HOW TO GET THERE
Typical pathway
A typical path for a Canadian secondary-school student is to finish high school and build strong skills in business, marketing, math, English, and computers. Many people start in an entry-level retail job, such as sales associate or supervisor, to learn store operations, customer service, inventory, and staff scheduling. Some employers prefer post-secondary study in business, management, marketing, or a related field, but this can vary by employer and role. With experience, a person may move into department lead or assistant manager positions and then into retail management.
THE WORK
What you may do
Legacy duties
- Plan, direct and evaluate the operations of establishments engaged in retail sales or of departments in such establishments
- Manage staff and assign duties
- Study market research and trends to determine consumer demand, potential sales volumes and effect of competitors' operations on sales
- Determine merchandise and services to be sold, and implement price and credit policies
- Locate, select and procure merchandise for resale
- Develop and implement marketing strategies
- Plan budgets and authorize expenditures
- Resolve customer complaints
- Determine staffing requirements and hire or oversee hiring of staff.
SKILLS TO BUILD
Skills used in this Career
Business ManagementCommunication SkillsEntrepreneurship SkillsLeadership