Sep 9, 2017 ● Kate Lopaze
Retail Management: Your complete guide to starting your career
If you’re thinking about a career in retail management, either because you’ve put in your time in the entry-level retail trenches and want to move up in the field or you’re considering a career change, you probably have a general idea of what to expect. After all, retail is not for the faint of heart. However, there’s a difference between working in retail and making it your career, so if you’re considering taking that step to level up, we have the info you’ll need to help make that decision.
How will you know if it’s a good fit?
If you’ve gotten this far, it’s likely you’ve already found retail to be a good fit for you, on paper. But what are the qualities you’ll need to have as a retail manager? Good personality counts for a lot here. Some common traits found in successful retail managers include:- Strong customer focus. The customers may or may not always be right, but they will always be your priority. Managers who care about providing excellent customer service, even under stressful circumstances, do well.
- Leadership skills. The manager will be in charge of other employees as well as store operations, so it’s important to be someone who can step up and lead rather than melting into the crowd.
- The ability to make peace. Whether it’s dealing with employee drama or customer issues, at some point the manager will have to be the one who fights off irritation or frustration and placates different kinds of personalities to make sure things are resolved well.
What is the day-to-day like?
Retail managers are typically responsible for the daily operations of a brick-and-mortar store—whether it’s a big box giant like Walmart or your Mom and Pop hardware store down the street. Basically, every store needs someone to ensure that sales goals are being met, staff are being managed, the store is operating well, and that customer needs are being met. A retail manager’s tasks may include:- Opening and closing the store
- Hiring and managing staff members
- Managing the daily employee schedule
- Analyzing sales and setting sales goals for the store
- Creating and maintaining store budgets
- Analyzing and coordinating inventory
- Creating store displays
- Working with and reporting to senior management in the company (for example, a head office or a store owner)
- Communicating financial information
- Working with vendors and suppliers
- Ensuring that the store is clean, organized, and well-maintained
- Monitoring expenses and store losses (security)
- Handling escalated customer service issues