Retail Manager

1. Retail Manager By: Chelsea Barody Business, Management & Administration

2. Description • The main focus is to provide customer service by greeting and assisting the customers • RELATE to the customers and their needs, try to find out what they are shopping for • Be able to handle complaints • Inventory stock and reorder when inventory drops to a specified level.

3. WAGES • Median wages (2009) $16.78 hourly $34,900 Annually Salary - Annual Employment (2008)1,686,000 employees • Growth (2008-2018) Slower than average • (3% to 6%)Projected job openings (2008-2018)450,100

4. Working Conditions • The retail store is a demanding and fast-paced workplace • Constant change and unpredictability. • Along with growth opportunities come deviations from normal work routines and more restrictions. - A significant number of mangers spend most of their time on the sales floor rather than in the office. Frequent involvement with staff, interaction with customers, and observation of actual sales proceedings help retail managers more in their careers than sitting secluded in an office struggling with diagrams and charts. 

5. College Majors • Not required for this job but some examples would be Fashion Merchandising and Retailing & Visual merchandising. • If you have a degree within the field of fashion, most employees find that to be an added bonus to your experience

6. Educational / Training • High School diploma • Some college but not a requirement to have a degree • Experience in the field of fashion and merchandising is an added bonus • Training stylists as well as the inventory staff in the back of the store

7. Related Careers • Advertising and promotions Manager • Marketing Manager • Driver/ Sales workers • Purchasing Managers • Property, Real Estate and community Association Manager • Personal Recruiters

8. OUTLOOK • Oversee daily operations which include directing employee’s and ensuring store profitability • Hire, train, and evaluate personnel in sales or marketing establishments, promoting or firing workers when appropriate. • Assign employees to specific duties. • Enforce safety, health, and security rules. • Examine merchandise to ensure that it is correctly priced and displayed and that it functions as advertised. • Plan budgets and authorize payments and merchandise returns.

9. Activities • Monitor sales activities to ensure that customers receive satisfactory service and quality goods • Inventory stock and reorder when inventory drops to a certain level • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing • Performing for or Working Directly with the Clients

10. Skills = Success • Skills needed to be an successful Retail Manager are- • Being an active listener • Coordination • Critical thinking • Service Orientation • Time management • Complex Problem Solving

11. What do people say? • Many people in this career are looking for advancement in their companies, they feel that the company they work for is pushing them to succeed and want more responsibilities • The more experience/ education you have as well as your networking abilities can only help you into wanting to reach the end goal. • Staying motivated and always keeping a positive outlook is always key