Skip to content
HomepageBlog
Log in
Research career paths

Top 10 retail jobs and who’s Hiring

If you’re looking for a job in retail, check out our list of the best opportunities available. Learn about the top 10 retail positions.

The retail industry has seen a major revamp over the last decades as e-commerce has become increasingly popular. Being able to go shopping in your jammies at home? Yes, please!

The changing landscape is also good news for graduates interested in working in retail, creating a greater diversity of jobs. Job descriptions range from purchasing to warehousing, recruiting, and more.

Below, we talk about the retail career opportunities you can pursue, covering industries from health care to fashion and beyond. We also give you a sneak peek at some retail job alerts on Handshake right now. See the top companies hiring in retail on Handshake,

Should you pursue a career in retail?

Not sure if retail is for you? Here are some traits that help retail professionals excel:

  • Emotional intelligence. Since many retail jobs involve personal interaction, having a good emotional quotient (EQ) can be helpful. Working as a customer service rep requires empathy, for instance.
  • Leadership. Instructing and managing people can prove helpful for many retail jobs. For example, if you work as a store manager, you’ll have to lead a store team.
  • Stress tolerance. Retail can be a nerve-wracking field. High-demand times of the year, like the holiday season in December, can mean long hours and high pressure, for instance.
  • Relationship management. Working in retail means dealing with many points of contact, from suppliers to buyers, logistics providers, and more. An ability to nurture positive relationships is handy.
  • Ability to prioritize. Many retail jobs require multitasking. For example, if you work in a warehouse, you might be responsible for picking and packaging products and warehouse organization. Being able to prioritize is key.

As the retail landscape changes, some job types will become more in demand than others. Notably, experts think e-commerce will continue to grow, reaching a value of $5.4 trillion by 2026 (up from $3.3 trillion in 2022).

Best degrees to land retail jobs

One of the great things about retail is that you don’t need an advanced career to enter the field. Many jobs — from warehousing to customer service — require only a high school diploma or GED or no degree at all.

However, an advanced degree can open more opportunities. Here are some educational programs that can be useful for a retail career:

  • Human resources. A human resources degree can pave the path to a job in recruiting to store management. It gives you the skills needed to lead people.
  • Business management. Business management is useful for purchasing, recruiting, and customer experience management. It’s also great if you want to open your own shop!
  • Fashion. A fashion degree can be handy if you want to pursue a job like merchandising or purchasing. It teaches analytical skills like tracking trends.
  • Retail management. Retail management can be useful for store associates, managers, and those interested in recruiting, customer experience, and purchasing. This is also a good one if you want to open a store.

Industries where you can build a retail career

Many assume that working in retail means working for an e-commerce retailer like Amazon or in-store at a major brand like Walmart. In reality, all kinds of industries hire retail team members.

Examples include:

  • Health care. Health care facilities like hospitals often have on-site gift shops. These stores need staff like retail sales associates, store managers, and assistant store managers.
  • Education. Higher education institutions have shops where students can buy everything from sweatshirts to textbooks. You could work on campus as a purchasing associate, for example, determining which textbooks the store needs to stock based on professors’ syllabi.
  • Financial services. There are even retail jobs in the financial services sector. For example, you could work for an insurance company as a sales associate or a customer service representative.
  • Arts and entertainment. Do you want to spend your weekends selling merch at concerts (and seeing free shows)? Or maybe you’d rather sell tickets at a museum — and get free or discounted tickets to see the sights! Many arts and entertainment venues need retail staff.
  • Consulting. Consultants work in all kinds of fields, including retail. You could work for a big name like Deloitte or McKinsey, researching retail trends. Retailers use this data to make business decisions.

Check out our list of retail jobs on Handshake below for more inspiration!

Who’s hiring in retail on Handshake?

Top 10 entry-level jobs in retail

What kind of retail gig can you get as a fresh graduate? Here are some popular job titles.

1. Assistant store manager

Assistant store managers support a store manager in day-to-day tasks needed to maintain a store location. Tasks may range from inventory management to scheduling.

Median salary: $31,200 per year

Qualifications:

  • High school diploma or GED

Skills:

  • Communication
  • Math
  • Problem-solving

2. Retail merchandiser

Retail merchandisers help stock products, educate sales teams about product details, and track inventory. They may also analyze sales figures and market trends, determining what’s selling well.

Median salary: $27,040 per year

Qualifications:

  • High school diploma or GED preferable, although not always required

Skills:

  • Strong numerical and analytical abilities
  • Good communication
  • Ability to track commercial trends

3. Sales associate

Sales associates are on the front lines of retail, interacting with customers directly. They may greet customers, answer questions, and operate cash registers.

Median salary: $24,960 per year

Qualifications:

  • High school diploma or GED preferable, although not always required

Skills:

  • Professional appearance
  • Stress-resistance
  • Excellent customer service

4. Customer experience specialist

Customer experience (CX) specialists optimize the customer experience, identifying needs, answering questions, and providing general support. For example, a CX specialist may work for a luxury brand, providing bespoke service to clientele.

Median salary: $68,808 per year

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s in marketing, communications, or business management preferred

Skills:

  • Great people skills
  • Proficiency in office tools like Microsoft
  • Great organizational and problem-solving skills

5. Recruiter

Recruiters, also known as human resources specialists, work in retail to hire other people. In addition to recruitment, they may handle tasks like contracts, benefits, and payroll.

Median salary: $56,060 per year

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in human resources or a related field

Skills:

  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Good decision-making abilities
  • Experience with recruitment software and processes

6. Customer service representative

Customer service representatives answer customer questions about orders, products, or services. They may help if a shipment is delayed, for example, or if a customer needs to make a return.

Median salary: $31,200 per year

Qualifications:

  • High school diploma or GED preferable, although not always required

Skills:

  • Excellent communication skills, including phone etiquette
  • Great people skills
  • Proficient with office tools like customer relationship management (CRM) software

7. Beauty or cosmetics consultant

Beauty or cosmetic consultants work in the beauty industry, for example, for makeup or hair care brands. They work with customers to find the right products for their wants and needs (for example, matching makeup foundation to skin tone).

Median salary: $31,200 per year

Qualifications:

  • High school diploma or GED preferable, although not always required

Skills:

  • Knowledge of beauty trends
  • Great people skills
  • Friendly personality and put-together appearance

8. Loss prevention representative

Loss prevention representatives work in retail stores. Their goal is to prevent theft or damage to products. They may wear normal clothes and try to blend in with customers.

Median salary: $33,280 per year

Qualifications:

  • High school diploma or GED preferable, although not always required

Skills:

  • Superior verbal communication skills
  • Good physical fitness, including self-defense knowledge
  • License to carry a nonlethal weapon might be required in some roles

9. Purchasing associate

Purchasing associates procure materials and goods for retailers. Their job may include tracking trends, conducting data entry and analytics to determine failures and successes, maintaining budgets, and monitoring orders of goods.

Median salary: $72,159 per year

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in finance, business, fashion, or a similar field

Skills:

  • Well-organized
  • Strong numbers proficiency
  • Knowledge of purchase and order software and processes

10. Warehouse associate

Warehouse workers are responsible for managing stock in warehouses. They may conduct inventory, pick and package products, and help keep the warehouse clean and organized.

Median salary: $31,200 per year

Qualifications:

  • High school diploma or GED preferable, although not always required

Skills:

  • Good physical fitness for standing, walking, and lifting
  • Well-organized
  • Experience with inventory tracking software helpful

Looking to land a job in retail? Handshake can help

Working in retail doesn’t have to mean standing behind a cash register at your local grocery store or clothing boutique and ringing up customers. There are many other possibilities, from purchasing to warehousing and store operations management.

Plus, you can work in all kinds of industries, from higher education to health care — and there’s usually the perk of an employee discount!

Whether you’re looking for a part-time or full-time retail job, Handshake can help. Simply create your profile and let recruiters come to you. Search jobs and apply now.

Sources:

Find the right jobs for you. Get hired.