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Retail manager: Typical employers/vacancy sources

Typical employers

Within the United Kingdom, retail is the largest private sector employer. However, it must be noted that because of the economic climate, data collected may not accurately reflect projections. Skillsmart Retail Analysis 2008-2009 stated that approximately 48,000 retail jobs have been lost since September 2008 to March 2009. But, this only represents 1.6% of the total retail workforce and retailers such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Poundland are promising 41,000 new positions.

As well as the economic climate, retailers are also restructuring which is impacting on the number of head office positions, but increasing the number of front line colleagues.  The Institute for Employment Research and Cambridge Econometrics forecasted that the retail sector would grow by 1.2 million (2007) to 3.3 million employees by 2017.

The majority of retailers have their head offices in London and 21% of managers and senior officials work there. However, in contrast Scotland has 55% of sales and customer service employees in the UK (Skillsmart Retail Analysis, 2008). 

Sources of vacancies

Search graduate jobs on this site.

• The Appointment
• The Grocer
• InRetail
• Retail Careers
• Retail Week
• national and local press.

Retail recruitment agences are increasingly important. You can find details on the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) or via Retail Human Resources .

See also job hunting tips and applications, CVs and interviews.

AGCAS

Written by Lorraine Pitman, Robert Gordon University

Last updated:

August 2009

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