Every retail store has employees, and every employee needs a manager. Retail managers are found in every retail shop and store, from the smallest niche boutique to the largest national chain. Some managers work their way through the company, starting as a clerk or cashier, while others are outside hires, brought in by the business to infuse new life into a faltering store.
For an employee to work up to becoming a retail manager, he or she must always follow corporate policy. While it may seem dull to a cashier to make sure every transaction is by the book with every customer every time, the people observing his or her actions will take note, and when it is time for raises or promotions, the past actions will reflect greatly on future gains. The typical path of an in-store retail chain for an employee to work their way up goes from clerk or cashier to a shift lead to a supervisor to an assistant manager to a manager. Each of these jobs has specific functions and duties in addition to performing the task from previous jobs.
Retail managers not only must be involved with the day to day operation of the store, but also have many other behind the scenes tasks to fulfill to keep the store running smoothly. Managers have many different tasks to perform when they are not on the sales floor, including working on payroll and creating fair schedules for all employees. These tasks are quite important, because if the manager is late or unfair, there will be no one to run the shop. In addition to employee related tasks, retail managers must also oversee product inventory, making sure stock levels are kept up and ordering items when they are out.
The basic education for a retail manager varies from position to position. Most require a high school diploma or GED at minimum. Some stores and shops also highly recommend some college experience. There are some retail companies that send managerial staff to specific training courses, offered only through the company. Much of the education fro the position comes from on the job experience.
Data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
The salary range for Retail Manager begins around $22,210 and usually tops out around $61,970, with a mean in the neighborhood of $42,090. This is about 3% lower than the national average for annual salaries.
In order to qualify for most Retail Manager positions, you typically need to have a High School Diploma or higher.
Data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
The growth outlook for Retail Manager careers is estimated at about 5% while the estimated growth for all career fields over that same span is at about 10.12%. Over the next six years, Retail Manager jobs are expected to grow at a 102% lower rate than the national average for annual salaries.