Are you hugely ambitious, confident of your abilities but have nothing in the way of paper qualifications to prove you can do a great job?
Then welcome to the world of retail. This is one of the few sectors where you can, quite literally, start off on the shop floor and end up at the very top.
You can’t waltz straight into your dream job, of course, but those upper levels are beckoning, if you put in the hours.
So how do you show your boss you’re made of management material?
Easy: by doing your entry-level job extremely well.
So here are the golden rules of how to shine on the shop floor.
1. Turn up on time
Get off to a good start by being arriving a few minutes early. That way you’ll look ultra-keen. Top tip: ban the snooze button!
2. Follow instructions and then some
You’ve been told to restock the fruit and vegetable cabinets so treat them like the food hall at Harrods and create a show-stopping display. Sales will soar. So will your career.
3. Know your stock
When a customer asks where you keep the houmous, not only will you be able to take them directly to the spot but you can offer them six different kinds and talk knowledgeably about all of them. Perfect for the role of stock controller.
4. Put everything in its place
Untidy shelves? Not on your watch. You treat the shop as your own, tidying as you go.
5. Be a checkout champion
Don’t sit like a bored mannequin as you scan customers’ shopping. Have a friendly chat and ask about their day. You’ll soon know a group of regulars who wouldn’t shop anywhere else.
6. Talk about it
Got a beef with the management? Talk discreetly and directly to the person concerned. An ability to handle difficult situations is a skill you’ll need as you climb the career ladder.
7. Train, train and train
Does your company offer a training scheme? Volunteer for everything that’s going.
8. Don’t be a chatbot
Every organisation has someone who’d rather chat than work. Avoid them. They’ll cut your productivity and make you look bad.
9. Be friendly to your colleagues
There’s no need to be stand-offish – good relations are essential to the smooth running of a shop. You’ll need these people skills to be a store manager.
10. Don’t clockwatch
Think of your finishing time as the tape in the 100m. Usain Bolt doesn’t stop until he’s crossed the line and neither should you.
Now get your Retail career on the move with vacancies on s1jobs.com