What does a Retail Associate do?
A Retail Associate is responsible for communicating with and assisting store customers. The main objective of the role is to sell products. Retail Associates are required to provide excellent customer service by maintaining a positive attitude and helping customers when needed. Retail Associates help customers with product selection, so they must be familiar with the details of the products their store offers. Lastly, the Retail Associate processes transactions or returns for the customer.
Retail Associate skills and qualifications
A successful Retail Associate needs various prerequisite skills and qualifications required for the duties performed in this job, including:
- Working as an individual contributor and as part of a team
- Exceptional attention to detail
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Ability to maintain a positive attitude
- Excellent customer service skills
- Good organizational skills
- Ability to perform basic math when required
Retail Associate experience requirements
Retail Associates can start working without previous experience. Look for candidates with strong communication skills and enthusiasm for the products and the customers your business serves. You may seek candidates who are already familiar with the company or industry. Retail Associates learn product or service details on-the-job and can shadow more experienced employees to improve their knowledge of the role. Some candidates apply to work as a Retail Associate for their first job, so look for relevant soft skills if applicants don’t yet have work experience.
Retail Associate training and education
Look for a candidate who has received, or is working towards, a high school diploma or GED. Retail Associates often work part-time while pursuing higher education as well. For specialty or high-end goods, like technology, candidates who have completed vocational training or industry-specific courses are likely to succeed.
Retail Associate salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Retail Associate in Canada is $15.58 per hour. Pay varies depending on a candidate’s previous experience, store location, and company that is hiring.
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