It's important to remember that every interview is a two-way street. You should be assessing the employer just as much as they're assessing you, because you both need to walk away convinced that the job would be a great fit.

Most interviews will end with a chance for you to ask a few questions. Failure to ask anything may be interpreted as disinterest or a lack of preparation, so it is important to have a few questions ready. Some of your prepared questions may have already been answered during the interview, so always prepare more questions than you actually plan on asking.

Retailers are bracing for a year of fast paced change

The Canadian retail industry is rapidly transforming, and 2018 will be a pivotal year for our sector.

The fate of NAFTA is uncertain after six rounds of talks between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. The report from A.T. Kearney and the Retail Council of Canada says eliminating the world’s second-largest free trade agreement would have a dramatic impact on the Canadian economy.

The conclusion is “The retail sector is likely to be particularly hard hit, and retailers need to begin thinking about how to prepare for a future where U.S.-originating merchandise does not seamlessly move across the border.”

We know that the first day at a new job is a nerve-wracking time for anyone. You are entering a new environment filled with people you have probably never met before. You don’t know how they will react to you and you are nervous that you may not fit in or be able to meet the expectations your new employers have of you.

These feelings are perfectly normal but you can alleviate some of the pressure by taking a few simple steps.

Do more research on the company

Competency based interviews are the benchmark way to predict a candidate's future performance. Whether you are a tenured operator or just entering the job market, knowing about competency based interviews and how to prepare for them is essential for career success.

What is a competency based interview?

If you think your organization is doing something extraordinary to enhance your consumer's retail experience, shine a spotlight on the teams that make that happen. The Excellence in Retailing Awards program is recognized as the pinnacle of achievement and industry recognition in a variety of categories that include in-store, online and omni-channel retail operations. This is an opportunity to celebrate and elevate Canadian retail standards and skills and through the promotion of a vibrant and competitive world class retail industry. We will be there on May 30th at STORE2018.

After spending hours on the road each day visiting clients in Toronto and Montreal last week, I came the unsubstantiated conclusion that commuting long distances sucks and will take years off your life. There are so many factors you cannot control that create stress and anxiety. Sitting in hours of traffic, I thought about how this impacts employee job satisfaction and employee retention rates.

IT'S ONE WEEK TO THE PREMIER CONFERENCE FOR RETAILERS IN CANADA!

Bricks & Clicks, Digital & Mobile, Turning Searchers into Shoppers, Retail Disruption — it's all there!

HR 2017 is Canada's only conference designed specifically for retail HR professionals

Moderate growth, new entrants, changing traffic patterns and brand new issues –
welcome to 2017!

It is true that finding a full-time job IS a full-time job, especially in today’s job market.

Recruiters, HR and Hiring Managers post jobs and hundreds of people apply. These folks will be the ones who decide whether to ‘reject’ or ‘shortlist’ applications. To stand out from the crowd, we are coming across many job-seekers who are turning to fresh, futuristic ways of presenting their information.