For many professionals, becoming a retail assistant manager can be an exciting career opportunity. In retail, you’ll work to keep the stores well-organized, assist customers in finding their desired products, and process sales and payments.
Retail workers can find employment in a wide range of industry areas, from clothing and hardware to specialty stores. This can give those in the field the chance to experience a variety of work environments and opportunities to grow as a professional.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), making the jump from working as a retail sales worker to management can provide opportunities for better pay. The median pay for those in retail sales in 2019 was $12.23 per hour or $25,440 per year. However, those who directly supervise and coordinate the activities of retail sales workers have a median pay of $19.40 per hour or $40,350 per year.
Securing a job as an assistant retail sales manager can help those in the retail industry take an important step into management. A strong retail assistant manager resume can help you put your best foot forward and attract the attention of those making a hiring decision. Here’s what you need to know about securing these job opportunities.
A retail assistant manager fills an important role in the successful operation of the store. They help communicate tasks and responsibilities between team members and management. The assistant manager position also helps the manager with various tasks needed to keep the store running smoothly. They may also have various responsibilities regarding overseeing and supervising employees, managing inventory, and keeping the store organized.
With the different responsibilities of a retail assistant manager, it’s important to have experience in the retail industry and excellent communication skills. An understanding of how to motivate workers, keep everyone on task, and ensure the store runs smoothly are also immensely valuable.
Those interested in finding employment as a retail assistant manager will want to customize their resume to highlight the skills and background knowledge that aligns with what’s needed on the job. Drawing attention to these particular areas can highlight how you’re the best candidate for the job at hand. Here are five areas where you’ll want to broadcast your experience and skill set.
A big part of being an assistant manager consists of helping with customer service. You’ll need to understand how to balance the importance of keeping your customers happy while staying within reason. When out on the sales floor, you’ll need to pay attention to customer inquiries and know how to use your problem-solving skills to help them.
It’s important to understand the needs of your customers and offer them support and assistance as needed to give them the best possible experience. As you build your resume, look for past experiences that highlight these skills. You may have worked as a customer service representative for a past job, received awards for your customer service efforts in a previous position, or otherwise dealt directly with customers. Make it clear where you have nurtured this specific skill set.
Since an assistant retail manager will also need to keep the store running smoothly, background knowledge in retail helps. Past jobs that involved working in retail sales will look particularly good on a resume.
As you list your past experience in retail environments, look for ways to highlight your role in generating sales for the store. If you received a mention for your sales numbers, don’t forget to include it. Let your future employer know about the sales goals you’ve achieved and other accomplishments that make you a top candidate.
The store manager and others reviewing applications will also want to see candidates who have experience and excel in merchandising. Knowing how to make products look appealing and encouraging sales in a retail store is immensely beneficial for an assistant store manager.
A good assistant manager also has great leadership skills. You want to work well with the other employees and know how to keep them motivated and on task while still creating a positive atmosphere. A good leader understands how to lead by example and inspire others to try their hardest.
Consider a position you’ve held that highlights your leadership skills. Projects where you helped manage participants, any type of managerial experience you gained in other jobs, and any opportunities to let these skills shine should be clear on your resume.
As an assistant manager, you’ll also need good communication skills. Your ability to understand the needs of the retail manager and also work with the other employees to get jobs done will help you thrive. You’ll need to effectively explain your requests, help them understand how to accomplish them, and answer any follow-up questions they might have.
Consider jobs and responsibilities you held in the past that required you to understand how to communicate ideas with others. Let those reviewing your resume understand your strengths in communication.
Finally, assistant managers need to bring various business management skills to the job. You will help the manager with their responsibilities and duties, such as supervising sales associates, delegating tasks, organizing projects, pricing, inventory management, and managing the store operations.
On your resume, consider any opportunities that call for these types of skills. You want to let those looking at your resume know that you have the skills they seek in an assistant manager.
Once you’ve considered how best to highlight these important skills on your resume, carefully craft your presentation order and format so your relevant experiences and expertise jump out at the hiring managers reviewing it.
Bullet points can be particularly beneficial, as you list your responsibilities at each of the jobs and past experiences you’ve had. Each bullet can quickly summarize what you accomplished in this particular role and why the person reviewing your resume should care.
In addition to the relevant experiences you had in a particular position, you also want to list your years of experience. Let those looking at your resume know how long you held relevant jobs so they get a better understanding of your job history and the depth of your understanding of the position.
Finally, the resume should let those in the human resources (HR) department know about your education. Generally, your education is listed at the top of the resume. Let those making the hiring decision know if you have an associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or any high-level degrees. If you don’t have an associate degree, be sure to at least include that you have a high school diploma.
As you create your professional resume for an assistant retail manager position, you’ll also want to be sure to include an outstanding cover letter with it. The cover letter will provide an introduction to you and your resume, giving you an opportunity to highlight why you would want this particular position and why you think you’ll be a good fit. This is your chance to speak to the HR department before they review your resume.
To write a quality cover letter, you’ll want to review the job description. Look for the skills and experiences that the business is seeking in the professionals they hire. These will be the skills you want to highlight in your resume and cover letter. If a recruiter has contacted you, you can also ask them for information about what the business wants to see in their assistant retail managers.
In your cover letter, highlight your interpersonal skills and why you think you’re the right candidate for the job. Keep the cover letter brief (less than a page) so the hiring managers can review it quickly. Introduce yourself, let them know about your relevant work experience, and highlight anything on the resume that you want to make sure they don’t miss. If the job description mentions inventory control or visual merchandising, for example, use the cover letter to draw attention to your experience in these areas.
Finding a position as an assistant retail sales manager can be an excellent opportunity for people with the right skills who enjoy working in retail. In retail management, profitability and teamwork play important roles. Your resume should reflect how you will excel in this field. If you want to find this type of position, consider the above advice as you create an excellent resume.
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