American job seekers currently face no shortage of challenges in a competitive labor market – like inflation, for starters. The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.3% in July. Taking that into account, job site Indeed.com recently compiled a list of the Top 15 companies hiring the fastest in the U.S.
The food industry was well-represented on the list.
Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Co. topped the list of fastest hirers, but a handful of companies in food and retail/wholesale industries weren’t far behind. Winston Retail was fourth on Indeed’s list, followed by Wawa (No. 7), Red Robin (No. 9), RaceTrac Petroleum (No. 10), and Papa John’s (No. 14).
“Unemployment is picking up speed, and all signs are pointing to a cooling labor market,” said Gabrielle Davis, career trends expert at Indeed, in an email to The Food Institute.
“Despite a tight market for job seekers, there are several companies that are actively hiring at fast rates, across a variety of industries.”
Indeed found that Wawa and Red Robin, for example, both boast a hiring rate that’s roughly 4.5 times faster than other employers. The interview process for Wawa can take “about a day or two,” Indeed noted. Meanwhile, 82% of job candidates considered Red Robin’s interview process to result in “a fair assessment of their skills.”
Over 50% of open positions currently are people-oriented roles like sales associate or server.
“One of the more eye-opening aspects of this data is the fact that many applicant skills can be transferred and applied across industries on this list,” Davis fold FI. “This broadens the job search for job seekers with more options and widens the available pool for employers.”
According to Indeed’s report, 64% of hiring managers struggle to quickly find qualified talent. Perhaps as no surprise, then, many hirers aren’t overly concerned about a job candidate’s education these days; they mainly want capable, eager employees.
“Our data shows that many of the roles these companies are hiring for may not require degrees,” Davis said. “The labor market is shifting to a skills-first hiring approach, placing more emphasis on transferable skills versus just education or experience alone – which is beneficial for job seekers and employers alike.”
The Food Institute Podcast
In this episode of The Food Institute Podcast, IFDA President and CEO Mark S. Allen discussed the pressing challenges and innovative solutions in the foodservice distribution industry. Allen delved into topics such as labor shortages, transportation issues, technology advancements, and the importance of industry events like IFDA’s Solutions Conference.
