- Write for us
- Personal Development Planning
- Wealth Building
- Debt Recovery
- Positive thinking
- Personal Development Books
- Change Your Life in 30 Days
- Life Coaching
- Hypnotherapy
- Law Of Attraction
- CBD / Medical Cannabis
- Sleep Advice
- Weight Loss
- Job search by country
- Interview Techniques
- Sample Cover Letters
- Higher Education
- Careers Advice For Teens
- Military Career
- Team Building Directory
- Free Team Building Activities
- Equality & Diversity
- Merchandise
Select Page
Entry Into Retail CV
Posted by admin | Mar 13, 2018 | Sample CVs , CVs and resumes | 0 |
Are you looking for a post in the retail sector and feel that your current CV/resume needs updating to reflect the change of career?
Our entry into retail CV can provide a great template for someone who is looking for a job in retail.
Read and analyse the advertisement carefully then make a list of the skills and qualities that you need to demonstrate in order to impress a potential employer. Now take that list and address as many points as you can to add to your entry into retail CV.
Remember many of the skills that employers ask for are general; for example team building. What is vital is that you show clearly that you have the skills or are prepared to learn them.
The sample CV below demonstrates a solid background in administration, highlights transferable skills; however the personal profile clearly indicates that the writer now wishes to pursue a career in retail .
Sample Entry into Retail CV / resume
Before you send out your Retail CV/resume, you should make sure you have an effective cover letter .
Go to our sample CV cover letters section if you are looking for great example cover letters in your field to introduce your CV/resume to a prospective employer.
Once you have constructed a great CV and a covering letter that will impress, upload your CV / resume online and get found by recruiters looking for your skills. Then you can search for jobs in your country and overseas , find the latest vacancies and start applying instantly.
Whatever your profession go to our sample CV / resumes by job title page where you can find free examples of:
Sample Chronological CV / resume
Sample Functional CV / resume
Sample Targeted CV / resume
Sample Administrative Assistant CV / resume
Sample Change of Career CV / resume
If you need help with your entry into retail CV or resume, let us know so that we can provide the assistance you need. If you have any suggestions, tips, questions, comments, need help writing a professional CV/resume or would like further information on how to write a CV or resume, visit our forums or use the comment form below.
Leave a reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .
About The Author
Related Posts
Sample builder CV / resume
January 14, 2017
Sample Heating Engineer / Plumber CV
June 24, 2018
Student CV Service
January 28, 2014
Graduate CV Service
January 28, 2017
Select Language
Search for jobs by country.
Law of Attraction
Pin it on pinterest.
Retail CV Examples
There are lots of retail CV examples available, but if you’ve decided on a career in retail, finding a comprehensive list of what to include can be challenging. We’ve put together a guide to help you create a winning retail CV application to help you showcase your true potential. If you’re a people person, hard working and organised then a career in retail could be right up your street.
How to write a CV for retail?
Want to break into the world of retail but wondering ‘how to write a CV for retail’ or ‘where can I find retail CV examples’ then you’ve come to the right place. Writing a CV can feel daunting, for any position, and even more so if it’s your first. But it doesn’t have to be! First think about the retail position. Is it an assistant, supervisor, merchandising or stock management role? Research the role inside out and then apply it to your CV.
A job in retail involves a lot more than just stocking shelves and folding clothes. Retail stores come in all shapes and sizes and there are lots of different opportunities available. The most popular routes for people to go down are; retail assistant and retail supervisor.
Retail assistant CV
A retail assistant is a fantastic route for you to begin your career in retail. It’s an entry-level job which enables you to gain the fundamental skills and knowledge relevant to the retail industry. Whether you’re looking for a career in a large retail chain or a small retail company, the purpose of a retail assistant doesn’t change.
You’ll be assisting customers, dealing with queries, ensuring stock availability and advising on promotional offers. Retail assistants are also known as sales assistants and in short, they generate sales, help customers and handle payments.
When writing a retail assistant CV, you might have little to no experience but that doesn’t necessarily matter. As long as you can demonstrate your strong work ethic and transferable skills.
As a retail assistant, you will normally follow instructions from your supervisor or manager. If you have previous experience or qualifications then you might want to put together a retail supervisor CV.
Retail supervisor CV
When writing a retail supervisor CV, you will typically have previous experience in the industry, especially if you’re applying to a large retail chain. Qualifications and skills will vary depending on the employer so it’s always best to check the job description and see whether you’re the right fit for the job.
Your responsibilities will also vary, some employers will delegate you the task of overseeing employees, dealing with complaints, training retail assistants and performing stock inventory, bookkeeping, cashing up at the end of the day and merchandising.
When writing a CV for a retail position, whether it be as a retail assistant or supervisor, you will need to include:
Personal Statement
A personal statement is your chance to sell yourself. Describe who you are, what you can bring to the role and what you want to achieve in your career. Make sure it’s clear and easily understandable so the employer reads on. Make sure you include any relevant experience, even if it’s your first position and you don’t have any, you should at least cover skills related to retail.
Retail CV examples if you have work experience:
‘In my previous retail role as an assistant, I provided excellent customer service to ensure the customer had an enjoyable experience and returned, increasing customer loyalty. I have experience of working in a fast paced environment and would undertake a variety of tasks, including, replenishing stock, serving customers, handling money and arranging product displays. Given my previous experience, I feel I would make a great retail candidate and would work hard in this role.’
Retail CV examples without work experience:
‘Although I don’t have any previous retail experience, my proven track record at school shows I am hardworking. At school, I would need to communicate effectively with my teachers to ensure I worked towards deadlines and produced a high standard of work to the best of my ability. I am extremely motivated and driven, at times I would use my leadership and team working skills to complete projects set successfully with my class. Despite not having any previous retail experience, I am a quick learner who enjoys new challenges and would love the opportunity to excel in this role.’
Did you know that, the average recruiter only looks at a CV for 7 seconds? Make those seconds count! Feel like you’re not prepared for the job? You could always consider looking for a retail apprenticeship or voluntary work in a charity shop to help you stand out from the crowd.
Highlight your skills
Whether you have previous experience or you’re applying for your first job, skills are one of the most important tools to include in your retail CV. They summarise your abilities and really showcase why you’re the right fit for the job. The UK job market is competitive and possessing skills can help make you more employable. When adding your skills to your CV, a good idea is to refer back to the job description.
Normally, employers will tell you what they’re looking for. It’s a good idea to tailor your application to the job description provided by the employer. If an employer is looking for someone who is organised, works well under pressure and meets deadlines, then you should incorporate this into your CV application wherever possible.
Many young people with no previous experience, may feel they don’t have skills which reflect the job description, if this is the case, you should certainly rethink. Just because you don’t have any industry specific skills doesn’t mean you don’t have skills which are in demand to employers. Transferable skills are equally as important to employers and these can be gained through personal and professional experiences. These include but are not limited to:
- Communication skills
- Time management
- Numeracy skills
- Attention to detail
- Interpersonal skills
CV example with skills gained from work:
‘In my previous role in retail, I have gained a wide range of skills. From developing strong numeracy skills from doing stock takes and working on the tills to remaining motivated during busy periods and high pressure situations. I have also used leadership skills to designate tasks and worked as part of a team to ensure the business runs smoothly and efficiently.’
CV example without work experience:
‘Despite not having previous experience in retail, I have developed a strong set of skills which will be invaluable to the retail industry. During education, I had a busy schedule when planning my revision and exams so I would need to prioritise tasks to ensure I was able to complete homework and assessments to a high standard. I have also grown my numeracy skills in math and have a strong understanding of why these are important in retail when giving customers the correct change, when stock taking and analysing sale trends.’
Previous work experience
When listing your previous work experience , you should always list it in order of most recent first. Make sure to highlight your daily tasks and achievements to impress your potential employer. They are looking for a candidate who can prove why they fit the job description. If you have related experience and skills make sure to provide evidence and examples where possible.
If you don’t have any work experience , don’t worry! Make sure to emphasise your skills and education achievements. If you feel unprepared for a job in retail, then think about how you can get work ready and boost your CV? Volunteering in a charity shop can go a long way and shows you’re passionate about a career in retail.
You should also include your education on your CV when applying for a retail job. Start with the most recent first and oldest last. You should include:
- Place of study
- Year of study
- Subject name
- Qualification level (GCSE/A Level/ Level 2 etc)
- Grade (You can include your predicted grade if you haven’t received your results yet)
The amount of detail you go into all depends on your personal preference. If you feel a particular course or degree will add value to your CV then it’s a good idea to go into depth about why this supports your application and your achievements.
Your hobbies and interests
Including your hobbies and interests is completely optional. If you feel like it will support your application and demonstrate why you’re the best candidate for the role then by all means include these. They might help you to stand out from the crowd and secure your position in retail.
Just like including your hobbies and interests, these are optional. You can list your references and their details or you can simply finish your CV with ‘references available upon request’. This is completely up to you, unless the job description specifically asks for them then you will need to include prior to the next recruitment stage.
Where to find a retail job?
If you’re ready to secure a career in retail, you can visit careermap.co.uk to find a wealth of opportunities available to you. From professional jobs to apprenticeships, work experience and graduate opportunities, there is so much for you to shop for!
Be the first to get notified about new jobs from 1000's of employers - register today!
- Privacy Overview
- Strictly Necessary Cookies
- 3rd Party Cookies
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.
Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.
Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!
How to write a personal statement for a CV
Make your CV personal statement a good one.
You probably have a fairly good idea of how to write a CV. Your employment history, education and qualifications are relatively easy to pull together as you just need to look at dates, your previous job specs and what you have achieved over the years.
The personal statement is often the trickiest component of a CV to write. Thankfully, we've got this comprehensive guide to help you write a winning one.
What is a CV personal statement?
The personal statement for a CV, otherwise known as a personal profile, professional profile or career objective, is an important part of a CV that many job seekers get wrong.
It's worth pointing out that this type of personal statement is very different to the personal statement that you might write for something like a university application.
Your personal statement is a short paragraph that sits at the top of your CV, just below your name and contact details. Its purpose is to offer the recruiter or hiring manager a powerful overview of you as a professional, diving into three key aspects:
Who you are
Your suitability for the role and the value you can add
Your career goals and aims
Research by TemplateLab suggests that recruiters spend a mere six seconds reviewing a CV before deciding whether the applicant is a good fit. As the personal statement is the first section they will read, it must be powerful and tailored to the job you're applying for to successfully showcase your suitability. If it's not, you're unlikely to convince the recruiter that you're the talent they need, and they may move onto the next applicant.
Length, formatting and voice
An impactful and interesting personal statement should be clean and concise. It's typically around four sentences long – that's equivalent to 50 to 200 words.
Regarding layout, make sure to keep it consistent with the rest of your CV's formatting. That means it must maintain the same font size, font type and text justification.
You can add a 'personal statement' heading in the same way that you'd title the subsequent sections of your CV. However, if you're tight on space, you can cut this formatting detail as recruiters and employers will know what this paragraph is regardless of if it has a heading.
Something job hunters rarely consider is the voice or person they are writing in. The first person is acceptable for a statement, such as 'I am an IT professional looking for a job in…', as is the third person, for example, 'An IT professional looking for a job in…' Choose the point of view that is most comfortable to write in, but, as always, keep it consistent with the rest of your CV.
Top tip: If you're writing in the third person, remove all pronouns. Otherwise, it sounds existentially awkward, rather than objective. For example, 'She is a retail professional seeking a management role…' would become 'A retail professional seeking a management role…'
We've looked at the purpose of a personal statement, what it should include and how it should look on the page. Now let's zoom in on exactly how to write a winning statement.
When writing, keep in mind that your CV personal statement is your elevator pitch; it's the equivalent of the 'tell me about yourself' or 'why should I hire you?' question in an interview.
Part 1: Who you are
The first sentence of your CV personal statement needs to tell the prospective employer where you stand in your professional field and your career. Think about your current position of employment; what you like the most about your career, job or professional field; and your qualities that are valuable in relation to this vacancy.
Your first sentence may read like so:
As a successful digital marketing professional specialising in e-commerce, I have recently worked with several global brands in the sector to improve their marketing strategy and boost their reach.
Part 2: Your suitability and value
The next part of your statement should draw on your achievements that line up with the requirements in the job description, aiming to prove that what you can bring to the table is relevant and impressive.
It's always best to address the essential job specifications in your personal statement as you'll make it clear from the beginning that you're highly skilled and the right type of person for the job. For example, if the role requires a candidate with management experience or a degree in a certain subject and you have these, say so.
Your second point may look like this:
I have experience in optimising quality digital products via my most recent role and am therefore in tune with the latest developments across the online landscape. As a result, I have devised winning branding strategies for e-commerce businesses that are robust, customer-centric and set for aggressive growth.
Part 3: Your career goals
The last part of your CV personal statement should be short and snappy as it's reaffirming why you are applying for this vacancy.
It might read something like so:
I am currently looking for a senior branding or marketing management role within the e-commerce sector where I can maintain my strong track record and deliver similar results.
Complete CV personal profile examples
In addition to the samples above, here are a couple of complete personal statements examples so you have a decent idea of what yours should look like.
For a graduate, written in the third person
A recent graduate with a first-class BSc degree in Mathematics, specialising in analytics and statistics. Holds commercial experience within the finance sector thanks to an internship with a corporate UK business, and has resultantly developed technical skills in data science and data engineering. Has a proven ability to meet deadlines, prioritise , problem solve and maintain high standards having balanced a part-time job alongside studies over the last three years. Now looking to secure a place on a graduate programme that will provide exposure to data science and career progression opportunities.
Addressing a recent redundancy, written in the first person
I am a skilled and successful product engineer within the automotive industry with an HND in mechanical engineering and seven years of experience in the sector. Having worked in a number of labs handling vehicle-based testing and mentoring development technicians, I am confident in managing teams in a hands-on environment and running new development projects from briefing to sign off. Currently looking for a role that complements my skill set and experience. Available immediately.
Pitfalls to watch out for
There are some common CV profile errors that you should avoid. Steer clear of these popular pitfalls or your statement may not be as powerful as you hoped.
Buzzword overload
Are you someone that is an extremely self-motivated, ambitious professional with extensive experience and passion for a certain industry? We thought so.
Buzzwords are great, and you'll find them in abundance in job adverts. But it's best to sprinkle just a few through your personal statement as they don't particularly provide evidence of your skill or ability. It's much stronger to show the employer how you're self-motivated and ambitious with an example.
A generic personal statement
Once you've written your statement, you might think that it will work for every application. For the most part, it will, because, in theory, the jobs you're applying for will be similar and match your skill set.
However, you must tweak and tailor your statement (and your entire CV) so that it targets the skills each vacancy requires. Otherwise, it will be too generic and not impactful.
Too much waffle
As you begin to plan and write the personal statement for your CV, you'll most likely find that you have a lot more to say than you originally thought. Be careful not to overwrite as you may be left with a statement that is clogged with too many adjectives and is clunky to read.
As a rule of thumb, highlight your best bits in your personal statement and save the expansion of details for your cover letter.
Let one of our career experts review your personal statement. Request a free CV critique today!
Related Articles:
What File Format Is Best for Your CV? Pros + Cons
Teamwork skills on your CV: How to show you're a team player
How to navigate a sabbatical on your CV
See how your CV stacks up.
Share this article:
Let's stay in touch.
Subscribe today to get job tips and career advice that will come in handy.
Thanks! Career advice is on its way.
Your information is secure. Please read our privacy policy for more information.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Dec 20, 2020 - Cv Personal Statement Examples Retail Retail Sales Assistant Cv Example Retail Sales Assistant Cv Example Resume Personal Statement Examples
Your CV personal profile (also called a CV opening statement or personal statement) is a brief paragraph or a list of bullet points that sits at the top of your CV structure and introduces you as a top candidate
Retail Assistant CV Example Retail / Shop Assistant CV Example: Working in a retail environment means that you must have a good customer service background and be good and confident with people
We have 15+ years of experience producing UCAS Personal Statements for leading UK universities with a 85%+ success rate We provide a comprehensive UCAS Personal Statement Checking & Editing service which can be
This sample entry into retail CV / resume can be used as a template if you are looking for a job in retail. The Personal Development Cafe
Want to break into the world of retail but wondering ‘how to write a CV for retail?' or ‘where can I find retail CV examples?' Read our guide for help
The personal statement for a CV, otherwise known as a personal profile, professional profile or career objective, is an important part of a CV that many job seekers get wrong. Your personal statement is a short paragraph that sits at the top of your CV
Including a CV personal statement at the top of your CV helps you get recruiters' attention and attract more interview offers. Below are 23+ CV personal statement examples and writing tips that'll help your CV stand out to recruiting managers