Retail can be an option for those just starting out in their career or it can actually turn into your entire career. We all played games of being a retail assistant when we were kids. It was fun then, and it can be fun now, even though you’re not “selling” your own clothes to your best friend.
Retail involves much more than merely selling products. It's about actively assisting people, effective communication, and, most importantly, building relationships with regular customers. Although you may occasionally encounter a difficult customer, you can appreciate that no two customers or days are alike. There's always a chance to make a positive impact, adding to the job's dynamic nature and appeal.
Curious about how to excel in the recruitment process? Our retail resume guide’s got you covered, with comprehensive tips on formatting, tailoring your experience and education sections, describing your skills, and last but not least, creating that perfect resume profile.
Key takeaways
- Choose the hybrid resume format to put equal focus on your retail experience and relevant skills.
- Tailor your experience section to the job posting, and include information on the companies you worked for, your day-to-day responsibilities, and achievements.
- Retail jobs are beginner-friendly, just focus on your abilities and any additional experience you might have, such as volunteer work or projects.
- Add hard skills in a separate section, and illustrate soft skills with examples throughout your resume.
- Additional sections such as projects or hobbies can show your unique personality.
Now that we’re clear on the purpose of this article, let’s explore an example of a retail resume.
Retail resume sample
Wayne has over 5 years of experience in retail. Use his retail resume as a template for your own, or create one from scratch using the Enhancv resume builder.
Wayne Halpert
retail Associate
wayne.halpert@email.com ·LinkedIn · Miami, FL
Summary
Dedicated retail Associate with over 5 years of experience in enhancing customer experiences in high-volume retail settings. Proficient in product knowledge dissemination, customer issue resolution, and sales techniques. Recognized for superior communication skills and the ability to quickly master new product features to drive customer satisfaction and sales.
Experience
retail Sales Associate
Target, Miami, FL
June 2020 – Present
- Engage daily with an average of 50+ customers, providing assistance and product recommendations to enhance their shopping experience.
- Effectively handle customer complaints and issues, ensuring a swift resolution aligning with company policies, resulting in a 15% increase in customer return rate.
- Train and mentor new employees on store procedures and customer service best practices.
Customer Service Representative
Best Buy, Miami, FL
March 2018 – May 2020
- Delivered detailed product information and advice to customers, supporting their choice of electronic and appliance solutions.
- Recognized as Employee of the Month three times due to excellent customer service and achieving the top sales in the team.
- Supported inventory management efforts by organizing stock and updating inventory systems.
Education
Associate of Arts in Business Administration
Miami Dade College, Miami, FL
Graduated: 2017
Certifications
- Certified Customer Service Professional (CCSP)
- Retail Operations Certificate
Skills
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Proficiency in POS systems and inventory software
- Effective sales and merchandising techniques
- Capable of handling multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
- Proven ability to work both independently and as part of a team
Languages
- English (Native)
- Spanish (Fluent)
Having seen a sample, we'll now review some tips on formatting you can use to structure your resume effectively.
How to format a retail resume
Just like when your customer is looking for a specific product, you need the right resume format to help you achieve your goals. But which one is it? For a job in retail, we recommend using the hybrid format, as it balances your experience and skills, which are equally important in a job in retail and can be used by both entry-level candidates and more experienced ones.
Resume designs
- Strive for conciseness in your application. A 1-page resume is usually sufficient for the highlights of your experience.
- Readability is super important, so keep your margins between 0.5” and 1” on all sides.
- A two-column layout saves space so that you can include all the important information you need. It’s also easy to scan.
- Don’t be afraid of using some color on your resume. You can even match the colors of the company you’re applying for! As for fonts, stick to something easily readable, such as Arial, Rubik, or Lato.
Contact information
Your resume header is your calling card. So, it should include all the essentials: your name, job title, and contact information. Generally, a photo isn’t needed, unless the specific place you’re applying for requires it.
PRO TIP
Contrary to popular belief, our tests showed that fonts, colors, columns, and resume length don’t affect Applicant Tracking Systems parsing. Focus on matching job description language and formatting details like dates and bullet symbols as those may affect your application.
File formatting
To keep your desired resume layout in place, opt for the PDF format. Name your file like so: FirstName_LastName_JobTitle.
Top sections on a resume
When structuring your resume, leave space for these resume sections:
- Contact information
- Work Experience
- Skills
- Education
- Summary/Objective
We’ll discuss them in more detail below.
Have you tried our free AI resume checker? It guarantees your resume is up to standards.
Is your resume good enough?
Drop your resume here or choose a file. PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.
With a suitable format chosen, the next step is to detail your professional experience to demonstrate your capabilities.
How to write your retail resume experience
If well-written, your experience section can give recruiters insight into what kind of an employee you are. Make sure you include information on:
- The companies you worked for, your roles, and the period you spent there.
- Your day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.
- Specific types of software you worked with.
- Quantifiable achievements.
Retail Sales Associate
Overview
The retail Sales Associate is a member of a talented team that provides service that is unique to our customer’s needs. Our associates build genuine connections and loyalty with our customers and help them build an entire wardrobe. Provides a high level of customer service support with product expertise and advanced selling skills. Sales associates also ensure the store environment and visual merchandising standards are consistently maintained.
Responsibilities
Sales Generation and Performance
- Greet customers promptly and genuinely, and re-engage appropriately.
- Build customer loyalty by creating genuine connections with customers.
- Conduct company sponsored outreach to acquire new customers and increase shopping visits.
- Provide our customers with helpful service that is unique to their needs, greeting customers promptly and genuinely.
Customer Service
- Guide customers to looks that flatter.
- Assist customers in building great wardrobes by providing guiding, helpful service and advice, suggesting layering and accessorizing options.
- Help our customers build an entire wardrobe that is easy, versatile and trend right.
- Keep up-to-date on J. Jill product features: colors, fabrics, fit, styles, care, etc.
- Keep up to date on what’s in fashion today and how J. Jill translates fashion trends for our customers.
Visual Merchandising
- Assist with floor set execution and ongoing re-merchandising of the store.
- Maintain excellent visual standards.
- Replenish the sales floor according to minimum product level standards.
Operational Excellence
- Contribute to operational excellence by participating in all operational functions including: marketing, product processing and replenishment, markdowns and promotions, store cleanliness and backroom organization.
- Complies with company policies and procedures, ensures a safe environment and protects company assets.
Qualifications
- Previous work experience in a retail environment, Women’s specialty retail experience preferred.
- Point of sale system, technical experience.
- Connections within the community are preferred.
- Passionate about fashion and the J. Jill brand; continually engaged.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Proven sales and customer service skills.
- Strong style, merchandising and wardrobing skills.
Another thing recruiters will appreciate is tailoring your application to the job posting. If you use keywords from the job description, it will quickly show HRs you’re a match for the job. Let’s see an experience section tailored to the job posting above:
- •Cultivated strong customer relationships by offering personalized fashion guidance and creating a welcoming store atmosphere, leading to a 20% increase in customer loyalty.
- •Organized and executed floor sets and maintained visual merchandising standards, ensuring consistent presentation of merchandise that aligned with seasonal trends.
- •Participated in comprehensive operational tasks, including inventory management, product replenishment, and promotional campaign implementations, ensuring seamless store functionality.
It’s got all the essentials:
- Directly aligns with key responsibilities in the job posting, such as building customer loyalty, maintaining visual merchandising standards, and handling operational tasks.
- Highlights proficiency in areas specifically mentioned in the job posting, including customer service, merchandising, and operational excellence, showing a perfect fit for the role.
- The bullets emphasize tangible outcomes, such as increased customer loyalty and efficient store operations, which match the performance-driven aspects sought in the job posting.
To make your experience stand out, let's focus on quantifying your achievements with specific, measurable outcomes.
How to quantify your experience on a resume
Sales are an essential part of retail, but what is your unique selling point? When you include numbers on your resume, make sure they tell a story of what that meant for you in your career as well as for the company. Here’s what you can add to your resume to engage recruiters:
- Include precise sales figures: This reveals your direct impact on the business's financial development and portrays your selling prowess.
- Specify the size of the inventory you managed: This demonstrates your ability to handle product variety and volume, which is crucial in retail.
- Detail the volume of customer traffic you've handled daily: It emphasizes your capacity to handle pressure and multitask effectively.
- Indicate any reductions in customer complaints under your watch: It shows your focus on customer satisfaction and problem-solving abilities.
- Quantify any improvements or efficiency gains in-store processes you have contributed: This indicates your strategic thinking and orientation towards improving business operations.
If you're new to the workforce, here’s how you can leverage other experiences and skills instead of direct job experience.
How do I write a retail resume with no experience
For many, a job in retail is their first job ever. It’s a great opportunity to gain experience, work ethics, and transferable skills. But if it’s your first job, what could you include in your resume, so it isn’t so obvious you don’t have much experience? Well, we’ve got some tips:
- Use the skill-based resume format. Focusing on your abilities will take the pressure off your lack of experience.
- Emphasize the benefits of your education: you can list high school education, a higher degree, or even an incomplete degree. Make sure you focus on key achievements, relevant coursework, or good grades (for college, underline a high GPA).
- Include any transferable skills you’ve got: communication, teamwork, and attention to detail.
- Ever done any volunteer work? List it on your resume, as it’s a sure way to impress HRs, regardless of how much experience you have. It also demonstrates your willingness to help others.
Finally, use a strong resume objective to convince recruiters you’re the one they’re looking for. Keep it short (1 - 3 sentences) and underscore what you think you can bring to the company. Remember to outline your willingness to learn! Here’s an example:
What makes it effective?
- The objective matches the job’s specific duties like customer meetings and strategic follow-ups, showing the candidate’s readiness for the role’s demands.
- It emphasizes transferable skills crucial for the position, such as communication and teamwork, positioning the candidate as capable and adaptable.
- The candidate expresses a commitment to ongoing professional development, aligning with the company’s values of continuous improvement and learning.
Mentioning both hard and soft skills is crucial, especially when you haven't accumulated much job-specific experience.
Skills for retail resume
In retail jobs, skills are equally important as your experience. Your skills section consists of hard and soft skills. Outline the hard skills in a separate section, so recruiters can easily see what software you use and what industry-specific abilities you’ve got.
Remember, these can be easily put to the test, so don’t lie about your proficiency. Key hard skills for retail can include:
Best hard skills for your retail resume
- Point-of-sale (POS) systems
- Inventory management software
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
- Electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems
- Self-checkout systems
- e-commerce software
- Retail merchandising
- Product displays setup
- Cash handling
- Stocking and restocking
- Loss prevention techniques
- Pricing and markup
- Sales strategy
- Visual merchandising tools
- Gap analysis
- Multichannel retailing
- Knowledge of retail laws and regulations
- Product knowledge in chosen sector
- Warranty sales and administration
- Barcode scanning technology
Soft skills, on the other hand, are best dispersed throughout your resume summary or objective, or your experience section. They work best when illustrated with specific examples:
Best soft skills for your retail resume
Beyond skills, your educational background and certifications can significantly bolster your resume's appeal.
How to list your certifications and education on your resume
Many people believe that you don't need a college degree to work in retail. While it's true that many retail positions are accessible with just a high school diploma, a college degree on your resume can set you apart. Possessing a higher degree not only makes you a more competitive candidate, but it can also significantly enhance your prospects for advancing into retail manager roles.
Here’s what a good education section could look like. When creating it, we targeted the job posting above:
- •Specialized in retail management and visual merchandising, developing strong merchandising and wardrobe styling skills.
- •Completed coursework in Customer Relationship Management, learning techniques to enhance customer engagement and loyalty.
- •Participated in a capstone project focused on innovative retail marketing strategies, helping local boutiques increase their customer base.
- •Regularly engaged in fashion workshops and seminars to stay up-to-date with the latest fashion trends and their commercial applications.
This section is designed to showcase educational qualifications that directly relate to the responsibilities and desired qualifications listed in the job ad, such as customer service, sales skills, fashion knowledge, and merchandising.
Aside from a degree, you can also include certifications if you have them. Consider adding these to your resume:
Best certifications for your retail resume
With your qualifications listed, we'll now craft a compelling resume summary that encapsulates your professional identity.
How to write your retail resume summary
An effective resume summary is vital for landing a retail position. It should capture the hiring manager's attention and concisely highlight your relevant experience in 3 - 4 sentences. Use an active voice to convey your skills and emphasize how you can contribute to the success of the retail company you're applying to. Here’s a retail summary example targeting the job ad from above.
This summary directly highlights experience in women's retail and expertise in customer service, wardrobe building, and visual merchandising. It assures potential employers that the candidate is not only skilled in the core areas required for the position but is also capable of fostering customer loyalty and sales growth through personalized service.
Finally, let’s enhance your resume by adding sections that showcase your additional relevant skills and activities.
Additional sections for a retail resume
retail is a competitive field, so why not impress recruiters with sections on your resume that reveal a bit more about your personality? Here are our suggestions:
- Proficiency in multiple languages can be a significant asset in retail, especially in diverse communities or tourist areas.
- Participation in community events or volunteer work can demonstrate your initiative and commitment to community service, which is appealing in customer-facing roles.
- If you’ve undertaken any projects related to retail, such as a successful online store or a fashion blog, this can show initiative and passion for the industry.
- List any workshops or training sessions you have attended that are relevant to the retail sector, such as customer service workshops, sales training seminars, or leadership development programs.
- Although often considered optional, adding a section on relevant personal interests can help humanize your resume and create talking points that relate to skills valuable in retail (e.g., team sports indicating teamwork, crafting showing attention to detail).
PRO TIP
Be prepared to provide references upon request. These can bolster your credibility, especially if the references are well-known within the industry.
In conclusion
Use this guide to craft a compelling narrative that outlines your expertise and aligns with the specific needs of the employer, ensuring your retail resume stands out in a competitive field.
Retail resume examples
Explore additional retail resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.
By Experience
Entry-Level Retail
By Role
Apple Retail
Assistant Manager Retail
Budtender
Fashion Retail
Grocery Manager
High End Retail
Luxury Retail
Merchandise Manager
Merchandising Manager
Retail Assistant Store Manager
Retail Designer
Retail Director
Retail General Manager
Retail Operations Manager
Retail Pharmacist
Retail Sales Supervisor
Retail Salesperson
Visual Retail
Retail Sales Associate
Retail Sales Associate positions are heavily influenced by trends in retail and customer service. For a more successful application, consider the following advice:
Include any sales-based experience, especially upselling and cross-selling strategies. Retail environments often focus on sales targets, so any skills that directly boost sales are valuable. Remember to feature your people skills as well, since establishing rapport and building relationships with customers are crucial. Additionally, do not simply mention your merchandising skills but also explain how they help to enhance store aesthetics and drive customer purchases; follow the 'skill-action-result' pattern to achieve this.