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- Last Updated: April 21, 2023
How to Become a Store Manager
A store manager is one of the most important roles in the retail world, with a lot of the store’s success depending on how well the manager performs their duties. That may sound daunting if you’re interested in becoming a store manager, but there’s good news. If you put in the effort to learn and have the right set of skills, you may find a rewarding career waiting for you.
A store manager is responsible for all the aspects of running a brick-and-mortar retail store. That doesn’t mean that they micromanage every part of the store every day, but as the saying goes, the buck stops with them. Sometimes, assistant managers will cover each department and give the manager the information needed to make decisions. In smaller stores though, it’s just the manager and their associates making it work.
Here are a few of the many responsibilities that a manager oversees at a store:
- Handling inventory and ordering merchandise
- Hiring, training, and directing employees
- Improving sales
- Increasing foot traffic
- Overseeing payroll
- Opening and closing the store
- Optimizing store layout
- Providing excellent customer service
So, the answer to “what does a store manager do” is… everything. From customer service to increasing revenue and supervising employees, how well a store performs ultimately falls on the manager’s shoulders.
In many cases, the best way to become a store manager is to work your way up within a company. In general, the more familiar you are with the way a certain store likes to operate, the better your chances are of one day being promoted to manager of that store. However, that doesn’t mean that’s your only option. It’s possible to be hired at a retailer you’ve never worked for, but you might find it more difficult to acclimate to their way of doing things.
Regardless of where you find your store manager job, you’ll likely need a solid background working in retail, and you’ll need some management experience. A common store manager career path might look like this:
- Cashier
- Retail Associate
- Associate Manager/Department Manager
- Store Manager
- Regional Manager
- Bachelor's Degree (41.3%)
- High School or GED (20.9%)
- Associate's Degree (13.4%)
- Master's Degree (11.9%)
- Vocational Degree or Certification (8.1%)
- Some College (2.9%)
- Doctorate Degree (1.0%)
- Some High School (0.6%)
How to Be a Great Store Manager
So, what are the requirements to be a store manager? Usually, you’ll need a combination of experience and soft skills to excel at the job. Most store managers have 4–8 years of experience in the retail industry and at least a bachelor’s degree, but a high school diploma or GED can be enough if you have the right experience. There’s no one universal “store manager degree,” but many schools offer degrees in business management or business administration, and some even have retail concentrations. In place of a “store manager degree,” you can also take courses to get a certification in business administration, management, or another related field.
In terms of experience, most employers will favor candidates who have already worked at their company, but it’s not a necessity. Just be sure you’re able to explain why you’re a better option than an inside hire.
A good way to prove how great a store manager you’ll be is to emphasize your soft skills on your resume and in your interviews. You need to show you have a solid grasp of leading your store to success. That means communicating efficiently with staff and customers, maintaining a positive work environment, and juggling all the different departments under your control. You should also be detail-oriented and feel comfortable handling store finances, memorizing product information, and scheduling employees.
Be sure to use our free Salary Research Tool to determine the average retail store manager salary in your area.
As the competition in the retail industry grows, you’ll need an impressive store manager resume to stand out from the crowd. We mentioned soft skills earlier, and while those are important to mention, you’ll want to keep them in your summary section at the top of your resume. The rest of your resume should be focused on your accomplishments and relevant experience.
Showcasing your experience is straightforward: include your previous positions in reverse chronological order, with your responsibilities for each job listed in a concise manner. Be sure to look through the job posting for the specific duties you’ll have at the new position and include your relevant experience in this section. Not only will it make it easier for the hiring manager to see you have the necessary experience, but it will also help you get past an automated Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that initially scans your resume.
Your job history shows you understand the role of a store manager, but it’s in your accomplishments where you can really shine. List any data showing you made a positive impact on the store’s bottom line, your employee’s productivity, or customer satisfaction. Think back to major initiatives you implemented and how they helped the store. If you’re able to say you “executed a marketing strategy and increased sales by X%” or “raised customer satisfaction to 90% with X tactic,” you’ll be golden. Facts, figures, and percentages speak volumes about what you can do for your next employer and give credibility to your claims.
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