You may be surprised to learn about the many job positions needed in a retail setting. The sales assistant behind the checkout counter or on the sales floor is only one team member supporting a store’s operation.
There are specialised training programmes providing qualifications for a variety of retail positions in Australia. If you are interested in this career path, learn more about the potential job positions and settings available to you.
What Is a Certificate III in Retail?
Many education institutions in Australia offer retail career training. A certificate III in retail takes about 12 months to complete and prepares you for many types of retail positions and helps you develop the skills you need for job success. When you complete the programme, you receive a nationally recognised certificate. Here is a list of positions and job descriptions you can explore.
Sales Assistant
As a sales assistant, you are likely first to greet customers that enter the store. You are expected to greet and welcome customers and offer to help them find products. When not serving shoppers, you may be unloading and unpacking merchandise, cleaning shelves, or stocking and arranging products. You need to have sufficient knowledge of the merchandise to advise customers and help them select the ideal purchase.
Sales Manager
Your primary responsibilities as a sales manager are to recruit, hire, and train sales staff. Most companies require managers to have a bachelor’s degree and several years of sales experience.
As a leader, you evaluate team progress and provide feedback to team members. You may have company-established methods of measuring job performance and correcting employee errors. Your sales team looks to you for guidance and encouragement.
Customer-Service Representative
As a customer service representative, you need to serve clients’ and customers’ needs with cheerfulness and tact. Like sales assistants, you should have in-depth knowledge of company products so you can answer customer questions quickly and sufficiently.
You may need to complete various types of paperwork and document the results of customer interactions, including comments and complaints. Do your best to keep them happy.
Merchandise Coordinator
Working as a merchandise coordinator requires much time devoted to stock – monitoring supply, moving items to the sales floor, and designing attractive displays. When connecting with wholesalers, you need to arrange pricing and promotions. You’ll supervise returns, exchanges and purchasing transactions. The key skills are knowing what customers want to buy and using the right strategies to entice them to purchase those items.
Department Manager
This position, typically found in larger stores, relies on one’s ability to oversee the entire customer experience as well as staff interactions. Department managers must provide training on company policies and procedures. Employees seek their assistance for customer concerns, returns, exchanges, and discounts. Your behaviour during customer service interactions sets the standard for other staff to follow.
Store Manager
Store managers’ roles are very similar to department managers’ except they usually oversee the operations of a smaller store. You’ll motivate employees to meet sales goals, implement business strategies and train new employees. You’ll also manage promotions, budgets and finance records. Ideal traits for this position are leadership abilities and interpersonal skills.
Account Manager
As an account manager, you are a liaison between a client and the company you represent. You have sales goals and a list of client accounts to manage. You may be travelling to meet clients on-site to ensure they are satisfied with your company’s products and to maintain the business relationship.
Crew or Team Leader
Fast-food chains and restaurants need crew leaders to train and supervise staff and ensure quality customer service. You’ll teach proper food handling procedures as well as food safety guidelines. Scheduling employee shifts and approving or denying time off is another duty. You are responsible for overseeing restaurant operations that include repair and maintenance of equipment and maintenance of inventories.
Get ready to start your new career! To find a retail education programme, search Australian directories for a registered training organisation such as an RTO Perth or a different area nearer to you.
When researching job descriptions, think about which skills and personality traits you already have to find an ideal match. You have many possible avenues to pursue in retail and a degree or certificate on your resume shows you have the training for a great start.