The U.S. economy added 162,000 jobs in July 2013. The retail sector remains a big contribution to new employment, as it has been throughout the year. "You’re always going to have jobs in the retail sector,” says Michael Evangelist, a policy analyst with the National Employment Law Project. Part-time jobs, many of them in retail, contributed to 65% of the new hires. Scott Anderson, chief economist at Bank of the West, thinks concerns about the surge in part-time work might be overblown. The government’s figures on part-time jobs are highly volatile, Anderson notes. CONTINUE READING AT YAKIMA HERALD REPUBLIC
Retail sales will accelerate in 2015 and grow at the fastest pace since 2011, according to a recent forecast from the National Retail Federation. The trade group said Retail sales (excluding automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) will increase 4.1% in 2015, up from 3.5% in 2014. The increase would mark the biggest annual growth since 2011 when retail sales for the year increased 5.1%. Non-store sales in 2015 are expected to grow between 7% and 10%. READ MORE AT RETAILING TODAY
Employers added 169,000 jobs in August. Retailers added 44,000 jobs, one of the highest growth industries to close out the summer on a positive hiring trend. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the industry's number of employed workers at approximately 15.2 million, the highest in five years. Retail employment is nearly 500,000 workers more than a year ago at this time. Retailers shift gears in the coming months, adding part-time and seasonal help to meet holiday demands. Last year, nearly 700,000 seasonal employees were hired. Slight economic improvement should translate to similar opportunities in the coming months.
A job in retailing just might be the most valuable stepping stone one can traverse in her/his career path, regardless of industry. That's what a study conducted by the National Retail Federation finds. The NRF reports 71% of hiring managers survey said they, "overwhelmingly believe that retail experience develops the skills and traits they seek in prospective job candidates." Such skills, including organizational practices and customer service, are in demand throughout a variety of sectors. Given the retail industry is the highest volume employer of any in the United States, this is great news for those working in retail as ...
Major retailers were so optimistic heading into the 2012 Christmas shopping season that they will find it difficult to match that 12-year high -- 751,8000 workers added between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31 last year. Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., the Chicago outplacement consultancy, cited "shaky consumer confidence and increased efficiencies among retailers" as reasons stores are expected to hire about the same or fewer than last year. "With many retailers already starting holiday-themed ads and breaking out Christmas decorations in stores, those hoping to get in on the seasonal hiring push should act early," it said in a statement ...
Temporary staffing for retailers around the country is expected to boom in the coming months, at the highest levels since 2011. 2011 brought a sharp upswing in retail employment, after having hit bottom from the recession. Unemployment and stagnant wages in other sectors meant less consumer spending, and obviously less need for seasonal or other part-time staff in retail. However, as spending increased, so too did temporary retail hiring. Now is the time to consider a temporary retail position. The CareerCast Retail Network's database of jobs include listing specifically tailored to those seeking a temporary position. Temporary jobs can be ...
U.S. consumers ramped up spending in November on cars, appliances and furniture and made more purchases online, signaling growing confidence in the economy at the start of the holiday shopping season. The Commerce Department said Thursday that retail sales rose 0.7 percent, the biggest gain in five months. October's figure was also revised higher to 0.6 percent. Two straight months of healthy sales suggest steady hiring is encouraging Americans to spend more this holiday season, particularly on big-ticket items. That could give a critical boost to the economic growth. CONTINUE READING AT TULSA WORLD
Omni-channel strategies are helping chain stores compete with pure-play e-commerce retailers, but it is also driving major changes in their e-commerce logistics models. packaging engineering is not typically part of most supply chain organizations’ strategy and physical distribution is not taken into consideration when designing consumer packaging. Traditionally, the focus is on consumer appeal, as expected, but retail supply chain specialists should be taking a closer look at packaging design as another way to optimize the supply chain. CONTINUE READING AT CHAIN STORE AGE
Retail openings can be found from the tiniest boutique to the largest big-box national chain. Customers in smaller stores and fashionable department stores expect individual attention, while customers shopping at the likes of Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Costco expect a clean efficient environment and customer service when they need it. No matter the type of retail outlet the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of retail salespersons is expected to rise 17% through 2020. Yet many job seekers hang on to misperceptions about jobs in the retail sector, which can prevent them from landing a new job. Those myths ...
Phil Hendrickson, strategic recruiting professional at Apple, provides insight into moving up in the retail industry. "Networking is so important," he says. "It’s a great way to meet people who are a few years ahead of you in their careers; they can provide advice and guidance –- learn from their mistakes, and [find out] what they would have done differently." Takeaway tip: It never hurts to set up interview lunches. Take someone to lunch and tap into their experience and expertise. Learn about how they manage their careers and grew into their roles. All it costs is lunch! You may ...