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When a leading football retailer needed to build a large retail team ahead of the opening of a new three-storey team store in Manchester, Priority Recruitment was brought in to manage a high-volume recruitment campaign.

With 70 retail positions to fill, a large candidate pool to assess, and the first matchday approaching quickly, the campaign required an efficient recruitment process that could maintain quality while managing significant applicant volumes.

The Challenge

The client was preparing to open a new three-storey football store at a major Manchester stadium and needed to recruit 70 retail staff to support the operation. The roles were offered on zero-hour contracts, with the majority of shifts taking place on matchdays alongside additional opportunities around events and general store requirements.

The client was looking for candidates who were passionate about customer service, eager to learn, and motivated by the opportunity to represent a globally recognised football brand. There was also an additional recruitment requirement, with some existing positions needing to be filled following staff departures from the previous season.

With approximately 400 candidates ultimately assessed, the key challenge was creating a recruitment process that could handle the volume while ensuring every candidate was assessed fairly and consistently.

Our Approach

Given the scale of the campaign, we developed a structured recruitment process that combined targeted candidate attraction, initial screening, and large-scale group interviews.

Candidates were sourced primarily through online job boards, with applications reviewed against the requirements of the role. Suitable applicants then completed an initial screening process before being invited to one of six group interview sessions.

This approach allowed us to efficiently progress a high volume of candidates while giving the client meaningful opportunities to assess how individuals communicated, collaborated, and approached customer service.

The Recruitment Process

Candidate Attraction and Screening

We began by advertising the available retail positions across relevant online job boards. Applications were reviewed against the client's requirements, with suitable candidates progressing to an initial screening stage.

Candidates who successfully passed this stage were invited to attend one of six large-scale group interview sessions.

Group Interviews

Each session welcomed approximately 50 to 75 candidates, with around 400 candidates assessed across the full campaign. Candidates took part in two group exercises designed to replicate elements of the customer-facing retail environment.

The first was a customer-profile exercise, where candidates worked together to demonstrate their understanding of excellent customer service and how they would adapt their approach to different customers.

The second was a shop-floor scenario, where candidates discussed and presented how they would respond to a realistic retail situation as a team. Candidates were assessed throughout the entire session, rather than simply on their final presentation.

The management team observed how individuals communicated, contributed to discussions, listened to others, collaborated with their group, and approached customer service. Detailed notes were taken throughout both exercises to support consistent decision-making.

Managing a High-Volume Recruitment Campaign

One of the biggest challenges was assessing a large number of candidates within a limited timeframe. With around 400 candidates attending six group interview sessions, confident and outspoken candidates did not need to automatically overshadow quieter applicants.

Our recruitment team and the client's management team worked closely throughout each session, observing candidates during every stage of the exercises. Following each session, the management team reviewed their notes together and discussed the strongest candidates while the experience was still fresh.

This collaborative approach helped maintain consistency across the campaign while ensuring candidates were assessed on their overall performance, rather than simply their confidence during presentations.

Working to a Tight Deadline

The recruitment campaign also had a significant time constraint. There was limited time between completing the interviews, making final recruitment decisions, delivering inductions, and preparing the new team for its first matchday. Close communication between Priority Recruitment and the client's management team was therefore essential.

By maintaining a structured process and making decisions promptly following each interview session, we were able to move candidates through the recruitment journey efficiently and keep the campaign on schedule.

The Outcome

Priority Recruitment successfully recruited 70 new retail staff members for the client's new store. Inductions were completed the following week, allowing the newly recruited team to prepare for the demands of the role and the busy matchday environment.

The new retail team successfully worked its first matchday, supporting the store's opening and retail operations at the stadium.

Value Delivered

This campaign demonstrates Priority Recruitment's ability to manage high-volume retail recruitment while maintaining a strong focus on candidate quality and experience.

Recruiting 70 people within a tight timeframe required more than simply attracting a large number of applications. The process needed to provide a consistent and fair way of assessing hundreds of candidates while giving the client the confidence to make informed hiring decisions.

Through structured screening, large-scale group interviews, collaborative assessment, and close communication with the client, Priority Recruitment delivered the required headcount in time for the client's first matchday.

Whether you're opening a new retail location, preparing for seasonal demand, or need to recruit multiple retail positions quickly, Priority Recruitment can support your business with scalable retail recruitment solutions.