JOBS & CAREERS SPRING 2018 - 211

R ETA I L

Buyer/merchandiser

Why retail?

Do you want to shop for a living? A buyer sources goods, following trends and
analysing buying habits, while a merchandiser does the practical side of things,
calculating how many units will be sold in a store and for how long to maximise profits.
What qualifications do I need? Applicants often have business or retail
qualifications, although it is possible to work your way up from the shop floor.
How much can I earn? Junior buyer roles start at £18,000, rising as high as £70,000
depending on the retailer. Merchandising salaries go from £16,000 to £60,000.

There are many reasons
to choose a career in
the retail industry

Accessible
You can often start
without any formal
qualifications, and in-house
promotions are common.

Exciting
In a fast-paced, everchanging industry,
businesses are always
thinking of ways to reach
new customers and
keep existing ones .

Sociable
You'll work alongside
different types of people.

Varied
The breadth of the
industry means there are
jobs to suit all passions,
from art and fashion to
food and technology.

Finance

WORDS CHRIS MILLER IMAGES SHUTTERSTOCK

People in finance departments
are responsible for store takings,
processing online orders and
paying suppliers. They also
determine budgets and analyse
profit margins, and usually deal
with payroll, which means ensuring
staff are paid and taxed correctly.
How much can I earn? Starting
salaries are around £25,000, rising
to £40,000 for managerial roles.

Warehouse
manager

Managers oversee the receiving of
goods, storage and dispatch, taking
responsibility for security and
safety, and customer satisfaction.
How much can I earn? Salaries
for trainees range from £18,000 to
£25,000, while non-graduate roles
start at around £17,000. Salaries
can rise to more than £40,000.

What skills do I need?
Whether you're overseeing a
chain of stores or doing busy
shop-floor shifts, there are skills
needed throughout this sector
Initiative You'll be dealing
with different scenarios
every day, from problem

Flexible
Working hours can often
be tailored to suit those
with other commitments
such as family or studying.

Extensive
Retail is everywhere - from
cruise liners to downtown
Manhattan to the huge
malls of the Middle East
- so you could work
anywhere in the world .

Find out more
colleagues to damaged goods
to pacifying angry customers.
Numeracy Besides working the
checkouts, a good grounding in
figures will help with stocktaking
and analysing sales figures.
Tact It may fall to you to keep
multiple customers happy

and make them feel valued,
no matter their complaints.
Flexibility Be prepared to
work evenings, weekends
and bank holidays.
IT Customer contact via social
media is on the rise, so make sure
your tech skills are up to date.

* In Retail
inretail.co.uk
* Retail Choice
retailchoice.com
* National
Careers Service
nationalcareers
service.direct.gov.uk

J O B S & C A R E E R S /// 2 1 1


http://inretail.co.uk http://www.retailchoice.com http://service.direct.gov.uk

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