How to Source and Interview Retail Sales Associates

How to Source and Interview Retail Sales AssociatesHow to Source and Interview Retail Sales AssociatesHow to Source and Interview Retail Sales Associates CleaverRetail sales associatesare face-to-face with customers, translating the retail brands marketing to a customer impression. A great sales associate makes customers feel welcome and glad they have come in to the store or called to place an order. It can be a demanding job, but good a retail sales associate is energized by helping customers achieve their own goals.After all, a customer comes in looking for something. A good retailsalesassociate helps the customer find what she wantsandhands hera bit of happiness with the merchandise.Thus retail sales associates must providegreat customer serviceand demonstrate your companysworkplace ethicsand mission with customers.These tips on how to source and interview retail sales associates with the skills you need to help your retail business succeed.Key Skills for Retail Sales AssociatesR etail sales associates positions have few prerequisites as manyretail salesperson jobs areentry-level. Accomplished sales associates typically prove their prowess by their track records, not by accumulating certifications.Enthusiasm for the product and thecompany brandAbility to engage customersAwareness of their own motivatorswhat keeps them stoked?Willingness to be coached and to changeFluent EnglishFluency in Spanish or other languages commonly spoken in your marketClean, neat appearance and friendly mannerAptitude for keeping up with ever-changing point-of-sale technologyPatienceRecruiter TipTheres a reason why stores deutsche post ag signs on their own doors that they are hiring current customers who know and like the retaileras well as its point of view and productsare prime candidates because they are already understand yourcompany brand.How to Source Retail Sales AssociatesUndergrads who are majoring in retailClubs and groups at local high schools and universitiesNetworks fo r stage-of life candidates who want part-time work (retirees, parents of young children)Candidates willing to work particular shifts, such as weekendsRecruiter TipThe Container Store, a company thats renowned for its vibrant workplace culture, hires only 3% of applicants, says Kevin Knapp, recruiting and talent director.To find the best, store managers invite all applicants to group interviews conducted as store tours. Staff observations and interactions determine who is invited back for structured one-on-one interviews. While the Container Store uses behavioral interview techniques, we are very conversational, because that reflects the customer experience, which is unpredictable, says Knapp.What to Cover in Retail Sales Associate InterviewsWhat attracts the candidate to the company brandExperiencesgood and badthat the candidate has had in the store and with the brandHow the candidate handles conflict with co-workersHow the candidate has handled disappointed customersHow the candida te manages conflicting priorities, such as when the phone rings just as a customer approachesRecruiting TipPick up clues as soon as the candidate walks in the door, says Deborah Fowler, director of the retail management program at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.Retail has lots of downtime and involves a lot of housekeeping as well as routine customer interaction.Does this candidate intuitively hold the door open for a customer? Straighten something on a shelf? You are looking for someone who is attuned to such details.Recruit to Retain your Retail Sales AssociatesPotential retail sales associate career advancement may includeShift coachRetail store managerCategory managerSales coach or trainerRelated jobs includeMarketing assistant or coordinatorVisual merchandiserBuyer or assistant buyerRecruiting TipSometimes jaded Millennials can be a hard sellfor potential employers, says retail hiring consultant Bob Phibbs, whose company is The Retail Doctor. Herecommends thinking of yourself as a casting director and telling the candidate, We are looking for the best. Well invest in you, and youll work with people like you. How great is that?How to Retain Retail Sales AssociatesCommissions, bonuses and other performance incentivesSpecialty training and expertiseRecruiting TipLet them know that theyll get new job skills, whether they are with you for three months or three years, says Phibbs. Make sure they know that they will be gaining skills that they will need to be successful in any job.More ResourcesRetail Salesperson Job Description SampleHow to Hire a Retail Sales Representative Job SkillsHow to Source and Interview Retail Sales Representatives