Why This Retail Giant Is The Perfect Place To Start Your Career

Why This Retail Giant Is The Perfect Place To Start Your CareerYou May Not Have Heard Of This Multibillion-Dollar Retail CompanyBut Its The Perfect Place To Start Your CareerIf youre from New England or the tristatearea, you may not have heard of einhufer Stores. But for millions of people aroundthe country, hotteh is a place for incredible deals on clothing, shoes, homegoods, accessories, and more.Theyre also the employer of hundreds of newgrads from a wide array of retail, business, and economics-related majors inroles that have the ability to drive the off-price retail industry forward.Thanks to their incredible culture of growth, development, and work-lifebalance, those saatkorn new grads loveworking there.Heres a look at how Ross Stores operatesand whyits the perfect place for interns and new grads.Dress For Less, But Expect MoreRoss is an off-price retailer, so thatmeans were all about opportunistic buying, Carolyn, a Recruiting Managerat the Company, tells us.And opportunistic buying means theteam at Ross goes to bat for their customers every day by hunting down the bestopportunities to buy high-quality brands at below-market prices. Thats whywhen you see a brand available at a Ross or dds DISCOUNTS (another chain inthe Ross Stores family), it costs far less than it would at a competingdepartment store.When a department store cancels anorder, the vendor is left with merchandise. Ross buyers go in and we negotiatefor that merchandise, which is why youll see the same product on the floor ofa Ross that you will at a department storeat almost the same timebut fordrastically different prices, Carolyn explains. Ross drives exceptionalvalue for the customer.However, that buying process is not so simple,and it takes careful planning to know which goods to look for and when. Andthats where two of Ross key entry-level roles come into play.Buyers And PlannersIn the Ross buying offices, there are two primary roles filled by new grads and current college students in internship positions Assistant Planner and Assistant Buyer. While these terms might seem familiar to anyone versed in the retail industry, Planners and Buyers operate differently at Ross.The companys classes of buyers and planners work together on a variety of initiativesinside and outside the office.What we do here is special because theycan have a large impact, helping to drive our business, Carolyn says.The Assistant Planner role is looking at the regions in which we have ourstores and strategically deciding which products should go to which regions atwhat time.This means looking at data, trends, andavailability to answer questions like, When should we start selling bathingsuits in South Florida? and When should we stop selling winter coats in theMidwest?Once the Planning team determines the need andstrategy, its up to the Buying team to fulfill those demands. That meansmaintaining and managing relationships with vendors, searching for buyingopportunities, and ultimately negotiat ing those deals.These energetic buying offices are placedstrategically throughout the country, but the primary office is in New York,which is where all the Companys planners work. There are offices in LosAngeles and Boston for buyers, too.Working At Ross Means Becoming A Part Of A Humble, Compassionate Family (With Serious Perks)Despite being industry leaders in thefast-paced, competitive world of retail, the company culture of Ross Stores isone of respect, humility, and compassion. Theyre genuinely interested inproviding value to everyone involved in their business vendors, thecommunities they serve, and their own team.We strive to be a humble company,Carolyn says. We value our vendors as much as they value us. Its reallya mutually beneficial relationship. Ross applies the same compassionate philosophyto their employees. The offices are communal environments with plenty ofteammates in adjacent roles who are able to help each other out with projects. Theirapproach to work-life balan ce is particularly popular. In addition to theirgenerous paid time off package, company Buying offices shut down entirely duringthe belastung week of December. Additionally,their Summer Fridays program shuts down offices at 1 oclock on Fridays betweenMemorial Day and Labor Day. And, Carolyn says, theyre trulySummer Fridays. Everybody leaves at 1 oclock. If their Fridays werent sweet enough, theyalso have Bagel Fridays, during which the company buys New Yorks signaturebreakfast item for everyone on the team. (Folks in the Los Angeles office getBagel Mondays.) The Company is also known for their financial perks. Qualified employees are given the option to purchase Ross stock at a discounted price, as well as participate in a 401k program with a generous company match. On top of all of this, many early career roles are eligible for annual bonuses. Volunteer events are at the core of Rosss unique company culture.Finally, they give back to the community.Through involvement with organizat ions like the Boys Girls Clubs ofAmerica, Good positiv Foundation, and the Educational Alliance, the team at Rossdonates significant resources to causes that help children and new parents. All associates, regardless of level, can getinvolved in philanthropic activities.From breakfast to their financial futures, Ross has their employees covered.Find your future at a company that cares. Check out open opportunities at Ross Stores on WayUp