Career Action Plan and Self Reflection for Retail Industry

This report discusses the career action plan and self-reflection for the retail industry. It includes personal analysis, SWOT analysis, and a career action plan to develop skills like communication, sales capabilities, and mindset. The report emphasizes the importance of career planning during higher education.

Career Action Plan
and Self Reflection

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
Personal analysis....................................................................................................................4
Career action plan...................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
Books and Journals...............................................................................................................10
Appendices:....................................................................................................................................11
CV.........................................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Developing the career is the most important thing which needs to be identified by the
individual so that they can start making preparation for that. It is not an easy step as the
individual has to make the analysis on themselves and they also have to identify that which
career option they have to chose which will be best for them and in which they can work their
fullest(Sifakis and et. al., 2018). It has been seen that it is very important for the individual to
start thinking about the practices which will be best for their career but for that thing they have to
start making analysis from their higher education only. The career which I will be choosing is on
the retail industry only and for that I am pursuing my degree in that field. This report will be
based on the career action plan which I have chosen and the skills and knowledge which I have
to develop to achieve success in my career.
MAIN BODY
Personal analysis
I want to make my career in Retail sector and for that I have decided that I will work hard
and will take the required degree which will be important to go in this sector line. There are
various opportunities which I will be getting in the retail industry but for that it is also important
to learn some skills so that I can be more confident and would be able to avail the opportunity
whichever I will receive. To enter in the retail industry it is essential to have some verified
degree which is essential and which will help me in achieving my career goal more easily
(Holdway and Hitchcock, 2018). I have taken the Business management and retail management
degree in retail which is important to me if I have to pursue any job role in retail. During the
study I have developed the skills which has to be learned by me and for which I will be focusing
more. I have taken my postgraduate degree from University of Leicester which is important and
which provides me the deep knowledge on this subject so that I can pursue my job easily. I have
identified the skills which I have to develop in the retail business sector which is to have good
communication skills which is not just considered important in the retail industry but also in the
other business industry. This includes the patience nature of mine, good mind-set and the

friendly nature which can attract as many as people with whom I will be contacting at my job
place. It is because if I got the opportunity to be as a manager or the supervisor for that I will
have to make and develop some skills.
Personal SWOT analysis
 Strengths- The strengths if have to identify in me is the friendly nature and good
communication which will be helpful to me in my career(Roberts and Jarrett, 2018). As I
want to develop my career in the retail industry it becomes very important from my side
to develop and inculcate in me such type of skills.
 Weakness- The weakness which I have identified in me and which needs improvement is
the sales capabilities and the mind-set. For the manager or the supervisor of any retail
store it is important to develop such skills so that they can do the activities in a right
way. This is because the retail sector demands for many things and if such important
skills will not be present then there are chances of not getting the dream job.
 Opportunities- The opportunities which are available in this sector is immense and this
is the only reason for me to chose this career option. In the retail sector there are ample of
opportunities which includes to become the manager of the store, customer service and
many other.
 Threats- The threats and the challenges which I will be getting while pursuing this
subject is of the rise in the competition of those individuals who are also pursuing this
subject as their career. If more competition will be present then more hard work will be
required in terms of the study and degree taken(Kortegast, and et. al., 2019).
Career action plan
There are many skills which I have to develop and for that I have prepared my career action plan
which have been explained below-
Personal development plan (PDP)-
Skills to be developed Actions to be taken Evaluation Due date
Communication skills The most important
skill for the retail
sector is the
The evaluation means
changes which I have
to make for developing
2 Months

communication skill
which is specific and
which is also required
by this industry line.
The goal of mine is
measurable as the
communication can be
measured by the way I
am making
conversation with the
other people. In retail
sector, this is the
important factor and
for this I have to
achieve it as early as I
can as communication
can be achieved by
just doing practice.
This goal is the most
relevant and the most
important one because
this is the only factor
which can help me in
improving my job
role. But I will need
some time to make
and develop this skill.
this skill in me. People
can identify this skill
in me on the basis of
the conversation which
I am doing with them.
The other thing by
which the
communication skill in
me can be evaluated is
on the basis of the
sentences which I am
framing so that the
other person is able to
understand what I am
trying to say without
any difficulty(Philo,
2018).
Sales capabilities For the retail industry
it is important to
develop the skills of
sales as this sector is
The evaluation which I
have to make on
myself in regard with
the sales capabilities is
1 Month

only related with the
skill of selling the
products in a much
larger way. This goal
of mine is specific
which I have to
achieve as this is the
most important skill
required in this job. I
can measure it with
the number of sales I
will be making and
increase in the
turnover which I will
be providing. This
goal can be made
achievable only by
practice. Sales
capabilities skill is
realistic and can be
achieved on a timely
basis only the practice
is required in a
practical way.
that the way I am
working and making
sales because this will
be the only way to
check on my sales
capabilities. The other
thing by which the
other person can make
the evaluation in me is
by the strategies which
I am using in order to
increase the sales of
any retail business.
The most easier way is
the rise in the sales
which I can seen in the
turnover of the
business(Wylleman,
2019).
Mindset To enter in the retail
sector in any of the
designation its is
important to develop a
good mindset. The
goal of mindset of
mine is specific as I
The evaluation which I
will be making on my
mindset will be on my
work which I will be
performing. It is
important to make the
evaluation on the
1 Month

have to develop it for
my future career. I
have to make my
mindset in a growing
stage which will help
me in my growth and
also in my talent
which will also be
important for this
skill. I can make the
measurement of my
goal by identifying on
the change in the my
mindset in relation to
how I have to handle
the challenges and the
issues which can
come during the
work(Lim and Lee,
2021). . This will be
achievable if I will
make some
adjustments and I will
start using different
tactics as these will be
the only resources
which can work the
best. My goal is
realistic and I would
be able to achieve this
on time as mentioned.
things which I am
learning and for the
change in my mindset
the best way is to
check that how I will
be handling all my
challenges and what
approach I will be
using.

(Sawatsky and et. al.,
2018).
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that it is important to prepare the action plan which
will be helpful for making the individual successful. It is very important to think about the
career because career planning is started during the time of higher education and if that time the
person will not be focused then it will be difficult for them to achieve greater heights. The
factors which needs to be identified and analysed are the skills and the knowledge which will be
important to learn and with which the person would be able to grow its career. Students are
advised to think about their career during the time of higher education so that they can prepare
their mind

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Holdway, J. and Hitchcock, C.H., 2018. Exploring ideological becoming in professional
development for teachers of multilingual learners: Perspectives on translanguaging in
the classroom. Teaching and Teacher Education. 75. pp.60-70.
Kortegast, C. and et. al., 2019. Enhancing ways of knowing: The case for utilizing participant-
generated visual methods in higher education research. The Review of Higher
Education. 42(2). pp.485-510.
Lim, Y. and Lee, O., 2021. Social Cognitive Factors as Mediators Between Gender Role
Personality and Career Exploration. Journal of Career Development. 48(4). pp.325-337.
Philo, C., 2018. More words, more worlds: reflections on the ‘cultural turn’and human
geography. In Cultural turns/geographical turns (pp. 26-53). Routledge.
Roberts, V.Z. and Jarrett, M., 2018. What is the difference and what makes the difference? A
comparative study of psychodynamic and non-psychodynamic approaches to executive
coaching. In Executive Coaching (pp. 3-39). Routledge.
Sawatsky, A.P. and et. al., 2018. Transformative learning and professional identity formation
during international health electives: a qualitative study using grounded
theory. Academic Medicine, 93(9). pp.1381-1390.
Sifakis, N.C. and et. al., 2018. ELF-awareness in ELT: Bringing together theory and
practice. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca. 7(1). pp.155-209.
Wylleman, P., 2019. An organizational perspective on applied sport psychology in elite
sport. Psychology of sport and exercise. 42. pp.89-99.

Appendices:
CV
Curriculum Vitae
XYZ
46, Cherry Court
SOUTHAMPTON
WV, 353678
Contact number- 56987452
Personal Summary- A highly professional person which is hard-working and good in
managing the work. I having experience of 1 year in the sales work in retail business and I have
the ability to make good changes in the organisation with the work in any business. I am the
person which have a good passion in the retail business.
Personal skills-
 Work ethics
 Customer service skills
 Teamwork skills
 Good in having patience
 Empathy
Work experience- I am having an experience of sales executive in a retail store of 1 year.
Education- B.A in marketing management (Leeds business school)
M. SC Retail management (University of Leicester)