One of the key complaints we keep hearing when connecting with employers in the QSR and retailer space is that high-volume recruitment hasn’t evolved much in decades: Candidates simply have too many options and application processes aren’t as frictionless and user-friendly as they should be.

 

Now more than ever, it’s essential for restaurants and retailers to adapt if they wish to attract top talent. The pandemic has intensified changes that were already beginning to make waves pre-pandemic.

We recently held a webinar co-hosted by HR consultant and expert Peter Gold, a veteran recruiter and recruiting apps innovator, on this subject.

Here are 6 top key insights from our restaurant and retail webinar:

 

1. Make it Mobile-Friendly & Leverage Social Media

90% of all job seekers who prefer to make applications while browsing the internet. The formal application process is also now more fast-paced, with 1 in every 3 companies in America stating that their processes take no longer than 30 minutes.  At the same time, 79% of job seekers are leveraging social media platforms in their job hunts. 

2. “Consumerize” the Job Hunt

Ideally, your candidate experience should closely mimic a great customer experience. This can include eliminating all cumbersome steps by being mobile-friendly, creating short application processes and leveraging a variety of tactics and channels like QR codes. Doing this will enable any candidate to apply for roles in your company.  A shining example of this concept is how IKEA lets customers and would-be candidates apply for openings from virtually anywhere including their very own restaurant via mobile devices. A truly superior hiring process ought to be 100% frictionless. 

3. Test Top Channels for Generating More Qualified Candidates

You need to test each channel that’s at your disposal to determine the one that aligns frictionlessly with your recruiting needs. Online job boards and social media are currently the most popular channels, and over the years have made it much simpler for hourly candidates to find the jobs they’re hunting for. 

4. Convert Walk-in Traffic

Going out of your way to test a variety of channels is key: Peter suggests capturing walk-in traffic is a great opportunity to attract passive job candidates by leveraging signage and QR codes along checkout points in retail stores and restaurants.  This way, you’ll be able to capture both passive and active job candidates wherever possible. 

5. How Long Your Application Process Should Be

The key factors that determine how long or short your organization’s application process should be the objectives you’ve fixed for wooing potential hires. For example, do you wish to simply build a list of applicants that are hoping to join you so you wish to make the entire process as intuitive as possible? Alternatively, are you a well-known brand, and are therefore forced to screen applicants as much as possible due to your popularity? 

Essentially, it’s not about the right or wrong length, but arriving at one that’s right for your objective.

6. Is the CV dead?

Given the scarcity of candidates in today’s recruitment marketing, the relevance of the resume has often come into question. Some candidates and recruiters alike may see it as a cause of friction. However, what’s key is understanding whether or not there’s friction in your recruitment process and understanding your candidates’ habits. Example: Do you value availability over experience? It’s all about what information is valuable and not what document is valuable in order to make an informed decision.

 

For more in-depth insights on this topic, please feel free to watch to our webinar! 

TLDR: 

A frictionless candidate experience is a competitive advantage: to do so you’ll need to make your candidate experience a transparent and seamless hiring process by capturing only the information you really need—which will help you determine the length of your application process. You should also continually test the recruitment channels at your disposal (QR codes, job boards, social media and capturing walk-in traffic) to successfully attract talent today. 

Need to simplify and optimize your recruitment processes and solutions? 

Get in touch with us at https://www.wirkn.com/schedule-a-demo/