My blog

Tag: small business

  • Supermarkets lead in Google job searches

    Patrick Crowder

    Online job searches for ‘Tesco jobs’ and ‘Tesco careers’ occur more than searches for any other companies, showing Tesco to be one of the most desired jobs in the UK. There has also been a general trend towards supermarkets and retail stores, with Amazon and ASDA seeing frequent searches.

    The marketing hub School of Marketing has analysed Google search trends to find the most searched-for jobs in the UK.

    Tesco sees about 362,000 searches a month for job-related terms, which is far higher than the second most searched for job, Amazon. Job searchers Google ‘Amazon jobs’ or ‘Amazon careers’ about 196,000 times a month – a little less than half as many as Tesco.

    Behind Amazon are two more supermarket companies; Asda, which sees around 138,000 job-related searches per month, and Sainsbury’s, which sees around 128,000 searches.

    Of the top ten most searched for jobs, seven of them are supermarkets. The others, besides Amazon, include Royal Mail with 127,000 monthly searches and Primark which sits at the bottom of the list with 54,000.

    After seeing the major losses which the retail industry took during and immediately following the pandemic, it is unsurprising that Primark is at the bottom of the list – but it is interesting that Primark made the top ten at all.

    The benefits offered by Royal Mail can likely be tied to its large numbers of searches. Pensions, childcare vouchers, and limited but present private medical insurance options all make Royal Mail an attractive prospect in the post-pandemic job market, in which benefits are of much higher priority to potential employees.

    Small businesses will never see the same job search numbers as the big companies, both because they are smaller and because they may not be the first to come to mind. However, this dominance of large supermarkets could be seen as evidence that people are reluctant to look for work at their local shop, instead opting for large chains which offer a known quantity in terms of hours, pay, and benefits.

    School of Marketing CEO Ritchie Mehta addresses the new data and calls for small businesses to work harder to attract new employees.

    “It’s clear where the interest in the private sector job market lies now, and it’s in supermarkets. Additionally, some supermarkets are much more popular for job prospects than others,” Mehta says, “With major brands at the top of many people’s minds when they begin a job search, smaller businesses need to work harder to find and attract skilled employees. One extremely effectively way to do that is to take advantage of initiatives such as the Apprenticeship Levy scheme to bring in new staff or train current ones in digital and data-led programmes, with the vast majority of the training cost covered by the levy.”

  • Small businesses value personal skills over qualifications, survey finds

    Patrick Crowder

    Job applicants often worry a lot about their CVs. What qualifications to list, experience in the field, and university degrees are common considerations for job-seekers and companies alike, but if you feel that your CV may be lacking, there is another option. A survey from the London-based Fintech company iwoca shows that formal qualifications and experience are not the top priorities for small business owners when considering new hires.

    49% of small business owners surveyed say their top desirable trait in a candidate is honesty, which was the most popular response. Coming in second is a good personality, at 38%. Experience in a similar position was essential to 37% of respondents.

    Undergraduate degrees are not a priority at all for most small business owners, with only 6% saying that a degree is a necessity. For people who feel they have the skills for the job, but are also lacking on paper qualifications and experience, small businesses offer a way in.

    Not only do small business owners consider a wider range of applicants, they also face the same staff shortages as large companies, which in turn drives recruitment. Vacancies in small businesses have increased by 72% since last year, coming to a total of 575,000 positions which need to be filled.

    Iwoca CEO Seema Desai highlights why a small business might be the way to go if you’re worried about a perceived lack of formal qualifications.

    “Small businesses employ over two thirds of the nation’s workforce. Some of the perceived barriers to applying for a job, such as having a degree, might not be as high as some job seekers think they are,” Desai says, “Our research reveals the importance of strong personal skills when applying for roles, and the importance of hiring to the future growth of any business.”

    https://www.iwoca.co.uk

  • Jubilee weekend: royal-themed SMEs surge

    Ahead of the Jubilee weekend, there has been a 70% surge in royal-themed small businesses. According to a study by Simply Business, the most common royal words used in small business names are Queen, Royal, Crown, Princess, and Regal.

    Simply Business CEO Alan Thomas explains why the bank holiday could be a boon for small business following the pandemic.

    “This year’s additional bank holiday comes at a pivotal moment. Independent retail, hospitality and leisure businesses have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19, losing a staggering £40,000 each on average due to the pandemic – almost double the £22,000 average losses reported by UK small businesses,” Thomas says, “With almost six million UK SMEs, contributing trillions of pounds a year in turnover, it is vital to the country’s economic recovery that they bounce back. This bank holiday could provide a substantial boost to small business owners across retail, hospitality and leisure, at a time when it’s needed most.”

    East Anglia proved to have the most patriotic small business owners, with 14.7% of the national share of royal-themed business names. North West and North East England followed close behind, with 13.7% and 13.2% respectively.

     

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  • Avoiding the death of the high street

    Last week, Finito World published a report on high numbers of retail insolvencies in the UK, which showed the most affected areas. Norwich and Newcastle upon Tyne saw the highest number of retail businesses shut down, and high streets across the UK have suffered greatly. Now, CEO Karl Baxter of Wholesale Clearance UK shares his strategies for keeping the high street alive.

    Data from Statista reveals that 75% of people bought primarily online throughout 2021, which is a jump from the previous level of about 40%. Clearly, online retail options have been essential to the survival of high street companies throughout Covid-19, but they are not the only way to keep the doors open.

    Baxter suggests that community involvement is essential to fostering customer loyalty and getting some much-needed foot traffic in empty stores. Many shoppers will already be aware of the need to support their local businesses throughout the pandemic in order for these businesses to survive. For those who need a bit more incentive, Baxter suggests offering a unique customer experience, as well as special promotions similar to the 2020 ‘Shop Local Week’, and the British Independent Retailer’s Association’s ‘#shoplocal’ campaign. 

    Another way to boost local business is through social media engagement. Baxter points out that, while large companies can run national ad campaigns, local businesses have a deeper understanding of their customer base which allows for more targeted advertisements which reflect the community. Research from Smart Insights shows that 74% of shoppers use social media to guide their purchasing decisions. People generally trust their neighbours, so good interactions on Instagram and Facebook. or even a mention on Nextdoor from a satisfied customer can help get people in the door.

    Despite the removal of restrictions, many shoppers are still not comfortable with in-person retail, which is completely understandable. Therefore, while Baxter maintains that in-person shoppers should remain a top priority, a digital presence is essential to staying afloat. Click and collect services and same day delivery can beat the larger companies in terms of how quickly customers can receive their goods. This can another practical reason to  shop local, which is powerful when coupled with the awareness that supporting small businesses is a noble cause.

    Baxter also suggests extending your company’s personal brand to the website. Shoppers will no doubt be craving an experience different from the bland, general sites of the online retail giants, so offering a personal experience even online can help to build and maintain a customer base.

    The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way that people shop, and it doesn’t look like these changes are going anywhere. To survive, businesses must adapt, and inventive, entrepreneurial small businesses are up to the task.

    Sources:

    https://www.wholesaleclearance.co.uk

    https://www.statista.com