Is Specialty Retail A Good Career Path?
Is Specialty Retail A Good Career Path? | 10 Best-paying Jobs In Specialty Retail. Specialty retailers focus on one particular type of product. That can be anything from cosmetics and beauty products to pet supplies to electronics to clothing.
The vast majority of retail positions don’t require any kind of higher education. Advancement occurs through experience and displayed competency. Retail employees often work odd hours, which can either be a positive thing if you have an unusual schedule or make the job more challenging.
Highest Paying Jobs in Specialty Retail
- Electronics Department Manager.
- Dog Trainer Jobs (Overview)
- Dairy Department Manager.
- Retail Sales Lead Jobs.
- General Manager Jobs.
- Inventory Manager Jobs.
- Apparel Associate Jobs.
- Beauty Advisor.
- Retail Cashier.
- Dog Groomer Jobs.
- Assistant Store Manager Jobs.
- Retail Pharmacist Jobs.
- Pharmacist Manager Jobs.
- Game Advisor Jobs.
Retail isn’t known for being a particularly lucrative career path. But in the case of specialty retailers, it can allow you to work with others who share your interests, as well as give you a discount on your hobby.
What Do People Working In Specialty Retail Do?
Specialty retail stores are stores that specialize in a particular product or type of product. So, specialty retailers are stores like the following below.
- Petsmart, which focuses on pets and pet supplies.
- GameStop, which focuses on video games.
- Best Buy, which focuses on electronics.
- Ulta Beauty, which exclusively sells beauty supplies.
What Are The Best Paying Jobs In Specialty Retail?
Retail positions are usually pretty easy to get into, even without experience at an Entry-level. That’s why they’re sometimes referred to as “starter jobs.” Some of these jobs are only gotten through experience and being good at your job.
1. Retail Cashier
Almost every retail employee is expected to run the cash register at some point. However, there are usually a few employees who are designated to be on the register.
2. Pharmacist Clerk
Pharmacist clerks take care of the duties that don’t involve filling prescriptions. You don’t need a pharmacy degree to be a pharmacy clerk, so you wouldn’t be working with medications. However, you will help customers who come up to the pharmacy, enter information into the system, and ring up their purchases.
3. Apparel Merchandiser
A merchandiser is another name for a stocker. Apparel merchandisers work with clothing, making sure that it’s taken out of the stock room, properly folded or hung on a hanger, and put in its proper place.
3. Electronics Associate
An electronics associate works in the electronics department of a store. Because they specialize, they’re expected to be familiar with the different electronics the store sells, as well as be able to answer questions about them and make recommendations.
4. Pet Care Associate
As you might guess, pet care associates work at pet stores. Someone in this position is directly involved in taking care of the animals on the sales floor. They’re considered an expert in animal care and are the ones that answer questions about the animals that the pet store sells.
5. Overnight Stocker
This job title is extremely descriptive. Overnight stockers usually work in large retail stores, taking stock out of the stockroom and placing it in its proper place on the sales floor. It’s a very physical job, as it requires moving a lot of products.
6. Beauty Advisor
Beauty advisors specialize in cosmetics and beauty products. They’re most likely to work in a specialty beauty store, such as Ulta, and have a working knowledge of different beauty products.
7. Pharmacist Manager
The pharmacist manager oversees a pharmacy. This can either be the entire store, in the case of local pharmacies, or just the pharmacy department, in the case of a location like a grocery store. Pharmacist managers are required to be familiar with medications, as they’re also expected to advise customers on their prescriptions
8. Retail Sales Lead
Not every retail store has this position, and it’s more common in larger stores. Retail sales leads are in between a retail associate and a manager. They usually work full time, unlike most retail employees, and have more responsibilities in their department.
9. Dog Trainer
Both Petco and Petsmart have dog trainers on staff in their stores. The company will train their dog trainers in positive reinforcement techniques and then have them teach classes. They are expected to market themselves and their classes and get a small commission for every class sold along with their hourly pay.
10. Dog Groomer
This, of course, isn’t strictly a retail position. However, many major pet store chains have a salon with groomers on staff. Dog groomers are responsible for bathing, brushing, and trimming dogs’ coats. They will also brush dogs’ teeth, trim their nails, and some will even apply dog nail polish or fur dye. They also get tips.
11. Inventory Manager
Someone in this role is in charge of the store’s inventory. This job requires a lot of counting, as the inventory manager has to make sure that the store’s true inventory matches up with the digitized inventory.
12. General Manager
General managers manage the entire store. That means they’re expected to have some knowledge of everything that the store sells as well as be attentive to all employees and departments. It’s their responsibility to deal with unhappy customers, requirements from higher managers, and any issues with the store’s personnel.
13. Assistant Store Manager
The assistant store manager is the second-in-command in a store. If the general manager isn’t available, then it’s the assistant store manager’s job to take over. Like the general manager, it’s the assistant manager’s job to look after the store and fill in if an employee is sick or otherwise unavailable.
14. Dairy Department Manager
The dairy department manager is in charge of the dairy department in a grocery store. Most dairy department managers also oversee the frozen food department. They make sure that the shelves are properly stocked, that the food on the shelves is within its sell-by date, as well as making sure that the department is on track to meet its goals.
15. Game Advisor
This exact job title is used at GameStop to describe its associates. Best Buy has a similar position in that they have someone who’s a video game expert to help advise customers on what video games suit their interests.
Education Requirements For A Career In Specialty Retail
- If you want to be a dog trainer in a pet store, they will train you. However, it’s a coveted position, so you need to be lucky. If you’ve already worked as a dog trainer, then you’ll likely get hired as one.
- The same is true for dog groomers. It’s a more involved training program than dog training, so they’re going to want to make sure you’re sure you want to be one. It’s also coveted, as it’s a way to specialize and make more money.
- Retail pharmacists need to be licensed pharmacists. This means that you need a pharmacy degree and have to pass the exam.
Why Choose A Career In Specialty Retail?
1. You’re passionate about a particular hobby.
If you’re going to specialize in retail, it’s an excellent idea to pick something that interests you. Not only does that mean you’ll already have knowledge of the products, but it’ll make it easy to stay up to date on changes and help customers with questions.
2. Getting a four-year degree isn’t a priority for you.
Almost none of these jobs require a college degree. So, if school isn’t your strong suit, you don’t want to go into debt, or you want to start working right away, then retail is an industry you can step into right out of high school.
3. If You like having flexibility in your schedule
As almost all retail jobs are part-time, you can have a more flexible schedule. This doesn’t always work out perfectly, as the store may be looking for people with a lot of availability.
3. You enjoy working with the public.
Retail is a service industry. Most of a retail associate’s job is dealing with customers, be that to help them find what they need, make recommendations, or ring up their purchases. You need to be patient, cheerful, and make the customer feel heard and welcome.
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