Switchback Spring, June 16-18, 2026 in New Orleans, LA
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Switchback at TRE, December 1-3, 2026 in San Antonio, TX
Hiring experts call it the “Marriage Made in Hell”: the moment a desperate business owner meets a desperate job seeker. According to Karen Barry, a retail trainer with the Friedman Group, this cycle often begins when you lose a key employee without a replacement plan in place.
As the vacancy lingers and weeks pass, “heart palpitations” set in while your remaining staff grows cranky from overwork, Barry explains. In your urgency, you begin calling back candidates you already know aren’t a fit. Simultaneously, an applicant facing mounting bills starts applying for jobs they don’t even like. This is the “desperation hire,” a relationship based on panic rather than shared values or goals. It’s a situation that rarely ends well for either side.
To avoid a bad hire, business owners must shift from reactive hiring to a proactive, ongoing recruiting strategy. During The Running Event (TRE) and Switchback at TRE 2025, Barry shared the following five tips to help retailers improve their hiring practices and attract quality employees:
The first mistake owners make is searching for job candidates only when an employee leaves, and they need to fill the position. Barry stresses that retailers should have a hiring strategy that includes a constant search for prospective employees. Also, the strategy should have goals. “Maybe it’s that your manager has to give you at least five applications and has to conduct at least two interviews every month or every week, depending on the volume of your store,” says Barry.
She encourages retailers to maintain a pool of pre-vetted talent so that when a vacancy occurs, you aren’t starting from scratch. “I’m always going to have a recruiting strategy so that when I’m looking for someone, it’s going to be like opening my vault and pulling out the best jewel,” says Barry.
To weed out unsuitable candidates, require job-seekers to complete a formal application rather than submitting only a resume. “People get really creative on resumes, which can be fudged easily,” Barry notes, adding that standardized applications reveal concrete details like exact employment dates and reference contacts.
Barry also recommends that you give candidates a welcome letter before interviewing them. The letter should detail basics, such as the store’s mission, dress code, and pay. “It gives them a little bit of information about the job, about the company, and answers some of those really basic questions,” says Barry.
The welcome letter also provides an opportunity to observe the candidate’s behavior and gauge whether they are a good fit for your business. “Observe them to see if they actually read it,” says Barry, explaining that this can be an indicator of whether a person will read and follow instructions. When you interview the candidates, note whether they ask you questions about the information in the letter. If they do, it signals that the person is not only paying attention but also truly engaged in the hiring process and genuinely interested in the job.
Treat your first interview with a candidate like a coffee date. Rather than investing significant time and energy in the meeting, keep it brief, since you’re still trying to determine whether the person is a good fit.
“This will only take 10 to 15 minutes,” says Barry, adding that you can meet over Zoom or Teams for added convenience.
The goal of the initial interview is to disqualify candidates, she says, explaining that you’re gauging whether the person can follow instructions, show up on time, look presentable, and communicate well. Also, during this meeting, you should look for red flags, Barry notes. “What are your disqualifiers? What are the things you do not want?”
For instance, you might want to filter out candidates with an “elitist” or “know-it-all” attitude, as they may struggle to treat every customer with equal respect. To uncover these traits, Barry suggests using open-ended behavioral questions, such as: “How would you handle a customer who insists on a shoe you know is wrong for them?” An answer like “Well, I know I’m right” serves as a clear red flag.
If a candidate seems suitable after the initial brief meeting, it’s time to conduct a more thorough in-person interview. “We’ll spend a little more time here,” says Barry. Rather than just having a conversation with the person, ask questions structured around your business’ core values. “Do they match your values, your culture, and the other people that are in your store right now?” Barry asks. “Will they help you achieve your goals?”
In addition to identifying core values, your questions should assess whether the candidate possesses traits critical to the success of your business.
Barry prioritizes looking for candidates who are naturally outgoing and notes that this is a quality people possess and can’t be taught. “I want someone who gets energy from communicating with people and engaging with lots of different kinds of people,” she says. “Introverts don’t make a lot of sales.”
To test for this natural spark, create a real-world scenario before the formal interview even begins. Tell the candidate you need a few minutes to wrap up some tasks and encourage them to mingle with sales associates or customers while they wait. By observing their behavior, you can quickly gauge their fit: those who proactively engage others show high potential, while those who retreat to their phones likely lack the social skills required for the role.
At the end of the interview, ask, “What’s not on your resume that I should know?” to see their true personality outside of business. “When you get them to talk about something other than business, their basic nuttiness comes out,” says Barry. “I am not opposed to people who are a little nutty. I just want them to be nutty in a way that will be compatible with my team, our customers, and our lifestyle.”
Employers can improve their hiring practices by avoiding several common pitfalls, most notably the tendency to ignore intuition. If a candidate appears perfect on paper, but something seems off during the interview, don’t dismiss the feeling. “If everything seems to go well, but your gut is telling you something’s wrong, something’s probably wrong,” she cautions. In these instances, Barry suggests pausing the process: “Do an extra hard check on the references. Send them home and really think about what’s bothering you.”
She also emphasizes that reference checks are mandatory, and stresses that you should always call previous employers to verify a candidate’s performance. “This person you saw sitting in front of you is not necessarily the person that’s going to show up,” says Barry. “I want to figure out why they left other jobs.”
While the vetting process is rigorous, Barry notes that maintaining a positive relationship with every applicant is equally vital. Since the shop is a fixture in the community, she suggests sending applicants a thank-you note or a store coupon to protect local goodwill. This gesture is especially important for regular customers who apply for a job but aren’t hired. It’s possible that they will feel embarrassed, and a personal touch lets them know they are still valued patrons and encourages them to continue shopping with you.
These thoughtful touches are just one component of a broader, more intentional approach to staffing. By shifting from reactive “desperation hiring” to a proactive recruiting strategy, business owners can protect their company culture and avoid the “Marriage Made in Hell.” Implementing these five steps—from maintaining a constant pool of talent to trusting your gut during interviews—ensures that every new hire is a “jewel” who aligns with your store’s values. Ultimately, a disciplined hiring process doesn’t just fill a vacancy; it builds a cohesive team capable of driving long-term retail success.
