Retail Internships
If you’re looking to get some experience over the summer, you could consider doing a retail internship, which normally lasts from one to four months.
These are the perfect opportunities to develop your skills in-between your studies, as well as gaining great work experience for your CV and future career.
DURATION: One to four months | FOR: 2nd, 3rd years and graduates | AVG SALARY: £24,000 | WHEN TO APPLY: Sep-Mar
Read on for your quick guide to retail internships and how to snatch one up.
What is a retail internship?
Almost all internships take place during the summer months, so you might see them advertised as ‘summer internships’. An intern will work on a short-term basis, between one and four months, getting professional experience and knowledge of the inner workings of the retail industry. Best of all, you’ll be paid a salary like any other employee.
Business areas could include store operations, management, buying, merchandising, marketing and more. Typical roles advertised on Higherin include food product developer, trainee commercial manager, retail operations assistant and business placement programme.
Employers hire interns to unearth talented undergraduates and familiarise them with their company culture, values and employees.
What does a retail intern do?
What you do will depend on your company and what part of it you are working in but you can usually expect the following:
Buying, Sales & Merchandising Interns
Assisting with product selection and trend research
Updating stock database or sales reports
Helping prepare supplier presentations or product samples
Marketing or E-Commerce Interns
Scheduling or creating content for social media and newsletters
Analysing campaign performance and customer behaviour
Assisting with photoshoots or product launches
Logistics or Supply Chain Interns
Helping track stock movement or delivery timelines
Analysing where costs or delays happen in the supply chain
Supporting warehouse or transport operations teams
HR or Finance Interns
Processing basic employee data, rotas, or payroll info
Supporting recruitment efforts or onboarding
Assisting with budget reports or invoice handling
Here’s what a student told us about their time as an retail intern:
The atmosphere was much more relaxed than I was expecting - everyone was extremely friendly and happy to chat at any time, as well as working hard on the tasks they had to do. Working from home was encouraged and hot desking was in place, so it felt like a dynamic atmosphere as the layout and people changed every day Retail Operations Intern, Marks & Spencer
Why should you do a retail internship?
Internships are an amazing opportunity to get some real insight into the retail industry. They will help you develop the key skills and knowledge you need to pursue your career. Some other noteworthy reasons are:
Networking opportunities
Be able to understand what area of retail you are interested in
Gain experience on your CV
Have a chance of being invited back for a placement or graduate role.
Retail companies are great! They tend to offer lots of routes to specialise in. It’s an industry that's rapidly growing and changing all the time, so there is so much to learn and be excited about.
If you already have summer plans, you could look into doing an insight scheme.
These are a perfect snapshot into the retail world. And they normally take place over the Easter Holidays. These are also great to get your foot in the door before doing an internship, meaning if you shine during an insight scheme, they might consider you for a future internship.
LEARN ABOUT INSIGHT SCHEMESHow much do retail interns get paid?
The average salary for a retail intern is around £24,000 per year!
This will change depending on your location and company, but you can expect to earn pretty well for the summer with a retail internship!
Remember that you'll earn all the other employee benefits during your time with a company, such as paid holiday, sick pay and other perks such as social events or even free breakfast!
How to apply for a retail internship
Internships in the retail sector tend to go live in October, with register your interest roles emerging from as early as August (the year before the internship starts).
Do your research. This is so important, if you don’t do your research, you have a high chance of applying to a company you don’t have any interest in. Work out what you would want from your internship and then find what companies can make that happen.
Find your perfect internship. Higherin hosts 100s of roles every single year, so make sure to check it out.
Prepare for the application process. Make sure you have your CV and cover letter sorted as quite often those are requested near the beginning of the application stage.
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