Retailers hold job fairs, buy advertising and post openings on Web sites looking for employees. Some offer commissions, higher pay, bonuses for staying through the holiday, discounts on merchandise and stock options to lure and keep good employees. Moore strolls through streets and malls handing out applications to shoppers. He has even offered jobs to Big 5 customers. We are looking for outgoing people with good math skills who can work at least five hours a day, and maybe a day on the weekend.
Positions are available in stock rooms and for sales clerks and gift wrappers.
But even that famous-name retailer noticed the tight labor market. Bailey said the company was more aggressive in seeking employees this year than in the past, knowing the market was tight. Besides the usual search routes, Nordstrom linked with community colleges to find employees for the restaurant, in gift wrapping, the stock room and Santa Lane. Nordstrom will hire about 700 seasonal workers for its Puget Sound stores this year. Kristina Hayek, director of the Seattle Community College Retail Skills Center, trains students for retail jobs.