How to Make a Retail Worker Resume
A resume should represent your top skills and experience that make you the best person for the job. Retail hiring managers have different requirements, which is why you have to read the job description before you start working on your resume. This helps you tailor your resume to match the criteria, increasing your chances of landing the job.
Retail workers have many opportunities available, so you'll need to be specific about the role you want instead of writing a general retail resume. Check out some retail resume examples online if you need some help crafting your resume.
Retail Worker Resume Format, Layout, and Structure
The resume format you choose is crucial and should prioritize your best qualifications. There are three resume formats you can choose from.
The first one is the reverse-chronological format. It focuses on experience and is perfect for candidates with retail experience.
The second one is the functional format, also known as the skill-based resume because it focuses on your skills. It's suitable for recent graduates and career changers.
The third one is the hybrid/combination resume. It combines the best features of the reverse-chronological and functional resume formats. It's suitable for candidates with years of experience and retail skills.
Keep your layout simple. Hiring managers only take a few seconds on each resume and will not take time on a resume they cannot read. Use fonts that are easy to read like Arial, Georgia, Helvetica, Times New Roman, and Calibri. The font size should be 10-12pt.The structure of your retail worker resume should have the following sections:
- The header section
- Professional summary/objective
- Work experience
- Education section
- Skill section
- An additional section (Computer skills and certifications, languages, volunteer work, awards/honors, and interests)
The Header Section And Contact Information
The first section of your resume is the header, and it will have the following details:
- Your full name
- Job title
- Phone number
- Professional email address
- Location
- A link to your LinkedIn profile.
CORRECTRetail Manager
849-213-973
kimberlylee@gmail.comSouthfield, MI
linkedin.com/in/kimberlylee
INCORRECTRetail Manager
849-213-973
kimberlylee@gmail.com2236 Nash Street
House number 23
Southfield, MI
Date of birth 02/01/1989
linkedin.com/in/kimberlylee
Photo Or No Photo?
A photo is not necessary unless the recruiter asks for one. That's because it can cause discrimination and unconscious bias. If the recruiter asks you to send a photo, ensure that it's professional.
Detail Your Employment History In The Experience Section
The retail industry is pretty results-oriented, and showing the recruiter that you've previously been able to achieve excellent results in your other workplaces will work in your favor.
Describe your relevant experience to the position you're applying for and add three to five job responsibilities. Remember that you always start with your most recent job and work backward.
As you list your responsibilities using bullet points, include figures and facts to quantify your results and show the recruiter the value you'll bring to the company.
If you have other professional experiences not related to retail, you can add them and showcase the transferable skills relevant to the position.Here are some of the details you'll add to this section.
- The name of the workplace
- Your job title
- The period you worked at each place.
Example for an Entry-Level Retail Sales Associate Resume
CORRECTRetail Sales Associate
March 2017-July 2018
- Observed customers, determined security risks, and informed customers of the company policy, which resulted in a 25% decrease in store thefts.
- Cross-sold accessory items and offered good customer service, increasing the store sales by 35%.
- Arranged merchandise displays to feature new styles, attract customers, and increase sales.
- Marked merchandise items with identifying codes and correct pricing before transport to the sales floors.
Example for Experienced Retail Workers
CORRECTRetail Manager
May 2019-October 2021
- Instructed and assisted staff in completing complicated sales, resolving issues effectively, stocking shelves, and dealing with demanding clients.
- Prioritized customer service, encouraged staff to resolve customer issues and set ambitious sales goals for employees and sales staff.
- Within six months, introduced new products and increased yearly sales by 15%.
- Prioritized tasks for staff at the beginning of each shift to streamline operations increasing productivity by 20%.
Add Your Education
This section is important whether you're applying for a part-time or a full-time job. If you have a college degree, you'll include it here and can leave out the high school diploma.
If you don't have a degree, especially if you're applying for an entry-level position, you'll add your high school diploma.
It's essential to check the job ad and figure out the recruiter's educational requirements for the position you want.
In this section, you'll add the name of the degree/diploma, the name of the school, and the year of graduation.
Bachelor of Fine Arts(BFA) in Fashion Merchandising
Academy of Art University
July 2017
Best Skills for Retail Workers on The Resume
Your skills section makes all the difference on your resume. This is not a section where you list random skills that have no relation to the job you're applying to. You need to add them masterfully to increase your chances of landing an interview.
Check the job description and incorporate the highlighted skills in your resume. This helps in ensuring that your resume gets past the ATS systems.
Your resume should also have the perfect mix of hard and soft skills. Hard skills may require some teaching or training, while soft skills are character traits that allow you to relate with colleagues.Check out our resume templates which will allow you to list multiple skills that make you a unique candidate.
Here are some retail resume skills you should consider.
Hard skills- Visual merchandising
- Inventory control
- Cash handling
- Processing payments
- Project management
- Operating cash registers
- Netsuite
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Critical thinking skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Organizational skills
- Leadership skills
- Time management skills
- Customer service orientation
- Decision-making skills
- Problem-solving skills
Write an Outstanding Professional Summary
The professional summary is a short paragraph with two to four sentences introducing your resume to the recruiter. It should have your top accomplishments that show the recruiter you're the best candidate for the job.
You'll also highlight your experience, mention a few skills required for the position and quantify your results with figures and facts that will capture the recruiter's attention. Make this section as exciting and catchy as you can so that they read the rest of your resume.
Example For A Retail Worker With Experience
CORRECTExample For A Retail Worker Without Experience
CORRECTINCORRECTThis example is too general and doesn't specify what the candidate has previously done, showing the recruiter the value they bring to the company.
Additional Headings for Your Retail Worker Resume
Retail jobs can be competitive, so you need to find a way to make your resume stand out. You can do that by highlighting your unique skills and extra qualifications in a separate section.
The recruiter can easily miss some amazing accomplishments as they quickly skim through your resume, but this section makes it easy to see these achievements.
This is also your chance to show the recruiter what makes you unique. Why should they choose you and not the other person?
Let's help you figure out some of the sections you'll add here.
Computer Skills and Certifications
Retail workers don't need complex computer skills like coding but may require basic computer skills to help them operate the cash register or inventory management. If you have these skills in Microsoft Office Suite and other related software, you should highlight them in this section to make them more visible to the recruiter.
Certifications always boost your resume, which is why you don't want to add them under the education section, where the recruiter can easily miss them. Here are some certifications you can consider for your retail worker resume.- Retail Industry Fundamentals
- Certified Sales Associate
- Certified Professional Salesperson
Interests
Your interests allow the recruiter to know more about you outside of work, but this is different for all employers. Do some research on the company you're applying to and find out their culture before adding this section to your resume. Some companies are open-minded and don't mind if you add that you love to play video games, while this will be frowned upon in other companies.
