Merchandiser Resume Examples, Templates & Writing Tips
Merchandisers are a crucial part of the customer experience. Follow our tips and merchandiser resumes to write a resume that gets you the right merchandising job!
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Merchandiser resume examples and pro tips
To be a great merchandiser, you must first understand how to advertise yourself. After all, merchandisers are the people who convince you to buy something in a store while checking inventory, managing products and creating markdowns. That’s where your resume comes in.
To help you capture your wide range of skills, we’ve put together different merchandiser resume examples and professional writing advice you can follow.
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Four keys to a top merchandiser resume
Make sure your merchandiser resume hits all the right notes by following these tips:
Customize your resume for the job description.
Using the same resume for every job might be tempting, but you’ll just be doing yourself a disservice. Tailor your resume to each job posting using keywords from their list of requirements, skills and responsibilities to increase your chances of making it past applicant tracking systems (ATS). Many employers use ATS to scan resume submissions, with only the most relevant resumes getting a passing grade.
Feature key qualifications and experience.
Part of customizing your resume to the job is to feature information that that specific employer will like. So, feature experiences and achievements relevant to the job’s responsibilities. For example, do you have experience organizing inventory? How good are you at giving product presentations? Have you successfully sold products before?
Show you have the right mix of hard and soft skills.
Being a merchandiser requires strong creative and practical skills. When you write your merchandiser resume, you should show that you can create appealing merchandise spaces and handle projects while also demonstrating strong interpersonal and intangible skills. As such, design skills, organizational skills and soft skills commonly associated with customer service (for example, conflict resolution) will all be beneficial. Try to focus on what you can do for the specific company that you are applying for to impress a hiring manager.
Use metrics that show how effective you are.
Saying you’re a great merchandiser is one thing, showing you’re a great merchandiser is another. Percentages, metrics and numbers help you show hiring managers your impact and success. So, instead of saying, “Led team to curate attractive displays to generate more sales,” tell prospective employers you, “Led team of three visual merchandisers to curate impressive store displays, resulting in a 30% increase in in-store traffic and 16% sales increase.”
Action words for a compelling merchandiser resume
Action words are a great way to energize your resume and make each statement more impactful. Instead of starting your phrases with “I was responsible for…” or “I was in charge of…,” use an action verb to look more professional in the eyes of hiring managers and recruiters. Below are some action words that are appropriate for a merchandising resume. For a more detailed list, visit our action words article.
- Communicated
- Negotiated
- Stocked
- Managed
- Scheduled
- Organized
- Wrote
- Sold
- Implemented
- Collaborated
- Conducted
- Completed
- Optimized
- Drove
- Monitored
- Maintained
- Reported
- Enhanced
- Analyzed
- Led
Choose the right format for your resume
You can choose from three resume formats based on your experience level.
- The chronological resume format is the most common. It emphasizes employment history, so it’s best for merchandisers with more than nine years of experience in the industry.
- The functional resume format, or skills-based resume, focuses on skills rather than work experience. It’s ideal for candidates with less than two years of experience as it allows you to highlight your skills and what you can do while focusing less on your lack of experience.
- The combination resume format is the best of both worlds. It gives equal importance to your experience and skills, making it a good option for people with three to eight years of experience or those changing careers.
14 key skills for your merchandiser resume
Every merchandiser job is different, so be sure to tailor the hard skills and soft skills you include in your merchandiser resume accordingly to impress store managers. Some skills you might want to consider include:
- Excellent customer service skills
- POS merchandising
- Work ethic
- Excellent communication skills
- Store management
- Product displays
- Organizational skills
- Strong time management skills
- Stock shelves
- Interpersonal skills
- Active listening
- Creative thinking
- Negotiation skills
- Basic math
How to write a merchandiser resume
At the top of your resume is your resume header with your full name and contact information, including your phone number, email address and social media links, like your LinkedIn profile.
Resume summary or objective
The first actual section of the resume is your professional summary or resume objective.
A resume summary is a two-to-three-sentence summary of your top skills and relevant experience. It’s best for people with more than two years of experience. Here’s what a merchandiser resume summary could look like:
A resume objective summarizes your qualifications while also including your employment goals. It’s typically recommended for people with less than two years of experience or changing careers. Here’s an example of how a good objective in a resume should be:
Skills
Your ability to sell merchandise often rests on the skills you have. Here are some merchandising skills you might want to include on your merchandiser resume:
- Pricing and understanding discounts
- Forecasting customer practices
- Communication skills
- Inventory management
- Microsoft Office suite
- Displaying new products
- Creating planograms
- Time management
- Skills in virtual merchandising
- Following directives
- Problem-solving skills
- Replenishment of new merchandise
- Maintaining stock levels and store shelves
- Surveying the sales floor
- Creating visual displays and window displays
- Maintaining customer satisfaction
- Interpersonal skills
- Customer service skills
- General merchandising activities
Both hard and soft skills are important as a merchandiser. You’ll notice that many of these skills are hard skills related specifically to the job title at hand. Soft skills are also important so you can relate to customers and team members, but hard skills let you do your job successfully.
Work history
List up to 10 years of experience in your work history section. Include three to five bullet points per job title, detailing important achievements, metrics and other experiences that will set you apart from the crowd. Write in the present tense for your current employment and past tense for previous ones.
If you’re just starting and are writing a resume with no experience as a merchandiser, you can include any previous work with related tasks or skills, such as handling store merchandise or setting up store displays.
Education
Merchandisers typically require just a high school diploma, especially for entry-level positions. However, it may benefit you to get your bachelor’s degree in a field related to merchandising, like a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. Check the job description to see what kind of education the company hopes to receive from you.
Do’s and don’ts for a merchandiser resume
- Display product knowledge specific to the merchandiser position you’re applying for. Grocery information won’t be very helpful at a specialty lotions shop, for example.
- Have examples of product displays available. This can be part of a portfolio for merchandisers.
- Use the ResumeHelp resume builder to create your resume. With a variety of resume templates and styles available, this is the most effective way to create a great-looking resume.
- Include more than 10 years of work experience. Even if you’ve been a merchandiser for a very long time, 10 years is the most you should typically put on your resume, unless you’re applying for a position that demands extensive experience.
- Discuss your store management experience in vague terms. Instead, you should be specific about what you’ve done for companies in the past.
- List dozens of skills on your resume. Pare down your skill list to no more than about a dozen of your absolute best skills.
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FAQ: Merchandiser Resume Examples
Have questions? We’re here to help.
How do you describe a merchandiser on a resume?
It’s essential to highlight your skills, achievements and experiences that demonstrate your ability to drive sales, optimize product presentations and contribute to the overall success of a business in your merchandiser resume. The specifics of what you should include in your resume will depend on the type of merchandiser the employer is seeking, but in general, you should:
- Highlight tasks such as product placement, inventory management or collaboration with cross-functional teams.
- Use metrics such as percentages whenever possible to show your success better.
- List key skills relevant to the merchandising role, such as planogram development or data analysis.
- Include relevant certifications that support your qualifications.
What should I put on my resume for merchandising?
Highlight your most relevant skills, experiences and achievements in your professional merchandiser resume.
- Provide a brief overview of your background in the resume summary or objective, giving the prospective employer a good idea of your strengths and what you can bring to the table.
- List your professional experience in reverse chronological order, with the most recent or current job at the top. Use three to five bullet points to detail your responsibilities and achievements, always using numbers or metrics where possible.
- Include 8-10 important hard and soft skills, from supplier relationship management to organizational skills and communication skills.
Create additional sections for certifications or special projects you’ve worked on.
What is the best summary for a merchandiser?
The best resume summary for a merchandiser is one that concisely summarizes your key strengths and experiences. It should give the prospective employer a snapshot of your skills and accomplishments while showcasing your value. For example:
“Results-oriented merchandiser with a proven track record of driving sales and enhancing product visibility through strategic merchandising. Seven years of experience in the retail industry, planogram development, inventory management and cross-functional collaboration. Proficient at analyzing market trends and implementing effective merchandising strategies to maximize profitability. “
How do you write a resume objective for a merchandiser?
A resume objective for a merchandiser should communicate your skills and career goals. Keep it concise, focused and tailored to the specific position by highlighting key skills mentioned in the job description. Wrap up your resume objective with a short sentence expressing enthusiasm for the opportunity and your goals. For example:
“Dynamic and detail-oriented merchandiser with two years of hands-on experience in the retail industry. Proven track record of optimizing product presentation, driving sales and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Eager to contribute my skills and passion for creating compelling product displays to enhance the retail experience.”
What are the core duties of a merchandiser?
A merchandiser’s core duties and responsibilities will vary depending on the industry and specific job requirements. Generally speaking, however, here are some duties commonly associated with the role you can include in your merchandiser resume:
- Planogram development: Design planograms to optimize product placement on shelves and displays.
- Inventory management: Monitor inventory levels to meet demand while minimizing excess stock. Maintain store shelves stocked with merchandise.
- Market trend analysis: Stay abreast of market trends, consumer preferences and competitor activities to adjust merchandising strategies and maximize customer interest.
- Supplier relationship management: Establish and maintain strong relationships with suppliers. Negotiate terms, pricing and promotional support.
- Compliance: Ensure company policies, industry regulations and legal requirements are being followed.
- Product presentation: Present products in an attractive and organized manner to capture customer interest, following brand guidelines.
- Training and development: Provide training to store personnel on merchandising best practices.
Do I need to include a cover letter for a merchandiser application?
Yes. Cover letters help you show that you’re serious about a job application, allow you to talk about your experiences more effectively, and make it easy to ask for a job interview. If you’re not confident in your skills for writing a cover letter, use the ResumeHelp cover letter builder to turn out an effective cover letter for a merchandiser job.
How can I write a merchandiser resume without a lot of work experience?
You don’t necessarily need years of professional experience to be a merchandiser. Not only can you utilize experience in many different fields, including retail sales manager positions, but you can also lean more heavily on your skills than on your work experience. This can help you write a better resume.
How do I change my merchandiser resume to apply to different jobs?
When writing a retail merchandiser resume, you must tailor each application to a specific job description. This is where resume keywords can come into play. By using these keywords, you’re able to reflect exactly what a recruiter wants to see in their eventual hire, which can help you shorten your job search.
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