We’re back with another behind-the-scenes look at Style Nine to Five’s Office Hours, where small groups meet with Founder, Christie Lohr, to get answers to their questions about fashion industry careers. Moving up the fashion ladder is a common topic for job-seekers who work in retail. Is it possible to go from the sales floor to a brand’s head office? Let’s dig in as Christie shares her fashion career expertise.
Working in retail can be one of the best ways to build a fashion career, but if your long-term goal is to work in corporate fashion, management, merchandising, marketing, buying, operations, or another head-office role, you’ll need to make a deliberate move. Moving from the retail floor to head office is entirely doable—the key is learning how to turn your retail experience into evidence that you’re ready for your next step.
Many fashion job seekers underestimate just how many transferable skills they gain from working on the retail floor. Customer service, sales, visual merchandising, inventory management, team leadership, product knowledge, and an understanding of what motivates customers are all valuable in corporate fashion roles. Here’s a closer look at how to leverage those skills to move into the corporate side of fashion.
Identify a Specific Role or Department
“Move into corporate” is a goal, but it isn’t specific enough to build a career plan around. Start by researching the head-office departments and positions that interest you. Depending on your experience and interests, you might consider these departments:
• Merchandising
• Buying
• Planning and allocation
• Marketing
• E-commerce
• Customer experience
• Product development
• Retail operations
• Sales
• Brand partnerships
• Supply chain and logistics
“Figure out what role you really want to do. What is that, and what company is that for?” Christie advises. Look at actual job postings for these roles and identify the skills employers repeatedly request. For example, if you’re interested in merchandising, you might notice requirements for Excel, sales analysis, inventory management, forecasting, trend research, and reporting. That gives you a roadmap.
Once you’ve narrowed your options down to a role that really appeals to you, you can start taking steps to get there. Instead of saying, “I want to leave retail,” you can start thinking, “I want to move from store operations into merchandising, and these are the skills I need to demonstrate.” Instead of saying, “I want to leave retail,” you can start thinking, “I want to move from store operations into merchandising, and these are the skills I need to demonstrate.”
Get Involved With the Department You’re Targeting
Once you’ve identified a department, look for opportunities to get closer to that work—even if it’s not technically part of your job description. For example, if you’re interested in visual merchandising, volunteer to help with store resets, seasonal displays, or new product launches.
“Find ways to involve yourself in that department. Can you help out with the department or get involved with one of their current projects? Really throw yourself into the skills to show your manager that you can do the role,” Christie advises.
For example, if you’re interested in fashion marketing, ask to contribute to promotions, social media initiatives, events, or campaign meetings. Interested in operations? Look for opportunities to get involved with inventory, scheduling, process improvements, or reporting. The goal is to build relevant experience before you have the corporate title. That experience will eventually become a powerful line on your resume.
Talk to Your Manager About Your Career Goals
Don’t assume your manager knows where you want your career to go. Have a conversation about your goals and be specific. Instead of just saying, “I’d like to move up someday,” try a more specific and strategic approach, and phrase your goal along these lines:
“I’m interested in eventually moving into a corporate merchandising role. I’d like to understand what skills I should develop and whether there are opportunities for me to get involved with merchandising-related projects.”
A good manager can recommend training, introduce you to people in other departments, and give you additional responsibilities. You can also ask questions like:
• What skills do people in that department need?
• Are there projects I could help with?
• Is there someone I could shadow?
• Are there internal opportunities I should watch for?
• What would I need to demonstrate to be considered for a promotion?
• What skills do you think I should develop next?
Treat your manager as a potential career advocate—not simply the person who creates your schedule. “Have a conversation with your manager and let them know, ‘Hey, these are my career goals. Can we make a plan in six months?” Christie shares. “I’ve helped somebody who really wanted to get promoted in her current company, but her manager had no idea. She just set up a quick meeting and then made a plan, asking, “How can I get there? What do you need from me in six months, and how can I get there?”
Create Your Own Opportunities
One of the biggest mistakes Christie sees from candidates is waiting for someone to officially give them more responsibility. Sometimes, you need to create the opportunity yourself. “No matter what role you’re in, start building for the role you want to be in. Use your current experience that you’re in now to your benefit, even if it doesn’t involve or fall under your actual typical role,” she says.
Look around your store and identify problems you could help solve. For example, could you:
• Create a better inventory-tracking system?
• Analyze sales results and identify trends?
• Improve a store’s customer experience?
• Train new employees?
• Develop a more effective onboarding guide?
• Take responsibility for a recurring report?
• Improve visual merchandising processes?
• Track customer feedback and identify patterns?
• Create a proposal for improving a store process?
You don’t necessarily need permission to start thinking like a manager. Find a problem, propose a solution, and measure the result. This demonstrates initiative, problem-solving, leadership, and business thinking—all skills that can help you move beyond an entry-level retail position.
Christie shares her personal story about wanting to move up from her own retail job. “I remember years ago, I was an assistant manager at a fashion retailer, but I really wanted to get into marketing. I would take it upon myself to create mood boards for the staff in the back room. I never let my title keep me pigeonholed into one place. I just added to my role because it fulfilled me, and it showed my manager how serious I was about going the extra mile to advance my career goals.”
The Bottom Line
Your retail experience is an asset when you know how to translate it to head office roles. The candidates who successfully make this transition are often the ones who stop thinking, “How do I get out of retail?” and start thinking, “How can I use my retail experience to prove I’m ready for what’s next?”
Moving from retail to corporate fashion rarely happens overnight. You may need to take a stepping-stone position, develop new skills, or make a lateral move before reaching your ultimate goal. That’s okay. The important thing is to make every move intentional: Choose the department. Identify the skills. Talk to your manager. Create opportunities for yourself. You’ll be surprised at the doors you can open.
Want to get in on the next Style Nine to Five Office Hours? Sign up and get Christie’s insider advice on how to get noticed by recruiters and the steps to landing your dream fashion job.
Frequently Asked Questions
You asked, and we’re answering! Here’s what you need to know about successfully transitioning from a retail position to a new corporate fashion job.
What corporate fashion jobs can I move into from retail?
Depending on your skills and experience, retail professionals can pursue opportunities in areas such as merchandising, buying, planning and allocation, marketing, ecommerce, visual merchandising, retail operations, customer experience, and logistics.
Should I tell my manager that I want to leave retail?
You don’t necessarily need to frame the conversation as wanting to “leave retail.” Instead, talk to your manager about your long-term career goals and ask how you can develop the skills needed for your next position. Your manager may be able to give you additional responsibilities, connect you with other departments, or help you identify internal opportunities.
How can I get corporate experience while working in a retail store?
Look for opportunities to get involved with projects that connect your store-level responsibilities to your target department. You might help with visual merchandising, inventory analysis, product launches, training, customer research, events, reporting, or other initiatives. The goal is to gain relevant experience before you have the corporate job title.
What if my current job description doesn’t include the experience I need?
Look for problems you can solve and responsibilities you can take ownership of. Propose a new project, improve an existing process, volunteer for cross-functional work, or ask whether you can support another team. Taking initiative can help you build experience beyond your original job description.
Do I need a degree to move from retail to a corporate fashion role?
While some positions may require specific education or technical qualifications, many employers also value relevant experience, transferable skills, initiative, and demonstrated results. Review job descriptions for your target roles to determine whether additional education or training would strengthen your candidacy.
How should I put retail experience on my resume for a corporate fashion job?
Focus on accomplishments and transferable skills rather than simply listing your day-to-day retail duties. Highlight leadership, sales performance, customer insights, inventory management, training, visual merchandising, reporting, problem-solving, and other experiences that relate directly to your target position. Quantify your achievements whenever possible, showing hiring managers measurable ways that you’ve succeeded in your retail role.
Should I apply for corporate jobs at my current fashion company?
Internal opportunities can be an excellent way to transition from retail to corporate because you already understand the company’s products, customers, brand, and culture. Keep an eye on internal postings and build relationships with people in the departments you’re interested in.
How long does it take to move from retail into corporate fashion?
There isn’t one timeline for trading a retail job for one in head office. Some people make the transition relatively quickly through an internal opportunity, while others first move into a retail management or specialized role before transitioning to corporate. Focus less on a specific timeline and more on consistently building the skills, relationships, and experience required for your target position.
Jeanine Gordon is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist with a passion for creating stellar content for global brands and small businesses alike, specializing in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.