Merchandiser CV Example, Job Description & Skills

The role of merchandiser requires strong creative and practical skills – when you write your merchandiser CV you should try to show that you can create appealing merchandise spaces while also being pragmatic. As such, design skills, organisational skills, and soft skills commonly associated with customer service (for example conflict resolution) will all be beneficial. Try to focus on what you can do for the specific company that you are applying to in order to really impress a hiring manager.

Your merchandiser CV structure will partially depend on what CV format you use. The chronological format is the most common, and it showcases work history. You may also be interested in the functional format, which instead emphasises skills, or a combination CV, which features a mix of work history and skills. Regardless of the format you choose, these are the sections you need to include in your CV.

 

At the top of your CV is your CV header with your full name and contact information, including your phone number, email address and your social media links, like your LinkedIn profile.

 

The first actual section of the CV is your CV professional summary or career objective. This is a short 2-3 sentence paragraph at the very top of your CV that highlights your most important skills and achievements. In an objective, which is most common for people without a lot of experience, your goals are stated in this section. You can check out merchandiser CV examples to see how this might be structured.

 

Your ability to sell merchandise often rests on the skills you have. Here are some bullet points with merchandising activities and CV skills examples that you might want to include on your merchandiser CV:

• Pricing and understanding discounts
• Forecasting customer practises
• Communication skills
• Inventory management
• Microsoft Office suite
• Displaying new products
• Creating planograms
• Time management
• Skills in virtual merchandising
• Following directives
• Problem-solving skills
• Replenishment of new merchandise
• Maintaining stock levels and store shelves
• Surveying the sales floor
• Creating visual displays and window displays
• Maintaining customer satisfaction
• Interpersonal skills
• Customer service skills
• General merchandising activities

Both hard and soft skills are important as a merchandiser. You’ll notice that many of these skills are hard skills related specifically to the job title at hand. Soft skills are also important so you can relate to customers and team members, but hard skills let you do your job successfully.

 

This is where you put any previous work history you have. You don’t have to just list experience as a merchandiser. You can include any previous work with related tasks or skills, such as handling store merchandise or setting up store displays. This may include just being a sales associate, especially if you don’t have a lot of experience in merchandising specifically.

 

Merchandisers typically require just a high school diploma, especially for entry-level positions. However, it may benefit you to get your bachelor’s degree in a field related to merchandising. Check the job description to see what kind of education the company is hoping to see from you.

Here are a few more points to keep in mind when writing your merchandiser CV:

 

Do:

• Display product knowledge specific to the merchandiser position you’re applying for. Grocery information won’t be very helpful at a specialty lotions shop, for example.
• Have examples of product displays available. This can be part of a portfolio for merchandisers.
• Use the CVHelp CV builder to create your CV. With a variety of CV templates and styles available, this is the most effective way to create a great-looking CV.

Don’t:

• Include more than 10 years of work experience. Even if you’ve been a merchandiser for a very long time, 10 years is the most you should typically put on your CV, unless you’re applying for a position that demands extensive experience.
• Discuss your store management experience in vague terms. Instead, you should be specific about what you’ve done for companies in the past.
• List dozens of skills on your CV. Pare down your skill list to no more than about a dozen of your absolute best skills.