Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Further Reading
- How can I choose the right company?
- What are my transferrable skills?
- Should I work part-time, temporary or permanent?
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For head office roles, the next move is into a senior position, such as
Senior Buyer. From here your career will typically take the route into
management before specialising in a certain area and taking over as
departmental head.
Alternatively, if you are involved in store management, your career
path will take a slightly different route. From managing a single store
your next move will invariably be as an Area Manager with
responsibility for a number of different stores before eventually
progressing to National Manager and Director level.
For Non-Graduates
Senior roles within the retail industry are not solely reserved for
graduates. A number of the UK’s leading retail giants are starting to
recruit non-graduates into their management training schemes,
although the route to the top may take slightly longer.
A Trainee Store Manager, for example, could progress to Duty or
Line Manager before taking on the responsibility of managing their
own outlet.
Entry level positions which are not necessarily restricted to
graduates include sales assistants and customer services.
Job Searches
Assistant Buyer Assistant Manager
Buyer Department Manager
Human Resources Marketing
Merchandiser Senior Buyer
Sales Assistant Store Manager
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Once you have identified some of the companies that you want to
target, research them. Don’t just rely on the PR-blurb that promotes
the organisation as an ‘employer of choice’.
Look at their website to see what they expect of their staff and the
opportunities available. Google them to see what is being written
about them by others outside the organisation.
And if there is a retail outlet nearby, make sure you visit the store so
you can get an idea of how the staff feel. Were they smiling and
happy to help or did they look like they really didn’t want to be there?
Attend recruitment fairs and prepare some probing questions in
advance, taking advantage of the opportunity to learn about the
organisations culture, their expectations and what it is really like to
do the job on a day-to-day basis.
There are a significant number of trade publications serving the retail
industry which will keep you informed about the latest trends,
developments and challenges facing the sector.
Professional associations will also give you some useful information.
And for these highly sought-after fields, post graduate study is often
encouraged with some employers prepared to fund your course and
give you time off to study.
Although post graduate study on the whole is not necessary to
succeed within the industry, it demonstrates your eagerness to
develop your business and practical skills which - in terms of your
career - can enhance your profile and increase your earning
potential.
There are many general courses that you could look into, such as a
certificate in Introduction to Retailing or a certificate in Retail
Principles. If you have an area of interest in mind, you could look into
a Certificate in Visual Merchandising for Retail or a Target Award in
Retail Stock Control.
Careers in retail management are often more dependent up the
individual’s passion for retail, their drive, experience, ambition,
leadership ability and commercial acumen rather than academic
qualifications.
The qualification of 'experience' is not easy to get, so do what you
can to gain work placements and part time positions so your ability
to make an impact in the real world can be judged along with your
academic ability. This will provide you with an insight into your
chosen sector and could place you at an advantage if a suitable
permanent vacancy comes up.
Further Reading
- What are my transferrable skills?
- How can I improve my skills on my own initiative?
- Should I become a specialist or a generalist?
What makes a
good retail CV?
When submitting your CV, it's vital to know what it is your
potential employer is looking for in the perfect candidate.
By reading the job advert you'll get a good idea of what they are
looking for. If you can go one further and get yourself a full copy of
the job spec from the HR department or your recruitment agent, then
you'll have all the information you need to tailor your CV to include
the key skills that you know they're looking for.
Find out as much as you can about the job and the company to
make sure you can match your abilities to their requirements. Look
at the company website, call the company directly or speak to
someone you know who has worked there previously.
Think about what you have to offer and ensure that your skills,
experiences and career aspirations are in sync with the employer’s
requirements and their company values. If they are a company that
believes in creativity, try to demonstrate how you have been
innovative throughout your career.
Further Reading
- How can I tailor my CV to an audience?
- What are my unique selling points?
- What are the classic CV mistakes to avoid?
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Most retail roles are reliant on knowing what customers want so it's
important that you can demonstrate that you know the theory behind
this, as well as how to put it into practice.
The theory part is relatively simple to demonstrate by listing your
certificates and qualifications. If you state that you have a BSc
(Hons) degree in Retailing, Marketing and Management then they
can immediately determine that you will have knowledge within
which retailers operate.
The key to creating a CV that really catches the eye is showing how
you're used these skills to achieve results in a professional
environment. Be specific to the job you're applying for and use
examples of projects you have worked on which made a difference.
For example, Buyers need good negotiating skills. So instead of
simply stating that you have ‘strong negotiation skills’, explain how
you successfully negotiated the best possible price with a supplier
which resulted in significant cost savings for the company.
The key to writing an interviewing-winning CV is to keep it as
relevant to the advertised role as possible. Only include information
that will support your application and always try to add value to what
you claim you can do.
Finally, consider who will be reading your application. Avoid using
technical jargon which only people working in this role will
understand because your CV may be read by a HR assistant or
recruitment consultant who isn’t conversant with retail-speak.
Free CV Templates
Buyer Sales Assistant
Store Manager Visual Merchandiser
Warehouse Manager
Be prepared for the interviewer to test you on the things you claim
you can do on your CV. If you're applying for a store management
position, your interviewer is likely to present a hypothetical situation
or ask you to describe a time when you have used your problem
solving skills - one of the key skills required for this role.
Before the interview, think of a time when you have encountered a
difficult situation, the steps you took to resolve it, the eventual
outcome and the lessons you learnt from the experience.
Anticipate the 'strengths and weaknesses' questions that you will
inevitably be asked, and brush up on your industry and company
knowledge because you will be expected to understand the sector in
which you are hoping to work and to have done your homework on
the company.
Also consider where you see yourself in five years time: Store
Manager? Senior Merchandiser? Head of Buying? Retail employers
want to see what motivates you and what your ambitions are.
Interviews are a two-way street where you need to determine if the
company is right for you in the same way that they want to find out if
you are right for them.
So you need to ask your own questions about the organisation, the
job itself, training opportunities - and then you can decide if the
employer is positioned to meet your expectations
Further Reading
- How do I make a good first impression?
- What should I wear to my job interview?
- How can I calm my job interview nerves?
What Next?
If you’re still looking for advice on finding the right job, creating a
great CV or tips on job interview, career-advice.monster.co.uk
contains everything you ever wanted to know, and more!
Retail Glossary
Anchor store - one of the larger stores in a shopping centre,
usually a department store or a major retail chain, that
attracts more footfall and benefits smaller retailers within the
outlet
Kiosk - any small structure that stands alone, usually for the
purpose of supplying a product or service.
Next - Next plc is a British clothes retailer, with its head office
in Enderby, Leicestershire. It is one of the United Kingdom's
largest clothing retailers.
Retail Week - the UK’s leading news magazine for the retail
industry, covering food, fashion, property, technology and
stores.
They say that the grass isn’t greener on the other side, but
often it is. Our series of eBooks brings together expert advice
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