Job Description & Responsibilities
Retail store managers are in charge of everything that happens in their store. They recruit, hire, train, and dismiss employees when necessary. The staff of the entire store reports to the store manager. Administratively, the job is packed with responsibilities that, in a corporate setting, would be left to the human resources department, accounting or marketing. In a retail setting, the manager handles payroll, employee work schedules, store promotions, inventory, price changes and customer satisfaction. In addition, the store manager is responsible for meeting sales goals set by corporate and for setting individual sales goals for the sales staff. Profit and loss, store safety and security, facility management and banking are also the manager’s responsibility. The hours in retail are long, and store managers should be prepared to work an average of eight to ten hours a day, six day a week.Education & Training
While a bachelor’s degree isn’t always required, employers prefer candidates with some course work in business or marketing. The bigger the company, the higher the education requirement, with many companies preferring a bachelor’s in business management, social science, accounting or even liberal arts. Experience on the sales floor, strong performance appraisals, and supervisory experience can elevate candidates from within, whether or not they have a degree.Salary Range
Salary depends on many factors, including the industry, the size of the store, the number of customers served and the responsibilities of the store manager. The salary range nationally is from $31,360 to $100,000 annually, with a mean of $45,000. In addition to salary, managers often receive bonuses based on the store’s performance, and in many cases they receive discounts on merchandise. If you started with retail experience right out of high school, be sure to include it on your resume. Any jobs you’ve held that included customer service or marketing will catch the eye of a potential employer. The sample resume below can give you an idea how to highlight your experience and successes. Be sure to focus on areas where your qualities and experience are what the employer has identified. Do you want to be the captain of your own ship, setting the course and sailing the sometimes rough waters of the retail ocean? Test your sea legs as a store manager.Store Manager Resume Questions
Recruiters spend, on average, six seconds per resume before making a decision about looking into a candidate further. This means you don’t want your resume to be pages and pages long. It’s better that you’re concise, focused, and relevant on a single-sided page.
However, there are exceptions. If you’re applying for a high-level position and extensive experience is an asset, you may want to go over a page. Just be mindful of including margins and spacing that make it easy for a recruiter to skim your document.
Computer skills may not seem critical to include on your resume, unless you’re applying for a store manager position at a computer or electronics store. However, nearly all inventory, sales, and timecard systems are computer-based, so having technology skills is important.
You can add computer skills to your list of qualifications by mentioning specific systems or software you’re familiar with. For each job in your work experience section, describe the technology you used in a bullet point if you feel it’s relevant.
A good rule of thumb is to have between six and eight bullet points for each job under work experience. Check out our store manager resume sample and notice that this candidate includes six descriptive, relevant bullet points for each job.
The words you use are equally as important as the number. Notice that in the sample, the candidate chooses strong verbs to start each bullet point, such as “developed,” “marketed,” and “controlled.”
Objective statements, in which you describe your end goal in terms of job type and field, are largely a thing of the past. Most industry experts recommend professional summaries instead. The summary statement on our store manager resume sample shows how you can feature your most important professional accomplishments and also describe the best skills you bring to a job.
There are some instances where you may still opt for an objective statement, such as when you enter the workforce for the first time. In rare cases, a job listing may also request that you share your career objective. This statement should be clear, concise, and to the point. It should also fit the job you’re applying for.
There are many ways to craft a quality resume. Our store manager resume sample represents one such method. It’s organized, it lists crucial skills and qualifications, and the format makes it easy to read.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the thought of creating your own document from scratch, our resume builder can help you develop a customized resume with industry-specific text examples to take you from start to finish.
Now that you have a compelling resume, it’s time to pair it with a masterful Store Manager cover letter. These expertly written samples give you the head start to launch your new career.
Show Resume TextResume Text
1 Main Street
New Cityland, CA 91010
Cell: (555) 322-7337
E-Mail: example-email@example.com
Summary
Hardworking Store Manager professional versed in all aspects of running a successful retail store, including opening and closing procedures, banking, merchandising, and recruiting. Effectively motivate employees to performance excellence and fosters a team environment focused on group success.
Highlights
Marketing and advertising
Inventory management
Recruiting and hiring
Employee development
Business generation
Vendor negotiations
Payroll administration
Bookkeeping
Operational improvements
Flexible schedule
Experience
April 2008 to Current
Lawson Computers and Electronics Nimitz, CA
Store Manager
Built computer and electronics store from ground up.
Achieved all development milestones and profitability goals.
Consistently negotiate favorable vendor contracts to keep costs low.
Handle all payroll and bookkeeping functions.
Schedule, train, and coach employees to maximize performance in customer service, revenue generation, and daily tasks such as stocking and receipt tracking.
Increase customer satisfaction and bottom-line revenue by expanding product lines, offering special promotions, and building loyalty club membership.
July 2005 to March 2008
Kitchen Supply Company Nimitz, MA
Store Manager
Implemented innovative promotions to drive store revenue.
Sourced new products to diversify offerings.
Worked with local vendors to keep costs low and build community relations.
Scheduled weekly cooking classes inside store to increase exposure.
Invited radio, TV, and newspaper staff to cover special cooking events.
Kept inventory optimized to ensure low costs while maintaining product availability.
December 2001 to May 2005
Stripes Nimitz, KY
Store Manager
Maintained profitable operations in family clothing market.
Controlled costs by effectively negotiating with vendors.
Hired, recruited, and trained quality employees.
Developed incentive programs to reward top performers.
Organized yearly Christmas party to thank associates.
Creatively marketed clothing to diverse groups, including college students, moms groups, and local sporting organizations.