Retail CV template
Black and grey: a boxed contact strip, a round photo over a hatched square, a bold name with a hatched rule, and education in a dark panel.
Best for experienced candidates, career changers and first jobs. Two-column layout, professional and bold, in blue.
£4.99 one-off · CV + matching cover letter · PDF and Word. Secure checkout by Stripe, instant access, no subscription. Or try it free with your details first.
Colourways of the Retail design: Grey, Navy, Green.
What's included
- A matching cover letter in the same design
- A4, laid out for UK applications
- Real, selectable text that online application systems can read
- Switch template any time without losing a word
- AI writing help for your profile, achievements and letter (up to 60 AI actions)
- PDF and Word downloads of your CV and letter
- Edit and download again any time, no subscription
What to put on a retail CV
Store managers often read CVs in a quiet moment on the shop floor, so yours needs to show your availability, service skills and till experience quickly. This retail CV template is black and grey, with a boxed contact strip, a round photo over a hatched square, a bold name and your education in a dark panel. It suits sales assistants, customer advisers, stock and supervisor roles in shops of every size.
The photo is optional, and a monogram shows if you leave it out. It comes in grey, navy and green. Fill it in and preview every page for free, with no account needed. Pay £4.99 once to download it as PDF and Word, with a matching cover letter included. It is A4 and laid out for UK applications, and the text is real and selectable, so it pastes cleanly into online application forms.
Put your availability up front
Shops plan around shifts, so say when you can work, such as weekends, evenings or full time, in your profile or contact strip. If you are a student, mention your term time and holiday availability too.
Show you can sell and serve
Give examples of helping customers, handling complaints calmly, meeting sales targets or selling add-ons. A short line about what you did and how it helped the store says more than a list of qualities.
List the practical skills
Store managers look for till and cash handling, stock replenishment, deliveries, visual merchandising, click and collect, and opening or closing the shop. List the ones you have done, plus any training such as food hygiene or age-restricted sales.
Use the education panel well
If you are starting out, your GCSEs, college course or A levels can sit in the dark panel, with your English and maths grades. Once you have retail experience, keep this section short and let your jobs lead.
Keep it to one page if you can
Most retail CVs fit on one side of A4, and two is the most you need. Most UK employers do not expect a photo, so leave it out unless you want one, and leave off your age and date of birth.
Questions
What should I put on a retail CV with no experience?
Focus on skills from school, college, volunteering or other part-time work, such as dealing with people, working in a team, handling money and being reliable. Mention any customer-facing roles, even informal ones, and be clear about the hours you can work. A short, friendly profile helps too.
What skills do retail employers look for?
Customer service, communication, teamwork, cash handling, product knowledge and staying calm when the shop is busy. Being reliable and flexible with shifts matters a great deal. Pick the skills the advert mentions and back each one up with a short example from your experience.
How do I apply for Christmas temp jobs in retail?
Apply early, as stores often recruit seasonal staff in the autumn. Make your availability over November and December clear, mention any experience of busy periods and tailor your profile to the store. Temporary roles can lead to permanent ones, so treat the application as seriously as any other.
Should I send a cover letter for a retail job?
It helps, especially when you apply by email or hand your CV in at the store. A few short paragraphs saying why you want to work there, when you can work and what you would bring are enough. A matching cover letter is included with your download.
More templates like this
- Navy CV template - Soft tinted paper, a tall photo with a vertical hello, and your job title on a dark bar.
- Cobalt CV template - A poster-sized name, a portrait on a colour block and a soft side panel.
- Basel CV template - A big grotesque name, numbered sections and one bold accent. No photo.
- Gazette CV template - A newspaper masthead, your profile as a pull quote and columns below. No photo.