Merchandiser
Job in about 50 words:
Ever throw a hissy fit when a poster wasn't centered on your wall? Always good about returning calls, emails and IMs? Then you might just have what it take to be a Merchandiser, a position tasked with selling and servicing retail accounts in various stores. Duties include stocking products, setting up displays and managing paperwork.
Job skills/requirements:
The good news is that your training will teach you everything you need to know to succeed on the job. But there are a few skills you should have from the get-go, as well as requirements and suggested experience:
- Organization: Do students ask to borrow your class notes? (If so, we hope you're charging them lunch money.) You'll have a lot of products, clients and territory to manage in this job, and you'll need a careful eye for detail.
- Communication skills: No slang, no mumbling and no lame excuses. You'll be talking to a lot of different people in a lot of different places, and you'll need to build a confident rapport with these clients and customers.
- Motivated: You don't have to read Lance Armstrong's book before showing up to work, but a positive attitude and a little ambition will surely help.
- Retail experience: Familiarity with how stores function from the inside out is recommended but not required.
- Reliable transportation: If you're banking on borrowing your uncle's two-tone '87 Toyota Tercel once a week and hitchhiking the rest of the time, this is probably not the right job for you. You'll need a dependable vehicle to make rounds from store to store.
Expected hours:
These general part-time positions range from about 20-30 hours a week, although this can vary.
Dress the part:
There is usually no set uniform, except for a badge or vest from your company. This doesn't give you the green light to suit up in denim overalls or biking shorts; the employer will probably provide you with some basic guidelines on what to wear. Occasionally merchandising companies provide a polo shirt with their logo and colors. Please don't pop the collar.
Job myth:
Merchandiser is just a fancy name for stock boy.
First of all, some of our best friends are stock boys. And second, Merchandisers do a lot more than restock shelves, such as travelling around to brand name stores to manage their accounts. Come on, it sounds adventurous, doesn't it?
Expert advice:
Here is a description of "the perfect Merchandiser candidate," according to Recruiter Holly Tucker of United Retail Services, LLC:
"Candidates who have some work experience with either a retail environment or in retail merchandising. We seek individuals who are self-motivated, possess the ability to work both independently and as part of a team, and have basic computer knowledge. Some of our positions require the use of a handheld computer, while others require more labor intensive work."
Career path:
Those who start out as successful merchandisers lay the groundwork for the following possible career moves:
- Area Merchandiser (averages $7-12/hour; more for specialty services)
- Merchandising Manager (averages $30,000 or more/year)
- Regional Merchandising Coordinator (averages $40,000 - $60,000/year)