Retail, Buying and Selling
Research careers and find opportunities in retail, buying and selling
About
Retail and sales are competitive markets. Customer service is a key focus to help drive sales and create success for companies.
The retail sector is the UK’s largest private employer, employing 3.1 million people in 2021.
Buying online is extremely popular, with the peak being during the pandemic. In December 2006, internet sales accounted for 2.5% of retail sales. In November 2022, internet sales accounted for 29.6% of all retail sales .
Buying is dictated by what the customer wants, the new brands, the market and the trends. You have to spot and react to the most exciting opportunities that may spring from nowhere.
Skills employers look for
- commercial awareness
- an understanding of what makes customers buy products
- customer-centred
- effective communication skills
- adaptive, flexible and collaborative
- accountability
- the ability to motivate and manage people effectively
- creativity and design skills
- technical and IT skills
See also
Salaries
Starting salaries for graduate jobs in this sector can vary depending on the position. To get an idea of typical starting salaries use the following resources:
- our offers access to The Pay Index. This shows you how salaries vary across different roles, industries and locations
- job profiles, such as those listed on or
- vacancy sites such as and
For information about how to negotiate a salary, visit Handling job offers.
Inspiration from people working in the industry
- Browse our NCL Graduate Employment and Work Experience directories. See where our students and graduates have had work experience, or been employed.
- Use LinkedIn’s??to find out what 缅北禁地 graduates are doing now. You could ask to connect with them, to gain advice and insights into their career. See?缅北禁地 Alumni on LinkedIn?to help you get started?or watch our quick tutorial on??[3:13].?
- Attend alumni events, such as?缅北禁地 Develop, to hear directly from our graduates.?
- Sign up for mentoring support with??and?. These aim to match students with industry professionals who can provide invaluable insights. Register to be connected for a one-hour meeting.?
- Attend events such as recruitment events?and ?employer and sector insights.?Hear about graduate jobs, placement schemes, build your network and ask questions.??
Online reviews
Searching for reviews online can be a useful way to get an idea of what to expect from certain roles or employers. Reviews are written by employees with different opinions about what makes a good employer.
Use the following review sites for inspiration and insight into the recruitment process:
- - placement year reviews written by students.
- – graduate job reviews
- – company reviews from employees
Attend events
Attend events to hear directly from professionals in the industry.
See our Events and workshops page for upcoming events, including recruitment fairs and employer and sector insights.
Social media
Use social media to find industry insights
Join?on LinkedIn to keep up to date. Posts often include news, events and opportunities. You can also find useful insights on careers on?X?and?TikTok. Treat these with caution, as not all content may be accurate.
Find out more about?how to use social media for your career.
Professional bodies
Consider joining a relevant professional body/industry network
Professional bodies often:
- run networking events
- have specialist groups you could join
- post vacancies on behalf of their members
- have member directories, useful for speculative applications
Key organisations include:
Retail
Buying and selling
- - includes a member directory.
Finding professional bodies worldwide
骋辞颈苍骋濒辞产补濒’蝉 country guides include details of professional bodies. Find them under ‘Professional and Personal Networking’ on each individual country guide.
Guide to finding opportunities?
There are various ways to find internships, placements and graduate opportunities. We’ve added some tips below to help you get started.
- search for?advertised vacancies?using the vacancy sites listed below
- look at the careers sections on company websites?for student and graduate opportunities.
- use Researching employers to help you gain insights into companies
- attend events such as?recruitment fairs? and ?employer and sector insights?
- contact employers speculatively?– see?'non-advertised work experience and graduate jobs'?to help you find organisations to approach
- follow companies on social media for latest news and updates
- consider registering with a recruitment agency?for graduate jobs
- register with?EmployAbility?if you are disabled, neurodivergent or have a mental health condition. They can offer advice and support on applications to 缅北禁地 students. They also run first year, internship and graduate programmes with inclusive employer partners.
- consider alternative ways to find relevant experience?and develop your skills
- create your own opportunity by starting your own business or working freelance
Advertised work experience
Gaining work experience in customer service or sales is essential when looking to start a career in this sector.
Placements and summer internships do exist in this sector, but are less common. They are usually aimed at undergraduate students in and above their?second or penultimate year of study. Some companies will also consider first and final year students.
Search for work experience
Use our resources to get started:
- ?- search for internships and placements in the North East, UK and overseas. Register/log in to access vacancies and sign up for personalised email alerts?
- Internships, placements & shadowing?- links to vacancy sites
- Global work experience?- for internships or placements abroad
See the following external sites for advice and advertised work experience:
- targetjobs: Finding experience in
- targetjobs: Finding experience in
- Prospects:
Work Experience in auction houses:
- - internships in London and the US
- - internships in London, Amsterdam, Asia and the US
NCL internships
The Careers Service runs flexible term-time and summer internships with local employers?and on campus.?NCL internships are aimed at all students, from any stage.
- Search for these under Vacancies on?. Type in ‘NCL internship’ into the text search box.
- You can find these advertised throughout the academic year. Full-time summer opportunities are advertised from around March.
Worldwide experience
Access GoinGlobal for internships in over 120 global locations, updated daily. Search for opportunities in the local language, as well as in English. You can also use their country guides to find:?
- additional vacancy websites?
- CV, application and interview advice??
- Advice on living and working in different countries and cities around the world.?
When to apply
The resources in this section advertise both graduate jobs and graduate schemes. See our graduate jobs page to understand the difference between them.
For graduate schemes, apply as early as possible.
UK applications typically open early in the academic year from September or October. Some close as early as November-December. Many employers close applications as soon as their places are filled.
Graduate jobs tend to be?immediate start positions which can be available all year round. You are more likely to apply for these towards the end of your studies.
Vacancy sites
Use our resources to get started:
- - search for graduate schemes and graduate jobs in the North East, UK and overseas. Register/log in to access vacancies and sign up for personalised email alerts?
- Graduate Jobs?– lists graduate vacancy sites
Search the external sites below for more opportunities.
Vacancy sites for retail, buying and selling
In the North East
- and the - vacancy websites
- North East jobs
UK wide
- - retail and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) vacancies
- - includes fashion retail vacancies
- - fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) vacancies
- : Retail, buying and merchandising graduate jobs and schemes
- - graduate internships in London, Amsterdam, Asia and the US
Worldwide vacancy sites
See ?for details of overseas vacancy sites.
Access GoinGlobal for job adverts in over 120 global locations, updated daily. Search for opportunities in the local language, as well as in English. You can also use their country guides to find:?
- additional vacancy websites?
- CV, application and interview advice??
- advice on living and working in different countries and cities around the world
Non-advertised work experience and graduate jobs
Not all internships, placements and graduate jobs are advertised. In fact, many people create opportunities through:
- networking and making contacts
- developing their own business ideas
A speculative approach is common for finding internships and placements and graduate jobs. This is where you approach a company directly to ask if they have any opportunities available.
How to access hidden opportunities
Start by identifying organisations you are interested in. Our guide to finding organisations below can help. Then use the following steps to approach them speculatively about possible opportunities:
- Identify a contact name to address your cover letter to. Call or email to find out who handles recruitment within the organisation. Or, find a key contact in the department you want to work in.
- Send them a tailored CV and cover letter. Express your enthusiasm for the sector. Show that you have researched the company.
- Follow up your speculative application with a phone call, or email, around a week later. This shows you are serious and motivated.
- If your application was unsuccessful, ask for feedback or advice, and keep trying!
How to find organisations
- find organisations on Select ‘search' then 'organisations’
- use the business directories and databases on our Researching employers page
- search for companies on LinkedIn. The tool shows you where 缅北禁地 graduates are currently working
- browse our directories. See where our students and graduates have had work experience, or been employed
Use the resources below to find organisations in the North East, UK and worldwide.
Worldwide organisations
Search GoinGlobal’s employer directory for company information in 196 countries.?Their country guides list professional bodies around the world.
Specialist recruitment agencies
Recruitment agencies can be useful for finding graduate jobs in sales and retail. These tend to be for immediate start positions. It's worth registering with one or two agencies towards the end of your course.
Specialist agencies include:
- - recruitment consultancy specialising in fashion and lifestyle retail vacancies
- - specialist recruitment agency, which advertises nationwide graduate sales positions
- - specialist sales recruitment agency
See Recruitment Agencies to find more agencies.
Finding overseas recruitment agencies
骋辞颈苍骋濒辞产补濒’蝉 country guides include details of recruitment agencies in specific countries. They are listed under the following headings:?
- staffing agencies and temporary help firms?
- executive recruiters and search firms?
Recruitment agencies may not operate in the same way in different countries. In the UK agencies are free for job seekers, but this may not be the case elsewhere. Explore the terms and conditions of an agency before signing up to use them.?
Other ways to gain relevant experience
We've added some suggestions to help you develop your skills and gain relevant experience.
- Part-time work is common in the retail and sales. A part-time job in a supermarket or shop is a great way to increase knowledge of the sector and see if it's for you. See finding a part-time job for vacancy sources
- Voluntary work in a charity shop is helpful experience for the retail sector. Voluntary work as a fundraiser would also be helpful for a career in sales.
- Complete a free virtual internship. For example, with , you can filter by career interest to find virtual internships in sales and management.
- Build a portfolio of work to demonstrate your skills and interest. This would particularly apply to fashion roles.
- Enter a sales related competition - prizes can often include internships. For example, with Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
- sign up for free online courses?to develop new skills.
Work for yourself
Working as self-employed or freelance is common in the retail sector.
Many large companies offer retail business opportunities in the form of franchises. In the UK, franchising is regulated by the . The BFA website offers in-depth information and advice for those thinking of .
Our START UP team can help you explore working for yourself at any stage. Whether you want to explore an idea or have already launched a business or freelance career, you can access the following help:
- support with idea generation
- provide tailored advice
- help you develop your skills
- introduce you to like-minded peers
- refer you to further support from mentors
- award grant funding up to ?3,000