Retail Managers

If you are interested in becoming a retail manager, you may be able to find part-time, weekend, or summer jobs in a clothing store, supermarket, or other retail trade establishment. You can gain valuable work experience through such jobs and will have the opportunity to observe the retail industry to determine whether you are interested in pursuing a career in it. You can ask about job openings in the stores you regularly visit, or search for listings on stores' Web sites and on employment sites such as AllRetailJobs.com (https://www.allretailjobs.com). It also is useful to visit the Research section (https://nrf.com/research-insights) of the National Retail Federation Web site to access information from the organization's blog, podcast, and research.

Join student business organizations—such as Future Business Leaders of America (https://www.fbla.org), Junior Achievement (https://jausa.ja.org), DECA (https://www.deca.org), and Business Professionals of America (http://bpa.org) to learn more about the business world and participate in activities that develop your leadership, managerial, and financial management skills. Some organizations—such as Future Business Leaders of America—offer competitions (e.g., Advertising, Business Management, Entrepreneurship, Future Business Leader, Marketing).

Participate in summer exploration programs in business and related fields that are offered by colleges and universities to build your skills and meet people with shared interests.