The e-commerce and retailing landscapes have changed drastically in a short time period making a career in this sector a sort after activity, says Rijish Raghavan
Today, e-commerce is growing and with affiliates making a major play in the market, the millennial of today is inundated with offers galore. The mainstream e-commerce platforms look for young and skilled employees who are savvy digitally and know how the system works. With the wide range of marketing course which have opened the retailing landscape, employers are looking for people who are ready to adjust into the system keeping their demands in mind.
The present generation wants quick results, as they are fast learners; they are always ready to experiment and want a career growth at a much faster pace than their predecessors. They are aspirational, competitive, with a passion to drive businesses with a success plan and look for logical trendsetters within their groups to earn the results to climb the ladder.
The e-commerce platforms for sure, offer a dynamic work environment, which gives an individual a great exposure to the core essentials of a business operation such as product marketing, pricing, customer relation, profit management, supply chain to name a few. Therefore, it is important for a candidate to have good communication skills, flexibility and an upbeat attitude embedded in him for the inexorable innovation taking place in the industry.
When choosing a career in an e-commerce platform, you need to think laterally and below are a few things that one should keep in mind.
In-depth industry knowledge: You should go for an in-depth research on the top managers, company’s’ goals, vision, mission and what your job involves. Be cognizant of what’s going on in the industry, and read about the company’s work culture, policies to name a few.
It’s very important to realise that whether you are fit for the job or not. If yes, then be confident and try to give your best.
Know your job role: Gone are those days when companies used to do the massive hiring. Keeping this in mind, you should always look for interesting job profiles and roles, no matter which sector it is in the E-commerce platform, if you are open to challenges, you can always enhance yourself and achieve milestones.
Industry trends: With the recent impact of demonetisation, e-commerce industry has been tremendously affected and saw a drop-in hiring. However, the roles in realms like product and technology, frontline and analytics will be the ones from which you can always begin your career.
Technical understanding of the industry: Since digitalisation is the future and it has already taken a tremendous start, e-commerce is one such industry which can never stop evolving and upgrading. With more and more retailers entering the e-commerce platform, there will be a great surge in the necessity of manpower and skills at the digital end. Hence, you must be adept at operating the ultra-modern digital tools.
Upgrading skills: As we all know that e-commerce is a platform that requires the presence of mind, the one who’s ever-ready to transform, accept challenge and flexible, can always pave their way to success. So, once you’re equipped with the perfect mix of all the three, you’re surely going to make a success story.
The E-commerce platforms are already a success in business and to further attain its benefits, it is crucial to value the potential of this rapid growth. The start-up scenario which started a few years back, has brought a tremendous barrage of game-changing ideas. The ones, who are good in that, are the ones who are going to lead the world and steer it towards an innovative tomorrow.
Opportunities are umpteen when it comes to starting a career in e-commerce platforms, both from a business and logistics point of view. It is imperative for the millennial today to keep an open mind to training and learn fast, it is evident they are fast learners, but the dire need to be skilled in a specific job skill is of an urgency.
In a country like ours, which is fuelled with a massive populace of talented millennials, it is not just a career but an innovative arena where they can create miracles. The coming years call for individuals who are future-ready, it demands for those who have the capability to excel and go ahead!
The writer is Vice President & Head of Partner Management at Payback India