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First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers

The occupation First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers covers people who directly supervise and coordinate activities of retail sales workers in an establishment or department. One core duty is to provide customer service by greeting and assisting customers and responding to customer inquiries and complaints. With a code of ECS, this is mostly a job for people drawn to leading, persuading and making business decisions. Conventional interests also help, rated 5.6 out of 7. Plan on a few months to a year of learning on the job; O*NET labels this some preparation. Strength in active listening, speaking, and service orientation helps most here. It tends to suit people who want leading, persuading and making business decisions, and it offers little for anyone seeking creative work with room for original expression.

What they do

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of retail sales workers in an establishment or department. Duties may include management functions, such as purchasing, budgeting, accounting, and personnel work, in addition to supervisory duties.

Main tasks

  • Provide customer service by greeting and assisting customers and responding to customer inquiries and complaints.
  • Direct and supervise employees engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts, or in performing services for customers.
  • Examine merchandise to ensure that it is correctly priced and displayed and that it functions as advertised.
  • Monitor sales activities to ensure that customers receive satisfactory service and quality goods.
  • Instruct staff on how to handle difficult and complicated sales.
  • Assign employees to specific duties.

Skills

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Service Orientation
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Monitoring
  • Critical Thinking

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want to start work after a short stretch of training.
  • You are comfortable relying on active listening and speaking.

May not suit you if

  • You would rather not persuade, sell or manage other people.
  • You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want a career built on years of advanced study.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ECS takes the three highest, and Enterprising comes first here.

Preparation

Some preparation. Most people start with a high school diploma, then learn from experienced coworkers over a few months to a year.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED). This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Bakery Manager
  • Delicatessen Manager
  • Department Manager
  • Department Supervisor
  • Grocery Manager

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.