Summary. We reviewed real candidate profiles to learn the best path to become a merchandising associate. We'll guide you through the education, experiences, and skills hiring managers look for in a merchandising associate.

  • Common job titles before becoming a merchandising associate include sales associate, cashier, and customer service representative.

  • Hiring managers expect a merchandising associate to have soft skills such as selling skills, interpersonal skills, and math skills.

  • Once you have all the required skills and experience, it takes an average of less than 1 month of job training to become a merchandising associate.

  • To become a merchandising associate, you typically do not need formal education.

How to become a Merchandising Associate in 5 steps:

  • Step 1: Explore merchandising associate education
  • Step 2: Develop merchandising associate skills
  • Step 3: Complete relevent training/internship
  • Step 4: Research merchandising associate duties
  • Step 5: Prepare your resume

Key Steps To Become a Merchandising Associate

  1. Explore Merchandising Associate Education

    If you're interested in becoming a merchandising associate, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 41.0% of merchandising associates have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 2.7% of merchandising associates have master's degrees. Even though some merchandising associates have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

    Merchandising Associate Degrees

    Bachelors

    41.0 %

    High School Diploma

    26.4 %

    Associate

    19.8 %

  2. Develop Merchandising Associate Skills

    It'll be a good idea to develop merchandising associate skills before applying for a job. Here are some skills commonly requested in merchandising associate job descriptions:

    SkillsPercentages
    Cleanliness25.73%
    Sales Floor24.79%
    Customer Service20.97%
    Loss Prevention15.35%
    Store Management3.22%

  3. Complete Relevent Training/Internship

    Merchandising associates spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. During this time, new merchandising associates learn the skills and techniques required for their specific job and employer. The chart below shows how much time it takes to gain competency as a merchandising associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real merchandising associate resumes.

    Average Amount Of Time At Training

    None

    Less than 1 month

    1-3 months

    3-6 months

    6-12 months

    1-2 years

  4. Research Merchandising Associate Duties

    When you decide to become a merchandising associate, It's important to know what duties and responsibilities are required for this position. Some common responsibilities are a part of most merchandising associate jobs. Here is a list of the main duties that define the role:

    • Manage e-commerce websites to maintain accurate information and maximize sales.
    • Maximize sales by displaying merchandise and maintain store cleanliness while executing superior customer service.
    • Assist customer with picking groceries in the absence of other staff.
    • Create monthly PowerPoint presentations for the team to use in high-level meetings.
    • Conduct market research in the sale of pet products, identifying consumer trends.
    • Complete reports for products end of life and prepare merchandise for shipments back to depot.

  5. Prepare Your Resume

    Finally, when you already have checked the skills and responsibilities for this role, you can start creating your resume. Everything that goes into creating a perfect resume can take hours, days, or even weeks. No worries, we created a resume builder to make this process as easy as possible with tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and a summary.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Merchandising Associate Resume templates

    Build a professional Merchandising Associate 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 Merchandising Associate resume.

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  6. Apply For a Merchandising Associate Job

    With your ready resume, it's time to start searching for a new job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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

    Merchandising Associate Jobs

  7. How To Become a Merchandising Associate
    How To Become a Merchandising Associate Career Overview