Staffing, Recruitment, & HR Blog
Want to learn helpful interview tips as well as ways to follow up with recruiters and hiring managers after an interview? If so, then join us on September 2, 2020 at 12 pm PST/ 3 pm EST to learn practical and effective ways to interview and follow up. You definitely do not want to miss this informative conversation with talent and recruiting leaders from top beauty, fashion, footwear, and apparel brands.
Click here to register and spread the word ☺
Digital networking is the way of the networking landscape nowadays. Whether you are connecting with past colleagues and mentors or joining professional associations, to build and maintain your network is critical. A Forbes article interviewed J. Kelly Hoey, author of Build Your Dream Network, where Hoey says “networking is not a singular activity.” It does not start and stop at you adding a new connection on LinkedIn or handing someone your business card, but more so “it is every interaction throughout your day, both online and off. Your e-mail signature line, the article you share on LinkedIn and the person you choose to sit next to at lunch are all part of the mix,” states Hoey.
Our team at Emerging Blue hosts virtual round table events on ZOOM where we discuss strategic ways of networking online. In the sessions we go over effective ways of networking, and even learn a few tricks ourselves with each new group we host! It is agreed upon that LinkedIn is by far the most productive networking platform, but aside from LinkedIn, there are other networking platforms where you can meet like-minded professionals. For instance, platforms such as Lunchclub and Ladies Get Paid are beneficial networking tools. Lunchclub sets you up with virtual meetings with similar professionals while Ladies Get Paid is a Slack channel that offers resources, tools and a community for women. Another useful platform is MeetUp.
Key points to remember about networking are to make sure to offer up support and pay it forward. Helping others can go a long way. We always say plant those seeds now and keep watering them and soon they will blossom. In this case, keep checking in on the people in your network and never let the relationships turn cold; keep them warm! While offering support, it is key to be genuine in the process. You always want to continue to create positive energy and in the end it is all about building those relationships. For example, since LinkedIn is a top platform to use for networking, it is a great place to start. Look for people to add to your network who you went to school with, past colleagues, and companies that inspire you. If you see someone you know works for a company that you are interested in or has a mutual connection with someone, ask for an introduction. We all rise by helping others. And lastly, stay motivated. Networking, applying for jobs, interviewing, following up after interviews, and repeating the process over and over can be extremely tiring. Do not give up. It is okay to take a moment for yourself and to practice selfcare, but then get back to watering those seeds and building those relationships because it will pay off.
Click here to read more about LinkedIn and networking.
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Women's Equality Day is celebrated in the United States on August 26 to commemorate the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex.
Our friends at Shoe Palace are looking for a Benefits Specialist who is eager to help others and loves working closely with the employees to provide the best benefits options. This is a great opportunity for someone who excels in an “all hands-on deck” environment and enjoys collaborating.
Meet Andrea, a consumer-centric merchant with experience across a diversified portfolio of global and domestic brands, all distribution channels, wholesale and retail, and price points from value to premium. Andrea started her career at the Bloomingdale’s Executive Training Program which she describes as “retail bootcamp.” From there she went to work for J Crew, Tommy Hilfiger, and Nike where she has a proven track record leading and growing strong businesses in men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, performance and lifestyle. She has a global mindset with experience in the US, UK, Europe, and Asia markets. Andrea’s expertise is in merchandising, creating a product vision and strategy, and working cross-functionally to bring it to life from concept to commercialization.
One of her proudest moments was when she led the Nike’s Women’s Sportswear Apparel Category and grew the business by $350M in less than 3 years with increases in every region. Andrea really has it all! She not only can grow categories, but she is also passionate about creating a culture where innovation, experimentation, and creativity can flourish and thrive. She does this by emphasizing the importance of diversity of thought, teamwork, and thoughtful risk taking.
For Andrea’s next opportunity, she is seeking a senior level merchandising or product role. She loves working in a fast-paced, creative environment at a company with inspiring leaders who support their people, invest in technology, and encourage innovation. If you are looking for a merchandising leader who is flexible and will easily adapt to an ever-changing and evolving retail landscape, then Andrea is the talent you need. Connect with Andrea here or at EMERGING BLUE.
We're hiring at EMERGING BLUE! We are looking for a Senior UX Designer who is user-centric and data-driven with the ability to simplify complex problems into intuitive solutions. This is an awesome remote role with a growing brand where you get to enhance the entire digital customer experience end-to-end.
Click here to read the job description and to apply.
We expect this pop-up season to be stronger than ever for a variety of reasons. These include companies looking to pop-up shops to help them gain extra exposure for their brand as in-store visits decline, to get rid of excess inventory that built up while their retail stores were closed, and to boost any ecommerce traffic that has grown as people turn to shopping online more and more.
Jake Anderson, CEO of Forsake an online footwear company who held a pop-up in Boston, said they were looking for more exposure in their home market and wanted the learning experience of getting to engage directly with their customers. Forsake is an ecommerce-based business and this gave them a chance to see how a retail presence could affect their brand and sales.
Lesley S., HR Director at an international toy company, said they decided to do a pop-up for additional brand exposure as well. “We’re a relatively unknown brand in this country, so the idea was to increase visibility and brand awareness on our own terms”.
Ivory Ella, a largely social and ecommerce apparel brand, used consumer data analytics to determine their "Pop Up” location in Naperville, Illinois, according to Diana Sabol, CFO.
Becoming a Success Story
Lots of things contribute to the success of a pop-up but location, marketing/events and having a strong sales team are the top three factors that can contribute to a successful in-store experience. Storefront, an online marketplace for short term retail spaces, helps brands locate ideal locations in their chosen cities and can connect the brands with vendors to help facilitate a successful pop-up.
Marketing and Events are necessary to drive traffic to your pop-up, in addition to choosing a high traffic location. All of our clients have stressed the importance of having a strong marketing plan to let the public know about their pop-up and their brand. Heidi Speranza, VP of Merchandising & Planning at Aerosoles, advises “While a pop -up is a great opportunity to feature your product and speak directly to your customers, it is also tremendous marketing tool, so plan and budget accordingly for varied marketing / digital initiatives.”
Building a strong sales team is also key to turning your pop-up into a success story. The team at Forsake found there is a need for a store manager: one person whose sole job is being responsible for the ultimate success/failure of the store. This person can come from inside your organization or can be someone you hire just for the duration of the pop-up. Lesley agreed that having a store manager was crucial, suggesting that companies “pay shop managers as much as you can afford to and set expectations in the beginning for their role. Let them know what kind of issues they should handle on their own without your involvement, how and what they should communicate with you, and what their authority and decision-making latitude is so that you’re not getting calls every two seconds for something they should be handling, but they also aren’t going rogue with their employees.”
Hiring the right candidates for the sales team can be tricky, as most are short term positions and you’ll need to train the team on your product and brand story. Lesley said “she didn’t realize there would be so many issues recruiting and retaining employees even if we paid at a level above usual retail stores.” Hiring a staffing firm can take this concern off the table for you.
We worked with Aerosoles on a very successful pop-up shop for their brand and Sperenza said “Emerging Blue was invaluable in this process. It was a priority for us to have the right brand ambassadors representing the Aerosoles brand. Emerging Blue provided quality candidates for us to work with, along with the systems to manage the payroll process which was essential. The team embraced the product knowledge we offered to ensure they were confident in speaking to the customers, and the customer service they offered was impeccable. They were reliable and really excited to be part of our pop-up experience.”
Unexpected Challenges
Often a brand will kick off a pop-up and then quickly run into issues that can derail sales or cause problems they didn’t anticipate in their planning.
Some of the top issues stem from the same things we listed in our previous section – location, marketing and the sales team. For Anderson, he said they “underestimated just how important events are to driving your own store traffic and sales”. They were able to quickly adapt and create events that consistently drew crowds to increase their sales. Location can also play a role here – having a store in a high traffic area can ensure that your pop-up is never empty of customers.
Finding a strong sales team in a city outside of your normal market can also create challenges. For Sabol, having a recruiting team work with them was “a huge time saver, helpful in a market we wouldn’t have the knowledge base to hire” and enabled them to “have reliable, highly trained people work our Pop up store”.
Other brands have found issues relating to selling their product in a pop-up. Think about how and when your product is used and schedule your pop-up accordingly. For example, a swimwear company will have more success in the summer months and if your product is too large to carry, be sure to offer drop shipping to increase sales. Sperenza says “we found ourselves needing to flow product more often than initially planned because of the multiple repeat visits by our customers, who wanted to see new product, and try and buy more frequently!” A good problem to have!
Final Words
Pop-ups can be an amazing way to get more exposure for your brand and help you to sell more products without the commitment of a permanent retail location in this unprecedented environment, especially if you can find a location with outdoor space. As the pandemic continues to keep retail doors closed and drive consumers online, pop-ups can help brands strengthen relationships with their customers and find new ones in the process.
Questions on how to get started with a pop-up? Feel free to reach out to us here. Check out our additional tips on pop-up’s.
Meet Kenny, a performance-focused leader with 30+ years of experience supporting global technology and product innovation for companies such as JCP, Nike, Harley Davidson, Wrangler, and other mass retailers. Kenny has experience leading cross-functional design, sourcing and production, processing facilities, product safety, and environmental compliance teams.
Fun fact, Kenny is certified as a scrum master. From his workflow and process efficiency skills to being a seasoned leader with the ability to build strong relationships, Kenny brings a lot of experience with him. Kenny has the passion and direct, proven experience to lead companies toward success while maximizing the efforts of everyone on his team. He is also humble, honest, and thoughtful all while being a creative problem solver. Outside of work, Kenny loves just about any outdoor sport, especially Golf!
What’s Kenny up to nowadays? When Kenny is not spending quality time with his family, he is looking for an exciting role in Product Innovation, Research & Development, and Quality Assurance & Testing. If you are looking for a successful leader who can innovate, provide technical support, and focuses on creating new growth opportunities, then Kenny is the visionary leader you need. Connect with Kenny here or at EMERGING BLUE.
We would love to connect with you and keep in touch as we continue to find new opportunities.
Please submit your resume to the link below and let us know a bit about you and what you’re looking for.
In the meantime, check out our current openings here, and give us a follow on LinkedIn for industry news, job opportunities, and more.
Click here to submit your resume to be in our candidate pool and stay up to date on open roles!
You are invited to a Zoom event – Digital Networking for Students + Recent Graduates.
When: Aug 19, 2020 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this networking event with Emerging Blue:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sce2gqzgoEtx7bxB249UNDN8dksuptW0L
From one small business to another, we understand you. We know at times resources and expertise can be limited. We have all experienced long workdays, juggling multiple priorities, and needing capable help… fast. With these problems in mind, we created an easy and sharp solution to hiring and HR: EB 360.
EB 360 offers a dedicated partnership that’s effective and cost-efficient. It’s customizable to meet your needs for today while helping you prepare for tomorrow.
As the CEO of Ivory Ella, a start-up, Cathy Quain looked to EB 360 as her HR and recruiting provider. She needed a fast and reliable partner to build her executive management team and further support the growth of their organizations. Cathy’s experience working with Emerging Blue in the past reassured her that not only was EB 360 able to get the job done, they would do it with “passion for wanting to help and build a great team.”
Similarly, Chris Phillips, CEO of Mizzen+Main, selected EB 360 to source and hire for their key roles. Chris was attracted to their expertise and appreciated that “they have some unique models for how they work with clients, which are especially advantageous for younger, growth businesses. In example, somewhat resource and experience constrained due to the nature of a young business, their first step is gaining an understanding of the business, brand, and culture and they act as if they are one of us."
EB 360 is a great option for small to mid-sized companies because it provides that “in-house recruiter” without having to hire or commit to a full-time position. Therefore, there’s major cost-efficiency to this model. Or, as Cathy said, “you get the bang for your buck because EB 360 not only gives you a group of recruiters or HR professionals to work on your hiring and HR needs, it provides all the resources, tools and systems too.”
Another advantage to EB 360 is the birds-eye view mindset to building a team. They understand hiring executive priorities and expectations, the inner-workings of the organization, and the criteria it takes for people to work well together and succeed. Further, as Cathy said, “EB has the ability to hire across multiple levels (executive to entry) which means there is consistency with people and understanding around culture, business and organizational needs.”
EB 360 is a terrific solution all around. Whether you’re in key hiring mode like Cathy and Chris, or you’re just looking for a different answer to outside staffing and HR, let EB 360 be your sharp approach to hiring and HR.
Contact us here to get started today!
Click here to read how home goods and furniture companies are adopting AR and VR technology to enhance the customer experience.
Welcome to our new series “Tips on Getting Hired As a …….” where we will share tips and tricks from the EB team, as well as our clients for being hired for specific positions within the fashion, home goods and beauty industries. We hope to help our candidates in knowing what hiring managers are looking for and to help hiring managers know how to narrow down their search and find that perfect candidate.
Resume Highlights
Hiring managers often look for skills that can be transferred from role to role so be sure to speak to these skills on your resume and in your interview. Examples for a Buyer role include strong negotiation and problem-solving skills.
Erin Hogue, who has worked in Merchandising for The Container Store and JC Penney and has handled the hiring of many Buyers and Assistant Buyers over the years, says she looks for “talent and past successes” that would complement the open role and then trains to the specifics of the role if needed. Since Buyers with experience in housewares can be hard to find, Hogue said “It’s not what the candidate bought previously that is important to me but more their skill level at negotiating, communication and problem solving”.
Interview Preparation
Give clear concise examples of times you have had successes as a Buyer that could translate well to the role you are interviewing for and expect to answer behavioral based questions. One question Hogue asks her Buyer candidates is to share an example of a time that they had a tough negotiation and looks for them to share what happened, how they problem solved and what the result was. Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Result, Method) will help you be sure to give a complete answer to these types of questions.
Also, be sure to research the company you are interviewing with! This is advice we give to all of our candidates, no matter what job they are interviewing for. It shows that you are serious about the role, excited about the company, and have respect for the time of the person you are interviewing with. As a hiring manger, Hogue appreciates that prior research by the candidate “allows for the conversation to transition to what they can bring to the company and what they will learn/gain from working for your company.”
First Impressions
Researching the company will also help you decide what to wear to the interview. Buyers need to show that they have a good sense of the company’s style, as well as a strong fashion sense, and your interview outfit should reflect that. Look at a company’s social media profiles and try to reflect the look and the feel of the brand you see there.
One Last Thing
When interviewing for a Buyer position, show your passion for the brand and how your past experiences can help take that brand to the next level by shaping their collections of the future! One of the most important traits Hogue looks for in a Buyer candidate is curiosity. She feels curiosity is needed to go to the next level in buying and naturally leads to problem-solving abilities as well. Ask questions, do your research on the company, and nab that new job!
Want to read more of our tips and tricks? Click here!
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Meet Amy, a store designer, brand storyteller, and project manager. Amy has worked in retail for more than a decade, bringing brand stories to life through in-store experiences and well curated visual designs. Working with Urban Outfitters, The North Face, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Dick’s Sporting Goods, REI, and Vail Resorts, Amy creatively designs beautiful spaces and experiences that connect with people from the moment they enter the store.
Amy has done it all, from large retail stores to pop-up shops. Amy considers every detail that goes into a successful store, from environmental design, fixtures, props, and styling, to store flow, graphics, and messaging. Adding to her successful career in retail design, Amy is a passionate leader. She created an employee resource group for The North Face and Jansport, dedicated to women’s empowerment, diversity and inclusion events.
Next up for Amy is a brand in-store experience role. She loves story-telling through visual merchandising and store design. She wants to collaborate cross-functionally to bring brands to life, engage with customers and make everyone feel like part of the experience. If you are looking for an expert who specializes in store and environmental design, with top-notch visual merchandising and project management skills, then connect with Amy here or at EMERGING BLUE.
With no end in sight to the pandemic, beauty labels may need to rethink their distribution strategies. Grocery stores may be the next frontier.
Click here to read the article.
