Retail job openings lead to increasing candidate demand

Photo: Adobe Stock (AI generated)

October 31, 2024

Overall job openings in retail are at a higher level than a year ago though hiring is down.

That's a prime finding from the iCIMS Insights October 2024 Workforce Report from iCIMS, a provider of talent acquisition technology.

The data reveals increased candidate demand for part-time work across retail, according to a press release on the findings.

Additional hiring trends include:

Job seekers are bullish about nabbing a job in retail, with applications up 70% since September 2022 and 15% from last year. However, employers do not show the same level of enthusiasm. Retail openings and hires are down from two years ago, falling 25% and 23%, respectively.
Younger generations are dominating the applicant pool. Gen Z made up the largest pool of retail and transportation applicants by age, and the bulk of applicants for both segments were under 35. Despite older workers coming out of retirement, only 11% of retail and transportation applicants in September were over 54.
Almost eight out of 10 consumers say customer service is important to the holiday shopping experience. Millennials place the most value on customer service, with 44% saying it's "very" important to their experience, compared to 32% of baby boomers saying the same.
Eighteen percent of respondents plan to shop in-store this holiday season, while 25% plan to shop online. Fifty-seven percent are planning for a combination of both.
What motivates workers to look for seasonal roles? A majority of adults (67%) said that competitive pay was the top driver, followed by employee discounts (50%) and a pleasant work environment (53%). However, they are concerned about inconsistent hours or scheduling conflicts (53%), inadequate compensation (42%) and high workload or stress levels (46%).