A Comprehensive Report on Career Prospects in the UK Retail Industry

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the UK retail industry, focusing on career prospects for recent graduates. It begins with an introduction highlighting the report's purpose and scope, followed by an industry overview that examines key areas of opportunity such as customer service, merchandising, and online retail. The report then delves into primary data collection methods, including surveys, to identify current trends and essential skills required for success. Secondary data collection further supports these findings by exploring evolving trends like sustainability, technology integration, customer loyalty initiatives, and the growing importance of digital experiences. The report also details essential personal and knowledge-based skills, such as problem-solving, flexibility, computer proficiency, and customer service. An evaluation section analyzes a specific job opening at Tesco, demonstrating how the author's skills align with the position's requirements. The report concludes with a summary of key findings and offers recommendations for graduates seeking careers in the dynamic retail sector.

Career Viewpoint

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
ANALYSIS AND APPLICATION.................................................................................................4
Industry overview........................................................................................................................4
PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION.................................................................................................4
SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION...........................................................................................5
Changing trends in retail industry................................................................................................5
Essential skills.............................................................................................................................6
EVALUATION...............................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
APPENDIX-1................................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
This report is prepared in order to demonstrate the key knowledge and skills required bi a
recent college graduate forgetting employment. This report presents job opportunity available the
fresh graduates. Here I have taken Retail Industry where I want to make my career. This report
highlights different type of trend prevailing in retail industry. After that report highlights
different type of skill and knowledge require having job in retail industry.
ANALYSIS AND APPLICATION
Industry overview
The Retail Industry in UK is the largest private sector providing large number of
employment and has almost 3 million workers working there. In the year 2018, the Retail
Industry generated 381 billion Pounds of sales (Nazir, 2020).The key area of opportunities that
can be found in Retail Industry are Customer services, merchandising and allocation, online
retail virtual merchandising warehouse logistics and supply chain etc. The major employer are
fresh graduates in the field of retail clothing are Marks and Spencer, Primark, River Island,
Uniqlo H&M etc. On the part of online shopping big giants like Amazon, ASOS, eBay, BooHoo
etc. In case of supermarkets, Aldi, Iceland, Tesco, Sainsbury, Morrisons, Asda etc.
PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION
To collect Primary data for the project, Scholar has taken help of Survey, which was conducted
on 30 consumers in the market. Result of primary data shows that maximum number of
consumer are having the real in trend in retail industry is incorporation of technology
advancement in manufacturing of different product in the market. Also primary data shows that
most of the consumer in the market has gone with the option that Some of the skill require by
the person to have a job in retail industry are Problem solving, Flexibility and dependability and
motivation. This information is well supported by the secondary data collection, which includes
article from variety of different sources in the market.

SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION
Changing trends in retail industry
The key trends that can be expected that can affect the Retail Industry in UK are stated
below.
Sustainability
Number of retailers in UK have taken significant step for the betterment on the
surroundings and the environment as well (Retail Trends 2020. 2020). Steps taken such as
reducing the plastic packaging and taking pledge to reduce the carbon footprint. This is created
the need for retailers to invest in understanding the consumer behavior and how it can affect the
demand of the products.
Technology
Technology has drastically changed the scenario of Retail Industry nowadays every
consumer is online (Panigrahi and et.al, 2018). There has been a shift from in store retail to Omni
channel and marking the organization s to make adjustments.Those retailers who fail to adapt the
changes are left behind. For example, Adidas London has brought virtual mirrors and Sainsbury
has launched the till-free store in UK. Also, social networks are also creating ways for the
consumers to purchase goods with minimal efforts.
Customer loyalty
It has been seen that consumers flick between the loyalty scheme (Smith, 2019). Because
of this reason the major retailers have put forward various initiatives in order to increase
customer loyalty towards its brand. For example, Morrison responder team with the market
research company to provide personalized offers and rewards.
Growing digital experience
It has been seen that the usage of internet social networking sites has put long lasting
impact on consumers mind (Colicev, Malshe and Pauwels, 2018).Digitalization playing an
important role in creating a unique customer experience. Also, emergence of 5G will help in the
fuelingconnectivity and immense experience.
All these factors will have a great influence on the employment in the future so it is
essential for the recent graduates or freshers to look for the skills that will add value to the
career.

Essential skills
The key skills required for successfully getting a good job in the Retail Industry are
stated.
Personal skills
It is also known as soft skillswhich are intangible qualities. People with strong personal
skills tends to communicate their ideas and opinions very clearly and also is a very good listener
and works with positive attitude. Key personal skills required in Retail Industry are given below.
Problem solving skills:This is steel is required in every type of job in any industry.
Employees mainly considered those employees who have a strong problem-solving skill and can
take decisions keeping aside the emotions. Search people gather as much information as possible
and use their innovative thinking to find the best solution to the problem.
Flexibility and dependability:Employees are required to be flexible enough and are
always dependable. Employees hire candidates who demonstrate responsibility and
trustworthiness (Doyle, 2019). Also, flexible employees can adapt to the changes without any
resistance and take initiative out of the scope and make changes to the schedule if necessary.
Such employees are always ready to help their colleagues with the task even if the employee is
unfamiliar with the work.
Interpersonal skills:This skill is related to how the communication and interaction is
done. In Retail Industry effective communication is very important and employers look for those
candidates who are compatible with the other colleagues and customers. This is Skull is very
essential in terms of collaboration and also those individuals who possess this skill can achieve
success more easily and quickly. Being good listener is also an essential component of being
good and strong communicator. Employees look for those candidates who can share their own
views and ideas and also listens to others.
Motivated:Employer usually look for those employees who are self motivated positive
and passionate about their work. As such employees put more effort and learn from their
mistakes. Such employees make the working environment more pleasant.
Knowledge and expertise
These skills required for job in retail as per the job specification and are mostly the hard
skills. A detailed description is given below.

Computer skills:In this, employees are required to have the basic knowledge of using the
computer as many companies required employees applying for the job which requires using
technology (Nickson and et.al, 2017). The most widely used computer applications are Microsoft
Office, pivot table and social media.
Customer service: In this employee need to effectively meet the needs of the customers
by communicating with themand identify their problems and also the solution to it. Meeting
them with smiling faces and finding a quick solution.
EVALUATION
There has been an advertisement regarding job for the post of Retail Manager in Tesco. I
think this job role will be good for me. Retail manager would be responsible for managing the
daily operations of the store and will have employees working under me. I will be responsible to
manage and motivate the team for increasing the sales as well as ensuring efficiency. Along with
that I will be responsible to manage the inventory level and make key decisions with respect to
sales and inventory. Apart from this have to deal with staffing issues, organizing training and
development sessions for the employees, ensuring that quality services provided and health and
safety measures a met. I have interest in this job because of the skills I have in which directly
meet the requirement. Also working here will sharpen my skills further. I would like to apply for
this job to my friends and relatives because it is open to graduates with no prior experience in the
field. It will help in building skills like effective leadership motivation skills planning skills
workload management multitasking commercial awareness and bringing innovative ideas. The
plus point is that there is no requirement to have a work experience.
Retail is a fast-paced environment and working in such environment it will help me to
gain more competency in the field. Even though there is a more usage of online based business
consumers but the existence of retail stores has not gone on the other hand it is further
developing a with usage of Advanced technology which are attracting more and more customers
towards it which Indian customer preferences and taste the various uses of latest technology has
made a drastic change in the industry and this will continue. So, I think this is the best industry
from which I can start my career.

CONCLUSION
After going through the above report it has been analysis that there are many different type of
trend which are prevailing in the market. This report highlights the different trend on the basis of
Primary data collection and secondary data collection tool. After that the report highlights the
different skills which are require by an individual to work in the retail industry of UK. Different
types of skill are Problem solving, Flexibility and dependability and motivation. Also this report
highlights the different type of knowledge require to work in retail industry of the UK.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Colicev, A., Malshe, A. and Pauwels, K., 2018. Social media and customer-based brand equity:
an empirical investigation in retail industry. Administrative Sciences. 8(3). p.55.
Nickson, D. and et.al, 2017. Skill requirements in retail work: The case of high-end fashion
retailing. Work, employment and society. 31(4). pp.692-708.
Panigrahi, S.K. and et.al, 2018. A strategic initiative for successful reverse logistics management
in retail industry. Global Business Review. 19(3_suppl).pp.S151-S175.
Online
Doyle, A., 2019. Important Personal Skills That Employers Value. [Online]. Available
Through:<https://www.thebalancecareers.com/personal-skills-list-2063763>.
Nazir, S., 2020.Top retail trends to expect in the roaring 2020s. [Online]. Available
Through:<https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2020/01/top-retail-trends-to-expect-in-
the-roaring-2020s/>.
Retail Trends 2020. 2020. [Online]. Available
Through:<https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/retail-
trends.html>.
Smith, J., 2019. Overview of the retail sector in the UK. [Online]. Available
Through:<https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/retail/
overview-of-the-retail-sector-in-the-uk>.

APPENDIX-1
JOB OPENINGS!
The Tesco team is currently looking for passionate and creative candidate for the position of Retail
Manager in one of its stores.
Job Description
 To manage the inventory and daily recording of it
 Analyzing the future sales forecast
 Providing training and development sessions to staff
 Responding to customers queries
Skills required
 Effective leadership and communication skills
 Ability to motivate others
 Planning and prioritizing the workload
 Multi-tasking
 Creative and innovative skills.
Qualification
 Graduation in the field of finance, retail or business management
 Freshers
Salary
 Within the range of £17,000 and £23,000.
Interested candidates can apply through the company’s official website.
APPLY NOW!