27-03-2012, 12:37 PM
moving up in the retail industry
19997848-Moving-Up-in-the-Retail-Industry.doc (Size: 2.64 MB / Downloads: 52)
What can my next retail move be?
The retail industry moves at a faster pace than any other. What was the ‘must have’ a few months ago has now become obsolete and replaced by the newest trend.
Retailers work hard to spot the next big thing and anticipate consumer demand, whilst striving to gain a greater market share in an increasingly competitive industry.
If you have ambitions to progress to the next level on the career ladder and beyond, it’s up to you to keep abreast of developments within your chosen sector and expand your skill set to position yourself as a valuable asset to your employer.
Here are some of the career options available to you – from Head Office to store level and warehousing:
Logistics and Distribution Executive
This is a fast-moving environment and an increasingly popular career choice for ambitious graduates. This involves management of larger storage units and overseas opportunities alongside the company’s Buyers, before taking on the role of Head of Logistics.
Merchandiser
Promotion to manager, head of department and director level can be rapid, depending upon the individual. It’s not uncommon for merchandisers to be responsible for running a multi-million pound department and managing a team within five years.
Buyers
Buyers will often move into management, marketing or store management positions after five or more years of experience, with many opening their own retail business when they have found a niche specialism.
Store Managers
Managers can determine their own career path but must be prepared to relocate if looking to manage a larger store or move higher up the career ladder to area or national management positions.
Marketing
Progression within marketing is not as rapid as with other retail positions. Promotion to management tends to take between three and ten years and job-hopping is usually seen as a faster way of advancing your career.
What are the important skills to develop?
With almost 8% of the UK’s GDP generated by the retail industry and around 3 million people making their living in one of numerous roles available within the sector, there are only a finite number of promotion opportunities available.
But for those of you who are ambitious and have your sights set on reaching the very top of your profession, you need to master the skills that are relevant to the job you already have and recognise those that will be needed in the next job you want.
Each step up that you take will require you to develop a new set of skills that complement the ones you currently possess.
And if you want to hit the ground running in your next role then you should actively look for opportunities to acquire these new skills before you take up the post.