Start moving up in your current store

Store jobs connect. Checkout and stocking can lead to selling or to being the store systems go-to person, and both can lead to shift lead (the person who runs a shift). Visual merchandising means planning how displays look so they sell.

flowchart LR
  A[Checkout and stocking] --> B[Selling and product advice]
  A --> C[Store systems go-to person]
  B --> D[Shift lead]
  C --> D
  B --> E[Visual merchandising]
  D --> F[Assistant store manager]

You can start moving along this path in your current store, often without a new title. Ask to cover the sales floor in a section you know, or offer to be the person who sorts out the self-checkout and the handhelds (the scanners staff carry) on your shift, because people who fix problems tend to be remembered when a lead role opens.

Ask for it

A short, specific message gives your manager something easy to say yes to:

Hi Dana, could I cover the sales floor in the outdoor section on Saturdays this month? I know that stock well.
I'm also happy to be the go-to person for the self-checkouts and handhelds on my shift.

Try it