The pandemic and the economic crisis are affecting all industries, including the fashion industry. When you look at how many people have lost their jobs, you might think that there aren’t enough vacancies for everyone who is looking. However, this does not appear to be the case. On the contrary: retailers have had major problems finding staff for months. The growing problem does not only affect the Netherlands, but the entire EU market.
A look at the list of vacancies in the fashion industry shows that there are many vacancies for sales staff, but also for managerial positions in clothing and shoe stores. However, more and more shops have to limit their opening hours due to staff shortages. Several entrepreneurs have reported that they sometimes have hundreds of job offers for which they hardly ever get any applications. In the UK, for the first time, there are more job vacancies than jobseekers and unemployed, The Conversation wrote in May this year. In view of the great shortage of staff, company doctors have now even warned employees against being overworked by overtime.
That’s a shame, because a job in retail can not only be a lot of fun, but often also offers opportunities for advancement and the chance to further develop various skills, such as social skills. In addition, many clothing stores belong to international fashion companies, which also gives you the opportunity to expand your network. Many stylists, fashion designers and shop owners started out as salespeople themselves in a clothing or shoe store. Roy Vervloet, for example, started his career as a salesman at JD Sports and is now International Multi-Channel Manager at a sister company of JD Sports. Another good example is the late Virgil Abloh, who started out as an intern at Fendi and eventually became creative director at Louis Vuitton and launched his own high-end street style brand, Off-White.
Retailers are also looking for ways to retain their employees. The Dutch fashion brand SuitSupply, for example, recently doubled the bonus for employees who recruit a new colleague to 4,000 euros. Bonuses are also regularly used in the UK to attract new employees, the Times wrote in July. Retailers across Europe are offering permanent contracts and higher salaries to attract potential workers. To combat the staff shortage, the “Job Shop” was organized in Rotterdam earlier this year. During the event, job seekers were able to get to know various retailers such as Peek & Cloppenburg, H&M, Sacha, Swatch and others. The initiative was very successful, attracting 80 job seekers, 50 of whom subsequently received a job offer. This not only shows how creative the entrepreneurs are when it comes to recruiting, but also that there are enough applicants to fill vacancies in retail. The job exchange Job Shop returns in autumn and is the ideal place for job seekers.
For people with an interest in fashion, high social skills and good sales skills, a job in retail is a great opportunity. This has always been the case, but the current shortage of staff makes the market even more attractive for job seekers. So now you have a wide range of different fashion companies and brands to choose from, so you can decide for yourself which brand best suits your values. In addition, there are so many different vacancies that you don’t have to settle for a job that you don’t really like. In addition, you can now organize your working hours more flexibly than was previously the case in retail. So now is the ideal time to look for a job in retail.
Curious about retail vacancies? The latest job offers can be found here.
This article was written to promote Work in Fashion.