Sample Store Manager Resume

A store manager should have a sharp eye and a modern taste for everything. You need to reflect that characteristic through your resume. It has to be modern, creative and out of the box to stand out from the thousands of other applications.

The best thing is, you are not going to do this alone. With our experience of helping Store Managers land their dream job, we are going to create an exceptional store manager resume sample together.

On average, a Retail Store Manager earns $50,000/ year (Payscale.com).

Most of them are eligible for large chunks of commissions based on performance, and also other benefits such as medical, dental, and vision.

The Store or Retail Manager position is a demanding career. Though online retail sales are booming at a massive rate, most people still prefer to check products physically and buy them.

Furthermore, most online stores now use a brick-and-mortar and online hybrid approach to retail sales.

However, one location needs only one store manager and probably one assistant store manager making the demand for the available positions rise.

A high-quality resume is the only shortcut to get you your next interview.

Great resumes are not accidents, they are the results of organized writing!

Store Manager Resume Example

Here’s a perfectly optimized sample retail manager resume for your reference:

You can use this store manager resume example as a guideline to create yours.

How to make a Store Manager Resume

When you have the right floor plan in place, it is really easy for your staff to stock up on the goods. Similarly, when you have the right layout and the structure in place, writing your resume is just about filling in the blanks.

One-page resumes always outperform the lengthy ones. Why?

Put yourself in the shoes of an average hiring manager of a retail store. General retail staff turnover is always high. They are probably receiving hundreds of resumes daily so have a lot to look through. You need to stand out immediately and describe your skills succinctly.

If you are the HR manager, which CV would you prefer? A one-page resume with all the relevant information or a six-page resume?

The answer is obvious. Make your recruiters life further easier by following the layout and structure we propose.

The layout of the Store Manager Resume

Following layout is time tested for its effectiveness in many industries including for Store Manager positions.

• Header with your name and contact details
• Professional summary
• Work experience
• Education
• Skills
• Softwares and certifications
• Language proficiency

A hiring manager loves to see organized writings. Further, when you use a proper layout, you would not miss any important information.

The structure of the Store Manager Resume

There are mainly three structures widely used in writing resumes.

• Reverse Chronological Order
• Functional
• Hybrid

For retail manager resumes, we recommend using the Reverse Chronological Order. In this approach, for example, when you write your experience section, you should start with your most recent experience and list down the rest.

The importance here is that HR managers are most interested in your recent or current job experience.

Further, consider these bullet points while you write your resume,

• Send your resume in MS Word or PDF format
• Use a clear and readable font
• To use a larger font size for headlines, use 15-16 (about 12-14 for the body text)
• Use consistent margins

We have resume templates that are created for the latest industry standards. If you want to stand out from the generic Microsoft Word formats, consider using our resume templates which are ideal to use for a store manager or retail resume template.

These premade resume templates are the best way to bypass the fonts, margins, headings, and all other basic formatting when you write the resume. They save your precious time!

For now, here is a useful retail manager resume sample so you know how to create yours.

Start with the Header of the Store Manager Resume

No hiring manager will read every applicant's full resume. That is a fact!

What if you know something that the hiring manager would definitely want to read? Yes, this is that section.

On the other hand, this is the most underrated section in 95% of retail resumes. Let us tell you exactly what you should write here. Here is a retail manager resume sample exert:

Example of a good header / Example of a bad header for a Store Manager

We will highlight some important bullet points that most applicants neglect in writing their resumes for Retail Manager Jobs

• Start: Do not start the header with your job title. Start it with your name. Use the first name and the last name
• Email: Avoid using unprofessional email addresses or your current job email to send resumes

• Residential Address: In most cases, you do not have to mention your residential address in the header
• LinkedIn: Optimize your LinkedIn account and put the link in your header. That would be a great addition.

Is a photo required in the Store Manager Resume?

Very few HR managers expect a photo, in fact the vast majority will not.

To be on the safe side, do not include one in your resume.

Some organizations consider it discrimination to influence their recruitment decisions based on an applicant’s look. Especially in the USA, 80% of employers strictly avoid shortlisting resumes with photos.

Professional summary for a Store Manager

Retail Store Managers have impressive sales skills. Consider the Professional Summary in the resume as your sales pitch for the hiring manager.

This is a two-sentence summary of your achievements, skills, experience, and passion for the career.

However, most applicants consider this section as the hardest to put together in a resume. Guess what, we are going to change that perception forever!

The following are two examples of Professional Resume Summaries for Store Manager positions:

Now here is the best part. We are giving you the coolest trick to write your Professional Summary in 5 minutes.

Your Professional Summary Describe yourself using things like adjectives, your current position, years of experience, why you are eager to be part of this new role, and results achieved. You need to sell yourself in just a few sentence why you are the best candidate for the job.

Work Experience in the Store Manager Resume

If there is only one section of your resume that you have time to re-write or proofread again, this is it. Experience is the most sought-after section of a resume.

Some hiring managers scan through the resume just to find this out.

This section can make or break your next interview dream especially if you are applying for a senior position.

Let us take you through this critical section step by step!

Describe your professional experiences on your Store Manager Resume

As we discussed early in our structure, you should use the Reverse Chronological Order to write this section. This means, you should start with your current or latest job position and write down the rest of your employment history section.

If you have multiple positions to write, use 4-5 bullet points to describe your latest position and a smaller number of bullet points for the previous positions.

Use numbers. Show them you are a results-oriented store manager by actually showing them the results you achieved.

Examples of professional experiences for Store Managers beginner/junior

Do you see the difference?

If so, the hiring manager would see that difference too!

Typically, to land a job as a store manager, you need to have some experience in retail. However, if you are applying with zero experience, make sure you write about a related project or coursework you carried out in your studies and put this where you would put your work experience.

Examples of work experience for a Senior Store Manager

Showcase your soft skills such as team building, leadership, and communication also in your experience section.

Use verbs that showcase your managerial experience such as Managed, Planned, Executed.

Education in the Store Manager Resume

The job ad would mention the required minimum level of education experience you should possess to apply for the position.

There are no hard and fast rules for what should be the level of education for a Store Manager. However, it’s an advantage to have completed your bachelor’s degree in a marketing or sales-related area.

More education qualifications you have, you will be highlighted among the other candidates.

Should you start with education or work experience in a Store Manager Resume?

If you are applying for a junior position without having solid experience on your profile, you should better start with your education.

For most senior positions, the hiring managers are strictly searching for experience. Therefore, you should write them first.

How to properly list your education in a Store Manager Resume?

The education section of your resume should follow a consistent format. The following is our recommendation:

• You should start with your degree type and major

  Eg: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Master’s in Retail Operations

• The commencement year and graduation year should be mentioned
• The name of the institution and its location

  Eg: Columbia University, NY

• Honors, awards, or any other special achievements.

  Dean’s list 2012

• If your GPA is over 3.0, you can also mention it

Example of the education section of a Store Manager

Skills to put in the Resume for a Store Manager

The resume skills section is where recruiters judge the applicants. Most applicants just write some general skills that the hiring manager cannot measure even in an interview.

Recruiters specifically mention in the job description the skills required for the ideal candidate to perform the task. You should follow the job description carefully and pick the skills they are looking for.

What are the main skills sought for in a Store Manager Resume?

In general, there are two types of skills: soft and hard skills.

Here are some example skills for a Store Management Position:

Soft Skills for a Store Manager

• Time Management
• Creative thinking
• Teamwork
• Negotiation
• Communication
• Problem-solving
• Business intelligence
• Leadership

Hard Skills for a Store Manager

• POS systems
• Sales analysis
• In-store logistics
• Microsoft Office
• Visual Merchandising
• Customer service management

Write a mix of soft skills and hard skills including IT skills which are essential for a Store Manager position.

What skills for a junior Store Manager?

If you are applying for a junior position such as assistant store manager, you should emphasize more operational skills in your application. The reason is you are the one who will have to execute most of the strategic decisions taken by higher management.

• Microsoft Office
• POS systems
• Customer service
• Creative thinking
• Teamwork
• Communication

What skills for a qualified senior Store Manager?

For an experienced store manager position, focus on writing more into managerial level skills where you demonstrate your ability to manage a team and improve the overall sales and operations in the outlet.

• Sales analysis
• In-Store Logistics
• Customer service
• Leadership and Teambuilding
• Business Intelligence
• Negotiation and Communication

Additional Headings for your Store Manager Resume

The above sections are common in 95% of the resumes the hiring manager is getting. But we do not wish to stay in that 95%, right?

Here’s the trick. Use an additional heading to give a positive surprise to the HR manager.

Following are some of the additional sections a Store Manager Resume can include.

Computer skills and certifications in a Store Manager Resume

This is the best surprise you could give to a hiring manager. A TOP Retail Management Certificate in the industry!

Here are the most sought out professional certifications for FMCGs,

• Certified Management Accountant (CMA)
• Professional Program Certificate in Retail and Omnichannel Management
• WSQ Certificate in Retail Operations
• Certified Retail Personal
• Certified Sales Professional

If you have one of these or a certificate in a similar capacity, do not hesitate to put it in a separate section for more visibility and make sure the recruiter sees it.

Interests in a Store Manager Resume

If your interests are not relevant for retail management, we recommend avoiding this section.

In your resume, do not include anything that does not add value to you as a Store Manager.

If you have certain skills that complement some of the skills you have, you may write them. For example, being an active leader of a local club would showcase your strong leadership and communication skills.

Languages in a Store Manager Resume

Definitely an advantage if you speak a couple of languages other than English.

Retail stores are visited by many tourists speaking different languages. Having a basic understanding of the most used languages in the area would be a plus point for your application.

Summary: Key Points for Writing a Perfect Store Manager Resume

• Your heading should include your name and contact information
• Write a Career Objective or Professional Summary based on your experience
• Quantify your accomplishments in your experience section
• Use a clear format to showcase your education
• Use a mix of soft and hard skills when writing your skills section
• Use the additional headings to make your resume stand out

Write a Cover Letter That Goes With Your Store Manager Resume

Make sure your cover letter complements your resume. Clearly state your excitement to join the new company, your experience, and skills, and what you can offer as a Store Manager to your employer.

Most employers these days do not ask for a cover letter, but you need to make one anyway as most employers expect you to send one with a resume.

Frequently Asked Questions for a Store Manager Resume

What should a store manager put on a resume?

A store manager should use the following headings in their resume:

• Header with your name and contact details
• Professional summary
• Work experience
• Education
• Skills
• Softwares and certifications
• Language proficiency

What are a store manager's responsibilities?

• Oversee the store operations
• Negotiate and communicate with the suppliers
• Create promotional campaigns
• Set targets and review performance of the sales team
• Optimize the customer experience throughout the store

What skills should a store manager have?

A store manager should have a mix of soft skills and hard skills

• Sales analysis
• In-Store Logistics
• Customer service
• Visual Merchandising
• Leadership and Teambuilding
• Business Intelligence
• Negotiation and Communication

What are the challenges of a store manager?

• On-time re-stocking
• Providing consistent customer service throughout the day
• Managing staff availability
• Customer complaints handling