Top Tips For Landing That Coveted Retail Job
The retail sector is constantly expanding and diversifying, and it is the ideal sector to choose both for temporary holiday jobs and for long term careers. Getting a job in retail is easy when you know how. Below, you will find a complete guide to landing that retail job that you have got your eye on.
1. Find out what jobs are out there and research the relevant companies
Sign up with a temping agency or other careers agency and/ or conduct a job search. Make a list of all of the jobs that attract you and then do some in depth research into the relevant companies. What are their ethics and values? What types of products do they sell? Who is the CEO and what are their passions? Knowledge about the history and values of the company you are applying to work out will really put you ahead when you attend an interview. Also be sure to save all your data to your iCloud account when you are searching for a job you do not want to prepare a CV and save numerous bookmarks for relevant jobs to loose all the data.
2. Check out courses and qualifications
Any degree course will usually show retail bosses that you are a good communicator, but there are several specialised online courses on Career FAQs that you can do too. If you are seriously planning a long term career in retail, then a degree or masters in a topic such as hospitality, customer management, business management, accounting or marketing will help to put you head and shoulders above other candidates. There are also short courses that you can do in topics such as marketing or finance which will look very appealing on your CV and will help you to get the best jobs in the retail sector at any time in your life – even if you are only seeking temporary work.
3. Tailor your CV to suit the post you are applying for
Read the job description and person specifications for the post that you are applying for and then tailor your CV so that it clearly ticks all of the boxes that the employer is looking for. Rather than just sending off a generic CV to a set of 10 retail companies, change the introduction, education, skills and employment sections of your CV to suit each job that you are applying for. If one employer states that they are specifically looking for a good communicator, for example, then you might add a section in to your CV headed ‘communication skills’, which highlights your skills and qualifications in this area. If an employer is looking for someone who is good at cashing up, then you might create a section of your CV that lists any experience you have in this area, alongside qualifications such as GCSE Maths, A Level Business Studies or an MA in financial management.
4. Use the power of industry experience
Retail employers are not just looking for qualifications. They are also always very keen on employing staff who have significant retail experience. Listing all of the retail companies that you have worked for in the past prominently on your CV is thus essential. Moreover, it is crucial that you make this experience clear in your interview, too. But, if you do not have much (or any) experience, there is nothing to worry about. You can get on the retail ladder by volunteering in a charity shop if you are having trouble beefing up your CV in this area. Any amount of selling experience can be included on your CV, though? Did you ever run a car boot sale, for example? That will have given you useful experience in marketing and handling cash!
