Retail Resume Examples & Templates

Review the job description and identify the specific hard skills and soft skills sought by the employer. Tailor your resume to highlight skills that match the position’s requirements.

You can create a separate resume skills section with relevant competencies, including:   

• Customer service
• Salesmanship  
• Communication 
• Problem-solving skills
• Teamwork 
• Product knowledge 
• Time management 
• Adaptability 
• Attention to detail 

Depending on the specific role and responsibilities, additional skills such as leadership, merchandising, cash handling and conflict resolution may also be relevant.

We recommend using one of our professional resume templates to take the guesswork out of formatting the skills section of your retail resume.

Including relevant certifications on your resume can help demonstrate your expertise and qualifications for retail jobs. Here are some certifications commonly listed on resumes for retail positions:

• Certified Customer Service Professional (CCSP)
• Customer Experience Management (CEM) Certification
• Retail Management Certification
• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification
• POS System Certification
• Inventory Management Software Certification (e.g., SAP, Oracle Retail)
• CRM Certification (e.g., Salesforce Certification)

When your resume is complete, we recommend using our ATS resume checker to scan for common errors and receive optimization suggestions to improve your resume score. 

The best resume format for a retail job depends on your experience, career goals and the specific job you are applying for. Here are the three primary resume formats: 

• Functional format: This layout focuses on skills, allowing you to showcase everything that you can do. Retail consultants, brand ambassadors and inventory specialists might use this format to highlight their transferable skills, such as customer service, sales, inventory management and leadership. 
• Combination format: Ideal for those with a few years under the belt, this format balances skills and work experience. This format is excellent for a retail sales manager, merchandiser or retail supervisor who wants to offer a balanced look at their skills and professional history. 
• Chronological format: Perfect for candidates with a decade or more of experience. This format showcases expertise through a detailed work history section. Store managers, sales associates and customer service representatives can use this format to highlight their career progression in the retail industry. 

Explore our retail sales resume examples to see how different formats are used. We also recommend browsing our library of 800+ resume examples for real-world samples and tips.  

When describing a retail job on your resume, it’s important to highlight your key responsibilities, accomplishments and contributions clearly and concisely. 

Begin each work experience bullet point with strong action verbs to convey your accomplishments and responsibilities effectively. Examples include “Assisted,” “Managed,” “Achieved,” “Resolved,” “Maintained,” and “Promoted.”

If your role involved sales or revenue generation, highlight your achievements in this area. Mention any sales targets you met or exceeded, promotions you successfully implemented or strategies you used to drive sales.

Whenever possible, quantify your achievements to provide concrete evidence of your contributions. For example, mention sales targets you achieved, customer satisfaction ratings or the number of customers you assisted daily.

Writing a resume for a retail job with no experience requires highlighting your skills, qualities and relevant experiences to make a strong impression. Here are a few tips to help you get started: 

• Include relevant certifications: If you’ve completed any certifications or training programs related to retail, customer service or sales, be sure to include them.
• Focus on transferable skills: Highlight transferable skills such as communication, customer service, teamwork, time management, problem-solving and attention to detail.
• List volunteer or extracurricular experiences: For example, if you’ve volunteered at a community event where you interacted with people, organized materials or handled transactions, mention these experiences.
• Add relevant coursework: If you’ve completed any projects or coursework that are relevant to retail (such as marketing projects, business courses or retail management coursework), showcase them on your resume.

Highlighting your enthusiasm for the role and your willingness to learn and grow can also make a positive impression on potential employers. See our guide on how to make a resume without experience for additional advice from career experts.