MG410 Career Viewpoint Report: Skills, Trends, and Evaluation

This report, prepared for the MG410 Career Viewpoint module, examines the career landscape within the retail industry. It begins with an introduction that highlights the importance of personal and professional development in shaping a successful career. The report then delves into the general trends influencing the retail sector, such as digitalization, e-commerce, technology, and globalization, and discusses how these trends impact business operations and customer engagement. It identifies crucial skills, including communication, customer service, commercial awareness, multitasking, time management, computer knowledge, and problem-solving abilities, which are essential for success in the industry. The report also includes an evaluation section, analyzing a job advertisement for an HR Manager at Marks and Spencer, and explains the candidate's suitability for the role. The conclusion emphasizes the significance of continuous learning and skill development for career advancement. References to relevant books and journals are also provided.

CAREER VIEW POINT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
General trends which can influence the industry.........................................................................3
Skills/knowledge and required experience..................................................................................4
Evaluation....................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
Books and journals......................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Personal and professional development is one of the major factor which helps in shaping
career. Due to increase in competition regularly it is important for a person to identify the best
suitable career choice ritual help in career growth. Personal and professional development plays
a major role in enhancing the skills and competencies of a person by which the assigned work
can be done and better career opportunities can be taken (Arulmani, 2016). With the help of
career and professional development, a better exposure to a better job can be seen as this will
help in enhancing the knowledge experience and scaled which are required to perform specific
job role. The report defines the personal analysis identification of skills and knowledge which is
required in meeting the demands of the job industry.
TASK
General trends which can influence the industry
Retail industry have gone through enormous structural change due to digitalization, e-
commerce, technology and globalization in the industry. The rapid growth of technology has
created a fundamental shift in the ways opted by retailers to attract customers (De Vos and
Cambré, 2017). Globalization interconnects the world's entire market and offer new scope for
business and business expansion opportunities. Many retail business finds good price and quality
by which they can expand their business globally. Some of the retail companies involves H&M,
Zara, Marks and Spencer. Some of the changes in the trends of the retail industry, has been
discussed below:
 Making business online- There are many independent retailers which focus on
connecting with the customers locally and on local level by which they can enhance their
presence and attract more customers which will be helpful in improving the profitability
of the business. The retail industry has faced the shift and more than 80% of retail
industry is selling their products online.
 Social selling and e-commerce platforms- Local retailers focus on more authentic
understanding of the consumers which help them in connecting with their customers and
facing the increasing competition. Social selling of products offered by the company is

made by E-Commerce tool which helps local retailers to reach more customers and
generate higher revenues which will also help in building a good brand image.
 Better in store inventory management- From selling products through social media
platforms to launching an online store, all retail companies are experimenting by using
different ways which will help them in meeting the needs of the customers. This Omni-
channel landscape has offered retailers in handling all stock, inventory and supply chain
issues (Flum, 2015). Such retail industries have now started using inventory software,
which helps them in managing all the inventory and tapping more opportunities by which
they can focus on growth of the business.
 Culture- It is very important for retailers to understand the foreign culture which can be
done through learning local market and consumer customs and understand the interest of
the customers which will help in expanding the business globally in emerging markets.
Retailers who has realized the culture of the market, such evaluation has helped retailers
in reducing complexities within business and more benefits can be experienced on
national and multinational levels.
 Competition- Due to globalization, retailers faced many competitive advantages by
understanding the potential customers and meeting the demand. Retailers must have a
strong source of finance and resource management which will help them in covering
large in local markets. By regularly upgrading the products, will help the retail industry in
facing the local competitors and other competitors from different countries and in gaining
competitive advantages.
 Outsourcing- Resourcing or outsourcing of product has become a global trend which
enables retailer to have more opportunity in transferring information and products. Such
opportunities have curtailed the manufacturing cost which can be faced by the business
and in a less cheap labor cost at foreign countries. By outsourcing more and more
products help retailers to save cost by connecting with low-cost local suppliers which will
be beneficial for increasing the outsourcing of products offered by the company (Gati and
Levin, 2015).
Skills/knowledge and required experience
Some of the personal and knowledge and experience skills have been discussed below:

 Communication skills- For working in retail industry, one of the most important skill is
communication skill which will help in clearly and effectively explaining the products to
the customers by which thy can be easily influenced and this will lead to increase in the
sale of the products. Effective communication is a major priority in retail industry and
therefore, I majorly focused on my communication skills which will help me in meeting
the demands of the customers.
 Customer service skills- Another major skill which is required for a strong career in
retail industry is customer service that can help me in meeting the demands of customers
by offering them quality services. This helped me in communicating with customers and
offering them good shopping experience by which more sales can be made. Customer
service skills also help me overcoming problems with patience and being more customer
centric by valuing their choices and preferences and meeting them.
 Commercial awareness- Commercial awareness skill is the knowledge about the
products and change in industry trends. Such commercial awareness can be enhanced by
regularly monitoring and analyzing the market and gathering information from the
industry. This skill helped me in meeting the demands of the customers by using
innovative approaches to meet such demand.
 Multitasking- Multitasking is one of the skill which helps in retail industry to perform
when all assigned work together and meet the desired standards and criteria’s. These skill
helps in handling more than one customer at a time and this can be done through
prioritizing, effective time management and maintaining the stress levels equally and by
having practical mindset and thought process.
 Time management- With the help of time management skills, it becomes easier to
complete the work in the given time span. For a successful career in retail industry, it is
essential to have good time management skills which will be helpful in managing all the
assigned work by which performance and productivity can be maintained.
 Computer Knowledge- Computer/IT/ technical knowledge is one of the key skill which
helps in performing all the assigned job role and meeting the challenges of business
which can be faced due to technological advancements. With the help of computer
knowledge, many work such as maintaining the records, supply chain activities can be
done easily on performance standard can we met effectively.

 Problem solving ability- One of the most effective skill is problem solving ability which
helps in solving conflicts within the organisation by using innovative and constructive
approaches. Such problem solving ability helps in maintaining a positive workplace
culture and effective performance can be made. Problem solving skills helps in enhancing
cooperation and teamwork by which shared goals can be accomplished.
Evaluation
Job Advertisement
Job Advertisement
WE ARE HIRING!
Position- HR Manager
Company- Marks and Spencer
Qualification required:
 Must be a graduate from a recognized college/ institute/ university.
 Must has completed their post-graduation in MBA from a reputed college/ institute/
university in the field of marketing and human resource.
 Must have a certified computer knowledge.
 Must have strong communication skills.
Experience required:
 Must have experience in human resource domain of 1 year.
 Must have experience in sales or marketing for 6 months.
The reason of choosing human resource as a profession was to offer balance between top
management and employees by which a productive organisation can be maintained. By working
as an HR manager, I can strategically plan all activities and execute all the plans as per the
desired performance standards which will help in meeting the objectives by using innovative and
constructive decisions. This career domain will help me in building a strong career in which I
can perform effectively and give my best up to my potential for the improvement of organisation
and for maintaining the brand image of the business in the industry.

As it can be seen that the retail industry is rapidly growing, by getting an opportunity to
work as a HR manager in the retail industry, it will help me on focusing on my personal and
professional development in my area of expertise where I can effectively perform and share my
ideas by which I can enhance the position and performance of the company and make the
business more successful, profitable and run for longer period of time span sustainably.
CONCLUSION
From the above project report it can be concluded that career and professional
development is one of the major factor which helps in getting better career opportunities. It is
very important to develop skills competencies gain more knowledge through learning and
experience by which a better exposure in the industry and the preferred job sector can be gained
which will help in good career growth.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Arulmani, G., 2016. Contexts and circumstances The cultural preparation process approach to
career. Career counselling: Constructivist approaches.
De Vos, A. and Cambré, B., 2017. Career management in high‐performing organizations: A set‐
theoretic approach. Human Resource Management. 56(3). pp.501-518.
Flum, H., 2015. Relationships and career development: An integrative approach.
Gati, I. and Levin, N., 2015. Making better career decisions.
LeBlanc, L. A., 2015. My mentors and their influences on my career. The Behavior
Analyst. 38(2). pp.237-245.