FUSE is the official training and recruitment partner of St James Quarter. We connect people looking for work with real jobs, training, and career support across Edinburgh’s retail and hospitality brands in St James Quarter and greater Business Development District area.
David Hutchison has worked with SuperDry since the age of 20. What started as a part-time job during university quickly became a long-term career. After being given early responsibility by his store manager, David progressed into leadership roles across Inverness, Glasgow, St Andrews, and even Regent Street in London, before returning to Edinburgh where he now oversees SuperDry in St James Quarter.
Operating in one of the busiest retail environments in the city, David is no stranger to the pressure of recruitment.
“At supervisor level and above, we’d either get candidates who were overqualified and didn’t stay, or underqualified and it was a gamble. I was investing time and not getting the return. I decided to try something different.”
David first heard about FUSE during a brand meeting. He waited a while to get involved and now wishes he had acted sooner.
“From day one, the team at FUSE came into the store to understand exactly what I needed. They didn’t overwhelm me with applicants. Every candidate that came through the door was suitable in some way, but the ones we moved forward with were genuinely the right fit.”
FUSE supported David in hiring his entire current management team. Three people. All very different. All performing well. All recruited quickly, smoothly and with intention.
“What could have been a really turbulent and stressful period was managed with ease. Instead of spending weeks doing interviews with people who didn’t stay, FUSE made the process targeted, focused and fruitful.”
“I’ve worked with other resourcing partners. What makes FUSE different is how well they understand my store, my brand and my expectations. I didn’t need to explain things twice. They sent the right candidates. Then followed up with me and the staff after hiring. That post-start support is rare, and really valuable.”
David also credits FUSE with helping him rethink his recruitment priorities.
“It’s no longer about skills first. We look for personality and behaviour, things you can’t train as easily. We want people who love talking to others, who have interests outside of work. Storytellers. People who connect.”
“If you haven’t used FUSE yet, do it. Talk to someone. They’ll shape support around you. They’re flexible, accommodating and they actually care if the person stays.”
For David, FUSE isn’t just about filling vacancies, it’s about building stability.
“The training, the support, the ability to develop people and see them succeed. That’s the kind of recruitment we need more of in retail.”
Our Talent Bank is a proactive tool designed to reduce staff turnover and accelerate hiring by matching employers with career-ready, locally-supported applicants.
The Talent Bank benefits both Employers and Job Seekers. For Employers the benefits are pre-vetted candidates, training pathways, visibility across SJQ events and channels. For Job Seekers the Talent Bank ensures their skills and experience are getting the maximum exposure across all the brands in the St James Quarter.
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