The Retail Sector

Notes/ History

Retail sales – Involves selling merchandise to customers who go to your store to buy your products

Retail merchandising – Involves planning and acquiring the right quantities of merchandise from suppliers for the store

In some less developed countries, the retail industry is dominated by small family run businesses, although in most countries, the majority of the market is overwhelmingly controlled by large retail chains

Interviewer apparel for fashion retail jobs
The norm is to pick smart, conservative clothes whenever dressing for an interview. Usually a formal business or dress suit.
However, with interview attire for a non-managerial retail fashion sales position, there is usually leeway to dress in a less formal type manner of casual interviewing attire. This may be more appropriate in instances where you want to dress in a more individualized way that reflects the company/ job you are applying for.
Although a business or dress suit is something you won’t ever go wrong with in most types of interview settings, retail fashion is an industry predominantly centered around fashion and smart clothing apparel. That’s why, if you’re feeling bold and adventurous enough, you might find it advantageous to go with a more casualized style that reflects the company and your own individualism

(An example of alternative interview clothing would be dress slacks/ trousers or skirt of appropriate length either just above or below the knee, with a button down or polo shirt, and dress shoes)

For more help with how to dress for an interview, see our interview attire section here:
https://interview-professional.com/self-introductions/

Interviewer apparel for other types of retail jobs
For information on interview dress for other types of retail jobs you should follow the standard interview advice in the interviewing attire section here:
https://interview-professional.com/self-introductions/