10 tips for hiring retail students other than through traditional, on-campus recruitment

Recruiting retail students effectively involves strategies beyond traditional on-campus interviews. Employers can partner with universities, community colleges, and retail management programs to offer internships, co-op opportunities, and part-time roles in areas like store management, merchandising, and supply chain operations. These hands-on experiences give students a chance to develop practical skills while becoming familiar with the company’s retail environment and culture. Engaging students early helps create a talent pipeline for leadership roles or specialized positions in areas like e-commerce or visual merchandising.

In addition, utilizing digital platforms can help employers connect with retail students more efficiently. Posting internships or entry-level retail management positions on job boards and professional networks like LinkedIn can attract students interested in growing their careers in retail. Virtual events such as retail industry webinars, trend analysis workshops, or online Q&A sessions with experienced managers can further engage students. These methods allow employers to reach a larger audience, showcasing their company’s commitment to growth and innovation in the retail sector without relying solely on traditional campus recruitment.

In the search for fresh talent, Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies are exploring alternatives to traditional on-campus recruiting. We’ve gathered the top strategies from ten CEOs and Vice Presidents, ranging from offering transparent, interactive recruitment to creating recruitment challenges with local businesses. These insights aim to connect employers with the next generation of retail professionals in innovative ways.

• Offer Transparent, Interactive Recruitment
• Host Engaging Virtual Career Fairs
• Provide Remote Externships and Workshops
• Utilize Social Media for Job Listings
• Collaborate with Student-Focused Influencers
• Build Relationships with College Career Centers
• Engage Candidates on Digital Platforms
• Partner with Community Organizations
• Leverage Virtual Job Fairs for Networking
• Create Recruitment Challenges with Local Businesses

Offer Transparent, Interactive Recruitment

The biggest piece of advice I can offer is to provide as open and transparent a recruitment process as you can, as retail jobs can be a massive roll of the dice for young graduates. You need to go a few steps beyond just advertising open positions by offering interactive content that lets users get behind the scenes and fully understand what they’d be doing, since “retail” just makes people think of working front of store on the shop floor at first blush. Think virtual tours of the company, behind-the-scenes insights into retail operations, or even retail-specific training modules, as all of these can provide candidates with a clear understanding of what to expect in the role and the potential for career growth.

Kate Kandefer, CEO, SEOwind

Host Engaging Virtual Career Fairs

Leveraging digital platforms and virtual events has proven incredibly effective for recruiting college students and recent graduates, especially for retail roles. We’ve successfully adapted our recruitment strategy to reach this demographic without relying solely on traditional on-campus methods.

Our top tip is to create engaging, interactive virtual career fairs and informational sessions. We’ve partnered with universities to host these events, showcasing our company culture and retail opportunities through live video presentations, Q&A sessions, and virtual office tours. This approach allowed us to reach a wider pool of candidates across multiple campuses simultaneously. We saw a 40% increase in qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds after implementing this strategy. To make these events more impactful, we involved current employees who started in retail roles to share their experiences and career progression, which resonated strongly with students.

My tip, when organizing virtual recruitment events, ensure they’re mobile-friendly and easily accessible. Incorporate interactive elements like polls, breakout rooms for small group discussions, and a chat function for real-time Q&A. Follow up with attendees promptly, providing additional resources and clear next steps for those interested in applying. This approach not only broadens your reach but also demonstrates your company’s adaptability and tech-savviness, which are highly appealing to young job seekers.

Debbie Chew, Global SEO Manager, Dialpad

Provide Remote Externships and Workshops

I have found the best way is to offer remote externships where students work on retail research, drafting, and case preparation from their locations. This can be more flexible and inclusive than traditional in-office internships. These projects can range from analyzing consumer behavior to developing marketing strategies for a specific product or service.

My one tip is to host virtual workshops and webinars on retail trends and practices that can attract students who are interested in the industry. This provides valuable knowledge and skills to students that showcase your company’s expertise and commitment to employee development.

I noticed that reaching out to retail-focused student organizations can also help you connect with potential candidates who are passionate and knowledgeable about the industry. My recommendation is to utilize digital platforms and remote opportunities to reach college and university students for recruitment efforts.

Daniel Cook, HR / Marketing Executive, Mullen and Mullen

Utilize Social Media for Job Listings

Recruiting young talent can be a challenge; you need to know how to attract them to apply and how to engage them. You will need to create a listing that will draw their curiosity, and the best place to attract a wide talent pool of college students and graduates is social media.

How can this be done? Well, first, you will need to craft a job listing that uses clear and concise language and highlights the benefits of working for your company. This should go without saying but include relevant keywords and utilize those hashtags. The younger generation’s way of finding work has significantly changed from the traditional methods, so it is up to companies to adjust and utilize the platforms where these candidates are active. Meaning that the best places are TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.

This will widen the talent pool and possibly reach candidates that you would have never had the chance to meet through on-campus recruiting efforts.

Jan Brandrup, CEO, Neurogan Health

Collaborate with Student-Focused Influencers

What I have been seeing from a lot of Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies is a shift away from traditional on-campus recruiting for retail positions in favor of partnering with social media influencers focused on students.

My best advice is to partner with influencers who possess a large number of college-aged followers. These influencers have built trust with their audience and can promote retail job opportunities directly to students and recent graduates in a way that’s relatable and engaging. In summary, this allows companies to go where potential candidates are spending the most time: on social platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Not only does this boost visibility, but it also reaches a wider and more diverse pool of talent.

Social media influencers aren’t just about peddling products; they are more so the keys to unlocking student talent previously unreachable because they speak their language and tap into their interests in ways that on-campus recruiting too often can’t.

Lucas Riphagen, Co-Owner, TriActiveUSA

Build Relationships with College Career Centers

I’ve found the most valuable new talent comes from building relationships directly with college career centers and student groups. Rather than recruiting on-campus, develop internship and work-experience programs allowing top candidates to gain real insights into retail roles. Students today want meaningful work, flexibility, and competitive pay. Offering paid internships or part-time work with clear career paths taps into motivated, tech-savvy candidates passionate about gaining experience.

For Fortune 1000 companies, partnering with groups like ours provides high-volume, pre-vetted talent and an efficient hiring process. We handle recruiting, screening, and placement – saving HR budgets and reducing time-to-hire. Students gain valuable work experience while completing their degrees on schedule. It’s a win-win, building the future workforce companies need.

Government agencies also benefit from direct outreach to colleges. They gain access to diverse, civic-minded candidates with skills that match short- and long-term staffing needs. Offering student work programs or paid internships fill roles efficiently without permanent hires. Agencies complete projects, handle seasonal spikes, and groom future employees cost-effectively.

The future of work is here. Build relationships with higher education to source quality talent, speed hiring, and match business needs. Together we can shape roles for the modern workforce.

Dylan Cleppe, Co-Founder & CEO, OneStop Northwest LLC

Engage Candidates on Digital Platforms

For Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies looking to hire college students and recent grads for retail roles, my top tip is to focus on online platforms and digital communities where they’re most active. Instead of sticking only to on-campus recruiting, put up engaging internship and entry-level job postings on popular career sites and social media. Get involved in virtual job fairs and industry-specific online forums to connect with potential candidates. This approach broadens your reach and helps you engage with a more diverse group of talented individuals. By meeting candidates where they are, you can attract top talent and build a strong team more effectively.

Jordan Adair, CEO, ShirtMax

Partner with Community Organizations

Partner with local community organizations and programs that serve young adults and recent graduates. By collaborating with these organizations, you can tap into a network of motivated individuals who are actively seeking employment opportunities. This could involve hosting job fairs, sponsoring workshops, or even offering internships within your company.

This approach not only allows you to reach a wider and more diverse pool of candidates but also demonstrates your commitment to investing in the local community. It’s a win-win situation that fosters goodwill, builds relationships, and helps you identify and attract top talent who are eager to contribute to your company’s success.

Zeke Abraham, Vice President, Prime Line Packaging

Leverage Virtual Job Fairs for Networking

Virtual job fairs and online networking events are game-changers for reaching top talent beyond campus boundaries. We’ve seen incredible results leveraging these digital platforms to connect Fortune 1000 clients with high-potential candidates, resulting in a 40% increase in diverse hires for retail roles.

Barbara McMahan, CEO, Atticus Consulting LLC

Create Recruitment Challenges with Local Businesses

I recommend partnering with local businesses to host recruitment challenges. We’ve seen great results with this approach. You could set up problem-solving tasks or mini-projects at different venues. It gives candidates a chance to show their skills in real-world settings. Companies get to see how students work in different environments. It supports local businesses and creates a community feel. Plus, it’s a fun and engaging way for students to explore career options.

Hanna Kanabiajeuskaja, Founder, Spaciously