Did you know that the clothing industry is one of the largest in the world? It’s also not just about clothing, but also shoes and accessories as well! Here’s how many jobs are available in clothing/shoe/accessory stores? what types of jobs are available, and where to find employment if you’re looking to break into this field.
Job Titles in clothing/shoe/accessory stores
Thousands of employees can find work at specialty shops. As of september 2022, 4442 jobs are available in clothing/show/accessory stores. Some common job titles that may be found at a clothing store are clerk, sales associate, store manager, and keyholder. A shoe store will often hire people with titles such as customer service representatives, stockroom attendants, and shipping clerks.
Accessories stores can also employ thousands of workers, such as floor staff and customer care representatives. Store managers for any type of retail location typically have experience in the industry before they’re promoted to managerial roles. Retail is one of the industries with some of the highest turnover rates; expect to spend anywhere from six months to two years in an entry-level position before you’re able to move up the ranks.
Job Descriptions
Working at a fashion store will give you exposure to the industry. Jobs typically range from managerial positions to retail. Generally, the more seniority you have, the higher level of responsibility you’ll have. As a manager, it may be your responsibility to ensure that all of your other employees know what they’re doing and teach them how to do their job properly. As a manager, you’ll also need to address any customer concerns, maintain order and direct the general flow of activity within the store.
Depending on where you work, your hours may vary as well. Some retailers are open as early as 9:00 AM while others close up shop around 8:00 PM or later. Retailers such as Gap Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch Co., and Nike Inc., for example, are open for longer hours Monday through Saturday than most other retailers.
Progression Chances in clothing/shoe field
Even though the unemployment rate is at a historic low, there is a greater demand for individuals who have the skills and training to fill certain positions but don’t have jobs. Keep reading to learn more about what you can do if you’re interested in working at a clothing store.
For example, Macy’s had around 611,000 employees back in 2013. This number steadily increased until hitting 724,000 employees by 2016. During that same period of time, average pay increased from $8 per hour all the way up to $13 per hour with full-time benefits!
Job Roles
If you love to shop and have experience in this area, then there are plenty of roles you can apply for. For example, a Retail Sales Consultant needs to be confident with their product knowledge and be able to work closely with customers. An Office Administrator could look after the day-to-day running of the business, deal with customer service and ensure products reach the customers on time. A Buyer must know what they want before going into negotiations and must also be strong negotiators. A Stock Controller is responsible for keeping track of inventory levels.
Salary range
There is a wide range of salaries that can be found in clothing, shoe, and accessory stores. Store Managers make $35,000-$120,000 depending on their location and experience. Sales associates can earn $25,000-$55,000 with bonuses being given for reaching performance targets from their job. Entry-level positions such as Stock Associates or Apparel Merchandisers make $20,000-$40,000 per year.
Career apparel employees also make $20,000-$60,000 per year. The average salary for an employee at a retail store company who does not work in the clothing department is about $33,500 annually. There are approximately 856,600 people employed by Clothing Stores in the United States according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, the BLS does not provide an average salary for this group due to too few responses.
Job opportunities in shoe stores
Shoe salespersons usually specialize in particular types of shoes or brands. Retail shoe stores, like Nordstrom and Macy’s, will often hire both full-time and part-time employees. Full-time employees have consistent hours and benefits, whereas part-time employees will only work when their schedule allows them to. Part-time workers generally don’t receive any benefits other than unemployment compensation if they’re laid off from the company or if their shift is canceled.
Job opportunities at clothing stores
Many clothing companies also offer opportunities for retail positions, including buyers, merchandisers, and sales associates. In addition to the usual aspects of working in a retail store (such as customer service), buyer and merchandiser positions often require some knowledge of fashion trends and product quality standards. Sales associates generally help customers find items that match their needs or style preferences.
Job opportunities at accessory stores
Getting a job at an accessory store is much easier than getting a job at, say, an insurance company. The competition for employees is lower, which means more people have a chance of being interviewed. You can usually apply online or on the company’s website and find information about current openings and pay rates. If you see something that interests you, go ahead and submit your resume!
Conclusion
Clothing and shoe retail workers include sales associates, managers, and buyers. There are more than 10.5 million people working in retail stores overall, with about 500,000 of those being sales clerks. That’s nearly 5% of the entire U.S. workforce! As to their paychecks—the median hourly wage for a retail store salesperson is $11 per hour; for buyers it’s $19 per hour; and for managers it’s $28 per hour.
