Job titles are increasingly important in recruiting for retail roles to demonstrate that jobs in the sector involve more than “just standing behind a till”, according to the community manager for retail and hospitality property developer Hammerson.

Speaking to a group of hospitality recruiters in London this morning [9 November], Michelle Dawson said that working in retail suffers from a generally poor perception in spite of significant career progression opportunities, flexible working options and other benefits available.

Hammerson has been working in partnership with retailers that rent space in its properties such as the Bull Ring in Birmingham and Highcross in Leicester, along with providers of services to help people into jobs, to educate potential recruits about employment in retail even to the point of offering ‘brand sessions’.

Such sessions are designed to help jobseekers understand the unique offerings and specific personal characteristics sought by individual retailers in their employees. 

Employment branding includes job titles, Dawson pointed out. She offered the example of Apple, which she said has about 20 different job titles in its retail outlets. “You need a degree to understand what the different jobs are,” she joked.

Job titles can illustrate the professional responsibilities included, Dawson said, and communicate that there was more to working in retail than “just standing behind a till”.

Her comments were reinforced by representatives from retail and catering chain Debenhams, who said they were currently reviewing the job titles across their customer-facing workforce.

The discussion was held at an event sponsored by catering and hospitality job site Caterer.com.