Merchandise Manager Resume Example

Meryl Streep took Anne Hathaway down in a riveting speech in “The Devil Wears Prada” — a speech where she made it clear that no matter what Anne thought of fashion, everything she wore and her every product choice was decided for her by the very people in that room, whether she knew it or not. When it comes to merchandising, it’s all about selecting the right product mix and optimizing the presentation to improve sales and drive market share. With our merchandise manager resume sample and resume builder tools, you can make your resume as arresting as Streep’s speech and learn how to showcase your expertise with the same grace, command, and aplomb.

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Christopher R. Giorgi

100 Broadway Lane
New Parkland, CA, 91010
Cell: (555) 987-1234
example-email@example.com

Professional Summary

Creative Merchandise Manager with a proven talent for moving merchandise through strategic planning and innovative product placement. Specialize in monitoring competitor activities, motivating support staff and piquing customer interest through careful merchandise placement. Solid ability to manage multiple tasks, boost productivity and apply cost-effective merchandizing strategies.

Core Qualifications

• Merchandise placement
• Budget allocations
• Vendor communications
• Operations management
• Staff hiring and training
• Workplace safety
• Inventory tracking
• Strategic pricing

Experience

Merchandise Manager, January 2015 – Present
Klaus Department Stores, New Cityland, CA

• Coordinate store setups and merchandise placement in multiple store locations throughout the region.
• Supervise floor staff and offer constructive feedback.
• Monitor competitor activities and react accordingly.

Merchandise Manager, March 2007 – January 2012
A-Plus Imports, New Cityland, CA

• Implemented a mentor program to increase productivity.
• Evaluated feedback from customers regarding merchandise quality.
• Implemented in-store incentives to move merchandise.

Education

2006 Bachelor of Science, Product Management
University of California, New Cityland, CA
2003 Bachelor of Arts, Art History
University of California, New Cityland, CA

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Why Is This a Good Merchandise Manager Resume Sample?

Merchandising is a highly creative process, but it’s a level of creativity that requires deep market insight and extensive analytical skills. Our merchandise manager resume sample blends both creative and analytical sides to show a highly skilled candidate with the aptitudes needed to drive sales.

To do this, we break the resume down into clearly delineated sections and then use those sections to optimal effect. For example, the opening summary of the resume sample is akin to an elevator pitch and gives you just as much time to make a strong impression in a short space. Our sample candidate’s resume showcases expertise in strategic planning, innovative product placement, competitor analysis, customer engagement, multitasking, and staff engagement. Bringing all these skills together creates the portrait of someone capable of adapting to the needs of any brand and thriving in a challenging environment.

The core qualifications section of the merchandise manager resume sample expands on this skillset while providing an easily searchable list of keywords that improve match percentages on screening algorithms. This list of skills includes core phrases such as merchandise placement, budget allocations, vendor communications, inventory tracking, and strategic tracking. These are all pivotal skills that a merchandise manager needs to exhibit, though you should adapt them as needed based on keywords presented in the target job description.

The experience section of the resume may be short, but that doesn’t mean it’s ineffective. Our merchandise manager resume sample strongly builds on a foundation of accomplishments; the example candidate uses action-oriented writing to show clear leadership in store setups and merchandise placement on a regional basis, while demonstrating results in team leadership, productivity enhancements, competitive positioning, and consumer insight. By centering the experience section around accomplishments, this resume style proves to employers that not only have you delivered a positive impact in the past, but you understand your own process well enough to repeat it in the future.

Why You Need a Strong Merchandise Manager Resume

Jobs in merchandising are hard to come by, as online retail markets claim dominance over physical stores. Job growth rates have slowed to 2 percent on average, much slower than the national growth rate of 6 to 7 percent cited by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That doesn’t mean that merchandise management jobs are dead, though. Even for strictly online businesses, companies need a talented merchandising manager to make critical decisions about product mix, categories, and online store display. In physical stores, companies rely on merchandising managers to create a shopping experience that keeps their brick-and-mortar storefront competitive in a changing marketplace.

Using our merchandise manager resume sample will give you a leg up on the competition by demonstrating your ability to accomplish these goals. Your competition will be ready with hard-hitting resumes aiming to win employers away from you; update your resume to pull ahead of the pack.

Costly Merchandise Manager Resume Mistakes To Avoid

One of the most deadly mistakes in a merchandise manager resume is focusing only on the creative aspect of merchandising. While it’s critical to demonstrate innovation and creative capacity when selecting and presenting a viable product mix, it’s important to combine that with demonstrable results and outstanding analytical skills. Employers rely on you for your market insight, and your resume should demonstrate that you’re able to analyze, contextualize, and quantify market and competitor activity. For example, our merchandise manager resume sample discusses monitoring competitor activity and reacting accordingly to adapt merchandising strategies.

Don’t forget to mention notable brands you’ve worked with. Brand name recognition is crucial in conveying your level of expertise and authority. If prior employers have trusted you to deliver success with major brands, you can count on impressing potential future employers with your potential. Unless you’re bound by a confidentiality agreement, one of your accomplishments should include specific brand activity.

Conclusion

You know how to create an appealing display that creates customer engagement and attracts sales. Learn how to create an appealing resume that creates employer engagement and attracts interview calls by referencing the examples set out in our merchandise manager resume sample and following our methodologies to create a winning resume.