Retail Management Your complete guide to starting your career

Retail Management Your complete guide to starting your career If you’re thinking about a career in retail management, either because you’ve put in your time in the entry-level retail trenches and want to move up in the field or you’re considering a career change, you probably have a general idea of what to expect. After all, retail is not for the faint of heart. However, there’s a difference between working in retail and making it your career, so if you’re considering taking that step to level up, we have the info you’ll need to help make that decision. How will you know if it’s a good fit?If you’ve gotten this far, it’s likely you’ve already found retail to be a good fit for you, on paper. But what are the qualities you’ll need to have as a retail manager?Good personality counts for a lot here. Some common traits found in successful retail managers include:Strong customer focus. The customers may or may not always be right, but they will always be your priority. Manag ers who care about providing excellent customer service, even under stressful circumstances, do well.Leadership skills. The manager will be in charge of other employees as well as store operations, so it’s important to be someone who can step up and lead rather than melting into the crowd.The ability to make peace. Whether it’s dealing with employee drama or customer issues, at some point the manager will have to be the one who fights off irritation or frustration and placates different kinds of personalities to make sure things are resolved well.If you struggle in any of these areas, it doesn’t mean you can’t be a good retail manager, but it might mean putting in extra work to create a successful professional persona. Being part of retail management means being able to navigate the challenges of keeping everything running smoothly while also accommodating corporate/business goals and customer needs.What is the day-to-day like?Retail managers are typicall y responsible for the daily operations of a brick-and-mortar store- whether it’s a big box giant like Walmart or your Mom and Pop hardware store down the street. Basically, every store needs someone to ensure that sales goals are being met, staff are being managed, the store is operating well, and that customer needs are being met. A retail manager’s tasks may include:Opening and closing the storeHiring and managing staff membersManaging the daily employee scheduleAnalyzing sales and setting sales goals for the storeCreating and maintaining store budgetsAnalyzing and coordinating inventoryCreating store displaysWorking with and reporting to senior management in the company (for example, a head office or a store owner)Communicating financial informationWorking with vendors and suppliersEnsuring that the store is clean, organized, and well-maintainedMonitoring expenses and store losses (security)Handling escalated customer service issuesRetail managers are responsible fo r making sure everything gets done in a store, and that it’s done well. Retail managers can also expect to work long weeks (potentially more than 40 hours), on varied schedules. After all, stores are open all week long, and increasingly on holidays. This is not your standard 9-to-5 in a cubicle gig.What types of retail management jobs are out there?Some of the most common retail management job opportunities include:Store ManagerRetail Operations ManagerTeam LeaderStore General ManagerAlthough most retail management positions are still in what we would think of as â€Å"normal† stores, the retail landscape is definitely changing. So in addition to the traditional store manager roles (showing up at a specific store and making sure that physical operations are going according to plan), there will be increasing opportunities to manage digital retail as well. Managers who are well-versed in supply chain logistics or online sales have versatile skill sets that could help the m advance in our increasingly digital economy.What education will you need?One of the best things about getting started retail is that you don’t need to get an extensive education before you jump in. The retail path often starts with a high school degree and on-the-job training, and then growing experience as you take on more responsibility. Hands-on experience is often more valuable in this field than a specific education credential. To become a retail manager, however, an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or course in sales, business, or management can help you get to the management level faster.If you don’t have a degree, don’t worry- there’s still a path to retail management. You can take your existing experience and use that to create longer-term goals. You can also stay and grow within a certain company, using the promotion ladder to get where you want to be. At every level of your retail career, make sure you’re learning e verything you possibly can about how your store (and retail in general) works, because this is an education you can’t get elsewhere- and you never know when that information can help boost you to the next level.What skills will you need?As mentioned before, retail managers have to be able to juggle many different obligations and tasks. These core skills will serve you very well in a retail management career.Communication skillsManagers have to be able to communicate clearly and effectively with all sorts of different people: employees, upper management, suppliers or vendors, and employees. That means being able to adapt a message to the right audience and strike the right tone as necessary. Listening skills are also essential, so that potential problems can be understood and addressed as quickly and efficiently as possible.Problem solvingEvery retail manager is going to deal with problems- problems with employees, problems with customers, problems in getting the right merchan dise, problems with security, you name it. If your solution to a direct challenge is to pull inward, turtle-style, and hope it goes away, this job might not be for you. Instead, retail managers should be able to see a problem clearly, and be able to come up with a workable solution- even if it’s not a perfect one.Results focusIt’s not enough to keep a store going- managers will also be responsible for performing well according to different metrics, whether it’s a store’s financial performance, sales goals, employee goals, customer feedback, etc. It’s crucial to understand what these criteria are that you’ll need to meet and focus your attention on hitting them.ProfessionalismAs mentioned before, the retail manager will often need to step in and be the grownup in cases of conflict or customer complaints. A professional demeanor at all times is very necessary.Math skillsRetail managers are often responsible for extensive reporting and analysis when it comes to a store’s finances and budgets, so being able to do the math efficiently and accurately is important.Negotiation skillsWhether it’s trying to create an employee schedule without causing a revolt or trying to get a better deal from vendors, knowing how to negotiate your way out of any situation is a powerful tool for a retail manager to have.Engaging people skillsRetail managers are not solo acts, so they have to be able to inspire their teams to do work together for the common good of the store. Fear and anger are not the best motivational tools around, so it’s essential to have the skills to be able to get people to want to do their best work- and to motivate them when they don’t necessarily want to do it.What is the potential career path? â€Å"Retail management† can seem like an end goal in and of itself, so if you haven’t thought much yet about the nuances of what you can do once you get to that point, you’re not alone. Once you get a certain level of management experience, those skills are very transferable all over the retail landscape. You may decide to specialize in a particular area, like one of the following:MerchandisingMarketingPersonnel managementCustomer serviceTrainingOperationsWarehousingOnce you have skills and experience, you may find that different management opportunities may open up even within the same company.What kind of salary can you expect?According to salary.com, retail managers can make a pretty wide range of salaries, with a median between $48,091 and $65,734. Specific salary depends on factors like experience and location.What is the outlook for retail management?Retail itself may be changing with the times, but the need for retail isn’t. Companies will always be selling goods, products, and services, and will always need qualified leaders to help them do that in the most efficient and profitable ways possible. Retail management is a career with solid opera tional foundations, and will continue to be an in-demand career path for those with the experience, leadership skills, and the commitment to customer service.If you’re looking for help with your resume,  you can also download free templates from our Resume Library to get started.

The Life and Death of a Star

The Life and Death of a Star Stars last a long time, but eventually they will die. The energy that makes up stars, some of the largest objects we ever study, comes from the interaction of individual atoms. So, to understand the largest and most powerful objects in the universe, we must understand the most basic. Then, as the stars life ends, those basic principles once again come into play to describe what will happen to the star next. Astronomers study various aspects of stars to determine how old they are as well as their other characteristics. That helps them also understand the life and death processes they experience. The Birth of a Star The stars took a long time to form, as gas drifting in the universe was drawn together by the force of gravity. This gas is mostly hydrogen, because its the most basic and abundant element in the universe, although some of the gas might consist of some other elements. Enough of this gas begins gathering together under gravity and each atom is pulling on all of the other atoms. This gravitational pull is enough to force the atoms to collide with each other, which in turn generates heat. In fact, as the atoms are colliding with each other, theyre vibrating and moving more quickly (that is, after all, what heat energy really is: atomic motion). Eventually, they get so hot, and the individual atoms have so much kinetic energy, that when they collide with another atom (which also has a lot of kinetic energy) they dont just bounce off each other. With enough energy, the two atoms collide and the nucleus of these atoms fuse together. Remember, this is mostly hydrogen, which means that each atom contains a nucleus with only one proton. When these nuclei fuse together (a process known, appropriately enough, as nuclear fusion) the resulting nucleus has two protons, which means that the new atom created is helium. Stars may also fuse heavier atoms, such as helium, together to make even larger atomic nuclei. (This process, called nucleosynthesis, is believed to be how many of the elements in our universe were formed.) The Burning of a Star So the atoms (often the element hydrogen) inside the star collide together, going through a process of nuclear fusion, which generates heat, electromagnetic radiation (including visible light), and energy in other forms, such as high-energy particles. This period of atomic burning is what most of us think of as the life of a star, and its in this phase that we see most stars up in the heavens. This heat generates a pressure - much like heating air inside a balloon creates pressure on the surface of the balloon (rough analogy) - which pushes the atoms apart. But remember that gravitys trying to pull them together. Eventually, the star reaches an equilibrium where the attraction of gravity and the repulsive pressure are balanced out, and during this period the star burns in a relatively stable way. Until it runs out of fuel, that is. The Cooling of a Star As the hydrogen fuel in a star gets converted to helium, and to some heavier elements, it takes more and more heat to cause the nuclear fusion. The mass of a star plays a role in how long it takes to burn through the fuel. More massive stars use their fuel faster because it takes more energy to counteract the larger gravitational force. (Or, put another way, the larger gravitational force causes the atoms to collide together more rapidly.) While our sun will probably last for about 5 thousand million years, more massive stars may last as little as 1 hundred million years before using up their fuel. As the stars fuel begins to run out, the star begins to generate less heat. Without the heat to counteract the gravitational pull, the star begins to contract. All is not lost, however! Remember that these atoms are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons, which are fermions. One of the rules governing fermions is called the Pauli Exclusion Principle, which states that no two fermions can occupy the same state, which is a fancy way of saying that there cant be more than one identical one in the same place doing the same thing. (Bosons, on the other hand, dont run into this problem, which is part of the reason photon-based lasers work.) The result of this is that the Pauli Exclusion Principle creates yet another slight repulsive force between electrons, which can help counteract the collapse of a star, turning it into a white dwarf. This was discovered by the Indian physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar in 1928. Another type of star, the neutron star, come into being when a star collapses and the neutron-to-neutron repulsion counteracts the gravitational collapse. However, not all stars become white dwarf stars or even neutron stars. Chandrasekhar realized that some stars would have very different fates. The Death of a Star Chandrasekhar determined any star more massive than about 1.4 times our sun (a mass called the Chandrasekhar limit) wouldnt be able to support itself against its own gravity and would collapse into a white dwarf. Stars ranging up to about 3 times our sun would become neutron stars. Beyond that, though, theres just too much mass for the star to counteract the gravitational pull through the exclusion principle. Its possible that when the star is dying it might go through a supernova, expelling enough mass out into the universe that it drops below these limits and becomes one of these types of stars ... but if not, then what happens? Well, in that case, the mass continues to collapse under gravitational forces until a black hole is formed. And that  is what you call the death of a star.

Ethical Organizational Climate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethical Organizational Climate - Essay Example In 2009, less than a month after being sworn in, he signed three presidential memoranda and two executive orders concerned with ethics and transparency (Hughes and Ginnett, 2012). A leader’s public and private morality can be distinguished because people exhibit different behaviors privately and publicly.A leader cannot act privately the same way he acts in the public because the expectations in both cases are different and trying to streamline them can create strains privately or publicly. The best approach is to find a balance between the two (Bowie, 2013). A bad person cannot be a good leader because effective leadership requires respect for the people one leads. How can one be a good leader if he does not respect the very people he is supposed to lead, and who probably placed him in that position of leadership? It is impossible. If leaders do not demonstrate ethical conduct then their followers will do the same (Bowie, 2013). Next, their followers’ followers will fo llow the cue and within no time a whole society will be corrupt and unethical. Leader behavior is more important in improving ethical values in an organization than a code of ethics or employee training. This is because good leadership embodies the other two aspects. A good leader creates a conducive environment to facilitate the employee training and the creation of codes of ethics. Codes of ethics and employee training cannot create better leaders than natural leadership (Bowie, 2013).

The human sexuality for women in Middle East Essay

The human sexuality for women in Middle East - Essay Example This partly explains the strong dominance of men over women in Islamic societies as a form of social hierarchical structure that needs to be maintained at all costs. Presently, there is considerable debate among both academics and religious scholars whether Islam has managed to keep pace with changes in modern life just the way Western civilization changed during the Renaissance period. Women in the Middle East lead lives controlled by men such as when they are can go outside of the house, whom to talk to, what to wear, what parts of the body should be covered and what topics they can discuss openly. There is considerable suppression of women’s rights in which women are viewed as chattels and not in control of their sexuality. They are not considered worthy to be in positions of political, economic or social power. There is great importance attached to female chastity and any doubts on it resolved through honor killing or the suspected women forced or pressured to commit honor suicides. When human sexuality is discussed within the context of the Middle East, it should always be viewed within the confines of religion, primarily either Islam or Hinduism. The two religions condition and define the sexual beliefs and practices of their faithful in this region. It is useful to bear in mind that certain basic cultural attitudes in the Middle East are primarily influenced by Islam which is the dominant religion in this part of the world. As such, it helps to explain a lot of things observed in the Middle East today such as a fatalistic view of life, a candid and realistic feeling about sex in general, the view that sexuality, pleasure, abstinence self-restraint and continence are matters of degree and personal taste. Additionally, women are viewed as inferior human beings that partly explain the debauchery, intolerance and cruelty observed in some Middle Eastern societies as

Girlfight - Overcoming Gender Stereotypes Essay -- Film Movies

Girlfight - Overcoming Gender Stereotypes It goes without saying that a person's gender, racial and social origins influence their participation in sports. Particular races and genders often dominate certain sports. African Americans, for example, tend to dominate football and basketball, while Caucasians tend to dominate ice hockey. The same holds true for gender as well. Football is an entirely male dominated sport, while horseback riding, gymnastics and figure skating are much more female oriented. How and why did these divisions come about? Determining the origin of gender goes beyond the scope of this paper, however one can speculate about how gender classifications and stereotypes affect one's role in the sports arena. The movie "Girl Fight" did an excellent job of depicting how one person dealt with and overcame gender stereotypes. The movie depicts the struggle of a high school girl, Diana Guzman, to overcome gender buriers and become a boxer. Her mother having died when she was young, she lives with her father and younger brother, Tiny. The father forces the son to take boxing lessons because he feels that it is important that Tiny know how to defend himself. However Diana cannot even tell her father that she wants money to take boxing lessons. Her father constantly hassles her about behaving more like a "girl" i.e., wearing skirts and giving more consideration to her appearance. He does not think it at all important that Diana should know how to defend herself as well, even though she obviously lives in the same dangerous neighborhood as her brother. In fact, her father has extremely traditional stereotypes of "male" and "female." He believes that the male should be the defender—strong, powerful, and dominant... ... among the first people to break out of these roles Diana leaves herself open to ridicule. This can be seen in the strained relationships she has with her best friend and others in her high school. Moreover, because Diana defies the gender stereotypes she has a hard time being accepted by both boys and girls—society does not know how to treat her since she does not fit into any of its categories. Diana is an excellent illustration of the many struggles of women to find a place for themselves in sports. On an individual level, defying societal stereotypes is extremely difficult. The buriers that the first person must overcome are often extreme. However once the first person breaks down those buriers, it becomes increasingly easier for others to follow in their footsteps. Diana's struggle demonstrates both how far women have come and how far women still have to go.

Same-Sex Parenting Explorartory

English 2000 18 March 2013 Is Same-Sex Parenting just as Effective as Conventional Parenting? Marriage equality is currently one of the latest civil rights issues; along with marriage equality, same-sex parenting is a controversial topic that has yet to die down. There are usually two views taken on the topic of gay parenting: it’s wrong and should be illegal or it’s normal and should be legal. Gay parenting and marriage has become publicly accepted by some and prohibited by others and the average family has developed into many different forms in the last few years.The majority of society believes that child being raised by a single parent is equivalent to same-sex parents. Studies show that children with two moms or two dads grow up just as well as children with heterosexual parents. Opponents of same-sex parenting believe that just as marriage should remain traditional, parenting should also be specifically between a man and a woman, while proponents believe that DNA does not make a parent. The main issue that needs to be resolved today is if same-sex parenting is just as effective as conventional parenting throughout families.Both sides of the debate have their reasons for their beliefs that need to be explored. An argument of opponents is that same-sex relationships are infamously short-lived and will create an unstable family. By allowing same-sex couples to become parents we are ignoring what is best for children; growing up with a mother and a father. There have been many different studies conducted to get the true background of children being raised by gay parents. Mark Regnerus, Associate Professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin, conducted a study on young adults raised within different family arrangements.While sexual orientation or parent sexual behavior has nothing to do with the ability to be an effective parent, his data suggests that it may affect a child’s life experiences. His study reveals that â€Å"ch ildren appear most apt to succeed well as adults—on multiple counts and across a variety of domains—when they spend their entire childhood with their married mother and father, and especially when the parents remain married to the present day† (Regnerus). There are a great number of people who believe that much of the research on same-sex parenting is flawed. This stakeholder usually has a neutral stance on the issue. Judges and lawmakers have relied on a growing body of research on same-sex parenting to make decisions in cases and legislation regarding custody battles and adoption† (Homosexual Parenting). In today’s society, one must need scientific data and research on an issue to decide how it should properly be resolved. Many researchers are aware of this concept and the data usually leads to coincide with the researchers beliefs. Rabbi Daniel Lapin, the President of the conservative public advocacy group Toward Tradition, states that â€Å"flaw ed science is not new, right now it’s swirling around the controversial area of sexuality† (qtd.In Homosexual Parenting). Those who support that gay parenting studies are flawed believe that same-sex parenting is an issue that is based on beliefs, not scientific research. The majority of opposing views are influenced by religious motives. According to the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God, marriage exists for three purposes: companionship, sexual intimacy, and procreation (Fischer). Marriage is viewed as a religious ritual and is established for the purpose of procreation and since same-sex couples cannot conceive children, they should neither get married nor become parents.Those who disagree with same-sex parenting/same-sex marriage tend to be against homosexuality. There is fear in conservative society that being raised by homosexual parents not gives children the fair chance to live a heterosexual life. Bryan Fischer, a conservative radio host and the Director o f issues Analysis for the American Family Association, same-sex parenting and adoption are a form of child abuse. In his article, he includes many scientific researches, including sociologist Mark Regenerus, which confirms same-sex relationships are unstable for children.He believes that while single parent families are an â€Å"unfortunate social tragedy† adopting children into same-sex environments is inexcusably and deliberately creating households with a missing mother or father (Fischer). Professionals trust that fathers contribute necessary ingredients to parenting that mothers cannot provide, and mothers contribute something to the nurture of children that fathers cannot provide (Fischer). The main reason people support same-sex parenting is because they support same-sex marriage.Supporters believe that homosexuals desire an equal chance versus heterosexuals at civil rights. The documentary Fatherhood Dreams follows four gay men who are fathers and shows the incentive that drives gay men to become dads. Julia Ivanoa, the Russian director, depicts the untraditional families as better alternatives than divorce and neglect towards children’s growing experience. Same-sex couples create more opportunities for other families who cannot support their children to find a better home with devoted parents.Convetional parenting, the â€Å"mom and dad† traditional way of parenting, is at an all-time low. Divorce and non-marital birth rates increase drastically every year. The quality of a marriage is proven to be a key factor in a child’s well-being. While research clearly indicates that children benefit from growing up with both biological parents in a low-conflict marriage, there has been very little rigorous research on how to promote and sustain healthy marriages. (Moore, Jekielek, and Emig). There are many sides to the same-sex parenting controversy, and all arguments give reasons to justify their beliefs.Opponents of gay parenting s upport traditional family arrangements between a man and a woman. Not only do they believe the importance of religion is in dang they also fear that allowing children to be raised by same-sex couples will jeopardize their chances of having a stable life in the future. Those who support gay parenting believe that homosexuals desire the right to marry and raise children freely. Everyone has their own different views regarding this issue and is subject to change; however, homosexuals are not going to stop being parents.This raises the question; are we going to continue to fight same-sex parenting? Works Citied â€Å"Homosexual Parenting Studies Are Flawed, Report Says | Fox News. † Fox News. FOX News Network, 18 July 2001. Web. 28 Feb. 2013. Fatherhood Dreams. Dir. Julia Ivanoa. Interfilm Productions, 2007. Film. Fischer, Bryan. â€Å"Bryan Fischer: Same-sex Parenting Is Bad for Kids, Period. † Bryan Fischer: Same-sex Parenting Is Bad for Kids, Period. American Family Ass ociation, 14 June 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2013. Moore, Kristin, Anderson, Susan M. Jekielek, and Carol Emig. Marriage from a Child's Perspective: How Does Family Structure Affect Children, and What Can We Do about It? † Child Trends. Child Trends, June 2008. Web. 28 Feb. 2013. Prager, Dennis. â€Å"Same-sex Marriage: Good for Gays, Bad for Children. † WorldNet Daily. WND Commentary, 4 May 2004. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. Regnerus, Mark. â€Å"How Different Are The Adult Children Of Parents Who Have Same-Sex Relationships? Findings From The New Family Structures Study. † Social Science Research 41. (n. d. ): 752-770. ScienceDirect. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.

The Dispute Between Mexico Ad United States Regarding...

Summary The case talks about dispute between Mexico ad United States regarding international trucking implemented by NAFTA. In year 1994, trade agreement was passed by NAFTA allowing trucks from Mexico to cross borders and deliver goods to their ultimate destination in USA to increase efficiency. Previously the trucks were not allowed to pass US border, the goods were unloaded and then loaded to American trucks, the process took lot of time and money. Two-thirds of the trade within NAFTA uses roadways, many people were in favor of the agreement as there will be more competition from Mexican trucking firms, which will lower transportation cost. The trade agreement was however opposed by Teamsters (labor union in America and Canada which†¦show more content†¦This time Mexico government did not spare United States and under the NAFTA agreement, imposed tariffs on some $2.4 billion of goods shipped from USA to Mexico. After witnessing several consequences, US promised to come up with new program that will address the problems, however nothing was in action till 2010. Problems- USA faced many problems under NAFTA agreement. These were due to Teamsters, Congress and lastly the effects US had to face because of increased tariff rates by Mexico. Each problem is summarized in detail- †¢ Teamsters - According to Teamsters Mexican trucks were old, dirty and were more dangerous than American drivers. The drivers had poor safety records and did not follow the safety and environmental standards. In America there are limited hours for driver which is ignored in Mexico. Because of the pressure from Teamsters, US had to pull its hand from NAFTA agreement. †¢ Congress – Congress was involved in thwarting the NAFTA agreement that was administered under President Bush. It was even involved in killing pilot program along with Teamsters in year 2007. †¢ Tariffs- After abandonment of NAFTA in 2009, Mexico imposed tariffs on some $2.4 billion of goods shipped from USA to Mexico. This act - Hit California, which was an important exporter - Tariffs on grapes rose to 45% - Tariffs on wine, almond, pears and juices were 20% - The raising of tariff costs about 26000 US jobs. Applications of key themes in the