Garold Hart says that some of his career decisions did not turn out the way he expected. But he is otherwise very satisfied with his career choice. "There have been times during my career that I felt like I had the best job in the world," he says.
"Because of my career, I have traveled all over the world. I have lived in five states, met hundreds of people and experienced personal growth that I may not have had otherwise."
Hart has spent nearly 30 years in the retail industry. He split his time between operations and merchandising. Currently, he is doing consulting work for a nationwide distributor that serves independent grocery retailers.
"However, during the course of my career, I have held positions from clerk to vice-president of merchandising. Additionally, I have been a department manager, store manager, buyer and merchandise manager in mass merchandising and the membership club industry," he says.
"I started in high school and stayed in the business because I liked the customer contact as well as the daily pace and variety, despite the long hours involved."
Rozel Gonzales says it's a satisfying job. "I really enjoy my career so far," she says. Gonzales is a merchandise planner for a fashion footwear chain.
The best memory she has is when she went to a footwear show in Italy. "I was like an assistant buyer for two weeks. Let me tell you, if you think that buying is a glamorous job, it isn't. Buyers work very, very hard. Anyway, just having the opportunity to travel was incredible," she says.
"To be a good planner, I think that it is very important to have a good relationship with your buyers. As a planner, your job is to listen to the buyers, understand what they want to do and somehow interpret their vision into a seasonal or annual budget."
Warren L. Flanigan most recently served as a vice-president of operations. But he says he never looks to the title when choosing a position.
"I have instead chosen the company that I wish to work for based on my ability to be able to offer that company something that will benefit both that company and my own future growth," he says.
"It is important to a company that the individual continues to grow in their position, or mediocrity will set in. I picked a company that was growing and that had a good track record for showing an interest in their employees' growth. The product or service is less important."
Flanigan believes that the retail profession is still growing and will always need quality people. How far you go is up to you.
"Individuals that aggressively seek to improve themselves will always be successful in business and their personal lives. The are always times when frustration occurs. These are times when a quality individual rises to be recognized," he says.
"These times are not problems. They are opportunities for the individual to demonstrate their abilities in problem solving and leadership capabilities. The average manager can manage under routine circumstances. The best managers thrive on crisis."
Hart says that things have changed since he started in the business. "Like every other industry, the days of working up from the ranks like I did are gone, although I sincerely believe you learn the business more thoroughly through that process," he says.
"My advice to students would be to get a college degree in business, marketing or merchandising with an emphasis on the retail industry. Consider working in retail while in school to get a taste of the business, because it isn't for everyone."
Gonzales agrees that on-the-job training is important to career growth. "As a student, work at the store level. Experience on the front line is highly respected in the retail industry."
Flanigan has no regrets about his career choice. "I measure my satisfaction based on the amount I have grown or have helped others grow in their positions. From this perspective, I have been very successful and have a confident feeling of satisfaction," he says.
"The most challenging aspect of my career is to balance my personal and professional life. Many people have not been able to accomplish this. It requires a clear set of priorities by the individual and a constant evaluation of whether the actions you take are in line with those priorities."