If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Options
How to dumb down my CV for Retail?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
Yeah im crazy, i want to give up a career (if you can call it that) to work in retail. Basically for the past few years i've been working as an artist but im fed up of where i work, the work i do and the loneliness of it all.
I run my own business and thats now picking up traction meaning money isn't a huge concern for me anymore but i'd like to work part time in retail, its easy, fun but most of all i'll be surrounded by people my sort of age i can talk to. Some of the best friends i ever made was in retail.
My issue is my CV, i feel it'd turn off any potential employer despite being able to do the job easily. Its full of skills and experience that are far beyond retail work and i fear they will say im over qualified despite me wanting to do this, at least for the short term. So whats the best way to go about this?
I was thinking of handing my CV in as is, but having a short cover letter explaining why i want to work in retail and also trying to speak to the manager who reads the CVs to quickly explain it to.
I run my own business and thats now picking up traction meaning money isn't a huge concern for me anymore but i'd like to work part time in retail, its easy, fun but most of all i'll be surrounded by people my sort of age i can talk to. Some of the best friends i ever made was in retail.
My issue is my CV, i feel it'd turn off any potential employer despite being able to do the job easily. Its full of skills and experience that are far beyond retail work and i fear they will say im over qualified despite me wanting to do this, at least for the short term. So whats the best way to go about this?
I was thinking of handing my CV in as is, but having a short cover letter explaining why i want to work in retail and also trying to speak to the manager who reads the CVs to quickly explain it to.
0
Comments
For example, if you've been dealing with the public in any way - or handling finances - then that's all relevant to working in retail. The best thing you can do when applying for any job is to look enthusiastic about working there.
Let us know how things go...
In my experience in retail, almost no skill is irrelevant. Look carefully at the job description (sounds obvious but it can be easy to overlook things when the sector is one you know well) and highlight relevant experience over more recent experience so that they don't see "High Powered Role" first, but "Excellent Customer Service Role".
But as previously said, all skills are transferable, while you don't have to be as abrasive as I (possibly) was and risk not getting the job by being brutally honest (which worked in my favor), big up what you have done to suit their job role.
If money isn't an issue for you even getting the part time job, how about volunteer work in retail? Lots of charities have stores, I volunteered regularly when I was a bit younger in places like British Heart Foundation, good memories that'll stay with me.
Still i've written a cover letter that gives a very brief overview of why i want to change career so hopefully that'll be enough.
Whilst i know im not over qualified for a sales assistant job, they will wonder why im willing to take a huge pay cut and basically jump from my current role. Im a designer by trade so theres very little overlap with retail, i spend all day drawing on a computer with no customer interaction, but the companies i will be applying to i've at least worked at before so i'll use that to help further my case i can do the job to a high level.
Knowing my luck you probably work at Tampon World.
He said it was shop work, not a theme park.
I can totally understand where you are coming from.
Most of what I've done in the past involved working on a computer and I'd rather be working or interacting with people.
I can understand why you might want to go into retail, it can be very satisfying helping people.
I've helped out people with the CV's in the past and one person I helped wanted to work on the reception desk of any company.
When I looked through her CV it turned out she was a fully qualified lawyer back in her home country.