Career Prospects

Retail Scenario Career Opportunities
 

The Indian retail industry is on the verge of a revolution! Market liberalization and increasingly assertive consumers are sowing the seeds of a retail transformation that is bringing bigger Indian and Multinational operators on the scene. A number of Indian and international retailers are entering this nascent market. And retailing as an industry in India is coming alive!

There has been a significant change in retail trading over the years, a transition from the traditional retail sector to organized retailing. The size of Indian retail at present is US $ 300 billion, by 2010 it will be US $ 427 billion and US $ 637 billion by 2015. With around 13% contribution to the GDP and 7% employment of the national workforce, retailing , no doubt is a strong pillar of the Indian economy and a sector offering huge opportunities.

 The fast evolving Indian Organized retail scenario is looking ahead to many strong regional and national players, emerging across formats and product categories. Most of these players are now gearing up to expand far more rapidly than the initial years of starting up. Most have regained/ improved profitability after going through their respective learning curves. Indian consumers too, are rapidly evolving and accepting modern formats overwhelmingly.

Brands world-wide are wiling to partner with retailers in India. Last but not the least, are the emerging Malls in India, which have taken the country by storm. Retail space is no more a constraint for growth. With India on the radar of global retailers and suppliers, the retail arena today is very different- the opportunities are incredible.

According to Global Retail Development Index by A.T. Kearney, India is positioned as the leading destination for retail investment. There are about 300 new malls, 150 supermarkets and 325 departmental stores being built very soon.

The present scenario depicts that there will be very high demand for talented manpower in the retail business. It is predicted that retail employers in India will need more than 8 lakh skilled people in various specialized areas for retail across the country. Retail is challenging, engrossing, and dynamic and quality education is required to advance and succeed in the Retail industry today. Moreover, due to its co-relation with other industrial and service sectors, organized retailing is generating a great deal of indirect employment- security, electrical and mechanical maintenance, property management service, parking, sorting, packaging, etc. If both direct and indirect employment is taken together, organized retailing is bound to create more and better paid, better-quality jobs.

This is a large growth opportunity in an organized business that the country will see after a long time. Apart from the direct jobs, every retail job created adds further jobs in the support business.

“The country’s overall retail sector will become $450 billion business by 2015. … the modern retail business will create about 1.6 million jobs in next 5 years. (source: Mckinsey & Co.)”

Career Prospects

What can Retail offer you?

  • A dynamic fast paced working environment
  • An enjoyable workplace which emphasizes teamwork and customer service.
  • The chance to develop valuable skills that will be applicable to whichever career you choose
  • Insight into the operation of a business
  • Access to a wide range of creativity

The vacancies in retail sector are available from the entry to senior management level.

  • Store Manager Store manager works towards meeting personal and location sales metrics and customer satisfaction standards by maximizing the customer’s experience. Manages all phases of store operations to ensure maximum sales and profitability as a business unit head. Retail store mangers focus on key business initiatives.

  • Manager Retail The prime responsibility of the Manager Retail Operations is to drive the sales to maximize business performance. Establishes and monitors effective strategies and training for upselling and forecasts sales revenues with relative accuracy.

  • 4. Regional Sales Manager A regional sales manager takes care of day to day running of the stores in a region with the aim of achieving optimum profits. Identify the new areas for progress.

  • Buyers and Merchandisers Merchandisers work in coordination with buying teams. As a merchandiser you will be forecasting he future scenario in term of consumers purchase preferences and competitors moves.

  • Designers Designers communicate their ideas to buying team to buy product ranges that attract customers. Designers are expected to update their knowledge through design fairs, TV shows, magazines, catwalks and also closely monitor competitors both in domestic and foreign market. A creative mind and commercial acumen is required to be in this field.

  • Visual Merchandiser A visual merchandiser gives recognition or face value to the brand through effective display to increase store traffic and sales volume. It is a challenging profession with a mix of artistic skills, creativity and technical know how to set up a display that utilizes the whole space of the store.

  • Warehouse Manager Warehouse Manager oversees, coordinates and plans the storage distribution of the products within the company. Supervision of the activities of employees engaged in shipping, receiving, storing and testing products is required.

  • Product Development Manager A product development manager develops the merchandise and develops marketing plans. He has to coordinate the activities of production, sales, advertising, and promotion.

  • Customer Care Executive / Fashion Consultant An executive holds customer’s interests and helps them to buy a product. Maintains and develops relationships with existing customers and feeds future buying trends back to employers.