Analyse your retail work experience

Gaining some experience in a customer-facing environment is crucial for getting a graduate job in retail. In any industry work experience is important to give you an idea of what a job involves and to teach you valuable skills. In retail, however, it is vital – customer service is key and the best way to demonstrate your commitment to the sector is through the experience you’ve gained. Fortunately most students will have some experience of working with customers, whether in a shop or behind a bar, and it’s useful to recognise what these jobs have taught you and how they can make you more employable once you graduate.

Relevant work experience is highly important for applicants as it demonstrates a real understanding and interest in the sector you are applying for. Ultimately, as a graduate applying for jobs in any retail business area, you need to understand stores and customer needs. The ability to give insightful, but clear and succinct, examples of your experience on application forms and at interview will also put you at the head of the pack.

Getting the most out of it

Once you’ve found that all important placement or part-time job, make sure you keep a record of everything you do and every position you hold. If you encounter any problems, it’s worth writing them down and thinking about how you overcame them – using examples of what you’ve learned really impresses at job interviews. Be enthusiastic about what you’re doing, even if it’s not what you expected as the more you put into your job the more you’ll get out of it; you may be offered more responsibility, the chance to work elsewhere in the business or even secure a permanent position for after you graduate. At the very least, it will guarantee you get a good reference, which will put you in a better position in the graduate employment market.