Retailers expected to ramp up hiring in next 3 months

According to HR experts, retailers are planning to increase their workforce by 35-40 per cent by December 2011 as compared to 18 per cent they recruited in the same period last year.

"After reports of strong sales in most retailing segments in H1 2011, retail hiring managers are ramping up their staffs to maximise their sales' efforts for the busy end-of-season sales from January to March 2012," MyHiringClub.com CEO Rajesh Kumar said.

"In fact, one-in-five retail hiring managers say they expect an increase in their recruitment budgets by the end of the year," he added.

Echoing view, Sat-n-Merc Manpower Consultant Director Prachi Kumari said, "Retail industries had already increased their hiring activity. As we had interacted with our clients we came to know that they are expecting major sales growth in January 2012 to March 2012 from this year January to March sales."

She further said, "the major reason behind growing sales are better and healthy economic condition and people had started spending money on shopping, because after two years, they had totally came out from recession fear."

Talking about the main criteria for hiring a candidate, the expert said candidate's experience is the most important factor in their hiring process. Besides, new personnel's professional behavior exhibited during the selection process and job seeker's cultural fit within the organisation are the other two things that are kept in mind while hiring them.

"Bottom line, retail companies want employees who can sell their goods and provide great customer service," said Kumar.