The retail industry is a business at the sharp end. Fast moving, complex and constantly changing, it is an environment where only the most innovative organisations can thrive. This young, dynamic setting allows for a diverse range of demanding, highly rewarding management trainee opportunities for school leavers and graduates, requiring different qualities and skills.

Retail Operations
Competition, changes in consumer lifestyles and extended opening hours are all helping to change the face of retailing. Retail managers must be innovative in their control of the environment, making sure it is appropriate to their customer profile, and taking the initiative in local marketing activity. They are responsible for ensuring the very highest standards of customer service by effective staff recruitment and training. From customer enquiries to staff interviews, they will be called on to communicate effectively at all levels. Good retail managers are flexible, and have the mental agility to switch between day-to-day decisions and strategic issues, such as competitor analysis and market research.

Training
Trainee Programmes vary from company to company, offering a challenging mix of on-the-job experience and structured development. Accompanied with a variety of placement opportunities both in retail operations and in head office functions. Training will be competency based and progress through these core skills to greater responsibility will depend on aptitude. Programmes last from 1-2 years and with commitment, promotion is possible within 12 months. Fast-track training will develop management competencies to build business and personal strengths.

Prerequisite Qualifications
Opportunities exist for school leavers with "A" Levels, industrial placement students and graduates. Most degree disciplines are accepted, but energy and personality is also vital.

Salaries
Salaries range from �10,000-�14,000 for school leavers and �15,000-�20,000 for graduates. Additional benefits may include bonus schemes, company discount and pension.

If a career in retailing is not for you, what about sales?
Success in sales isn't solely for "wheeler dealer" types, but is more likely to be achieved by intelligent, professional people, with a good ear for listening. If it often the case people with the most reserved personalities are the most successful salespeople. Colleagues who keep their partners awake at night shouting out "buy, buy, sell, sell' in their sleep often seem fall short.

Listen, and be Proactive
Whilst it is a fact that you need to be personable to succeed in sales, people who take the time to listen and fully understand their clients problems do well in this profession. During a sales call, the client should do most of the talking. The client doesn't want to hear about how great the "X" product you are trying to sell is, when he actually wants a "Y" product. In addition to being a skilled listener, you should be able to accept rejection and have the determination to generate proactively new business. It is challenging to be sufficiently self-motivated to make 50 "cold" calls before lunchtime, while everyone else is doing something more enjoyable.

If you are still unsure that you have the right personality to make it in sales, don't worry; help is available if you know where to look. Many career websites offer access to free online personality and psychometric tests that help gauge your suitability to a particular career. Completing some of these tests before applying for jobs will be a sensible investment of your time. Contacting salespeople to discussing the pros and cons of the field is also beneficial. They will be able to describe a typical day. If you create enough of an impression, they might even recommend you for a job!

What next?
Having decided that you are interested in a career in sales, and have the right sort of personality, you need to consider your first step into the profession. Don't jump at the first opportunity that comes along. It is important to carefully research organisations that are going to give you the strong base you need to succeed in the future. Nothing solid and lasting was ever built without strong foundations. Unless you want it to topple in a short time, you should approach your career in the same way. Research and contact firms that offer comprehensive training programmes that will give you the foundation you need. Research such as this can easily be done on websites such as http://www.hoovers.co.uk. Here there are links to company websites that will help you find opportunities that offer the combination of prospects and training that meet your needs. Like most things in life, you get out what you put in.

Retailing is exciting and fast paced. It can offer a variety and breadth of opportunity that is hard to match anywhere else. If you are a good listener and enjoy the challenge of building new and productive relationships, then you may well find that taking a job in sales is the right move for you.
You may even surprise yourself and discover that a move into either industry gives you much more than you bargained for: A career!
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29 August 2010
expected start date: asap required: monday to wednesday – 25 hours per week reporting to: director role description · design, develop, prepare and create appropriate marketing information for inclusion into the company’s newsletter, and other media. .
£11,000
28 August 2010
expected start date: asap required: monday to friday – 25 hours per week / flexible working hours reporting to: director length: 6 months role description as a business development & marketing executive the role is to oversee, co-ordinate. .
£11,000
04 August 2010
dear friends, get your dream job in placementforindia. com just upload your resume and get a sms alert & mail alert, for search jobs by category, for search resumes and many more visit : www. placementforindia. com call +91 9141796585 or mail : placementforindia@gmail. com post. .
CB1
28 July 2010
• exciting ground level opportunity; only a few per cent of smokers have heard of electronic cigarettes, there is a huge untapped market. • earn part time or full time; you decide how much or how little you work. • earn at home, earn at work or earn while you`re on line n. .
£2,000
24 July 2010
We are looking for female receptionist part time on weekends. should be good in english skills with excellent telephone manners . preferable age 18-25. good looking. interested applicants should contact us by e mail or phone. .
£6
SW1X
18 July 2010
Mature male (but not old), smart appearance, pleasant personality. looking for work in the ct6 area. have sales experience, however anything considered. .
£2,000
CT5
07 July 2010
Our eco-friendly business wants independent, hard working individuals to share and promote natural and organic products. create a second income whilst having a positive impact on the environment. · be your own boss. · choose your own hours. · rewards o. .
GL51
04 July 2010
We produce the highest quality pure, organic, centrifuged coconut oil from our factory in thailand. we are currenty looking for distributors and/or stockists to retail our product in the uk. we can offer you extremely good profit margins. if you are interested and would li. .
BH10
22 June 2010
we are looking for 5 highly motivated and confident sales people required to join our team, as an expanding company we help private investors find alternative investment solutions to compliment their investment portfolio. you will be dealing with high net wor. .
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