Page 250 - DMGT553_RETAIL_STORE_MANAGEMENT

Unit 14: Contemporary Issues in Store Management

14.2.2 Building Career in Retailing Notes

With rapidly expanding departmental stores and huge shopping malls, plenty of job opportunities
are opening all over India. An estimated growth rate in retail sector in India has been about
30–40% with establishment of more than 200 shopping malls. It is estimated that the retail sector
will create over 13 million jobs throughout the country by 2012. More than 60% of these jobs will
be available in the rural areas.

In recent years, several Indian and international companies like Reliance, Pantaloons, Wal-Mart
and Big Bazaar have rooted their presence in the country. The vacancies in retail sector are
available from the entry to senior management level. Career in retail sector can be developed as
store manager, retail managers, retail buyers, retail design/visual merchandise, merchandise
planning and product developers. Several institutes in India including Birla Institute of
Management Technology in New Delhi, RPG Institute of Retail Management, Indian Retail
School and Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad offer various courses associated
with retail management.
Looking to the high potential of retail sectors in terms of its capacity to generate employment,
there is a bright opportunity to build career in retail sector. There are many education institutes
and retail institutes that offer specialized degree in retailing. Even the students of management
in general and Marketing, Finance, Human Resources Management or Information Technology
as their specialization, can see retailing as one of the promising option to build career. But one
must have concrete planning about how to build career in specific sector. So far as retailing is
concerned, students should have some general awareness regarding some of the facts related to
retailing that will help them to build their career in retailing easily.

Table 14.1: Required Knowledge and Skills for
Various Positions in a Retail Organization

Designation in Retailing Knowledge and Skill Required

Category Manager Product Knowledge, Quantitative skills
Area Manager Knowledge of Management, ability to understand
local area requirements, coordination and leadership
skill
Store Manager Quantitative skill, good understanding of consumer
behaviour, human resources management ability
Analytics and Forecasting Analytical skill, ability to visualize and forecast future
on basis of data analysis and trend observation
Purchase Manager Good networking and relationship skill, ability to
evaluate and select right vendor, financial
management knowledge
Sales Assistant Qualities of effective salesmanship, persuasive power,
product knowledge, good communication skill

Visual Merchandiser Aesthetic sense, knowledge of interior designing,
knowledge of advertising
Administrative Head Administrative skill with ability to maintain records
with the help of technology, good drafting skill

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 245