understand the world of Zoom and Teams. I had used them previously but was by no means an expert. One of the first interviews I had set up was for a candidate who was amazing at baking and could run a high-volume, fast-paced bakery with his eyes closed but could absolutely not work email. I had to talk him through every step, and this was his first ever time using a laptop – I promise we laughed more than we cried but I think we have all become so much more proficient around online meetings now! (He got the job by the way!)

So, it would seem that online interviews are here to stay, in some capacity anyway. In many ways, they offer countless benefits to the recruitment procedure. They allow candidates to interview on lunch breaks or shortly before or after their shifts, they speed up the entire recruitment process, and they cut down on travel time and cost. But is there a downside? Do candidates who travel to interviews and attend in person have an upper hand over those who log on? Our figures would show that they do. Often the candidate attending in person has made more of an effort and thereby indicates more of an interest in the role and ultimately, in a potential hire, this is always more attractive.

So, the question remains – Do candidates really get a full chance to get their skills, experience, and personality across through a screen? I think this really depends, so, over the last couple of years we have been compiling the following tips for online interviews to help candidates bridge that gap between the real world and the digital one!

Suited and booted: When it comes to what you wear, the same rules apply as an in-person interview – well at least for your top half!

Profile picture: This is your new handshake! Make sure it is appropriate as this will be your first impression while they wait for you to log on!

Accept invitations: If the interviewer sends you an invitation on MSTeams – click to accept in a timely manner – not mere moments ahead of the interview. It confirms your attendance and interest. You can also add a note when replying saying thank you for the invitation and that you are looking forward to meeting them.

Can you hear me? This is frustrating for everyone – test out your platform (Teams/Zoom etc) with a pal and make sure you are up and running on audio and video beforehand. Technical issues nearly always cause candidates to fluster and throw them off before interviewing.

Technical issues: If you do have technical issues – don’t get flustered. If they can see you are trying to log on most interviewers are happy to bear with you while you get sorted or re-arrange if you can’t. Just be sure to contact them in real-time to let them know you are trying to log on.

Eye contact: It is very tempting to watch yourself or your interviewer during an online interview, but looking directly into the camera is the only way to appear as though you are keeping eye contact.

Backdrops: Ideally choose a neutral backdrop, a plain wall without lots of pictures, try not to sit in your childhood bedroom with your boy band posters surrounding you, or opt for the space backdrop with shooting stars behind you! If you have no blank wall – just opt for the blurred background setting.

Close all other apps on your computer: Getting email notifications during your interview is distracting and can make noise causing you to lose sound. Close everything!

Prepare, prepare, prepare: The level of preparation that is done for an in-person interview is the same level that should be completed for an online interview. Investigate who you will be interviewing with, research the company via their website and be aware of the latest news about them. Visit their stores and their competition. Have a copy of your CV, the job description, and questions you would like to ask. Be prepared for questions about your salary expectations, reasons why you are leaving your current role, length of your notice period, your motivation to move on (if employed), your career ambitions, etc. (Know your CV!)

Bad habits: Don’t eat, chew gum, smoke, or vape – this is still an interview!

Avoid interruptions: Be sure all pets and small children are locked up. Well, no, but perhaps ensure you have a quiet space where you will not be disturbed or distracted by snack requests.

Body language: Don’t slouch or squirm too much (it comes across as disinterested) even if your chair is uncomfortable.

Pick a comfortable chair.

Before you say goodbye: Ensure you’ve expressed your interest in the role and thank them for their time – oh and keep your fingers crossed!

You can check out this feature in the most recent edition of ShelfLife magazine here. You can view all our live jobs here. For more information call us on 01 814 8747 or email info@excelrecruitment.com

retail industry

‘Where is the government’s support for the retail industry?’

Posted on | by Editorial Team

Following the government’s recent summoning of grocery retailers to discuss unverified “price gouging”, our Director of Grocery Retail Recruitment, Nikki Murran, shares her thoughts on how the government should stop admonishing and instead support independent retailers who are coping with price increases

There was widespread press coverage last month on May 8th announcing that the government was summoning grocery retailers to discuss “unverified reports of price gouging”. Excel Recruitment has been in partnership with the grocery retail industry for over 20 years and is placed in a somewhat unique position of speaking with competing grocers on a near-daily basis.

Absorbing cost increases

We reached out to various retailers to discuss their thoughts on this supposed price gouging and found a consistent response across the sector. Most retailers were quick to point out that they have been absorbing cost increases over the past three years, with little to no price hikes for a large proportion of this time.

From the outset of the pandemic, when most of the world was locked in their houses, retailers ranging from 16 to 65 years old were working on the frontline. As panic buying ensued and grocery trips became the highlight of households, stores saw an increase in sales. However, along with this surge, there were dips in margins as delis rapidly declined and consumers shifted to online ordering. Rather than passing these costs onto the customers, most food retailers absorbed them.

Additionally, when hospitality reopened, a staffing crisis emerged. Many retailers experienced a large exodus of employees who opted for Pandemic Unemployment Payments (PUP) rather than progressing their retail careers. Others chose to pursue online degrees or returned to their home countries. In this highly competitive employment market, entry-level staff rates increased in many retailers, and once again, this cost was predominantly shouldered by the retailers themselves.

Fast forward a year later, and retailers are now juggling the impact of war causing an energy crisis, spiralling supply chain costs, and the increasing cost of goods. At this point, many retailers were striving to minimize the impact on their product lines while balancing these rising expenses.

Increased employment costs

In January 2023, the government implemented a 7.6% increase in the minimum wage. They also announced the Sick Leave Act, which is funded, in large part, by the employer. These two measures proved to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back when it came to price increases.

So, the consistent response we have seen from retailers is contempt. They feel contempt towards the same government that imposed these costly measures, not to mention the impending mandatory pension enrolment, onto retailers, only to announce a few months later that they are summoning these same retailers to discuss food price increases.

Knock-on effect on hiring

This situation has a knock-on effect on hiring. Few people aspire to join a company or industry that is seen as greedy or unethical. Nearly all independent retailers we have spoken with are effusive in their assertions that they have, at best, maintained their margin over the past number of years. They emphasize that this accomplishment was hard-fought through strategic product placement and department participation, rather than resorting to price hikes.

It begs the question: rather than the government making sweeping statements and accusations, where is their support for this industry? This is an industry that supported the economy and the community in a time of crisis, an industry that rallied around the vulnerable to deliver their shopping, often, at their own expense.

Government deflection

The government’s response reads to many retailers as a deflection from their own failings and lack of support as the country faces rising inflation and energy crises. Not to mention the staffing crisis they fuelled with a mostly unregulated Pandemic Unemployment Payment system, minimum wage increases and sick pay schemes.

If the government truly wants to help retailers to lower costs which can be passed on to the consumer, why not start with a scheme whereby those on social welfare are incentivized to work in their local store to gain experience? Or invest in better transport infrastructure so those without a car can reach more retail jobs, which likely operate outside of current public transport hours?

It seems that announcing meetings to discuss unverified claims was a much more effective publicity move than actually implementing any real changes that would make a tangible impact.

You can check out this feature in ShelfLife magazine here

killer interview questions

The best ways to tackle those dreaded ‘killer questions’ in an interview

Posted on | by Editorial Team

Despite today’s candidate driven market, thorough interview preparation remains vital for prospective employees. Our Director of Grocery Retail Recruitment, Nikki Murran, advises how to answer classic ‘killer questions’ with ease  

Last week I got a call rejecting my candidate from a role he had interviewed for, and I was perplexed. He had done a similar role, was in the right location, right salary range, and was actually a great guy and perfect culture fit! What could have gone wrong?

Then I got the feedback from the interviewer and immediately understood. When the candidate was asked what he liked about the brand, he admitted he hadn’t visited any stores or done much research. The candidate really wanted this job. I had recommended to him that he visit a couple of stores beforehand and I had sent him plenty of information, but he was busy in his current role and never found the time. So, he never got the job!

In this candidate-driven market, one could be forgiven for thinking the same level of preparation as in previous years is no longer required in interviews. But as I witnessed last week, this is absolutely not the case. With higher salaries on offer and more benefits available than ever before, employers want to see candidates present themselves in the best light possible to warrant these ever-improving packages!

With that in mind, below are some questions, which, when prepared well, can make all the difference in landing that dream job:

Why us?

One of the most common questions in an interview – and one of the easiest to answer – is “why do you want this job”. This is an opportunity for you to be honest with what motivates you and to make sure this is what is in line with what your potential new employer is offering. It is also a great opportunity for the interviewer to determine how well you have researched and understood their vacancy and their business. I always recommend visiting the store and its competition in the local area beforehand, speaking to people who work within the brand and can tell you more about the culture, and to have a good trawl through Google to see what you can find out. Not only will you come across as more engaged, but you will have a much better idea if this is the right role for you!

Talk me through your experience or tell me about yourself

This is my favourite interview question. This is not the moment for you to tell the interviewer how you enjoy long walks, and once won a chicken wing eating contest, but rather an opportunity for you to highlight your successes in your career to date. Do this by chatting through each role you have held, and more importantly, about the achievements you have had in each of these roles, include stats and figures to back it up where you can. Think of it as a highlight reel rather than a CV summary! This question often comes up early in an interview and if you have prepared a couple of points of your career successes it can be a great way to settle into your interview, while also using the time to tell the interviewer how great a candidate you are!

What would you say is your weakness?

Everyone hates this question. To be fair, it is an awful question, and for that reason, I never really recommend answering it. Rather, when asked about what your weakness is, I would suggest sharing a weakness you used to have, and an example of how it is now one of your strongest points! For example, “I used to be somewhat disorganised, however, a couple of years ago I started a system where I prioritize my tasks each evening for the next day and now, I would say organisation is one of my top strengths!” I know it’s a bit of a politician’s answer – but as I said – it’s an awful question!

Teamwork

Most roles involve either managing teams or working within a team. So, it’s realistic to expect a question on this in any interview. Whilst you can’t prepare an answer for every potential question, I would always recommend having a couple of examples of your management skills, leadership style and team development at the front of your mind before the interview. This means you are ready to discuss them when the topic arises.  Developing the team around you so that they are empowered, motivated, and progressing is no easy feat – so if you have been doing this successfully be ready with stories to share about how you are achieving it.

Listen and stop talking!

Whilst this is not technically a question – it is good advice nonetheless, so I have included it! Many candidates rush to answer questions in interviews. In doing so they end up not understanding the question or worse, jumping into an ill-thought-out answer that runs off on a tangent that they can’t claw back from. Take a couple of seconds after the question is asked to make sure you heard it correctly and, to decide on your answer before launching into it. No one ever lost a job because they took a couple of seconds to put their answer together! If anything, it shows that you are thoughtful and deliberate.

Next – stop talking! The aim of the interview is absolutely not to fill all the silence, or have the interviewer need to interrupt you to ask their next question. Once you have answered the question – stop talking! Be quiet and wait for the next question. Often, interviewers need to cover certain topics in order to assess your suitability. If you don’t give them the opportunity to control the interview you are taking the risk that you won’t cover what is needed to decide if you are the right fit for them.

Other than that – be yourself and good luck!

You can check out all our live jobs here. For more information call us on 01 814 8747 or email info@excelrecruitment.com

Staff Retention

Ensuring Staff Retention – Nikki Murran, Director | Grocery Retail

Posted on | by Editorial Team

At a time when staff retention is firmly under the spotlight in Ireland’s retail industry, our Director of Grocery Retail Recruitment, Nikki Murran, analyses candidate feedback to give her thoughts on how to cultivate long-term employee loyalty. 

I recently marked 10 years with Excel Recruitment, and I was amazed by how many people were surprised by this. The recruitment industry can be notorious for high staff turnover, but I always thought we were lucky as we have great staff retention.

But is it luck? Or is there a roadmap, a set of instructions other companies can mirror, which leads to the holy grail of staff longevity?

A hot topic amongst retailers in recent months has been staff retention. One of the most frustrating parts of being an employer or indeed manager is when you invest months in onboarding and training new people, only for them to move on within their first year. It often feels like time entirely wasted – you are only starting to get a return on your investment on the hours of training and they are gone! But why are they going?

Looking at feedback from candidates who have declared themselves “ready to move on” there are some interesting observations that might answer this:

Whilst most retailers indicate the one thing they are doing to retain their people is to increase their salary, it’s very often the last motivation cited by candidates looking for a move. Now don’t get me wrong – if someone feels they are undervalued or underpaid – it’s a top priority! But for the most part, retailers are paying their teams fairly to attract them in the first place. So, whilst salary increases may keep them from leaving – it won’t actually get them to stay if the other factors aren’t right.

Work-life balance is the number one reason candidates go to the trouble of typing out a CV. Since the pandemic there has been a huge shift toward finding a better work-life balance. I don’t think that’s news to anyone. Most of the larger retailers have reduced their management’s contracted hours and many candidates are actively seeking out roles with these businesses. But it’s not all about the contracted hours. Something as simple as a fair distribution of evening and weekend shifts can be one of the best tools to retain staff.

Flexibility is probably the perk we hear most from candidates who decline a job move. In fact, I’m sure it’s part of what got me to the 10-year mark with Excel! With small kids, mornings can be hectic – actually, anytime is hectic – but a little flexibility in my working week means I can balance interviews, meetings, bedtime stories, and school drop-offs. In a store setting, it definitely takes a bit more rota planning and tweaking – but I’m sure many would opt for this rather than doing yet another interview or induction!

The little things go a long way also. While candidates don’t explicitly say it – it’s the small things that add up and ultimately form the culture of the company. They say things like – “I like it here”, “I’m happy where I am”, or “It would take a lot to make me move”. These things don’t cost retailers a lot – it’s showing kindness and gratitude for work done. Small tokens for staff on certain days and staff lunches or parties don’t often seem like a big deal but for such small gestures, these things come up more often than you might think when we ask candidates to tell us about their current jobs.

Another subject that comes up time and again is the annual leave quota. I was surprised initially by the strength of this one, but I have had ever-increasing numbers of candidates turning down job offers as they didn’t want to lose their extra annual leave days. Often these extra days come with length of service. So many retailers don’t offer any additional days past statutory but take my word, the ones that do – have a better grip on their staff. When you think about it, it’s the ideal benefit, as you are giving those days to your most experienced people, the ones you really don’t want to lose. The more experienced and valuable they are – the more days they accrue – the harder it is to walk away from them! (and you!)

I was probably only with Excel for six months when I knew that this was somewhere I could stay long-term. I had gone to my CEO with an idea about a flyer and his nearly immediate response, was “if you think it’s a good idea, do it!” That sort of empowerment may seem unimportant, but to me it was pivotal. I felt valued. As the years have gone on and I’ve brought plenty more ideas his way (some better than others and some truly awful) I’ve always felt heard, I’ve always felt valued, and I’ve always felt like my opinion mattered. It’s hard to walk away from that.

For more information or expert advice please email info@excelrecruitment.com or call 01 814 8747. To view our available roles click here

Quiet Thriving Nikki Murran

Quiet Thriving- Nikki Murran, Director | Grocery Retail

Posted on | by Editorial Team

For the last two years, we have heard across many media platforms, stories of “quiet quitting.” This idea that you coast along, doing the bare minimum, never going above and beyond, well it never sat well with me.

Quiet quitting suggests that you are not emotionally or intellectually involved in your job, but rather you are just doing as little as possible to receive a paycheck so you can go and live your real life outside of work.

What I never understood – is whom is this benefiting? Are people happy just waiting to pass time and clock out? That seems so sad to me. Say you spend on average 40 hours a week at work, say that’s the number of hours you need to clock up to afford your life. That’s basically one-third of your waking hours. Look at that across your life.. who is happy to be unhappy for a third of their waking life? Wishing the hours, and their life away?

With two small kids, an “iron-man wannabe” husband, and a pretty busy career, I absolutely am not one to advocate for doing more hours – but surely, making the best of the hours you are in work is a better option?

Making those 40 hours the happiest they can be makes so much more sense to me.

I have been lucky to have experienced two industries in my career – with the first 10 or so years in retail and the last 10 in recruitment. Neither of these environments lent to “quiet quitting.” If for no other reason than it would have meant letting people down – my co-workers, my team, my customers, my clients, my candidates (oh, and my boss). Leaving them aside for a minute, that feeling of letting others down, it would have made ME miserable.

But perhaps these “quiet quitters” don’t feel the same? I’m not sure. But what I am sure about, positive in fact, is that when you find the right job, the right culture fit, the right balance, you can make those 40 hours a week, much more enjoyable.

I speak to countless candidates each week. Many reach out to me because they are unhappy with their job. What’s interesting to me is how often retailers, with many years of experience suggest that this is no longer the industry for them. For my side, I hate seeing good people leave this industry and so I often encourage them to list what it is they dislike, what is making them unhappy, and what they would like from a new role. 99% of the time we can find all or most of these things in the same industry, just with a different employer. The amazing part? Once I hear back from these once disgruntled retailers, their joy is back. It wasn’t the industry that was bringing them down, just that job.

Seeing this change time and time again makes me think, these quiet quitters? Have they just not found the right role for them yet? The one where they can find joy for themselves in these 40 working hours – where they get to feel challenged, and appreciated, enjoy the comradery of their co-workers, and a belly laugh with a client or customer. Me, I love seeing some candidates progress and come back to me as a client. I love seeing my team advance and grow and be promoted. I don’t think this makes me a sucker. I think it means I am finding as much joy as I can in every hour that I live, including those spent at my desk. And I don’t know about everyone else, but for me, that seems the best way to spend my days!

Which brings me on to this. I read something by Lesley Alderman in the Washington post recently – about “Quiet thriving” and it spoke to me! But it’s not as catchy a phrase as “quiet quitting” – so perhaps it won’t become the new buzzword or phrase. But for me, I definitely think it’s worth a look.

Quiet thriving is taking actions and making a mental shift to help you feel more engaged. Her ideas range from looking for the positive to finding a work buddy, setting goals for yourself to setting boundaries with your boss.

I like all these ideas and love the concept, but ultimately what I took from it is this – It’s up to you – and that’s what appealed to me most. I am a firm believer, that, for the most part – your happiness is in your hands, no one else’s.

In this overheated, employee-led market so many employers come to me asking about how they can retain their staff. Now is the time to speak up – if you have an idea or suggestion that will improve your workplace and bring more joy. Most employers will welcome anything that leads to a happy workforce! (within reason – although I was able to bring my dog into our office which led to more joy than you can shake a stick at!)

And, at the end of all this, if your employer is shutting you down, if you can’t find your work tribe to connect with, then maybe, it’s just the wrong job. Maybe it’s time to call me (unapologetic plug here, lol), maybe a move to a shiny new job will be the thing that brings you your work joy this year??

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Source: Lesley Alderman Article