My first job in high school was working in a Ben Franklin dime store. This small, family-run, retail experience was the greatest job ever because of the candy aisle! We had penny candy. You could literally buy a single Swedish Fish for a penny. This job gave me a few years of experience in high school for my first resume where I could spotlight a variety of soft skills that other potential employers might find valuable. I want to help you do the same.
The retail industry features some of the most well-known consumer brands like Walmart, Target, Costo, and Home Depot. You are learning the best practices of these successful brands through your retail position. You will be able to apply the lessons learned and many transferable skills to your future jobs.
Do not discount your retail job! I am going to spotlight a variety of key skills and experiences that any hiring manager will find valuable when you go for your next job or internship. I am hoping you can use the examples below as a resume builder. If you have your original job description, that can provide some easy examples of how to word the retail skills on your resume, as well.
If you currently work for one of the big brands, pay attention to the signage in the warehouse and break rooms, learn about their safety policies, and read the company newsletter. You might be able to incorporate any of these items on your resume and turn it into relevant work experience for your next employer. (The G.O.L.D. standard example below is from ALDO stores.)
If you are working on your first resume, check out this post: 12 High School Student Resume Tips. I walk you through the whole document starting with your contact information and education. I also give you a list of things to think about that you might add to your resume like athletics, projects, volunteer work, and other extracurricular activities.
Work Experience Section
Many job seekers start out their careers as retail professionals. Yes, I just called you a retail professional! If you have had multiple jobs, this is the section where you show your work history in chronological order. This may be the only job listed in your work experience section, and that is ok too! I offer you a resume template that formats each job like this:
Retail Store Name City, State Month Year - Present
Job Title
Bullet points describing the work you did
Bullet points describing the work you did
Bullet points describing the work you did
You have my permission to use any of the bullet points below on your own resume. Pick and choose the bullets that make sense for your job. And as with any of my advice, please make it your own. Use my suggestions as thought-starters and use action verbs when you can. Don’t use my language if it doesn’t really fit your personality or the actual work you did. You don’t ever want to lie or misrepresent your experience on your resume.
Let’s start with one of the basic retail skills of working as a cashier.
Cashier Skills
Many retail workers work as a cashier. This position gives you experience with different cash registers and point-of-sale systems, the opportunity to be face-to-face with customers, and the responsibility of a cash drawer. We can unpack some important skills that a prospective employer will find valuable. I will give you different options so you can choose the bullet points that best reflect your specific retail job.
Developed strong interpersonal skills by communicating in a welcoming tone and a helpful attitude toward guests and other team members to help build a positive work environment.
Provided excellent customer service skills while interacting with each person throughout their transaction.
Answered questions regarding sales items, special promotions and gift cards to support a positive customer experience.
Responsible for verifying the cash drawer at the beginning and end of each shift to reconcile sales data with our point-of-sale system.
Supported retail sales manager when counting the cash drawer to verify nightly deposit amounts.
Maintained cleanliness of my cash register counter area to ensure customer merchandise was not damaged or stained during the transaction.
Assisted customers with the store’s mobile app to troubleshoot, find coupons, and access loyalty points.
Scanned, handled, and moved merchandise efficiently and safely, including frequently lifting or moving merchandise up to 15 pounds.
Memorized common produce lookup codes (PLU) to improve the speed of my transactions.
Retail Sales Associate
Many brick-and-mortar stores have sales associates whose job is to roam the floor and provide sales support directly to customers. This position requires a different level of knowledge about the store layout and specific product locations, as well as customer service skills.
Here is a sample of bullet points for your resume from a variety of retail environments with relevant skills for many future jobs.
Proactively greeted customers as they entered the store and communicated the details about current sales promotions to support a positive customer experience.
Gained excellent communication skills learning how to deal with rude and upset customers while enforcing the store’s health protocols during the pandemic.
Demonstrated superior emotional intelligence when assisting guests in the fitting room area and offering guidance on fit and appearance of clothing.
Gained floor awareness skills through mindful monitoring of the product displays, floor area, and barcode tags to support store security.
Followed the brand’s “G.O.L.D Standard” for customer service which included: Greet the customer; Open conversation; Lead the sale; Deepen brand loyalty.
During downtime, cleaned and organized product displays, removing broken or damaged items to ensure quality in appearance.
Supported food freshness standards, monitored product rotation (FIFO), and removed expired products.
Provided support to store manager during deliveries, counting inventory, and handling manufacturer returns.
Developed valuable sales experience by learning how to upsell and cross-sell related items, increasing my average transaction value, and meeting my sales targets.
Consistently performed all tasks with a helpful and positive attitude toward customers and coworkers.
Skills Section
If you choose a resume template with a skills section, it’s a great place to list soft skills directly related to the job description you are applying for. You might change these out for each different position to better customize your story to your potential employer.
Sample skills you may have gained through your retail experience include:
Active listening
Accountability
Attention to detail
Communication skills
Conflict resolution
Customer service
Decision making
Interpersonal skills
Leadership skills
Problem-solving
Selling skills or sales expertise
Time management
Cover Letter and Interview Ideas
Your retail experience can provide unique stories to tell. You’ve probably met some wacky customers! I suggest you use these in your cover letter or incorporate them in your interview answers. Here are a couple of examples.
As a retail associate, I have developed the ability to remain calm and work well under pressure. I can tell you about observing a shoplifter, calling the police, and giving my statement.
I developed excellent customer service skills as a cashier learning how to answer every random question like a daily pop quiz and occasionally handling cash taken from a woman’s undergarment.
In high school I developed a strong work ethic working evenings and weekends for two years while keeping my grades up to remain on the honor roll.
Future Job Ideas
If you are a student working in retail, I encourage you to pay attention to the details of the job and think about how they may inspire interest in your future jobs.
Retail Manager. If it turns out you love what you do, you might consider working towards becoming a retail manager of a department, a store, or a regional manager. Connect with the people in these positions and try to learn from them.
Sales Person. If you enjoy interacting with customers, helping them find the products they need, and suggesting additional related products, you might enjoy a career in sales. This opens up a world of opportunities! Most businesses need salespeople. From cars to software, furniture to real estate, and beyond.
Visual Display. Maybe you noticed that sales of a certain product increase when it’s moved to an end-cap display. Or when furniture and accessories are staged like a home with rugs, lighting, and pillows. A career in visual merchandising might be in your future.
Direct Store Delivery. You might have noticed the delivery people from companies like Frito-Lay who deliver the products, stock the shelves, and speak to department managers about shelf space, signage, and promotions. A job like this may be more appealing to be out driving from store to store. This kind of job has other titles such as route sales associate.
Hopefully, you can see that you have gained valuable skills while working in retail. This is just the start of your career! Whether you continue in retail or move to a new field, I wish you much luck and success!
