How To Write a Visual Merchandising Resume
If you seek a visual merchandising position, start with a well-crafted resume that showcases your talents for creating visual displays in retail settings. Highlight your qualifications and experience in the field and get specific about the skills you’ve garnered, such as product marketing or graphic design. To get some resume inspiration, start with our list of tips and review our examples to put your best attributes on display.
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications
Grab the recruiter or hiring manager’s attention by creating a compelling summary of your qualifications. A resume profile is a short paragraph that provides a quick snapshot of your career. State how many years of experience you have, and then mention some of your areas of expertise in visual merchandising. Maybe you designed a holiday display for a high-traffic retail location or worked with other teams to help launch a new product to customers.
Senior-Level Profile Example
A visual merchandising leader with over 10 years of experience specializing in planograms, merchandising, strategic planning, and product marketing. A strong history of creating engaging visual displays and identifying optimal sightlines and focal points to maximize product exposure.
Entry-Level Profile Example
A visual merchandiser with entry-level experience, specializing in merchandising, graphic design, print production, and visual marketing. Adept at coordinating with marketing teams to develop, implement, and maintain high-impact retail displays to maximize product sales.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
Resist the urge to list the duties you had at past jobs simply. Most of your resume should feature your professional accolades and achievements, so prospective employers can see the value you can bring to their organization. For a visual merchandising role, focus on the ability to collaborate with team members. Also, include any data-driven bullet points showcasing how your work impacted sales, and mention some of the project types you’ve worked on.
In other words, don’t just discuss that you designed and put up signage – describe how that sign helped drive new business.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Visual Merchandiser, IKEA, New York, NY
May 2017 – Present
- Manage visual marketing directives for a leading furniture store, oversee the development of compelling product stories for new launches, create digital signage, and identify key focal points to attract customer attention and maximize sales
- Achieve a 10%-17% increase in retail sales YOY and drive visual merchandising redesigns to enhance the brand appeal, resulting in over $700K in revenue in 2021
- Identify optimal lighting for displays to create an attractive ambience and utilize landscaping techniques to elevate products and enhance visibility
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Visual Merchandiser, Miami Craft Beverages, Miami, FL
May 2021 – Present
- Coordinate with the visual design manager to develop and implement visual displays for a craft beer retail store, including identifying the optimal placement of floor and window displays based on foot traffic and product section
- Increase monthly sales by 15% in 2021 by identifying opportunities to enhance the appeal of visual merchandising designs and improve store ambience using landscaping
- Perform installation and removal of window presentations and in-store displays in support of promotional events for new product launches
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Most employers are looking for visual merchandising hires with professional experience and some formal education related to the work they’ll be doing. It might be a degree in marketing or design, fine arts, or another area of study, or even a related certificate program.
Education
Template:
[Degree Name]
[School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example:
Bachelor of Arts (B.F.A.) Fine Arts
University of San Diego, San Diego, CA | 2017
4. List relevant key skills
There’s a good chance the companies you’re applying to use an applicant tracking system (ATS) that screens candidate resumes. That’s why your resume must include the pertinent key skills, keywords, and phrases the hiring manager is looking for. It’s a good idea to look at the job description and mirror some of the same key terms and skills into your resume. Here are some examples of skills often included in visual merchandising job postings:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Digital signage | Fashion merchandising |
| Fixtures | Graphic design |
| Key focal points | Key performance indicators (KPIs) |
| Landscaping | Lighting |
| Marketing | Merchandising |
| Planograms | Print signage |
| Product displays | Product marketing |
| Product storytelling | Retail sales |
| Sales forecasting | Sightlines |
| Strategic planning | Upselling |
5. Include any retail or customer-facing experience
Because visual merchandising involves creating displays and product promotions to draw in customers and increase sales, it can be a plus to share any examples of you working with the public or if you’ve worked retail as a sales associate. Understanding consumer behaviors and retail business operations can help influence your design ideas and make you better at your job.
6. Feature your leadership capabilities
Visual merchandiser roles are dynamic positions that require expertise in both sales and marketing. To effectively implement your visual designs and product displays, you’ll often collaborate cross-functionally with different personnel across the store.
You may even travel between different store locations to ensure visual displays comply with brand guidelines and quality standards. Employers value candidates who can communicate effectively with diverse team members, and showcasing your leadership capabilities will also help paint a broader picture of who you are as a professional.
How To Pick the Best Visual Merchandising Resume Template
To choose the best visual merchandising resume, ensure it’s easy to read, crisp, and clean. Because the role has creative and design aspects, getting a little creative with the look is OK – just don’t go overboard with colors or graphics. The main focus should be on your accomplishments and qualifications.
Visual Merchandising Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Raymond Ortiz
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Pine Brook Dr., Miami, FL 12345
Profile
A Visual Merchandiser with entry-level experience, specializing in merchandising, graphic design, print production, and visual marketing. Adept at coordinating with marketing teams to develop, implement, and maintain high-impact retail displays to maximize product sales.
Professional Experience
Visual Merchandiser, Miami Craft Beverages, Miami, FL
May 2021 – Present
- Coordinate with the visual design manager to develop and implement visual displays for a craft beer retail store, including identifying the optimal placement of floor and window displays based on foot traffic and product section
- Increase monthly sales by 15% in 2021 by identifying opportunities to enhance the appeal of visual merchandising designs and improve store ambience using landscaping
- Perform installation and removal of window presentations and in-store displays in support of promotional events for new product launches
Sales Associate, Wine & Spirits, Miami FL
June 2020 – May 2021
- Conducted retail sales for wine and liquor products, provided high-quality customer service, and coordinated with team members to receive product shipments
- Installed and maintained visual floor displays for products, which included interfacing with third-party representatives to identify appropriate placement
Education
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Marketing
University of Miami, Miami, FL September 2017 – May 2021
Key Skills
- Visual Merchandising
- Graphic Design
- Product Displays
- Marketing Strategy
- Visual Design
Allison Rosenberg
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 12345
Profile
A Visual Merchandiser with five years of professional experience specializing in fashion design, product marketing, graphic design, and merchandising. A proven track record of creating and implementing visually compelling displays for fashion products in high-traffic retail locations.
Professional Experience
Visual Merchandiser, Anthropologie, San Diego, CA
May 2019 – Present
- Define visual direction for in-store product marketing displays across five store locations for a high-end women’s fashion brand, manage product flow, and identify opportunities to improve merchandising strategies and print signage
- Create digital and print signage for product displays, develop planograms, and identify optimal floor placement, resulting in a 20% increase in sales YOY
- Improve revenue by $550K per year across five store locations by analyzing sales metrics and redesigning visual merchandising materials for underperforming products
Sales Associate, Nordstrom, San Diego, CA
July 2017 – May 2019
- Conducted research on emerging fashion trends, evaluated sales metrics, performed competitive analysis, and identified opportunities to enhance product stories
- Oversaw outfitting of mannequins for new product launches and ensured aesthetic alignment of product displays with brand identity and messaging
- Traveled to seven store locations to provide feedback to field leaders, analyzed floor displays, and delivered visual merchandising solutions based on space and architecture
Education
Bachelor of Arts (B.F.A.) Fine Arts
University of San Diego, San Diego, CA September 2013 – May 2017
Key Skills
- Visual Merchandising
- Fashion Trends
- Retail Sales
- Product Marketing
- Visual Displays
Selena Ramirez
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY, 12345
Profile
A Visual Merchandising Leader with 10+ years of experience specializing in planograms, merchandising, strategic planning, and product marketing. A strong history of creating compelling visual displays and identifying optimal sightlines and focal points to maximize product exposure.
Professional Experience
Visual Merchandiser, IKEA, New York, NY
May 2017 – Present
- Manage visual marketing directives for a leading furniture store, oversee the development of compelling product stories for new launches, create digital signage, and identify key focal points to attract customer attention and maximize sales
- Achieve a 10%-17% increase in retail sales YOY and drive visual merchandising redesigns to enhance the brand appeal, resulting in over $700K in revenue in 2021
- Identify optimal lighting for displays to create an attractive ambience and utilize landscaping techniques to elevate products and enhance visibility
Visual Merchandiser, Wayfair, New York, NY
July 2012 – May 2017
- Served as the lead visual merchandising for a high-end furniture store, developed print signage and visual marketing designs, conducted landscaping to elevate displays, and improved annual sales by 45% over five years
- Selected seasonal and core product assortment for furniture products, determined pricing strategies based on sales forecasts, and improved floor placement and sightlines
Education
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Marketing
Columbia University, New York, NY September 2008 – May 2012
Key Skills
- Visual Merchandising
- Landscaping
- Digital Signage
- Product Storytelling
- Retail Sales
Frequently Asked Questions: Visual Merchandising Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for visual merchandising resumes?+
Writing the professional experience section of a resume can seem tedious at times, but choosing strong action verbs will keep the reader engaged. To help ensure you won’t run out of descriptive words to use, here are some common action verbs that are a good fit for visual merchandising jobs:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Analyzed | Collaborated |
| Coordinated | Created |
| Designed | Developed |
| Enhanced | Evaluated |
| Executed | Generated |
| Identified | Implemented |
| Improved | Increased |
| Led | Managed |
| Optimized | Oversaw |
| Performed | Planned |
How do you align your resume with a visual merchandising job description?+
To maximize the impact of your resume during the job search, tailor your content to the specific needs of individual organizations. Before writing your resume, research what companies are looking for and how your experience and skill sets match the job description for the position you’re applying for. Employers will want to see that you deeply understand product marketing within the visual merchandising space.
For example, you can showcase how you improved the visual appeal of product displays by customizing fixtures and floor placement according to the architecture and size of the store. You could also draw attention to how you utilized landscaping and lighting techniques to improve the atmosphere of the store environment. First impressions are everything in retail sales, and by demonstrating your ability to capture the attention and focus of your customers, employers will see the value you can bring to their team.
What is the best visual merchandising resume format?+
Like most job types, a reverse chronological resume format should work if you seek a visual merchandising job. This approach is the most common and familiar to recruiters and emphasizes your most recent work experience. Other more creative resumes, such as combination formats, are best left to unique situations, such as someone changing careers or entering the field for the first time.
Expert Advice: Include a cover letter with your resume
Sending along your resume with an attached cover letter is always a nice touch, especially if you can directly address the employer’s needs. To give you an idea of what a good cover letter looks like, explore our retail sales associate cover letter guide or our interior designer cover letter.
