Creating a results-driven resume is the best way to help hiring managers visualize your achievements and professional experience as a merchandiser. Convey your ability to market products and improve the customer experience using concise and impactful bullet points. We’ll walk you through each step of the resume writing process to accelerate your job search.
Key takeaways:
To write an excellent merchandiser resume, you need a professional resume template that effectively organizes your qualifications and work experience. This allows the hiring manager to navigate your content easily. Your merchandiser resume should contain the following sections:
Provide your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a URL for your LinkedIn profile or digital portfolio. Carefully review your contact information for accuracy to ensure potential employers can contact you for an interview.
YOUR NAME
email@example.com | (123) 456-7890 | City, ST | LinkedIn | Portfolio | LinkedIn
Draw the hiring manager in with an engaging summary that captures the broad strokes of your merchandising career. In your opening sentence, mention your title, years of experience, and three skills relevant to the position. This immediately shows the hiring manager that you have key qualifications that the company is looking for.
Round out the remainder of your paragraph with two to three sentences that convey the value you can bring to potential employers. For example, you might emphasize your strong history of creating dynamic product displays to improve retail sales by over 20%.
A results-driven apparel merchandiser with seven years of experience defining high-impact merchandising and pricing strategies for new product launches. A proven track record of refining marketing tactics based on consumer trends. Adept at identifying opportunities to reduce procurement costs and improve profit margins.
A dynamic visual merchandiser with 10 years of experience within the retail industry, specializing in brand messaging, visual storytelling, and data-driven decision-making. A strong history of defining and implementing creative merchandising strategies to drive foot traffic and increase retail sales.
To build an eye-catching professional experience section, showcase your achievements instead of detailing daily job responsibilities. Show potential employers how you’ve used your visual merchandising expertise to create engaging product stories. Demonstrate your ability to make tactical marketing decisions based on consumer trends and data. Establish appropriate context for your achievements, but keep your bullet points at a reasonable length, as it’s essential to leave the reader with a manageable amount of information.
Senior Apparel Merchandiser, Talbots, San Diego, CA | March 2019 – present
Lead Visual Merchandiser, Aeropostale, Seattle, WA | July 2017 – present
Illustrate the full impact of your visual merchandising efforts using complex numbers, sales metrics, and monetary figures. Demonstrate how you’ve successfully increased retail sales and foot traffic by developing engaging product displays throughout your career. Provide insights into how you determined optimal pricing to increase profit margins.
Before writing your professional experience section, review the job posting. How does your work history align with the role you’re targeting? What aspects of your merchandising experience match the needs of this particular employer? Use these questions to help inform your content strategy and effectively tailor your resume to each application.
Even if you lack hands-on experience as a merchandiser, creating a strong resume for entry-level opportunities is still possible. If you’ve worked in any type of prior retail environment, list this experience first, even if it lacks any marketing responsibilities. If you have not gained any previous work history, highlight relevant skills, certifications, and degrees.
Organize your college education and certifications into distinct sections to show you have the requirements employers seek. An associate degree in fashion and merchandising or a bachelor’s degree in marketing is usually sufficient for pursuing merchandiser roles. You can also help further strengthen your application by obtaining a Certified Merchandising Professional (CMP) credential or a product marketing certificate from an accredited organization.
Template:
[Degree Name and Major] | [Graduation Date]
[School Name] | [City, ST]
Example:
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Marketing | May 2016
University of Washington | Seattle, WA
Template:
[Certification Name] | [Awarding Organization] | [Completion Date]
Examples:
Certified Merchandising Professional (CMP), AIMB | January 2019
Product Marketing Certificate, Cornell University | July 2017
Highlight a mix of skills, keywords, and industry terms from the job description to achieve compliance with ATS. In addition to listing your skill sets, provide examples of you actively applying your merchandising expertise in fast-paced retail environments. This will ensure that your resume passes the initial screening process and makes a positive impression on the hiring manager.
Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
---|---|
Consumer behavior | Cross-functional collaboration |
Customer engagement | Digital signage |
Fashion merchandising | Fixtures |
Graphic design | Inventory management |
Key focal points | Lighting |
Marketing | Merchandising |
Planograms | Pricing strategy |
Print signage | Product displays |
Product marketing | Product storytelling |
Retail sales | Sales forecasting |
Sightlines | Strategic planning |
For example, when designing a merchandising display, use action verbs to help the hiring manager visualize your marketing achievements and experience. Incorporate strong, proactive language to emphasize your role in defining merchandising strategies and creating effective product displays. Be sure to diversify your usage of action verbs to keep your bullet points fresh and distinct for the reader.
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Achieved | Analyzed |
Collaborated | Conducted |
Coordinated | Created |
Designed | Developed |
Drove | Enhanced |
Executed | Implemented |
Improved | Led |
Managed | Oversaw |
Performed | Spearheaded |
Supported |
Selecting an aesthetically appealing template is essential for merchandising professionals, as hiring managers want to see that you have a talent for visual storytelling. That said, finding a healthy balance is necessary to ensure your content is easy to read and navigate. Opt for a sleek, modern template with a top-down approach, allowing the hiring manager to read through each section sequentially.
Allison Rosenberg
email@example.com | (123) 456-7890 | Philadelphia, PA | LinkedIn | Portfolio
A retail merchandiser with five years of experience specializing in product marketing, visual storytelling, and brand messaging. A proven track record of designing engaging product displays and increasing in-store sales.
Merchandiser, Urban Outfitters, Philadelphia, PA | October 2021 – present
Merchandiser, Bloomingdale’s, Philadelphia, PA | June 2019 – October 2021
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S), Fashion Merchandising and Marketing | June 2019
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Product Marketing Certification, Cornell University | October 2020
Why this merchandiser resume example is strong:
Using compelling examples, this resume provides a clear and impactful overview of the candidate’s background as a retail merchandiser. The applicant’s achievements are further heightened using complex data and metrics, establishing a sense of scope for the hiring manager.
Customizing your merchandiser resume for each job application is a great way to maximize your chances of securing the interview. Pay close attention to what the company is looking for in a candidate and prominently feature those aspects of your experience during the resume-building process.
For example, if an employer seeks a marketing professional who excels in product storytelling, provide examples of you designing creative displays and visual narratives that speak to your target audience. If a brand is seeking a merchandiser with a strong background in retail operations, emphasize your expertise in inventory management, sales forecasting, and pricing strategy.
Reverse chronological is the ideal format for most merchandiser resumes. This approach places your most recent work history directly below the summary, allowing the hiring manager to see your career achievements more quickly. A combination approach should only be considered for entry-level job seekers who must supplement their lack of experience with skills, education, and industry certifications.
Cover letters won’t usually be listed as a requirement for merchandiser job applications, but still have one prepared. A strong cover letter can serve as a valuable complement to your resume, allowing you to express your familiarity with the company and genuine enthusiasm for the job.
Resume Templates offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.