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The Three Best Careers in the Retail Industry

By Lauren Stadler
Learning & Life Columnist
March 12, 2007

Does the phrase "shop 'til you drop" have personal significance to you? If so, you're probably already very familiar with the retail industry, one of the fastest-growing job sectors in the country. If you'd like to make money at the mall instead of spending it, read on to learn about some high-powered retail careers.

Retail Careers for the Coming Years

A retail career can offer you a lot more than working behind a cash register and checking out customers. Retail professions include:

• Fashion Merchandising. Fashion merchandisers keep tabs on what people are wearing because they are involved in the production, promotion, and distribution of fashion products. They need a strong understanding of the workings of the entire fashion industry, as well as basic economics and marketing skills.
• Fashion Marketing. Fashion marketing professionals are very familiar with "fashion cycles," and they can take the runway trends and bring them to the department stores. Marketing professionals develop advertising strategies for new trends and styles that catch the public's eye.
• Retail Sales Management. Retail sales managers are responsible for sales territories and making sure that their team meets certain sales goals. Sales managers train sales representatives in an effort to improve their sales performance. Regional sales managers can be responsible for several stores and the performance of hundreds of employees.

Educating Yourself for Success

The best job opportunities in fashion merchandising, marketing, and retail sales management will go to college graduates with experience, good communication skills, and creativity. Fashion merchandising degrees focus on topics ranging from merchandising math to the history of textiles. Marketing is a competitive field, and the best candidates will have a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis on marketing. Coursework in economics, accounting, mathematics, and statistics is also valuable. Sales managers benefit from having a liberal arts background and a bachelor's degree. You can get an edge over the competition by getting certified in management.

Professionals in the retail industry play a pivotal role in establishing the newest trends and styles. Join the retail industry and use your keen fashion sense to help other people find clothes that make them feel good about themselves.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers"

About the Author
Lauren Stadler considers herself a fashionista and expert bargain finder. To support her heavy spending lifestyle, she works as a systems engineer in Washington D.C.

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