5 Benefits of a career in retail
Mad about music? Got a passion for fashion? Want a career working with the products you love? Try retail on for size!
There is a lot more to retail than you might think. It is one of the most diverse, fast paced and exciting sectors to work in.
From visual merchandisers, planning creative window displays, to marketing teams planning the promotion of new products and store managers directing teams to deliver a great customer experience, nearly 3 million people work in the 291,000 retail businesses in the UK. There is a wide range of job roles with opportunities for rapid career progression.
SCOPE AND VARIETY
The opportunities are endless - from running a market stall or managing a gift shop on a cruise liner to the chief executive of a global conglomerate.
You can work with the things you love from fashion, sport or technology to food, wine or furniture.
You might want to deal with customers every day, making sure they get a great experience in a store or online, or you may enjoy providing back office services. You could be buying, marketing or managing the supply chain or providing critical services such as finance, human resources or property management.
Retail keeps changing. Retailers constantly anticipate shoppers’ changing tastes and behaviour so there is always something exciting happening. Online and multichannel retailing has had a significant impact over the past ten years creating even more roles.
Some of the benefits are:
FLEXIBLE WORKING PRACTICES
If you want flexible working hours, retail is the sector for you. You can often combine your hours with other commitments such as studying or caring.
You can study for a retail qualification while you work meaning you get work experience, an income and a qualification! When you’re ready, there is a raft of progression routes depending on what you enjoy most.
If you want to be self-employed there are several ways to start your own retail business. Market stalls, craft fares and the internet are all great ways to test your market and start your business. Marks and Spencer started as a market stall!
EXTRA BENEFITS
As well as the usual employment benefits, you may be eligible for discounts from your employer which are a great boost to your salary. Discounts can help with anything from the cost of your regular grocery bills to major items or treats such as the very best equipment for your favourite sport or hobby.
JOB SECURITY
Retail is a growth sector, even during the recent recession retailers continued to employ an increasing number of people. The internet means more retailers are selling outside the UK. This provides great job security and opportunity for people who love retailing and become good at it.
Not only that, the skills you develop are easily transferred to other sectors. Most sectors have customers of one sort or another.
