Retail Resume
Before you begin writing your retail resume, make sure that you really want to do this on your own. There are many professional resume writers and resume services you may want to hire to help you. Sometimes their expertise makes all the difference between getting and not getting that first interview.
If you decide to write your own resume, the best place to start is to analyze resume examples that utilize common resume formats. This will give you a good idea of the resume templates being used successfully today to land retail jobs.
Next, look at retail-related web sites and publications to help you choose the key words you need to emphasize in your resume so that scanning software used to identify strong job candidates won’t pass you by.
Performance is the key to a successful career in the business world, in general and the Retail world, in particular. A person could have been the manager, salesperson, merchandiser, cashier, clerk, HR professional or have performed many other retail jobs. The most important thing while searching for a job in the retail business is that your résumé needs to demonstrate how you have contributed to the company's success.Display a Clear Career Goal and Highlight Your Achievements:
Be sure to include a Career Summary section which will grab the employer’s attention immediately by highlighting your most important attributes. Avoid listing vague skills or clichés like "excellent communication and interpersonal skills". Instead, provide hard facts about your work history or training that would prompt the hiring manager to call you for an interview.
Areas of Skills and Expertise to include:
Include an Area of Expertise section to display your qualifications and competency for the job. Organize your expertise in a simple methodical list. Here’s an example:
- Strategic Planning
- P&L Management
- Retail Distribution
- Budget Planning
- Merchandise Displays
- Sales and Marketing
- Inventory Control
- Procurement
- Warehousing
- Systems Management
- Incentive Structures
- Performance Standards
- Safety and Compliance
- Team Leadership and Mentoring
Try to energize your job descriptions by describing how you went above and beyond your job duties. Think about how you performed in each of your positions to develop accomplishment statements that will create a significant impact on the potential employer. Include factors like what was expected of you and how well met those expectations; the methods you used to generate strong results; awards won if any; and overcoming obstacles that resulted in a positive outcome.