I keep getting interviews for retail sales associate roles but no offers. Feedback is always that I was great but they went with someone with more availability. How much does open availability really matter when hiring?

It matters immensely. Someone with open availability definitely has a leg up. Flexibility is key

Availability can matter a lot. Someone may be a super employee but they're not much good to a business if they can't be there when needed. If you've got circumstances that limit your availability that can be a real problem.

In retail? Availability is everything. I hate to say it but that's been my experience. They need coverage more than they need skills.

Stop

In retail, especially for those with late evening or overnight shifts, availability is everything. It is easy to find people to work M-F, 9-5 but there are only so many of those.

In retail it matters a lot unfortunately. I’ve seen strong candidates lose out simply because someone else could cover nights, weekends, and holidays. Stores usually hire based on schedule gaps first. If your availability is tight, sometimes it helps to highlight any flexibility you do have during peak hours.

That line about protecting energy hit me because I’ve felt that shift too. At some point the focus stops being about proving yourself and starts being about sustainability. I don’t think that’s survival in a bad way. It’s just learning how to stay in the game without burning yourself out.

Honestly, open availability matters, if you want to be “sneaky” tell them in the interview that you have open availability and then when you get the job, tell them that things have changed and to let them know the day you cannot work.

Open availability doesn’t mean anything these days, similar to having a really good resume. I can say a lot has changed in the last 30 years and the hiring practices make zero sense these days. It’s a different generation w online applications followed up by some BS test that has absolutely nothing to do w hiring or someone’s qualifications.


What I find amusing, I hear managers say they need help, they can’t find employees. Diversions stop people from applying, test not paying a livable wages etc.

We need one more round of Covid and it will sink the retail industry along with the restaurant industry. We won’t have to worry about the BS hiring practices. It’s only a matter of f time before bother industries truly hit rock bottom. Two industries that have taken advantage of their employees for generations.