Not-So-Much-Help Wanted in Retail and Transport?

Hirings and job openings in retail and its related transportation industries are down, despite such employers preparing for what is historically their busiest season of the year, a new study has found. The new data, compiled by talent-acquisition technology provider iCIMS, found that hires and openings in retail have decreased by 12 percent and 25 percent, respectively, from this time last year, while the transportation sector saw declines of 22 percent and 2 percent.

“In two years, we’ve seen a shift in these industries from hiring teams looking for warm bodies to fill roles to an influx in applicants,” said Rhea Moss, iCIMS’s Global Head of Workforce and Customer Insights. “There’s a lot less pressure now to hire just anyone and teams have the chance to be a little more tactical in their hiring as they approach their busy season.”

The report notes that job seekers pay attention to headlines. From negative coverage on the rise of retail theft across the country to the United Auto Workers (UAW) strike, candidates are reconsidering where and when they apply.

Overall, employers “have a stocking full of applicants,” the report notes. While hiring and openings are down across retail and transportation, application volume remains robust at a 13% increase for the transportation sector and 46% increase for retail from September 2022.

Click here for more from the iCIMS study.