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A Career In Retail Can Be Everything You Want

Does the thought of working in an environment that is vibrant, exciting and fast moving appeal to you? Do you like every day to be different, your environment to be ever changing and do you enjoy new challenges and working with people? Then retail could be the career for you!

Forget all you know, retail isn’t just about stacking shelves. Yes that may have been your experience with retail and yes those jobs do exist, but everyone has to start somewhere. What is important is that you look further, retail isn’t just about your local food store but rather it encompasses a very wide variety of businesses that range from online e-tailers such as Amazon to lifestyle retailers such as Virgin and high fashion outlets such as Gucci, Armani and Harrods. Retail gives you the opportunity to mix your career with something that you enjoy doing – be it shopping or the playing with your favourite toy. What other industries can offer you that combination?

Yes, that’s all great but isn’t it all about check out operators, sales assistants and stacking shelves. Well no, it isn’t. Retail is today one of the fastest growing industries in the country with more than 250,000 new jobs over the last five years. It is also home to many of the largest companies in the country and certainly the most prestigious brands. It is also a young industry, a place where you can make your mark very quickly moving into management at a very early age. It is also probably the easiest industry in which to start your own business, be your own boss – what could be better than that?

So what are the opportunities?

Retail caters for everyone, with jobs both in store and at head office.
In store there are the usual jobs, but what you probably didn’t know is that many of the stores employ their own specialists in addition to the operations staff that you tend to see on your shopping trip. These include personal shoppers; store layout, window dressing and merchandising; food technologists; product specialists and demonstrators; HR and training; accountants and IT staff.

Everyone who works in store can also apply to move to head office. However most companies also employ graduates for these positions, which are amongst the most exciting anywhere. These opportunities include buying -sourcing stock for the store, which can often involving international travel; marketing and promotions - arranging everything from fashion shows to advertising campaigns; store design, layout and concepts – deciding what the store looks like; property management and space planning – where are stores located and how are they laid out; communications and public relations – dealing with the media; HR and training; accounting and IT.

Retail can be everything you want it to be. The rewards can be very good and can include substantial staff discounts, quick promotion, and the opportunity to move into different fields and to be your own boss.

Written for Get Smaart by Skillsmart, The Retail Sector Skills Council.
Visit our website for more information http://www.skillsmart.com   Send to a friend

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