I was a retail assistant manager for ~4 years, and I’m looking to pivot into a front desk/receptionist/admin position. I have some transferable skills—multitasking, time management, guest service, complaint resolution, communication, etc. I’m having a hard time finding anything. I’ve had interviews, and I’ve gotten a lot of green flags, but they always go with someone with experience. I’ve been told “keep applying, someone will give you a chance.” Any tips on what sector would be most likely to?

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My first thought is that you can try applying to the kind of jobs in the same industries that you have retail experience in.

Secondly, maybe you can look into some certifications that might make you a bit more appealing on your résumé and your interviews

I must say, it sounds like you are landing interviews with no problem, so I think it’s reasonable to say you should examine your interview style and see if there are some areas that you can strengthen your interviews in to win the offer.

Best wishes and I hope you land a position soon !! 

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I was thinking about certifications. I actually started asking receptionists at my myriad doctors’ offices what they suggest prioritizing, haha. I’m trying to save money for a couple, but alas, being jobless makes it hard to make it easier to get a job.

Yeah, not doing too shabby in the interviews department considering. I am, overall, a good interviewee. But I do have weak spots. e.g., “What makes you stand out from other candidates?” Oh! A chance to hard-sell myself! *completely fumbles the ball*

Thank you, I appreciate it! :)

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Retail experience is actually really strong for admin/receptionist roles — don’t downplay it. The sectors most likely to hire you without perfect experience are medical offices, dental clinics, hotels, property management (apartments), and small professional services firms like law or accounting offices. They value customer service and handling chaos way more than pure admin experience.
Rewrite your bullets to sound like office work: instead of ‘retail,’ talk about ‘managed high-volume front-of-house operations,’ ‘handled scheduling and vendor coordination,’ ‘resolved customer issues with 100% satisfaction.’ Also, get really good at saying you want stability and less weekend work — that’s your real selling point. Keep grinding, but target those industries specifically.

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You’re very welcome! If you need any more advice, feel free to DM me

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I would consider looking at smaller operations. Big national chains are going to value experience more. Smaller businesses are more apt to take a chance on your skill set.

The current job market is amemic, even for those with over 15 years of experience, unfortunately. Just keep highlighting every area of experience that aligns with what you are looking for, and keep at it.

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