How long does it take to become an assistant manager?

It usually takes at least one year working in a retail store to become an assistant store manager. While most assistant manager roles only ask for one year of experience, most companies look for people who have three years of experience with some leadership skills.

How much should an assistant manager get paid?

An assistant manager should get paid between $42,000 - $56,000 annually, or $20-27 per hour. This can vary based on location, work history, and what type of assistant manager we are talking about.

What qualifications do you need to be a store manager?

The primary qualifications to become a store manager are having diverse experience in retail environments and demonstrated leadership skills. Some companies may require a bachelor's degree in business administration or management, but most prefer hands-on experience.

What is an assistant store manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Experts

Steve Wages Ph.D.,

Kerem Cakirer Ph.D.

An assistant store manager assists the store manager in managing the day-to-day operations of a retail store. They are responsible for supervising employees, ensuring excellent customer service, managing inventory, and maintaining the store's appearance. They help create work schedules and oversee employee training. Assistant store managers work with the store manager to meet sales goals and ensure that the store operates efficiently. They may also act as a liaison between the store manager and employees.

What general advice would you give to an Assistant Store Manager?

Steve Wages Ph.D.

Director, Cloverdale Center for Youth and Family, Faulkner University

As soon as possible, establish a formal mentoring relationship with someone who is seasoned in pastoral counseling. Generally, the research demonstrates that the performance of employees with mentors is of a higher quality, they advance in their responsibilities and careers faster, and they avoid common mistakes exhibited by other employees. Establish short-term goals (6 months) for your position and a plan for overcoming obstacles; then ask your mentor to hold you accountable for implementing your plan. As part of your self-care. you also need to be proactive in developing a few close friendships, perhaps including colleagues, who can be a source of emotional support and encouragement to you personally.

You should be confident in your training while also being realistic and transparent about your limitations. There is still a lot that you do not know and much you will learn with experience. Until then, be willing to say "I don't know" when faced with problems you have not addressed before. Then commit to learning more about the issue through personal study and/or consulting with a more experienced colleague or mentor. In some cases, you may need to invite a more experienced counselor to meet with a client or where appropriate refer them to someone else.

You need to equip yourself to address structural changes to the delivery of pastoral care and counseling as a consequence of the pandemic. You will need to adapt to providing pastoral counseling virtually perhaps via Zoom sessions. Give thought as to how the virtual context impacts the counseling process and the spiritual resources you employ. For example, if you are comfortable praying with a client in your office, will you be equally inclined to pray with them online or over a phone. In light of the pandemic, Dr. Chuck Lawless noted, "Good pastoral care has required being more proactive than reactive." Ordinarily, pastoral counselors are reactive in that they respond to needs when they hear about them or when they are

ScoreAssistant Store ManagerUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $40,759

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

9.6

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.35%

Black or African American 6.17%

Hispanic or Latino 15.14%

Unknown 4.33%

White 67.54%

Gender

female 50.83%

male 49.17%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.2

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.6

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Assistant Store Manager?

Pros

Opportunity for advancement within the company
Competitive salary and benefits package
Bonuses and incentives
Access to training and professional development programs
Ability to make a positive impact on the customer experience

Cons

Long hours, including evenings and weekends
High levels of stress and pressure to meet sales goals
Responsibility for hiring, training, and managing staff
Ensuring compliance with company policies and regulations
Balancing administrative tasks with customer service responsibilities

Newest jobs for Assistant Store Manager in Ashburn, VA

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Key steps to become an assistant store manager

Explore assistant store manager education requirements

Most common assistant store manager degrees

Bachelor's

45.2 %

High School Diploma

22.5 %

Associate

21.2 %

Start to develop specific assistant store manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Store Management	8.50%
Payroll	7.79%
Loss Prevention	5.55%
Sales Floor	4.91%
Customer Inquiries	4.20%

Complete relevant assistant store manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New assistant store managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an assistant store manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real assistant store manager resumes.

Gain additional assistant store manager certifications

Assistant store manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific assistant store manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for assistant store managers include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research assistant store manager duties and responsibilities

Develop and implement operational strategies utilizing less payroll expenses and allot hour usage to accomplish logistical and operational excellence.
Execute all associate training in customer service, all operational and POS training, inventory, safety and sales floor operations.
Maintain store appearance and cleanliness by utilizing delegation with focus on time management.
Process and track payroll on a weekly basis using Kronos software.

Prepare your assistant store manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your assistant store manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an assistant store manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Assistant Store Manager Resume templates

Build a professional Assistant Store Manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Assistant Store Manager resume.

Apply for assistant store manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an assistant store manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do assistant store managers rate their job?

4/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Assistant Store Manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022

Pros

Helping my stores and employees achieve there goals

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2022

Pros

I have leadership skills I always hire employees who like to work in a team I like to see sales increase and love to see the best customer service is given

Cons

In reality, i do not complain as its who i am

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020

Pros

Ability to resolve issues, timely delivery on goals and mantainance of inter personal relationship and organizing.

Cons

Insurbordination, failure to deliver on tasks and targets.

What is an assistant store manager and how to become one

What general advice would you give to an Assistant Store Manager?

What are the pros and cons of being an Assistant Store Manager?

Newest jobs for Assistant Store Manager in Ashburn, VA

Assistant Store Manager career paths

Key steps to become an assistant store manager

Explore assistant store manager education requirements

Most common assistant store manager degrees

Start to develop specific assistant store manager skills

Complete relevant assistant store manager training and internships

Gain additional assistant store manager certifications

Research assistant store manager duties and responsibilities

Prepare your assistant store manager resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Assistant Store Manager Resume templates

Apply for assistant store manager jobs

How Did You Land Your First Assistant Store Manager Job

Average assistant store manager salary

How do assistant store managers rate their job?

Assistant Store Manager reviews

Assistant Store Manager FAQs

How long does it take to become an assistant manager?

How much should an assistant manager get paid?

What qualifications do you need to be a store manager?

Search for assistant store manager jobs

Assistant Store Manager jobs by state