These “Favorite” e-retailers have a variety of positions available from Software Developer to Marketing Manager. Take a look at the top ten ranked “Favorite 50”s career webpages below to view a sample of their current job openings.

1. Amazon.com
2. Walmart.com
3. eBay.com
4. BestBuy.com
5. JCPenney.com
6. Kohls.com
7. Target.com
8. Macys.com
9. Sears.com
10. Google.com

What types of job openings do these “Hot Retailers” have available? The answer is varied and vast: everything from store associates and managers to IT analysts and fulfillment planners.  Check out the top ten ranked “Hot Retailers” career web pages to view their current job openings.

1. Ascena Retail Group (formerly Dress Barn)
2. Amazon.com
3. Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets
4. hhgregg
5. Tops Friendly Markets
6. Bodega Latina
7. Apple Stores/iTunes
8. Netflix
9. H&M
10. Overstock.com

Watch our Retail: an Inside Look video and learn more about what Jeffrey has to say about his experience in the retail industry.

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About Retail: an Inside Look video blog series: At NRF’s 2010 and 2011 BIG Shows, NRF Foundation videotaped five-minute interviews with various attendees who have worked in different facets of retail, from customer service insight managers to specialists in loss prevention. These interviewees discussed their climb up the retail career ladder and gave us insight into some of their favorite aspects of the industry.

On Valentine’s Day, when everyone was feeling the love, we reached out to our Retail Careers Facebook and Twitter followers and asked them to tell us why they loved retail, and specifically, why they loved working in retail. Here’s what they had to say.

ALWAYS CHANGING

Retail is never perfect — there’s always a way to do something better, and that’s what I love most!

I love retail because I’m never bored. Things are always busy, even when there are no customers!

I enjoy the variables which constantly change in the retail equation. Yesteryear it was S&H Green Stamps, today it’s electronic loyalty programs. Customers used to clip coupons, and now they can use digital coupons smartphone applications. But one thing which has always remained the same is that a satisfied customer makes our paychecks possible!

PLEASING CUSTOMERS

I have been in retail sales for over 20 years and I can’t get enough of it! I am one of those lucky people who really loves what I do… I love making my customers feel that I am there for them, to listen to their needs, and strive to help in anyway I can. You can’t always help everyone that walks into your selling world be it whatever you do, but to leave a lasting impression that wins their business is what 100% Customer Satisfaction is all about!

I heart working in retail because I feel like I have a career in making people’s day everyday.

I believe to be truly happy you have to love what you do, & I do! My formula: RETAIL+ME=100% Customer Service!

I love retail b/c everything always changes. How do you convince the customer to buy what you are selling? It is so much fun trying to figure it out.

That’s hard, because there are so many things I like about my job. I’d have to say I love my job because it’s challenging, in a good way, and it’s rewarding because I get to help people do what they want to do. It’s different every day. It provides me with the opportunity to be creative and to try new things, meet new people, work on projects, and to continually stretch myself in doing things I’m not always comfortable doing. So my job still remains challenging. Being able to help people—the—helping them find work that they really will enjoy as much as I enjoy my job and career.

FAST-PACED, TEAM ENVIRONMENT, & PASSION FOR FASHION

There’s nothing like the daily hustle and bustle.

Being on a team to help get the job done and helping the community through volunteerism and donations.

I loved working in retail because I like clothes.

Let’s continue the conversation. We want to hear from you. Tell us what you love about retail by making a comment below!

Want more love? Read last year’s I Love Retail blog post.

“The constant change. You can’t stand still in retailing. You must always be innovating
and pushing the envelope. The competitive landscape is always changing. The customer
is always changing and evolving, and so must we. I like being challenged in this way. I
just love this business. It’s a privilege to come to work every day and do something I
absolutely love to do, even in this very difficult economic environment…”

Terry Lundgren, President, Chairman and CEO of Macy’s Inc.

Mr. Lundgren has been interviewed once again, and his insights are no less fascinating. On NRF’s BIG Blog, the CEO — of one of the most famous retailers in the world — discusses a range of topics from Macy’s annual parade, emerging holiday trends, and the company’s focus on localization. One particular part of the interview that struck us was Mr. Lundgren’s thoughts on how seasonal employees can turn a part-time holiday position into a full-time career. He goes on to share:

In September, Macy’s announced that it was hiring 65,000 seasonal employees during the holiday season. Some of these seasonal hires may hope that their temporary positions become permanent. As someone who spent part of his career as a store manager, what advice would you offer a seasonal employee on ways to stand out to management in the hopes of transitioning from part-time holiday help to full-time company superstar?

There will always be room at Macy’s for someone who is energetic, knowledgeable and focused on the customer. Selling skills are key. Many of the people who start with Macy’s as a seasonal store associate will end up with the company full-time. Some of them have risen through the ranks to be senior executives at Macy’s today. When I was just starting out in the company after college, I received some great advice from the manager who recruited me to the company. He said that to succeed, you need to “bloom where you are planted.” That advice has stayed with me to this day. It means that no matter what your job, do it to the very best of your ability. Really care. Go the extra mile. Show initiative and creativity to achieve your goals and go beyond them. If you really pour 100% of yourself into your job, people will notice. You will create your own opportunities for advancement.

Tell me something about yourself that most people don’t know.

When I started out in college, I planned to be a veterinarian. Then I learned what a veterinarian does for a living and what it was like to artificially inseminate a cow. So I switched to business. My first exposure to retailing was a high school job delivering clothing from a tailoring shop to local menswear stores in southern California. But I never really aspired to a career in retailing until I graduated college and interviewed with Bullock’s department store in southern California to be an executive trainee in the buying organization. At Bullock’s, I saw what an interesting, fast-paced business retailing was, and what good opportunities there were to advance my career without having to move from one company to another. I went from trainee to CEO of Bullocks Wilshire in 13 years and never stopped learning or loving my job.

To read the full interview with Terry Lundgren, visit the NRF BIG Blog.

Read our interview to find out more about Mr. Ullman’s thoughts on retail as a “team sport,” the importance of mentors, and how JCPenney builds “careers” for high potential employees.

Do you recognize your employees for excellent customer service? If so, how?

As a key principle of our WINNING TOGETHER culture, we encourage recognition in every aspect of our business. This is manifested by special awards at the store level as well as, when appropriate, through cash bonuses. Last year, in fact, we recognized more than 125,000 associates with a special bonus for their contributions to our overall customer satisfaction scores and, ultimately, our profitability.  We have a similar program in place this year to continue to recognize Associates for delivering on the key pillars of our CustomerFIRST initiative.

What characteristics are most important for a successful career in retail?

Retail is a team sport and developing the leadership skills to effectively lead others while continually executing in a fast-paced environment is fundamental to a successful retail career.

A person seeking a career in retail needs to have a passion for interacting with people – both in how they serve customers as well as in how they work with their colleagues to foster an environment of teamwork and innovation.  At JCPenney, we’re focused on becoming the preferred choice for a retail career and our best leaders are committed to seeking out opportunities to help their teams continually learn and improve.  In fact, I – along with several members of my team – lead internal training courses throughout the year to demonstrate our commitment to making JCPenney a great place to build a career.

What advice can you share with students and young professionals on how to be successful in the retail industry?

After college, I had the opportunity to work in a broad range of organizations, including IBM, the University of Cincinnati, and serving as a White House Fellow.  My first job in retail was at Sanger Harris in Dallas working in the supply chain organization — I literally went from the White House to the warehouse.  You can imagine the differences in each of those work experiences, and they each provided me with an opportunity to learn a whole new set of skills. Given the constantly changing consumer landscape, retail provides a significant opportunity to continually learn and grow, and having a broad perspective will serve as a strong foundation for a retail career.

I’d also suggest that young professionals find a strong, committed mentor.  I’ve been fortunate to have exceptional mentors, and they’ve each made a meaningful, positive impact on my career.

Why do you like working in retail?

With more than 150,000 associates serving the more than half of America’s families that shop JCPenney each year, there’s a level of energy that goes into continually innovating around the merchandise and the customer experience while still executing our day-to-day business that keeps this business interesting.

We vigilantly monitor all of the key metrics around our business, and we know where we’ve won and where we need to improve.  The prospect of having an opportunity to beat our competitors and win with customers is what make me excited to come to work each day.

Do you think retail provides attractive career opportunities for young people today?

Retail is probably one of the most attractive industries for young people because it provides more meaningful leadership and development opportunities than other industries. For example, with more than 1,100 stores and 150,000 associates, JCPenney associates often have the opportunity to lead teams and manage entire businesses earlier than their peers in other industries.  In fact, we have several younger associates running multi-million dollar businesses.

Given this, leadership development is one of our top priorities at JCPenney.  In fact, when other companies were recently decreasing their development budgets, we accelerated our training and leadership programs to ensure our associates are have the tools they need to lead their teams and inspire customers to shop with us time and time again.

JCPenney is one of NRF Foundation’s Employer Partners. Mr. Ullman was also interviewed on NRF’s BIG Blog about his company’s best practices in customer service.

With more than 25 years of experience, in merchandising and marketing, at companies such as Levi’s, Dockers, and Banana Republic, Mr. Coe knows what it takes to succeed in the retail industry.

Read on as he shares his thoughts about why he was drawn to retail, why you shouldn’t take any experience for granted, and why Lands’ End is a good place to work.

Nick Coe, President of Lands’ End, in the new Lands’ End Canvas store

What characteristics are most important for a successful career in retail?

I think it’s about curiosity, passion for product, a deep understanding of the customer and an ability to pull stories together whether online, in a catalog, on a shop floor or in a store window that inspire a customer to engage with the brand.

What advice can you share with students and young professionals on how to be successful in the retail industry?

Take nothing for granted; even the most junior level product/merchandising role can offer you valuable insight into how a specialty retailer works and what is required to succeed.  Moreover, you should be constantly studying the industry to understand the competitive landscape and what customers are being inspired by.

Will you share a bit about your own career path? Have you always been interested in retail as a career? If not, what led you to retail?

I became intrigued by the industry because I was naturally drawn to product that I couldn’t afford— enticed by beautiful tailoring or a perfect pair of jeans.  I was seduced by the notion that great quality could and should be available at a price the average customer can afford. Once I learned the basics of merchandising, I wanted to go beyond building product to building a brand. And I wanted to do it in concert with the customer, rather than to the customer. That means listening to the customer, merchandising to meet their real needs and occasions for wear, and ultimately, telling great stories.

Why do you like working for Lands’ End and why should others want to join you?

I think we have built an environment that cultivates and recognizes a passion for creativity for products, people and business solutions. At Lands’ End, creativity does not stop with design, but rather permeates the entire organization.

Lands’ End is an authentic brand with deep roots in quality, customer service and value that is more relevant for today’s customer than ever before. The opportunity to mine that history, leverage the knowledge of long-term employees and harness the loyalty of the core customer base to help chart a course for the future is invaluable.

What advice would you offer someone interested in a retail career or currently working in an entry level position?

I would say there are four things they need to do.

First, be prepared to face and drive change. This industry is all about change and it needs to constantly move forward to stay buoyant.

Secondly, you must take educated risks.  Recognize that what worked yesterday won’t always work tomorrow, so plan for that.

Thirdly, trust your gut. There is a fine balance between the art and science of design, merchandising and marketing, which is why a strong instinct is invaluable.

Finally, it is imperative that you clearly define and understand your customer and never stop looking for ways to surprise and delight them.

Nick Coe, President of Lands’ End, was also interviewed on NRF’s BIG Blog about his company’s best practices in customer service.

Aaron has worked in retail for over 10 years.  He joined Zappos in 2008, and oversees Brand Marketing, PR and video/blogs, as well as Business Development.  He received his BBA from University of Wisconsin – Madison, with a double major in Marketing and Management & Human Resources.

Aaron Magness, Senior Director of Brand Management and Business Development
Zappos.com

What characteristics are most important for a successful career in retail?

Retail is all about service.  People need to live and breathe customer service in everything they do.  Not just when they’re at work and not just if they work in a customer service department.  Customer service needs to be obvious in every department and every position.

What incentives, if any, do you offer employees who provide exceptional service?

We tend to stay away from financial incentives, but there are a lot of ways we recognize employees.  One example is we have a way that any employee can give any other employee a $50 bonus for WOWing them.  Another is a Master of WOW parking spot.  Others include giving Zollars that can be spent at our employee store.  There are many, but they all come back to being nominated/recognized by fellow employees and anyone is eligible.

What qualities do you look for in assessing and hiring candidates?

We actually have two sets of interviews that are equally weighted.  One is to see if you are a technical fit (pretty obvious, right?), and the other is to see if you’re a culture fit.  Since company culture is our top priority, it’s a 50% measure in the hiring and advancement process.  We measure against how they fit with our Core Values.

How do you encourage employees to feel like they have a voice in the company?

We’re big believers in open communication and transparency.  Everyone sits in cubes, so no one is sitting behind doors (except for our lawyers since they’re working on sensitive assignments).  This allows for direct communication and openness.  Employees aren’t encourages, but they’re expected to have a voice and speak up and drive ideas.  We have a monthly “Ask Anything” where employees can literally ask anything they’d like to know.  We post the questions and answers so all employees can learn from other questions.  Some sample questions are “How much did we spend in travel last year?”, “How much do we spend in phone bills every month?”, and they sometimes get silly such as “Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?”.  The point is that we have open lines of communication to listen to and act on employee need/ideas.

What do you see as the biggest benefit in working for retail?

We’re all consumers, so the market research is much easier.  You know how you want to be treated, so make sure you treat your customers that way.

Do you think retail provides attractive career opportunities for young people today?

Retail will always be around, continues to grow and the innovation is great.  Yes, very attractive.

What is some advice you would give to someone considering a job in retail?

You have to be real, have the passion and not be afraid to take risks.  That and, there’s no crying in retail.

To read more about Zappos, and their award-winning customer service strategies, visit the NRF Retail’s BIG Blog

Chris McCormick was first drawn to L.L. Bean because it was a family-owned business and built on a love of the outdoors. Mr. McCormick became the company’s Assistant Advertising Manager in 1983. In the 18 years that followed, he earned a succession of promotions: in 1991, he became Vice President of Advertising and Direct Marketing; in 2000, he became Chief Marketing Officer; and, as of May 2001 — upon Leon Gorman’s move to Chairman of the Board — he became the first non-family member to take on the title of President and CEO at L.L. Bean, Inc.

What incentives, if any, do you offer employees who provide exceptional service? What qualities do you look for in assessing and hiring candidates?

We look for friendly, positive people who are down-to-earth, share a love for the outdoors, and have a sincere interest in helping customers.

Do you believe that retail in general, and L.L. Bean in particular, provide attractive career opportunities for young people today? How can you — or any other retailer, for that matter — ensure that your employees are consistently good ambassadors for your company?

At L.L. Bean, we have the advantage of a legendary brand that is admired far and wide. We encourage our employees to use our products and participate in outdoor activities. In addition to vacation time off, we offer employees “outdoor experience days,” and have an employee use room so they have firsthand knowledge of our products. We are very fortunate to have a brand that makes people want to be part of it themselves.

You started your career in marketing, and you’ve worked for L.L. Bean since 1983. Have you held any other positions in retail? How did you get where you are today?

I have held a variety of jobs in marketing and administration in other companies, but all of my retail and multi-channel experience came while at L.L. Bean. My own professional growth has come from a desire and ability to see and take advantage of opportunities to grow the business. This is a valuable skill and is something we continue to look for in new talent.

It has been said that attitude is more important than an education in the fundamentals of retailing to drive success in one’s career. Do you agree? Why or why not?

To be good in retail you have to be good with people, so yes, attitude is critically important in maintaining a positive friendly relationship with customers. Yet, one cannot underestimate the importance of education. Retail is getting increasingly sophisticated and complex. The demands of the multi-channel environment require bright people to manage the challenges of so many disciplines: operations and fulfillment, information systems, marketing, product development, and sourcing, to name only a few.

What characteristic is most important for success in a retail career?

In addition to attitude and education, flexibility and adaptability are also very important. In my time at L.L. Bean, we have gone from being an expert cataloguer with one store in Maine, to a multi-channel international enterprise. The competition in retail is fierce and if you don’t adapt to what’s going on in the marketplace you’re done. New media, social media, and the world of the Internet in general, have been huge game changers. Everybody has a voice and this puts even greater pressure on us as we compete while still trying to maintain a compelling value proposition through relevant products, price, quality, convenience, and service. To come out on top you will need to experiment, take some risks, and experience failure. The sooner a person can get comfortable with that the better off he or she will be.

What advice can you share with students and young professionals on how to advance in the industry?

Build a portfolio of experience, starting with the customer experience, and obtain as much cross-functional exposure as possible in order to understand the breadth and depth of the multi-channel retail environment. You won’t succeed if you don’t know all the appropriate touch points of the customer experience. But once you gain that knowledge, you will start to understand why a customer is or is not returning to you for his or her future needs.

To read more about L.L. Bean, and their award-winning customer service strategies, visit the NRF Retail’s BIG Blog.

1. What is one of the common myths about careers in retail that you can dispel?
2. What type of a training program can help prepare someone for a job in retail?
3. What is some advice you would give to someone considering a job in retail?
4. I love working in retail because….

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About the Retail: an Inside Look video blog series: At NRF’s 2010 BIG Show, NRF Foundation videotaped five-minute interviews with attendees, who work in different facets of retail, from a Director of Sales to a Vice President of Human Resources. These interviewees discussed their climb up the retail career ladder and gave us insight into some of their favorite aspects of the industry.

We hope these videos will inspire those who have the energy, enthusiasm and passion for retailing to take a closer look. We think many will be delighted to learn about the diversity of opportunities from these seasoned retailers and the unique pathways each have taken. For others, who have already decided on a retail career, we hope these videos confirm your decision to be a part of this incredible industry.

We hope these videos will inspire those who have the energy, enthusiasm and passion for retailing to take a closer look.  We think many will be delighted to learn about the diversity of opportunities from these seasoned retailers and the unique pathways each have taken.  For others, who have already decided on a retail career, we hope these videos confirm your decision to be a part of this incredible industry.

Our first video features Jared Ellis, Director of Retail Sales at Michael Stars.  See what Jared has to say about his experience in the retail industry!

Don’t they look happy? That’s Zappos letting employees be themselves.
photo from Jake Chessum, Inc.com

The company, and the CEO, have been profiled in virtually every business and trade publication. Everywhere you turn, there’s an article on how the company has sky-rocketed to fame and fortune (Amazon recently bought the company for over $800 million). Just a week ago, I saw that New Yorker magazine published a thorough inside look about the company.

Then, a colleague of mine forwarded me a slideshow on Inc.com, highlighting the company’s best practices in customer service and employee engagement. There were five simple points (view the slideshow for more details):

1. Try everything — such as offer free shipping, free returns, have 24-hour (attentive) customer service
2. Let people be themselves — allow employees to make decisions without consulting managers
3. Get serious about training — require a rigorous training regimen for new hires and long-term employees
4. Open up — encourage employees to Tweet, give customers (fans?) tours of company headquarters
5. Get happy — bring joy to customers and employees

Tony Hsieh is rumored to be writing a book, tentatively titled Delivering Happiness. Hsieh tells the New Yorker, it will focus on a “combination of Zappos, the culture, core values, and the science of happiness.” When core values include: Create Fun and a Little Weirdness, Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit, and Embrace and Drive Change — yes, those are things I can’t get enough of.

But, this week, I’ve been particularly excited by a number of interesting news articles that have highlighted the retail industry. Interviews with retail executives, tips for landing retail jobs, managing retail employees — these are the kind-of articles I like to read — the ones that focus on real people in retail.

Here’s a digest of my favorite articles from the week:

(1) You Want Insights? Go to the Front Lines
New York Times, Corner Office, August 15, 2009

Every Sunday, the New York Times interviews top executives about the challenges of leading and managing. This week they interviewed Brian Dunn, CEO of Best Buy, who discussed leadership lessons he has learned (when you’re asked what you think, tell people what you think), and how he uses technology (monitors Best Buy mentions on the web and on Twitter; uses Skype to watch NBA basketball with his kids).

Some of my favorite quotes:

“Learning from people who are actually doing the work.”

“Be really careful about what you believe about yourself. You’re never as good as they say or as bad as they say. When I was made C.E.O. on June 24, I didn’t wake up that morning smarter. I didn’t wake up with a massive I.Q. expansion. I did wake up with a new responsibility.”

Read the full article.

(2) Your Career: Landing a Retail Job in a Recession
New York Times, Business, August 17, 2009

Retail jobs are harder to find in this economic environment. Read about what individuals and universities are doing to find jobs. One example: University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School has been working with retailers to develop short-term projects, in areas such as operations and merchandising.

Other tips include:

• • Focus on financially healthy chains.
  • Look for jobs at stores where you regularly shop and that you’re passionate about.
  • Meet the managers: Don’t just drop off your resume
  • Be flexible. Working in retailing can mean long work schedules, particularly as the holiday season approaches.
  • Play up your experience in customer service.

Read the full article.

(3) Unlocking the Potential of Frontline Managers
McKinsey Quarterly, August 2009

The managers of frontline employees are crucial, yet often overlooked.

This article highlights the importance of the district/area managers, store managers, site or plant managers, and line supervisors. These managers direct as much as two-thirds of the workforce and are responsible for a crucial part of the company that typically defines the customer experience. Yet, they often have too limited flexibility in decision making and too little room for creativity.

Read the article (full article requires subscription).

Did you miss these articles in the news? Don’t miss out on any more. Sign up for a number of free NRF publications and get the latest retail news.

This week, “Talking With…” features Terry Lundgren, who started his career as a trainee with Bullock’s department stores in 1975, and is now the President and CEO of Macy’s, one of the best known retailers in the world.

Below is a section of the interview that I wanted to share with NRF Foundation’s Retail Careers Community, as it highlights how Mr. Lundgren got his start in retail, why he thinks it is important to listen to young associates, and what he loves about the industry. You can read the full interview on the Shop.org blog.

When you received the Gold Medal Award at NRF’s Annual Convention several years ago, you talked about the importance of cultivating young professionals within the Macy’s organization and said you meet with a select group of young talent on a regular basis. What have you learned from those meetings and have you made any changes because of them?

I learn a lot each time I meet with a group of associates who are early in their careers with Macy’s. I work hard to devote at least 30 minutes a week to them, and it is among the most rewarding things I do. These individuals are brimming with good ideas and insights we can apply to our business, and we do take action on them. For example, the development and rollout of the BCBGeneration product for young career women, as well as the Rachel Rachel Roy launch, were directly related to a meeting of my “Breakfast Club.” The group told me we had a gap in our assortment for this younger working customer, which included our own trainees and assistant buyers, and we moved very quickly to fill it.

You’ve spent more than 30 years in retail. What do you like most about this industry?

The constant change. You can’t stand still in retailing. You must always be innovating and pushing the envelope. The competitive landscape is always changing. The customer is always changing and evolving, and so must we. I like being challenged in this way. I just love this business. It’s a privilege to come to work every day and do something I absolutely love to do, even in this very difficult economic environment. We get our performance review every day at the cash register. I love the challenge because I know our strategy and our organization structure is right and we have the talent to win.

Tell me something that’s especially vivid from your first days at the company.

I was recruited to Bullock’s in Los Angeles as I was graduating college at the University of Arizona. I had several other job offers, but what struck me about Bullock’s was the unbelievably talented people I met in the interview process and potentially would be working with and for. That’s what attracted me to retailing and what has kept me in this industry.

Retailing thrives on smart, aggressive, fast-moving people who know how to spot and capitalize on opportunity. You are responsible for your own P&L statement early in your career as a buyer or a store manager. I am very proud of the fact that Macy’s, Inc. is known for having the very best training programs, which in turn has attracted the best people in retailing.

Read the full interview on the Shop.org blog.

Helen Gurley Brown also became known for her management style, which led to her cultivating an incredibly loyal staff (many top editors and her personal assistant staying with her for more than 20 years). Given her success, Fortune magazine profiled Brown in 1996, inviting her to share her insights about successful management. Some of her tips include (from pg. 157 of “Bad Girls Go Everywhere”):

• • • • Spending money is good; wasting it is dumb
      • Don’t lose your temper, as you already have control
      • Listen to ideas, but have your vision in place and stay loyal to it
      • Leave your door open, but try to visit others so you can control the time spent together
      • Don’t show off good people, just give them responsibilities
      • Give credit to employees, sometimes even when it was your initial idea
      • Put up with employees who need to deal with family issues on the workplace clock
      • Fraternize with the staff when it feels right, as some may become close friends

Her final piece of advice, which rings true for any setting and accounts for a great deal of success: “work harder than everyone else.”

Over a decade later, Jack and Suzy Welch, in a BusinessWeek article, offer some strikingly similar advice to college graduates, “The way to get ahead is to overdeliver. Expand the organization’s expectations of you and exceed them.”

The Welch’s go on to expand their “overdeliver” credo to include:

• • • • Get off your computer – build relationships by talking and maintain them electronically.
      • You’ve got to pay your dues if you want to sing the blues – in this marketplace, flexibility is a reward, not an entitlement.
      • Love everyone – shed the cynicism and listen to every voice.
      • Stop apologizing – there’s no need to feel shame about business; it is a force for progress in the world.

I’d say that is some snappy advice from Brown and The Welch’s. And, advice that is fitting for all of us whether you are a jobseeker or currently employed, working in retail or another workplace. In short, we all need to work harder and overdeliver.

BusinessWeek recently ran a story about Universum USA’s annual survey of 60,000 undergraduates about their picks for “ideal employers.” Candidates coming out of college have differing opinions about what makes an “ideal employer.” For some, an appealing employer is a company that has a lot of prestige. For others, a company that stresses work/life balance is a top characteristic jobseekers value. One common trait more and more people are mentioning, and no surprise in this economy, is stability is a major factor in their top choices for ideal employers.

Top Five Ideal Employers:
surveyed by research firm Universum USA from December 2008 to April 2009

1. Google
2. Walt Disney
3. Apple Computer
4. U.S. Department of State
5. FBI

See a slide show of the top 25 employers. See the full list of 100.

I was thrilled to see two companies with retail operations in the top five. Apple is a shining example of the variety of jobs one can find in retail. Job opportunities at the store-level range from “personal shopping specialist” to “genius,” and the company is growing. Several other retailers placed in the top 50 “desired companies,” and even more in the top 100. Retail is an industry with over 24 million employees (about one in five American workers), and sales of $4.6 trillion (in 2008). It is an industry full of prestigious companies, advancement opportunities, growth, stability, and, contrary to popular opinion, work/life balance. In an earlier blog post, we asked for, and shared, examples about retail being an industry where your passion can be your work. Share your retail story, and let’s continue to spread the word about the industry you love.

Retailers in the Top 50 Listing of Ideal Employers:
surveyed by research firm Universum USA from December 2008 to April 2009

• Nike (#15)
• Coach (# 34)
• Target (# 36)
• Starbucks (# 41)
• Amazon (# 47)
• Macy’s (# 49)

As someone coming out of college, or with many years of experience, how would you define your “dream employer?” What attributes are most attractive, and why? Share your comments below.

“Sales – when done right – is more than a job. It is an art.” – Ben Stein

Ben Stein, the lawyer, writer, actor and economist, recently wrote a great article for The New York Times about the sales profession, and the respect he has for it. His first job was selling shoes for Shoe Giant. He recounts special memories of people who have sold brilliantly, including car and insurance salesmen, and says that each of us (doctors, lawyers, waiters, etc.) sell something every day. We sell ourselves, our beliefs, our services, our products, our daily specials.

Stein goes on to describe sales as, “It is learning the product you are selling, learning it so well that you can describe it while doing a pirouette of smiles for the customer and talking about the latest football scores. It is knowing human nature so well that you can align the attributes of your product or service cleanly with the needs and wants of your customers.” Sales is a balancing act, and an art form.

Have you encountered an excellent salesman? How do you sell yourself? Share your comments below.

• Good publicity
• Tracks items people no longer want
• Increases store foot traffic
• Convenient spot for recycling

Visit NRF Foundation’s Learning Activities webpage, submit your answer, and view the results!

Do you love working in retail? NRF Foundation wants to hear from you!

Having been a part of this industry over the last three years, I’ve already heard so many unique and inspiring stories from retailers about how they got their start and why they love doing what they do. Like the man who went to work for a home improvement store because he spent so much time there while renovating his house. Twenty years later, he’s still there. Or, the guy who sells outdoor apparel and sporting goods, and is super successful because it doesn’t feel like selling when you’re talking to people about the stuff you love. Then, there’s the young manager of a toy store who is constantly energized by the chaos that comes with working in a toy store.

Retail is an industry where your passion can be your work. It’s an industry that has so much variety – marketing, advertising, buying, and logistics. And, it’s an industry that employs a lot of people — about one in five workers.

Here’s how you can participate:

• Share a Twitter-style comment below — make a quick statement telling us why you love retail.
• Write a blog post. Sign up as an author on our blog and share your personal experience about working in retail. Pictures are encouraged.
  
• Record a video and send it to us. As an example, check out last year’s winners of the Intercollegiate Retail Challenge who recorded a video about their experiences.
• Join our Facebook group and write a message on our Wall.
  
• Send us an email, or mail us a good old-fashioned letter. We still like those too.
  

We can’t wait to hear your story!

• Abraham Lincoln
• Barack Obama
• Ronald Reagan
• John Adams

Visit NRF Foundation’s Learning Activities webpage, submit your answer, and view the results!