How To Write a Retail Resume
Writing a resume doesn’t have to be difficult, but you do need to make sure that it accurately describes your skills and experience and is tailored to the role you’re applying for. Learn how to write a detailed retail resume below and get examples of how others have used each section to stand out.
1. Write a compelling profile summarizing your qualifications
Gone are the days of objectives on resumes where you told the hiring manager what you wanted out of the position. Most resumes start with a profile section that summarizes key skills and qualifications and gives the reviewer a quick synopsis of why you’re a good fit for the role. Use this space to highlight how many years of retail experience you have, and anything that sets you apart from other applicants, such as proficiency in another language or experience with a specific POS software or staging.
Senior-Level Profile Example
Strategic Retail Manager with 10+ years’ experience driving product sales growth. Confident leader who motivates teams to consistently meet and exceed goals. Recognized for creating unique in-store displays that effectively market products and capitalize on consumer trends. Adapt readily to new work challenges and industry conditions. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Entry-Level Profile Example
Retail Customer Service Representative with nearly five years of experience. Dedicated to finding creative, practical product solutions for customers based on a close understanding of their needs and priorities. Naturally curious and committed to gaining and applying new work skills.
2. Add a results-driven professional experience section
Retail positions are all about contributing to sales and growth within the company, whether you’re greeting customers and operating the register or researching sales trends and developing products. This is why the professional experience section of your resume needs to be focused on the results you’ve been able to deliver in your previous roles. Provide numbers to quantify your results, such as how many customers per day you interacted with or your upselling rate. In general, entry-level positions focus on customer service, and upper-level roles focus on increasing company profits through company-wide systems and initiatives.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Store Manager
This Sounds Cool CDs & Records, Fairfax, VA | January 2013 – February 2018
- Oversaw a 10,000-square-foot retail store with 15 employees
- Led team to grow sales by ~5% annually despite a period of industry challenges
- Developed a unique, franchise-approved rewards program that increased customer loyalty by 20%
- Won “Franchise Retail Manager Excellence” awards in 2015, 2016, and 2017
- Entry-level Professional Experience Example
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Retail Customer Service Associate
Best Buy, New York, NY | October 2019 – Present
- Member of a 20+ person, high-performing retail sales and customer service team
- Assist and educate 25+ customers per day on store’s products, payment plans, and rewards programs
- Efficiently process product refunds, replacements, or store credit as needed
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Your resume should include any relevant education or certifications you have achieved in the retail space. This could range from taking a college class in merchandising to having your MBA. Certification opportunities in the retail industry are varied and plentiful, depending on what part of retail you plan to work in. For example, you may have a certification in accounting if you’re planning on going into management or a food safety certification if you’re working in a grocery store. Highlighting these on your resume shows potential employers that you’re serious about your career and invested in professional growth.
Certifications
Template:
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example:
- Service Excellence Certificate, VCU Advanced Solutions, 2023
Education
Template:
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] – [Graduation Month and Year]
Example:
- Bachelor of Arts (BA) — Sales & Marketing
- Fairfax Retail College, Fairfax, VA – May 2014
4. List relevant key skills and proficiencies
When a hiring manager reviews a resume, they’re looking for someone who already has the skills and experience to succeed in the job. A retail manager may be looking for candidates who have prior cash-handling expertise and are comfortable balancing a register at the end of the day or be searching for a top-notch sales professional with a track record of upselling and cross-selling. Here are some of the common skills and proficiencies that hiring managers are often looking for and may be good to include in your resume.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Adaptability | Cash handling |
| Communication | Conflict resolution |
| Cross-selling | Customer service |
| Data entry | E-commerce experience |
| Inventory management | Merchandising |
| POS systems | Product knowledge |
| Sales reporting | Teamwork |
| Upselling | Visual merchandising |
How to Pick the Best Retail Resume Template
If you’re not sure how to create a great retail resume, starting with a template can make it easier to plug in your information and tailor it to the job you’re applying for. While there are many formats and examples to choose from, a retail resume template should be clearly organized and easy to read. A clean format with bullets and bolding to visually separate text ensures a hiring manager can quickly find what they’re looking for.
Retail Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Cameron Malfara
(123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | New York, NY 12345 | LinkedIn
Profile
Retail Customer Service Representative with nearly five years of experience. Dedicated to finding creative, practical product solutions for customers based on a close understanding of their needs and priorities. Naturally curious and committed to gaining and applying new work skills.
Key Skills
- Active Listening Methods
- Consultative Sales Strategies
- Customer Support & Satisfaction
- Process Improvement
- Product Upselling
- Retail Customer Service
- Sales Management
Professional Experience
Retail Customer Service Associate, Best Buy, New York, NY | October 2019 to Present
- Member of a 20+ person, high-performing retail sales and customer service team
- Assist and educate 25+ customers per day on store’s products, payment plans, and rewards programs
- Efficiently process product refunds, replacements, or store credit as needed
Highlights:
- Consistently surpassed monthly sales goal by more than 30%
- Achieved and maintained a 94% customer satisfaction rating
- Helped streamline five daily procedures, reducing average customer wait times by 12% in 2021
Retail Customer Service Associate, Target, New York, NY | June 2018 to October 2019
- Addressed and resolved various customer inquiries by phone and in person
- Directed shoppers to their desired products and merchandise
- Coordinated with other store departments and locations as needed
Highlight:
- Earned a 93%+ service score for 12 consecutive months
Education
Graduate, Central Park East High School, New York, NY | 2018
Technical Skills
Microsoft Office Suite | Multi-Line Phone Systems | Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems
Ann Lee
(123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | San Francisco, CA 94567 | LinkedIn
Profile
Retail Sales Associate with 3+ years of experience in the fine furniture industry. Natural collaborator who builds productive relationships with diverse team members.
Key Skills
- Consultative Sales Strategies
- Cross-Functional Coordination
- Customer Service
- Inventory Management
- Process Streamlining
- Product Upselling
- Retail Sales Operations
- Revenue & Profit Growth
- Team Collaboration
Professional Experience
Sales Assistant, Morris & Sons Fine Furniture, San Francisco, CA | March 2020 to Present
- Build rapport with customers to clarify their needs and show them high-quality furniture options
- Consistently generated 100%+ of sales goals by building and applying expert product knowledge
- Ranked #3 on a 15-person team for customer satisfaction, with 94%+ rating on post-sale surveys
- Revamped merchandise display to create a more appealing sales floor that motivates customers to buy accessories in addition to large furniture items
Waitress, Bucky’s Bar & Grill, San Francisco, CA | February 2017 to February 2020
- Maintained high service standards in a dynamic and fast-paced work environment
- Gained strong foundation in effective customer relations and product upselling
Education
Associate of Arts — Retail Management, Bay Community College, San Francisco, CA | 2019
Select Coursework:
- Business Communication
- Display & Visual Merchandising
- Principles of Sales
- Retail Management
Alison Jacobs
(123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | Baltimore, MD 12345 | LinkedIn
Profile
Strategic Retail Manager with 10+ years’ experience driving product sales growth. Confident leader who motivates teams to consistently meet and exceed goals. Recognized for creating unique in-store displays that effectively market products and capitalize on consumer trends. Adapt readily to new work challenges and industry conditions. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Key Skills
- Customer Service & Satisfaction
- Employee Engagement
- Process Improvement
- Product Merchandising
- Retail Store Management
- Revenue & Profit Growth
- Team Leadership & Motivation
Professional Experience
Store Manager, This is Hip Clothing & Accessories, Baltimore, MD | March 2018 to Present
- Oversee daily operations of a 25,000-square-foot retail store with 40 personnel
- Introduced customer-focused sales methods that grew store revenue 10% – 20% annually
- Drove recruiting initiatives that helped maintain 90% staff retention
Store Manager, This Sounds Cool CDs & Records, Fairfax, VA | January 2013 to February 2018
- Oversaw a 10,000-square-foot retail store with 15 employees
- Led team to grow sales ~5% annually despite a period of industry challenges
- Developed a unique, franchise-approved rewards program that increased customer loyalty by 20%
- Won “Franchise Retail Manager Excellence” awards in 2015, 2016, and 2017
Education
Bachelor of Arts (BA) — Sales & Marketing, Fairfax Retail College, Fairfax, VA | 2014
Certification
Service Excellence Certificate, VCU Advanced Solutions | 2023
Language
Fluency in Spanish | Basic proficiency in Italian
Frequently Asked Questions: Retail Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for retail resumes?+
Action verbs are the backbone of your resume, helping you distill years of experience and responsibilities into bulleted career highlights. The words you choose for this section can be the difference between getting an interview or your resume being put in the pass pile, but it might be difficult to think of a unique verb for each bullet. To help you get some fresh ideas, we’ve put together a list of some common action verbs that can describe retail job duties.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Advised | Assisted |
| Communicated | Cross-sold |
| Demonstrated | Implemented |
| Interacted | Maintained |
| Monitored | Operated |
| Organized | Processed |
| Promoted | Provided |
| Recommended | Resolved |
| Restocked | Served |
| Trained | Upsold |
How do you align your resume with a job description?+
Tailoring your resume to each job you apply for ensures that the hiring manager can easily envision you in the role and positions you as a top candidate, which is important because the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects stagnant job growth in this area over the next decade. When you’re reading the job description, highlight any of the key skills and proficiencies you see and try to work as many of these as possible into your resume. For example, if the job description mentions that the role will include processing customer payments, you might have a bullet that says, “Processed an average of 50 customer payments per day using Square.” This matches the job description, quantifies your experience, and lets you slide in a specific POS software proficiency.
What is the best retail resume format?+
The best retail resume format is easy to read and highlights your experience, but generally, retail resumes are in reverse chronological format. This lets hiring managers easily see what retail roles you’ve had in the past and how many years of experience you’ve accrued. This format also leaves you room for a dedicated key skills section, which can help with getting in your targeted keywords.
Expert Advice: Include a cover letter with your resume
While a cover letter may not be required, especially for entry-level retail positions, you can’t go wrong by including one unless the job posting specifically asks you not to. Think of a cover letter as the sidekick to your resume, giving you a little more space to provide details on your biggest accomplishments. If you’re not sure how to get started, a retail cover letter example can help.