Recently, I had the opportunity to plan and attend an event for HR professionals in the retail industry and it was great! On March 9th, iCIMS hosted this event in NYC that enabled recruiters to network and discuss a variety of HR topics including recruitment trends, applicant tracking systems (ATS), and other processes that have affected their hiring program. The event started off with an excellent presentation given by Jaime Petkanics, Talent Acquisition Director at Tory Burch. Jaime touched on how an ATS has been incredibly helpful in transforming the hiring process from what they had in the past. Jamie cited that user-friendly functionality was one of the most important attributes of an ATS, since adopting the technology is essential in fostering organizational success for a growing company. In addition to Jaime, representatives from Foot Locker, Aeropostale, Tommy Hilfiger, Liz Claiborne, Chico’s, Banana Republic, DKNY, and Ideeli, also attended the event.
Ultimately, the event was an informative and low-key way for HR professionals to network and reflect on how to overcome the many challenges that today’s recruitment world faces.
One topic discussed was the retail industry’s spectrum of hire types that range from seasonal hires to hourly and salary candidates. Recruiters also discussed the many challenges associated with their high volume applicant pool and how to effectively source and hire candidates from there. While answers varied, there seemed to be some agreement over the use of technology to facilitate this process. Many recruiters cited that leveraging an automatic way to separate hourly and salary candidates and quickly filter based on skill set would drive more simplified hiring processes.
GNC's career site separates retail hiring from corporate hiring
In addition to the structured presentation and discussion, attendees had the opportunity to network with others who have experienced similar work-related challenges. It was a fun and informative experience for all who attended. If you missed the event, be sure to check out iCIMS next networking event in London, UK on May 11th, 2011.
Lastly, I do have one piece of advice for recruiters: network! Take advantage of any industry related recruitment events that are available to you. You’ll find a lot of commonality at these events, enabling you to gain positive takeaways to bring to your own recruitment program. Networking will not only benefit you, but your organization and hiring processes as a whole.
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