
Jan 12, 2018 ● Kate Lopaze
The top 5 retail jobs for 2018
If you’re thinking about working in retail, it can be a great choice with lots of different ways to achieve your goals. Retail is one of the most versatile industries, with a constant, churning demand to meet ever-growing sales and customer needs. It’s also an industry where you can start laying out a career path that takes you up through the management level, or get that “right now” job while you figure out what your longer-term career plans are. It’s also a field that’s growing and diversifying quickly due to changes in technology and e-commerce, making it a broader field than ever before.
Let’s look at some of the fastest-growing job opportunities in retail for the new year.
1. Sales Associate
Think of this job as “retail classic,” especially if you’re just starting out. Sales associates are basically the boots on the ground in the retail industry, working out on the floor in brick-and-mortar stores to make sure that shelves are stocked, customers are being helped, sales are being made, and operations are running smoothly. It’s typically an hourly job, worked in shifts set by the store’s management. Working as a sales associate can mean working nights, weekends, and holidays, depending on the type of store. Working as a retail sales associate can be a major experience-builder, especially if you’re thinking about branching out into a more advanced career in the retail field. What you’ll need: There’s no official education level needed to become a sales associate, but some companies prefer high school graduates (or equivalent). Sales associates should have good organizational skills, trustworthiness, solid math skills, and excellent customer service skills—not to mention the patience it takes to help customers of all kinds. Most stores provide on-the-job training for new employees. How much they make: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), sales associates make a median annual salary of $22,900 per year, or $11.01 per hour. This can vary depending on experience and seniority. For more on how to snag retail associate jobs:- 6 Job Skills You Need to Be a Sales Associate
- How to Write a Perfect Sales Associate Resume (Examples Included)
2. Retail Manager
If you’ve got some retail experience under your belt already, 2018 is a great time to start thinking about moving up into the managerial level. Retail managers are often responsible for managing teams of associates, or an entire store. Their day-to-day responsibilities may include scheduling staff, interviewing and hiring new staff, training employees, overseeing daily operations, monitoring sales and transactions, providing customer service as necessary, overseeing stocking and inventory, and opening and closing the store. Managers are also ambassadors for the store’s branding and corporate interests as well, making sure the store and the staff are operating within company policies and working toward company goals. It’s a leadership job that requires a good deal of maturity and responsibility, particularly when it comes to handling store finances and making personnel decisions. What you’ll need: A high school diploma (or equivalent) at a minimum, and experience working in retail. Many stores hire and promote from within. Strong customer service skills are a must, but administrative skills are essential too, particularly organization, accounting, and both written and verbal communication. How much they make: According to PayScale.com, retail store managers make a median annual salary of $45,191, or $14.56 per hour. For more on how to snag retail management jobs:- How to write a retail management resume (with examples)
- Retail Management: Your complete guide to starting your career
3. Customer Service Representative
Sometimes called “customer care” or “customer success” associates, these retail professionals are responsible for making sure customers are informed and happy with their purchases. In a brick-and-mortar store, that might mean manning a desk that handles returns and customer questions or issues. Otherwise, customer service associates may work remotely in call centers, fielding calls, emails, social media queries, or other types of outreach from customers. Customer service associates may be responsible for troubleshooting orders or shipment issues, processing returns or refunds, giving customers information about their product or the store, or providing technical support. In a world where customer feedback can be swift and harsh on social media, customer service professionals need to be more proactive and helpful than ever. It’s also a field that grows immensely, as the retail experience continues to expand from traditional stores to digital storefronts. What you’ll need: A high school diploma (or equivalent) at a minimum and stellar customer service skills. Customer service associates are often the ones dealing with irate or unhappy customers, so strong people skills are a crucial part of the job. Customer service associates should also be tech-savvy, since they may be working with customers in a variety of different communication formats, from multi-line phones to computer chat apps. How much they make: According to the BLS, customer service representatives make a median annual salary of $32,300 per year, or $15.53 per hour. For more on how to snag customer service jobs:- Develop a solid career in customer service
- Top 10 Skills You Need for a Career in Customer Service
- Your Complete Guide to the Best Customer Service Jobs
- The top 12 hottest customer service jobs