Have you been looking for a job in retail but seem to get nowhere in your search? Unfortunately, as the retail industry continues to grow, job applicants tend to rise too leading to more candidates than positions. But wait, that should not keep you away from getting hired at the best retail companies. All you have to do is be ahead of other applicants by applying these 9 creative steps on how to get a retail job.
1. Conduct a Job Search
One of the first steps to get a retail job is to conduct a job search. If you have several retail companies in mind, you can start by visiting their websites and find out if they are hiring. In case you don’t find any information on their career section then put specific keywords such as cashier, retail, or sales in the search box and wait for the results. Another way for in-depth search is keying in your location by city or state for specific retails stores that are hiring.
2. Know Your Target
I know you are desperate for a job but don’t try to get a job with a retail shop without knowing what it sells. It is best you are genuinely interested in the products they are selling. However, if you are not familiar with the products you should learn as much as you can about the store on the internet or just visit the store in person. Remember, retail managers want to hire staff that are actually interested in working there.
3. Upgrade Your Resume
Another step to take to ensure you get that retail job is updating your resume. Keep it brief but make sure the necessary information is included in it. Let the summary at the beginning of the resume to be well written, easy to follow, and have no grammatical errors. Also, include keywords and skills from the job description to enable you to stand out from the rest of the candidates. Note that, if you are unable to edit as per the job requirement, you can hire someone who knows about professional resumes to work on it.
4. Physically Visit Local Retail Stores
Conducting job searches on the internet or flipping classified section of the local newspaper are not enough, you need to go the extra mile and visit local stores. Check out if they have any position openings but don’t forget to dress professionally as well as carry several copies of your resume. Don’t limit yourself to one venue, ensure you visit several stores in a day, and don’t give up if there is no opening. When you are done with your area, broaden your search to nearby cities by planning ahead on which store to visit first.
5. Keenly Check the Job Description
To avoid sending unnecessary applications, it is wise to keenly check the job description sent by the retail companies. By knowing what kind of person they are looking for, you will be in a better position to decide either to apply or not. Start by checking the qualification sector and find out if you meet the required qualifications. Note that, the first three listed ones are usually the most important.
If you qualify in the three descriptions, then check out the others and don’t shy in mentioning any experiences you might have had if it will benefit you in getting the job. For example, if the job description is looking for someone who is a team player, mention any experience you have had working with other colleagues on a group project or being a part of a sports team.
6. Invest in Networking
Do you want to be the first person to know who’s hiring? Then invest in networking. Start by meeting people professionally in company events or just connect with them on online platforms. When you feel you are ready to interact with them start asking around to see who is hiring. On top of that, you can get friendly with some staff at your favorite store and request them to inform you when they hear of any job opening at the store or any nearby stores.
7. Search by the Hour
Although you are interested in a salaried job, it is realist to find a way to pay your bills. Therefore, don’t limit yourself by just looking for salaried jobs, there are many retail shops ready to pay by the hour. Just look for websites that advertise jobs paid by the hour and start applying. Keep this in mind, you might start in an hourly job but eventually, find yourself in a salaried position. So, again don’t limit your search to just your town or city.
8. Prepare for the Interview
It is unfortunate that most candidates miss the small details asked by interviewers because they don’t prepare for the interview. Apart from your skills, retail employers will ask some questions about the company and you need to be prepared to answer them. You might be asked on a scale of 10, how well do you relate to people? Or how would you handle a rude customer? Or even your means of transport to the store. These questions may seem simple but you need to answer correctly and confidently. If you have handled a similar situation asked in the questions do give examples to every answer to show the interviewer you are ready for the job.
9. Dress Appropriately
Just like other job interviews, your appearance will be the first thing the interviewer notices about you. This will likely make them form an opinion about you based on how you look as well as present yourself. Make sure you dress professionally to show the interviewer you are serious about the job. If you are a man, collared dress shirts, tie, dress slacks, and polished dress shoes are appropriate. For women, a nice blouse, skirt, or slacks with dress shoes will do the trick.
Note that, the kind of shoes you wear will reflect greatly on the job you are applying. Mostly meant for women, if you are being interviewed for a department or hardware store nice pair of flat shoes are appropriate. However, if you are going for a high-end fashion store, high heels will surely stand out.