As a manager, my job is to run a profitable business with positive sales growth as well as develop leaders. I am in charge of 200 employees.

EDUCATION | I have a B.A. from U.C.L.A. in Economics.

HOW TO GET STARTED | First, get a college degree. You do not have to major in Economics or Marketing, for example, to become a manager. It is important, however, that you can show on your resume that you have had leadership experience. If you thrive in chaos, you will do well in retail in general! Learn to be flexible.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Lots of energy, good with people, resilient, comfortable with ambiguity and good leadership skills.

how I got started | When I was at U.C.L.A. I wasn't sure of what I wanted to do when I graduated. Then the retailer's recruitment team came on campus and I was impressed by their professionalism. I had worked retail during the summers in college and discovered I was a good leader and comfortable in that role. So, I decided to pursue a manager position at this retailer. I got the job and began working for them right after college. I felt immediately that this big box retailer and I were a good fit for each other.

why this job?| I wanted to be a manager and, from the very beginning, this job let me do what I was hired to do. As a starting manager I was given the responsibility of managing 50 people from day one. I like my job at this big box retailer because I get to see the instant results of my decisions. For example, if I tell an employee to put a certain product on display, I can walk by that display an hour later and see if products have sold. If not, I can make adjustments.

why I love this job!| I actually love being on my feet! Sitting in front of a computer all day long is not for me. I love that at the store I can make a difference in people's lives. I get to know the people I work with and I really like them. They come from so many different backgrounds and are in different phases of life. I get to be a part of helping them through various situations and developing leadership skills.

my typical day| At 8:00 a.m. I begin my morning by sipping a cup of coffee as I walk the sales floor and greet my employees. Then I do a formal walk around the store with my opening managers as they tell me the plans for the day and what they want to accomplish. At that time I give them my suggestions or my priorities and deadlines that I need met for the day. Then I get out of the way and let them work! I go into the office to read emails as well as run a planning meeting or conduct leadership statuses to help employees become better leaders. Once appointments are completed, I go back on the sales floor to check on the progress of the tasks I've assigned. I generally leave work each day by 6:00 p.m.

what they are | There is a fair amount of stress in this position and each day is fast-paced. There is often more work than there are hours in the day! With retail there is no clear start or finish with the job as a whole so you need to recognize and remind yourself, at times, of what you've accomplished.

all about growth | There are a lot of opportunities for growth in retail. You could transition into the buying, marketing or finance departments, for example. The skills you learn at the store can be used in other venues. Knowing how to manage and motivate a team is transferable to any industry.

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