RETAIL SALES

Many people working in retail started by working part-time in high school and rose to the top by putting in hard work and long hours. Loyalty to a store is often the most important factor in earning a promotion. Even people in the field who have college degrees say that they got their real knowledge from on-the-job training.

National chain stores generally have their own training programs, which may be a combination of classroom work and on-the-job experience. Motor vehicle salespeople have training programs provided by the dealerships. If you work with food, you may need to take a food handler test and be certified by the local health department.

There are some independent training programs you can take on your own to make yourself even more valuable to an employer. Your local school district may offer vocational education courses in retail sales management. Some schools offer certificate programs, which take less than a year to complete. No training substitutes for retail experience, but completing a training program will show your employer that you are serious about the business. That may get you promoted more quickly.