With nearly 2,000 stores across the country, Target is one of America’s most well-known and beloved retailers. With a wide range of products including home goods, food, clothing, and electronics, most Americans have made a “Target run” at some point. If you’re ready to explore the other side of things as an employee, you’ll need a solid Target resume detailing your retail experience and commitment to customer service.
Luckily, we’re here to help. With 300+ resume examples and job-specific guides, Resume.io is an expert resource for job seekers across industries and at all stages of their careers. Here’s what we’ll cover in this resume guide, along with the corresponding Target resume example:
Target is ranked as America’s 32nd largest retailer according to Forbes. As such, the company employs people in numerous sectors including finance, IT, marketing, logistics, merchandising, and more. For this guide, we’ll focus on the most common entry-level position at Target, the hourly associate. This retail position requires a basic set of skills that are easy to learn on the job. Here are some of the duties that may be asked of you:
Target job market and outlook
Target boasts 440,000 employees, making it one of the largest retailers in the U.S. If you’re looking for a job with the company, chances are you’re in luck. Most stores have new positions open weekly as employee turnover in retail jobs is relatively high.
The very first step in writing your Target resume is understanding what sections to include. Your CV should contain the following elements:
Target managers are used to hiring students and young people who are just getting their professional start. They are prepared to train new employees, as long as you show that you are reliable and hardworking. These “soft skills” are essential for virtually every retail job and should be the primary consideration as you write your Target resume.
If you have worked in retail before, then it’s also a good idea to pepper in a few “hard skills” or technical knowledge that might be useful for the job. At Target, this could include knowledge of POS (point-of-sale) systems, strong math skills for processing register transactions, or merchandising knowledge.
Applicants for jobs at Target have a few different options when it comes to choosing the best resume formats. If you have some prior retail experience or formal jobs, we recommend the reverse chronological resume format. This structure centers on the employment history section where you can list your previous positions from most recent to oldest. This is the format that both hiring managers and resume-scanning algorithms (ATS) expect to see, so it’s the best choice for experienced candidates.
Other options include the functional or hybrid formats which place more emphasis on a candidate’s skills or educational experiences. These options are best suited for first-time job seekers, students, people making a career change, or those entering the workforce after a long break.
The summary of your resume is the first section found below the header. These 3-4 sentences serve as a short introduction to you, your top skills, and most relevant experiences. The goal is to encourage a busy hiring manager to keep reading the rest of your resume. You should also add a touch of personality here to distinguish yourself from other candidates. If you’re a fan of Target, don’t be afraid to say so! See our adaptable summary resume example below.
Highly motivated individual with over 5 years of retail experience, including customer service and inventory management. Proven track record of enhancing store efficiency while maintaining a focus on creating a welcoming environment for all customers. Eager to bring a proactive and team-centric attitude to a role at Target, where a deep understanding of the retail landscape can be leveraged to promote positive experiences for every customer.
The summary can sometimes feel like the most challenging part of writing your resume. For more inspiration check out our related retail resume samples including our:
The employment history section of your Target resume allows you to list all previous jobs relevant to the Target position. Start by creating subheadings with your job title, employer name, dates worked, and location. Then add bullet points underneath detailing your key responsibilities, skills used, and achievements. If the job is not in retail, make sure to focus on transferable skills like customer service, a strong work ethic, and team collaboration to demonstrate how you’d fit in at Target. See our adaptable employment history sample below for more inspiration.
Retail Associate at Dollar Tree, Springfield
March 2020 - Present
Cashier at Walmart, Springfield, MO
June 2018 - February 2020
The skills section of your Target CV helps to convey your best personality traits and retail skills at a glance. Before writing this section, comb through the job description once more to make note of the key skills the Target hiring manager is looking for. Aim for about six skills with at least one or two hard skills that are relevant to the job. While it might be tempting to include hobbies here, make sure to focus solely on information that shows why you’re the right fit for the Target job. Check out our adaptable skills resume sample below.
Target is one of the places students can land their first job, meaning there may be no education requirements to apply. However, the education section is still one of the foundational resume sections so make sure to include it somewhere on your resume. Students may choose to place it at the top, while older job seekers should list it towards the bottom. As with your work history, make sure to list your education experience starting from most recent to oldest. If you have a college degree, you can remove your high school. Make sure to add the school name, degree obtained, dates attended, and location. Additional information like GPA or coursework is only relevant if you are a current student. See our adaptable education resume example below.
Associate of Science in Business Management, Community College of Springfield, Springfield, MO
September 2018 - July 2021
High School Diploma, Springfield High School, Springfield, MO
June 2014 - August 2018
When creating your resume for Target, don’t forget to consider the layout and design. While you won’t need to create a complicated, flashy resume, a simple, well-organized structure is essential for catching the hiring manager’s attention. To be taken seriously, make sure to use consistent font styles and sizes throughout your resume and stick with one, professional accent color. It is not necessary to add a photo to your header, but you should include your name, phone number, email address, and a LinkedIn profile if you have one. A resume template can make it easy to quickly create an attractive header.