Does retail get a bad rap for long-term career possibilities? It depends upon who you ask. While the entry-level positions of cooks, cashiers, and clothing store salespeople certainly have high turnover rates, those who are in management positions last in the industry for many years. Those who reached such positions as assistant, general, or district manager in retail might have started at the bottom and worked their way up; others, instead, entered the industry as an assistant manager after earning a business degree. No matter the position, however, retail manager jobs involve a combination of industry knowledge, business savvy, marketing skills, and leadership abilities.

The duties for retail manager jobs range from recruiting and training new staff to overseeing operations and purchasing new merchandise to creating the work environment. A combination of customer service and administrative skills are needed, but solid leadership skills define a quality manager. He or she needs to recruit and interview potential team members, train new workers, and observe their progress over time. Additionally, the manager is responsible for the atmosphere; as anyone who has worked in retail knows, an unfriendly or, worse, hostile manager often creates a negative environment around the store.

Stores from supermarkets to clothing chains all have inventory, and the general and assistant retail managers are responsible for it, including ordering new goods and monitoring loss prevention.

Getting into the retail field varies. Some begin in entry-level positions, such as a cashier or cook, and work up into management through diligence, punctuality, and motivation. Others come out of school with a business degree and, because on education and internship experience, land a job as assistant manager or management trainee. Some, as well, do a combination of both: start in a lower-level retail position and, by gaining an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in business, work up to management in a few years.

In the retail world, however, the size of the store indicates the size of the staff. In a small independent operation, the store will simply need general and assistant managers to oversee a small to medium-sized staff. In big box chains, on the other hand, the amount of employees needing supervision and the hierarchy of management is much larger. A store, for example, may have department managers, an assistant manager, and a general manager, with a district manager overseeing all locations in a general area.

If you’re looking to advance in the world of retail, browse through the listings on ManagementJobs.net. Positions, such as assistant to district retail manager jobs, are open in all fields and for different levels of experience. If you have the background in retail and a business degree, find a new job that matches your skills set. Listings on ManagementJobs.net are compiled from multiple job boards and have all openings in your field in one location.

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