Ensure your CV format is structured to best highlight your unique experience and life situation.
Shop assistant CV template (text format)
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Proactive and confident shop assistant with good people skills. Possess excellent knowledge of products and brands as well as a proven track record of exceeding sales targets and increasing repeat customer numbers. Looking to leverage interpersonal skills and knack for fulfilling orders, preparing invoices, processing collections, and inventory management to increase [Shop Name]’s annual revenue.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Shop Assistant
THE EXQUISITE GIRL BOUTIQUE, Newcastle
June 2018–Present
- Manage 35+ orders daily, preparing receipts and processing checkout transactions via cash, card, POS, or digital wallet
- Onboard new hires, instilling in them the brand’s work culture and ensuring they fully understand the expected levels of service
- Attend to 40+ online cloth orders per month, answering questions about bordering sizing, price, and nature of material
- Consistently surpass quarterly sales targets, including breaking the record for the highest sales conversion rate in the shop’s 10-year history
- Coordinated and designed the shop’s Halloween and Christmas 2021 window display designs which bagged the award for the ‘Best Holidays Display’ at the annual Small Fashion Stores in the UK awards ceremony
Sales Assistant
JERSEY FRESH PRODUCE GIANTS, Exeter
July 2016–June 2018
- Provided excellent customer support and resolved all customer complaint tickets, improving customer retention by 60%
- Opened and closed the shop daily and was responsible for arranging stock in a presentable manner
- Managed 65+ sales transactions daily, prepared correct invoices, and sent out payment reminders, improving payments and collections by 45%
- Kept up-to-date inventory records and implemented First In, First Out (FIFO) inventory management strategy to shorten time fresh produce spent on the shelves, reducing waste by 62%
Shop Assistant
EXCLUSIVE GROCERIES, York
October 2012–June 2016
- Oversaw restocking of products and ensured fridges, shelves, and shop corridors were tidy at all times
- Updated manager monthly on market price changes and adjusted price tags on stock to reflect these changes, contributing to an 18% boost in customer satisfaction
- Implemented 3 extra payment options (digital wallets, direct debit, and email invoices), reducing late payments and increasing collection efficiency by 26%
- Showed excellent knowledge about the brands and products on display and assisted customers with purchase decisions, increasing sales conversion by 20%
EDUCATION
Coursera
Retail Marketing Strategy, Omnichannel Retail Strategy Specialization
July 2019
St. Mary’s Catholic School, Newcastle
A-Levels: Maths (B), Geography (D), English (C)
GCSEs: A*–C, including Maths, English, and ICT
September 2004–July 2011
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
- Invoicing
- Cleaning and arranging shelves
- Inventory management
- Payments and debt collection
- Onboarding new hires
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
- Reading fashion magazines
- Music
- Attending coin-collecting conventions
How to write a shop assistant CV
Before you begin writing, make sure you know how to write a CV in a way that best emphasises your strengths.
As a shop assistant, you’re responsible for providing excellent customer service to shoppers in your store. To land a job as a shop assistant, you need to make a CV that stands out by showcasing the skills and experience your target employer is seeking.
Here are three tips on how to write a job-winning shop assistant CV:
1. Measure your strengths and achievements with hard numbers
Adding specific numbers and examples to your shop assistant job descriptions in your CV’s experience section helps get employers’ attention by showing exactly what you’re capable of doing for them.
So include specific information such as the:
- number of years of experience you have
- types of stores you’ve worked in
- details of customer conflicts you’ve resolved
- average number of sales you make per shift
- amount of money you’ve managed
For example, rather than simply stating that you’re ‘responsible for customer service’, say that you’re ‘responsible for providing excellent customer service to 25+ customers daily’.
Here’s another example of how to include specific numbers and examples in your shop assistant CV’s work experience section:
2. Highlight the right hard and soft skills
When you apply for a shop assistant job, highlight both your hard and soft skills on your CV.
Hard skills are the abilities that you’ve acquired through training or experience. Examples of hard skills for a shop assistant include:
- cash register operation
- point-of-sale software
- stocking shelves
- product knowledge
- maths
- sales techniques
You also need to emphasise your soft skills on your shop assistant CV. Soft skills are interpersonal skills that allow you to interact effectively with customers and coworkers, such as:
- customer service skills
- communication skills
- a friendly attitude
- critical thinking skills
- teamwork
- active listening
By showcasing both your hard and soft skills on your CV, you’ll give yourself the best chance of landing the job.
3. Write a tailored shop assistant personal statement
Tailoring your CV’s personal statement (3–5 sentences or bullets that introduce and summarise your CV) to the role you’re applying for is essential. And it’s especially important when you apply for a shop assistant job, as you’ll often compete with many candidates who have similar qualifications and experience.
Customise your personal statement for the job advert to ensure that you stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of being offered an interview.
To target your personal statement to a specific role, read the job advert carefully and note any key requirements or skills that are mentioned. Then, highlight your experience and abilities in those areas.
For example, if the job advert mentions that good customer service skills are essential, you could detail your experience in providing excellent service. Likewise, if the job advert asks for applicants with good communication skills, highlight examples of times you effectively communicated with customers or colleagues in your personal statement.
Here’s an example of a CV personal statement written to target a specific shop assistant job advert:
Shop assistant job outlook in 2024 — things to know
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), shop assistants in the UK earn an average annual salary of £14,501.
Additionally, there are similar pay levels for both men and women in this type of role.
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