To apply for a job, email remains the most commonly means to send a CV. In the retail sector, however, some candidates prefer to submit it by hand to prospective employers. Waste of time or worthwhile choice?
To get a job in local shops or department stores, going to them to offer your services is strongly encouraged, even essential. In this way handlers, sales clerks, cashiers and servers increase their chances of finding a job. Indeed, with equal skills, a recruiter is more likely to hire a candidate who comes to them. Here’s why.
Optimized first contact
The retail trade is a business sector where appearance is essential. Presenting yourself to a workplace means giving yourself the opportunity to immediately make a good impression, inspire confidence and demonstrate your enthusiasm and motivation. A brief discussion in person, professional and courteous, represents a direct contact which leaves an impression on the recruiter’s mind. It puts a face to your application, which is automatically set out from the anonymous CVs sent electronically.
Access the hidden job market
The retail trade generally has a high staff turnover – positions open regularly and job ads are often displayed directly in the stores. Offering your services on site can therefore let you discover an available position, which is not yet announced in the newspapers or job sites, even before the recruitment process begins.
Anticipate the need
Meeting the owner of a business also lets you get to know him and anticipate a future need for manpower. With this type of initiative, you take control of your job search and it arouses the interest of an employer by presenting the potential solution to a problem that will have to be solved. When a good candidate arrives unexpectedly, an employer may decide on the spot to have an informal job interview.
A long term strategy
Even in the event of a negative response or lack of vacant position, the simple fact of having come in makes you stand out and creates good professional contacts. As a bonus, it expands your network and you get practice to develop your relational skills, two reliable means to become more effective in your job search. Finally, valuable information can be obtained about the right time and person to contact for filing a future application …by hand!