What can I do with a retail & services management degree?

Skills developed in college

Your degree in Retail and Services Management has provided you with a comprehensive understanding of the principal operational and strategic issues involved in the management of retail & services based enterprises in the context of both national and international business environments.

In addition to this, you have developed a range of skills through your education, work experience and personal interests and achievements. Understanding what skills you have to offer and like to use can help you understand what you want in a career, as well as providing key information for job or further study applications.

In terms of securing a job, academic qualifications alone will not guarantee success. Evidence –based skills sections on your CV can demonstrate the broad range of qualities you have to offer employers.Here are some of the main skills you may have developed through studying Retail and Services Management:

• Expressing ideas effectively and conveying information appropriately and accurately. Influencing others by expressing self effectively in a group and in one to one situations. Showing a range of verbal and nonverbal signals that the information being received is understood.
• Working effectively and confidently within a group to achieve a common goal or task. Including understanding your role within the team, and listening and supporting other team members.
• Identifying, prioritising and solving problems, individually or in groups; possessing the ability to ask the right questions, sort out the many facets of a problem, and contribute ideas as well as answers regarding the problem.
• Managing several tasks at once; being able to set priorities and to allocate time efficiently in order to meet deadlines
• Establishing a course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a specific goal. Planning proper assignments of personnel and appropriate allocation of resources
• Motivating and taking responsibility to lead other people, in order to achieve set goals and objectives.
• Identifying opportunities and being proactive in putting forward ideas and potential solutions.Self-disciplined and self-motivated, in the pursuit of studies and professional practice.Making decisions and taking action.
• Maintaining performance under pressure and / or opposition.
• Understanding, manipulating and making use of numerical and statistical data.
• Appreciation of information technology, information management and business process modelling.

The following lists some of the main types of employers / industry sectors in which Retail and Services Management graduates work.

• Airports
• Banks / Financial Institutions
• Boutiques
• Catalogue mail orders
• Catalogues
• Celebrities
• Convenience stores
• Department stores
• Designers
• Discounters
• Distribution centres
• Event Co-ordinators
• Factory outlets
• Fashion agents
• Fashion retailers
• Hypermarkets & supermarkets
• Independent stores
• Internet shopping providers
• Insurance Companies
• Magazines
• Mail order companies
• Manufacturers
• Media/PR agencies
• Multiple high street chain stores
• Music Production companies
• Newspapers
• On-line stores
• Photographers
• Restaurants
• Stylists
• Supermarkets
• Trend forecasters
• TV stations – shopping channels
• Warehouses
• Wholesale suppliers (multi sectors)

The following is a list of some of the main occupations secured by Retail and Services Management graduates:

• Area manager/District manager
• Brand manager
• Call centre manager
• Human Resources manager
• Market researcher
• Marketing executive
• Retail buyer
• Retail manager
• Retail merchandiser
• Sales executive
• Travel agent
• Betting shop manager