Entry-level positions for aspiring Product Development and Retail Strategists
Rick from DYNACRAFT BSC INC suggests that recent college graduates interested in sales and retail should consider entry-level positions such as an analyst on the vendor side or an associate merchant for a retailer, often through "feeder programs" that lead directly into those roles; also, many will "come in as an analyst" given their technical skills, and then grow into account management positions as business acumen and relationships develop.
Entry-Level Positions, Retail, Sales, Analyst, Account Management
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
DeCarli
Director, Product Development and Retail Strategy
DYNACRAFT BSC INC
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
Industrial, Supply Chain Management
Apparel, Beauty, Retail & Fashion
Business Strategy
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level positions include analyst roles on the vendor side or associate merchant roles on the retail side, often through feeder programs.
2. Analyst positions leverage technical skills to support account managers, providing an entry point to learn the business and build relationships.
3. Advancement to management depends on the company, industry, and type of work.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate or graduate student might consider?
On the sales and retail side, a jumping-off point for many recent college grads is either on the vendor side as an analyst or on the merchant side. If you're working for a retailer, you could begin as an associate merchant.
Many retailers have feeder programs that go straight into specific roles. People can start as an associate merchant or an analyst, either working with numbers or assisting a merchant or senior merchant on a day-to-day basis. On my side, this would be an account manager servicing a retail account.
When coming into a company like MySpace, many people start as an analyst. They come out of school with technical know-how and can deploy those skills to assist their account manager. As they learn the business, build relationships, and gain context, they often move into an account management position.
From there, making the jump into management is entirely dependent on the company, industry, and the type of work you are doing.