Help! Wanted

There's a growing problem in our industry, both on the wholesale and retail side: how to attract young, vibrant talent to embark on sales careers. In this issue, columnists Lisa Ashcraft and Barney Stacher write about the challenge facing rep firms and manufacturers as the current sales force begins to get a little long in the tooth (p. 16). Meanwhile, columnist Carol Schroeder presents the pros and cons of paying commissions to motivate retail employees (p. 20).

Long hours and low pay, plus the perception that there is little opportunity for advancement in the industry have come together to make today's young adults look elsewhere in their career choices. And there's also the "sex appeal" thing. Doctors, lawyers, journalists, cops, even EMS workers are portrayed in the mass media as having glamorous, rewarding careers as they take on the "important issues" of the day. When was the last time you saw a retailer as the lead character on a TV series? Even a sitcom? And has there ever been a sales rep on the cover of Time magazine?

If the general public knew more about our industry there would be greater interest in its career opportunities. After all, who wouldn't want to be a successful rep like Dick Firestone, Charlie Kennedy, Ivan Bloom, or Anne McGilvray. And who wouldn't want the thrill of building a retail operation like Mary Carol Garrity, owner of Nell Hill's in Atchison, Kansas, or Howard Henschel's chain of Hallmark stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey? There are dozens of others who represent the gold standard of this business. These are the people whose stories we should be imparting to the next generation of go-getters.

We've done a poor job of marketing our industry to the world at large, and our future depends on getting the word out. (A note of caution, however: If you're advising a young person about a career in the gift and decorative accessories business, be gentle when you tell them how many trade shows they'll have to attend.)