The retail industry is worth billions of pounds, with revenue of over £303 billion in 2011! Are you the fashionista of the family and love styling your friends? Working in the retail industry could be perfect for you! Read on to find out possible job descriptions.
The retail industry employed over 2.9 million people in 2010, and as the economy grows so do customer’s wallets, meaning more staff are needed! In 2010, there were over 284,490 retail units in the UK, so there is plenty of different places you could work; whether it’s a specialist store; focusing on selling specialist products like IT equipment, a large department store; attracting a range of customers or a small boutique selling unique products. You could be selling food, fashion, technical equipment, or many more different types of products to the businesses customers.
Area Manager
This is usually the promotion role for those already acting as a store manager, as it faces bigger challenges, managing a number of different outlets across a specific geographic area. You will be responsible for setting sales targets, while motivating department managers to achieve these through their own hard work and staff motivation. The perk of this job is that you will be in and out of the office, visiting your assigned stores on a regular basis, meeting with managers to devise and implement sales plans. You will be reporting to your own manager about each of your store’s achievements – or lack of them! The salary for this retail job could be between £25,000 to £50,000 depending on the size and difficulty of the role.
Personal Shopper/Stylist
This retail job will involve working on a one to one basis of customers who need extra assistance in choosing the right clothes for them. You will have a keen eye for fashion and have expert knowledge about the season’s latest trends; as well as the store’s current stock. You will listen intently to what kind of clothes this customer is looking for; whether it’s one outfit for a specific event or a whole new wardrobe – you will need to understand their own individual style. You must be able to style outfits together easily while providing excellent customer service! You may be working on a commission base for this role, although not always. You’ll be working in a retail store, with a salary of around £23-27,000 although this will depend on the store.
Sales Assistant/Associate/Adviser
This retail job is common for students to work as part time alongside their studies, although it has great promotion prospects to work your way up to a manager as well. You will be delivering customer service as part of a team of sales assistants, with the aim to boost sales for your store. You will be advising and selling to customers about the products, while ensuring the store environment is kept tidy and complies with Health and Safety Regulations. You’ll be working on a shift basis, in a busy environment – especially at Christmas! The salary is not particularly high, although the amount will depend on the store you are working in and could vary between £14-19,000 on a full time basis.
If you are looking for a job in retail, CV-Library has 100s of retail jobs available on their site. You can register your CV and apply directly to employers to find your perfect retail job.
