Retail Sales Associate Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Retail Sales Associate resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Retail sales associates are the face of their company. They’re the first point of contact for customers looking to buy new shoes or a new television or furniture for their home. They’re the ones who help customers find the perfect gift for a loved one or recommend a new razor to help them achieve the perfect shave.
Retail sales associates are also often the most visible part of a company’s brand, so it’s important for them to be friendly and knowledgeable about the products they’re selling. They need to be able to connect with customers and build trust. And they need to be able to follow instructions to execute a sale or ring up an order accurately and efficiently.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in retail sales or want to switch roles within your current company, you’ll need a resume that showcases your relevant skills and experience. Follow these tips and resume example to write a retail sales associate resume that hiring managers will love.
How to Write a Retail Sales Associate Resume
Here’s how to write a retail sales associate resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most important part of your resume because they’re the first thing recruiters and hiring managers will read. And they’re the best way to showcase your experience and qualifications.
But many job seekers make the mistake of using generic bullet points that don’t really tell a story or provide any context about their experience.
Instead, you should use your bullet points to tell a story about your experience. And that story should be about how you helped a company achieve its goals or how you contributed to its bottom line.
Related: What Is a Retail Sales Associate? How to Become One
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit an application for a retail sales associate role, it’s likely that your resume will be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. These programs look for certain terms related to the job like “customer service” and “sales” in order to determine whether or not you have the skills and experience required for the position. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right words, your application might not make it past the initial screening process.
To increase your chances of landing an interview, use this list of common retail sales associate keywords as a starting point to help you identify the skills and experience that are most relevant to the position:
- Retail
- Merchandising
- Visual Merchandising
- Customer Service
- Sales
- Cashiering
- Retail Sales
- Time Management
- Teamwork
- Inventory Management
- Fashion
- Apparel
- Social Media
- Customer Satisfaction
- Retail Sales Associate
- Customer Experience
- Communication
- Marketing
- Driving Results
- Phone Etiquette
- Cash Handling
- Foodservice
- Inventory Control
- Cash
- Microsoft Access
- Organization Skills
- Team Leadership
- Problem Solving
- Sales Management
- Leadership
Showcase Your Technical Skills
Retail sales associates use a variety of systems and programs to complete their work, so it is important to list any relevant technical skills you have. In addition to being familiar with common programs like Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite, sales associates should also be familiar with retail-specific software programs, like Shopify and RetailNext. Additionally, sales associates need to be comfortable using technology to communicate with customers, both in-store and online.
Related: How Much Does a Retail Sales Associate Make?
Remember The Basics
As you’re crafting your resume, it’s important to keep a few basic guidelines in mind.
Make Sure Your Resume Is Easy to Scan
There are a few things you can do to make your resume easier to read and understand quickly. Aligning everything to the left, using a standard font type and size, and keeping bullets under 2 lines will help make your resume more skimmable. You should also try to leave some white space on the page to help the recruiter easily scan through your information.
Be Concise
It is important to tailor your resume to the specific role you are applying for, and to focus on the most relevant information. When in doubt, less is more. A resume should typically be one page long, but can be two pages for more experienced candidates. If a resume is too long, remove irrelevant information or trim it down to focus on the most relevant experience.
Check Your Work
Proofreading your resume is important in order to make sure it looks professional and error-free. Spell checking is a must, as are punctuation and grammar checks. It is also helpful to have someone else proofread your resume for you, as they may catch mistakes that you have missed. Beware of easily confused words, and make sure that your tense is consistent throughout the resume.
Use a Summary
The resume summary statement is an important part of your resume. It is a brief, concise way to introduce yourself to a potential employer and explain why you are the perfect candidate for the job. The summary should include information about your skills, experience, and goals, and it should be tailored to the specific job you are applying for. The summary should be no more than three sentences long, and it should be written in a clear and concise manner.
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