How to Land a Retail Internship with Tips
Whether you are a student or a graduate, you can leverage the power of a retail internship program to jumpstart your career and gain relevant experience.
Also, get the skills and knowledge required for career success through these internship programs.
This article will save you from unnecessary worries about how to land a retail internship easily.
Let’s get rolling.
What are Retail Internship Programs?
Retail internships are career development programs open to students and recent graduates seeking to gain experience relevant to the retail industry. These programs offer you an opportunity to work temporarily for a company or retail outlet with little or no experience.
DiscoverĀ how to write an intern job cover letter with no experience.
Roles of Retail Interns
The duties of a retail intern vary depending on the specific company. However, most retail interns assist in the store’s day-to-day operations.
See below for their major responsibilities.
- Working with local vendors
- Providing support service to customers
- Helping to stock the store’s shelves
- Tidying the store’s sales floor
- Designing new contests
- Collaborate on special projects
- Assisting with event planning
- Helping to change the store’s layout
Reasons to Participate in a Retail Internship Program
The following are some benefits of working as a retail intern.
- You’ll have the chance to acquire up to one year of experience and grow your knowledge about the retail industry.
- Working as a retail intern will enable you to develop valuable relationships as you meet diverse people.
- Retail internships are also financially rewarding. You can expect a salary at the end of each week or month.
- Participating in this internship program will help you improve your skillset free of charge.
- You will also get mentoring in the workplace, of which a well-versed employee will give you career-related counseling and guidance.
Before you can reap the above benefits, you must satisfy specific requirements, depending on the company providing the retail internship.
Eligibility Criteria for Retail Internship Programs
Here are the typical requirements for retail intern jobs.
- Be presently studying to earn an academic degree or be a recent graduate of a recognized institution of higher learning.
- Must be customer-centric and aware of how to create top-notch experiences for customers
- Should be ambitious and able to meet performance standards and even exceed them
- Must be able to work in a team and have a high level of integrity
- Must possess superb communication, organizational, interpersonal, and multitasking skills
- Must be passionate about continuous learning
- Ability to make decisions on your own
- Willingness to work at least 20 hours per week, and maybe after working hours, weekends, and holidays, depending on the business needs
- Proficiency in working with computers, including exceptional keyboard skills
If you have met the abovementioned criteria, you can participate in the retail internships noted in the section below.
Top Five (5) Retail Internship Programs in the US
You may apply for the following retail internships to advance your career in the United States.
#1. Talbots Summer Retail Internship
If you are customer-centric, ambitious, and fluent in communicating in English, you may qualify toĀ work as a retail intern at Talbots, Inc.
#2. Delaware North Retail Internship
Another recommendable retail internship program in the United States is Delaware North Summer Internship. The company offers a range of full-time retail intern roles for students passionate about retail, service, and merchandising.
#3. Kwik Trip Retail Internship Program
You can also gain retail intern experience working for Kwik Trip, Inc., a chain of convenience stores with many locations within the United States.
To qualify for Kwik Trip Retail Internship, you must be a student proficient with Microsoft Office programs.
#4. Florida Blue Retail Internship
This retail internship program is open only to students with enrollment as a junior or a senior in a higher education institution. Besides, Florida Blue hires students of various nationalities to take on retail intern roles.
#5. Five Below Summer Internship
If you currently have a GPA of at least 3.0, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in a related field, you canĀ apply for a retail intern job at Five Below. This full-time internship program is remunerative, offering a stipend of $15 per hour.
Retail Internship Interview Questions
WhileĀ preparing for your internship interview, we recommend practicing your response to the questions below andĀ asking questions during your intern job interview.
- Why do you want to intern here?
- Have you ever handled an angry customer, and how?
- What do you understand about good customer service?
- Talk about a time you had to give and receive feedback.
- What do you see yourself achieving in the next few years?
- Describe a time you had to go against policies to get things done.
- Discuss a time when you had to collaborate in a team.
- Talk about a time when you were over-committed to an organization and the outcome.
- How good are you at customer service?
- What would be your reaction to a colleague being unethical with their work?
- Are you available to work any day and time?
- Do you know how to send an email?
- Who are our competitors?
- How are you a good fit for this intern role?
- Do you have experience working in a retail store?
- Even though most of these questions seem simple, practice makes perfect.
LearnĀ an ideal way to itemize your new intern experience on your resume.
Frequently Asked Questions about Retail Internship Programs
How much do retail interns make in the US?
According toĀ Zippia, a renowned job search site, the average salary of retail management interns in the United States is approximately $3,200 monthly. However, some retail internship programs do not offer financial rewards.
How long do retail internships last?
The duration of retail internship programs is typically 12 to 16 months, depending on the company providing the internship.
Are retail internships open to graduates?
Yes, most retail internships are open to graduates, regardless of their alma mater. Nevertheless, you may be required to have earned a university degree within the last two years.
Where do retail interns work?
Retail interns mostly work in supermarkets and other types of retail outlets. No level of work experience is required to become a retail intern in any setting.
What do retail interns do?
Typical responsibilities of retail interns include helping with stocking, inventory, and modifying the store layout.
Conclusion
You should consider participating in a retail internship program, especially if you aspire to earn a living in the retail or sales industry. It should be your next move for career advancement. Since it’s free of charge and every piece of information in this blog post will guide you throughout the process, what else is keeping you waiting?
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