- Why use this retail resume example?
- How to write a great retail resume
- Which key skills are relevant to a retail resume?
- Retail resume example
Whether you’re a new college graduate looking for your first job or a seasoned manager with the chops to run a business, people skills will play an important role in almost every retail position you pursue. To this end, any professional resume you create to apply for retail openings should highlight your interpersonal communication skills and ability to get along with people. Building rapport with customers, motivating a store’s workforce, or knowing how to identify in-demand products and present them in stores are valuable talents in the retail industry.
Why use this retail resume example?
The layout of the sample resume below is a fairly classic format that you can use for almost any retail position. Even if you choose to write the content of your resume from scratch, this example’s layout will help you present yourself and your strengths as a retail expert clearly and cleanly. It includes sections for describing your key skills, your past work experience, and your general strengths as a retail professional.
The sample content in the template also contains several useful terms and phrases that retail hiring managers (and their hiring algorithms) like to see in a resume. Whenever possible, try to use key terms and phrases such as:
Strategic product placement
Customer satisfaction
Sales targets
Interpersonal skills
Loss mitigation
How to write a great retail resume
After listing your name and contact information, introduce yourself in your retail resume by drafting a professional summary. This short paragraph shouldn’t list your key skills (those go in the next section below), but it should describe your personal strengths, including your passions and general areas of expertise that would make you an asset in associate or management retail positions.
After listing key skills in the strengths and competencies section of your resume, add your retail jobs in the career experience section, starting with the most recent role. After listing a job title, employer, and location, describe your day-to-day duties in one short paragraph, then list stand-out accomplishments (attaining ambitious sales goals, remodeling a store, gaining long-term clients, etc.) in the bullet points that follow.
Finally, wrap up your retail resume with an education section, detailing any college degrees you’ve earned or job-related coursework you’ve completed.
Which key skills are relevant to a retail resume?
When creating your retail resume, whether for a sales associate or store manager position, it’s worth listing key skills such as these:
Operations oversight
Sales staff management
Cost controls/shrink reduction
Strategic planning/implementation
Loss/risk mitigation
Profit/revenue optimization
Regulatory compliance
Asset protection
Product facing
Sales transactions
Customer assistance
Retail resume example
Summary example
Well-qualified, astute, and goal-focused professional with a demonstrated track record of leading retail loss mitigation and asset protection initiatives. Proven expertise in driving sales, efficiencies, and productivity through performance evaluations and the creation/implementation of process improvements. Recognized as a strong leader with success directing large store teams in supporting and achieving objectives.
Employment history example
Team Leader & Sales Associate at Nordstrom, Austin
2018 - 2023
Spearheaded complete customer satisfaction through overseeing team of four floor staff / sales associates in providing exceptional client service while increasing sales. Assisted customers to select products and items for purchase. Utilized RunIt Point of Sales system to complete sales transactions. Contributed to marketing and sales success by developing creative and eye-catching merchandising displays and appealing product layouts.
Sales Associate at Dillard’s, Austin
2016 - 2018
Integrated learned marketing and retail techniques that ensured strategic product placement within the store to maximize customer purchases. Designed and maintained attractive merchandise displays to enrich store environment and overall customer experience.
Coupled previous sales experience with firm-specific marketing techniques to re-design the internal department configuration within the store.
Exceeded sales targets by leveraging intuitive interpersonal skills and effective consultative selling techniques.
Coupled previous sales experience with firm-specific marketing techniques to re-design the internal department configuration within the store.
Education example
Bachelor of Science, Sports Administration at University of Louisville
Skills example
Operations Oversight
Sales Staff Management
Cost Controls/Shrink Reduction
Loss/Risk Mitigation
Profit/Revenue Optimization
