It’s no secret that eCommerce saw a massive jump in the last two years as more consumers switched to shopping online during the pandemic. Even before 2020, it was an accelerating sector with massive potential–and an equally high amount of competition for the top talent.
With new eCommerce businesses popping up every day, around the world, hiring managers face global competition for the candidates with the most skill and experience. A study of the UK eCommerce job market published on Indez.com showed a 345% increase in posted eCommerce management jobs in June of 2021, compared to the same time last year.
The number of eCommerce postings aren’t the only thing rising. That same study showed salaries for eCommerce management positions were as much as 30% higher than the national average for retail managers.
Obviously this explosion of eCommerce as a viable business model has a massive impact on recruiting and hiring, especially in a tight labour market. In this article, we’ll look at some key eCommerce hiring and recruitment trends that employers and recruiters can expect to see in 2022 so you can better prepare for the challenge.
Industry growth to create more job openings
In 2020, more than 100 million people around the world shopped online for the first time, adding to the over 2 billion existing digital buyers. While in-store retail sales have rebounded somewhat from their recent slump, anticipated to grow by 2.5% in the USA, eCommerce sales are set to grow by a whopping 16.1%. Unsurprisingly, as eCommerce sales continue to skyrocket, we are witnessing a boom in job opportunities in this sector.
In response to the growth of digital shopping, employers will rush to hire tech-savvy workers for new roles in administration, logistics, online sales and marketing, and software development.
Exponential growth of job postings
There has been an explosion of new brands and companies as more consumers move to shop online. This rise in eCommerce brands is good news for job seekers but also means fiercer competition for top talent, a trend that’s likely to continue through 2022 and beyond until the market reaches a saturation point.
Ecommerce giants such as Amazon are already leading the way with their massive hiring spree, adding thousands of jobs into the sector and promising more throughout 2022.
In light of these trends, companies in eCommerce should brace themselves for a competitive job market in which the demand for knowledge workers outpaces the supply.
To attract qualified talent, employers should design thoughtful compensation and benefits packages. Those who pay close attention to worker needs such as work-life balance, flexibility, wellness, and professional development will gain a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining talent.
Online education will increase demand for higher wages
In addition to eCommerce, online learning has grown exponentially over the past decade. Platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare, and others allow professionals to quickly develop new skills, increasing their market value.
Armed with in-demand skills, workers definitely have the upperhand in the emerging eCommerce space. This is one factor contributing to the increase in eCommerce manager wages noted in the intro.
As workers develop new skill sets, employers should expect a corresponding rise in the compensation they demand. Offering competitive salary and benefits packages is crucial for employers to attract and retain in-demand professionals.
Tech jobs top the list of open roles in eCommerce
The eCommerce boom will open up employment opportunities in sales, merchandising, and logistics. Along with this, we’ll see an increase in demand for project management, customer support, and marketing professionals.
However, tech positions make up the lion’s share of open roles in eCommerce hiring. In particular, there is a noticeable, unfulfilled demand for tech workers with specialised knowledge in Javascript, Java, Python, Ruby, and Linux.
One way to work around the tech talent shortage is to implement a global eCommerce recruitment strategy. Recruiting from the global talent marketplace can expand the talent pool, allowing employers to find a candidate that fits their proz file. Other benefits of global recruitment include a shorter time-to-fill for open roles and an increase in workplace cultural diversity.
Remote work is now the norm
eCommerce lends itself well to remote work. As part of the Great Resignation, workers are rejecting a return to the office in favor of positions that let them work remotely, at least part of the week.
Many roles in ecommerce can be performed remotely. These include software development and other tech roles, administration and customer support, logistics, sales, and marketing.
To win in the war for talent, employers should support flexible schedules in the form of remote or hybrid work models. Providing the tools and resources needed to work remotely will help boost employee engagement and retention.
Summary
eCommerce is among the fastest-growing sectors and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. This is good news for workers looking to pivot or work in an industry at the cutting edge of technology and consumer demand. For employers, offering competitive compensation, job flexibility, and professional development opportunities will aid in attracting and retaining talent, especially in hard-to-fill tech roles.