If you love working with others, are passionate about consumer goods, and like a job where no two days are quite the same, then a career in retail could be a great fit for you. Retail jobs are essential for keeping the industry going and providing the public with an invaluable service.

A shop worker’s role could include greeting customers, handling purchases and returns, organising the shop floor, and helping customers choose the right item. However, there are many behind-the-scenes shop jobs too. These can include organising the stockrooms, cleaning the shop floor, and designing displays. More than three million people work within the retail industry in the UK, so you can imagine this makes for quite a few different types of jobs.

Those best suited to working in retail tend to be outgoing and prefer to be on their feet rather than sitting at a desk all day. If you’re interested in a retail career, then you may also want to explore these specific retail job options:

Retail Worker Education and Skills

Entry-level retail jobs typically don’t require any specific academic qualifications. However, some may expect basic numeracy skills, so you may need to have passed your GCSE in maths. When you apply for a retail job on Monster, check exactly what qualifications are required, as this can vary from shop to shop.

Skills-wise, retail employers often seek candidates that can demonstrate excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills. You’ll likely be working with a diverse group of people, so you will need to be friendly and adaptable in nature. Additionally, strong organisational skills are also important, as you will often have to juggle various duties and tasks in a retail job. In fact, we have a detailed retail job description, as well as a retail store manager job description so you can see what employers are looking for in candidates.

How Much Do Shop Jobs Pay?

The average hourly pay for a retail worker in the UK is £10 per hour, but your pay will depend on experience, seniority level, and location. An entry-level role may pay around the minimum wage mark, while this can increase for more senior positions such as shop and area manager roles. Some retail jobs also offer a commission to workers, as well as sales bonus schemes. Make sure you check how the payment system works for retail jobs before you apply.

Update Your Retail Job CV

A strong retail CV will show examples of shop experience and desirable skills. If you’ve worked in a shop before, be sure to list all your achievements. Perhaps you met a sales target or won a team award. If this is your first retail job, explain how past jobs or studies have provided you with relevant and transferable skills.

To help you craft a winning retail job CV, you can use our retail CV advice article or our many CV templates. And if your job application requires a cover letter, we also have lots of cover letter samples too.

Preparing for Your Retail Job Interview

A retail job interview will likely involve questions about teamwork and how you’d best deal with dissatisfied customers. So it’s best to think of some impressive answers to common retail interview questions beforehand! Employers also want to see that you have good people skills and are of a friendly nature. To help you fully prepare, explore our article on the entire retail interview process.

Retail Companies That May Interest You

With so many retailers out there, it can be difficult to choose the right one for you. So why not explore our company profiles of some of the UK’s top retail employers? You’ll find information on:

company size and structure
benefits and culture
locations and headquarters

Ready to Apply for Retail Openings?

If you’re ready to take the next step in your retail career, then create a profile with Monster. Once you’re set up, you’ll have access to top retail jobs across the UK. You’ll also get regular job updates and be able to connect with recruiters and employers.