Retail Management Cover Letter and Resume Examples

woman on laptop in retail store
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By Alison Doyle
Updated on 11/11/21

Like a well-crafted sales brochure, a thoughtfully written cover letter provides an opportunity to highlight your relevant qualifications and experiences, enhancing your resume and increasing your chances of being called for an interview for a retail management position.

Here's an example of a cover letter and resume written for a job in retail management, downloadable templates, advice on what to include, and tips for showcasing your skills.

Highlight Your Retail Management Skills

Jobs in retail management require you to be a well-rounded business person who understands merchandising and has demonstrated effective skills with people, finance, and administration.

You must be able to motivate your team, troubleshoot issues, and solve problems quickly. Leadership is valued, along with assertiveness. Jobs in this field also require you to adhere to confidentiality in regards to business development and to respect corporate intellectual property.

Use specific quantitative examples of your sales and leadership successes whenever possible, and assert your ability to provide similar results in the job at hand.

Retail Manager Cover Letter Sample

This is a cover letter example for a retail manager position. Download the cover letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Screenshot of a cover letter sample for a retail manager position

Retail Manager Cover Letter Example (Text Version)

Bob Applicant
123 Main Street
Anytown, CA 12345
555-555-5555
bob.applicant@email.com

November 8, 2021

Felicity Lee
Director, Human Resources
Acme Medical
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321

Dear Ms. Lee,

I'm responding to your ad seeking someone who has a strong understanding of customer and market dynamics. With more than ten years in retail marketing and fragrance account management, I possess both demonstrated sales achievements and management skills--symbiotic qualities you're looking for to grow your business.

Gary Ryan Blair, motivational business speaker, and author, once asked: "What is the distance between someone who achieves their goals consistently and those who spend their lives and careers merely following? The extra mile." This is my philosophy as well, and my achievements include the following:

  • Increased sales of Coty specialty fragrances in seven specialty retail stores by 103% in two years.
  • Achieved #1 store ranking for Light Blue fragrances, and top five sales ranking in men's fragrances.
  • Successfully set up and merchandised Fine Fragrance Department at new store with $100,000+ in fragrance sales on opening day.
  • Hired and mentored three merchandisers who created and executed innovative POS promotional events to exceed sales goals.
  • Trained five retail assistants whose sales grew by thirty percent month over month in their first year of employment.

Based on my experience and strong commitment to go above and beyond in the industry, I'm confident I can deliver similar results for your organization, drawing on my strengths and career achievements. My resume is enclosed, and I look forward to speaking with you soon. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Signature (hard copy letter)

Bob Applicant

Retail Manager Resume Example

This is an example of a resume for a retail management position. Download the retail management resume template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online).

Screenshot of a retail management resume example

Retail Manager Resume Example (Text Version)

Bob Applicant
123 Main Street • Anytown, CA 12345 • (555) 555-5555 • bob.applicant@email.com

RETAIL MANAGER

Acclaimed leader and motivator leveraging 10+ years driving growth of upscale fragrance retailer in highly competitive metropolitan market.

Core Competencies:

  • Retail Sales Management
  • Event & Tradeshow Coordination
  • Hiring & Training
  • New Store Launches

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

COTY FRAGRANCES, Los Angeles, CA
RETAIL MANAGER (April 2020 to Present)
Promoted to lead and optimize store operations of seven retail fragrance stores in the Greater Los Angeles area. Coordinated launch and opening of new or renovated store departments; recruited, hired, trained, and supervised department managers, merchandisers, and retail assistants. Performed ongoing competitive research and market analysis to identify and capitalize upon emerging trends.

Key Achievements:

  • Spearheaded pre-launch marketing and opening of Fine Fragrance store on Rodeo Drive that generated over $100K in sales on the first day of operations.
  • Accelerated sales of Coty specialty fragrances across all seven store locations by 103% in two years.

COTY FRAGRANCES, Santa Monica, CA
RETAIL DEPARTMENT MANAGER (August 2018 to April 2020)
Returned struggling specialty fragrance department to renewed productivity through creation of innovative POS campaigns and through training and development of stellar new retail assistants. Solicited customer feedback regarding service levels and merchandising; communicated sales goals to all staff and diligently tracked and recognized progress and success.

Key Achievements:

  • Trained five retail assistants whose sales grew by thirty percent month over month in their first year of employment.
  • Introduced new customer loyalty and referral program that increased contact list by 58%.

EDUCATION

PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY, Malibu, CA
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, June 2018
3.82 GPA

Activities
Beta Gamma Sigma; Dean’s List; Rush Chairman, Sigma Chi