Happy to help
It was around Christmas, I’d just finished studying and I needed a job. I had always had a passion for beauty and so started as a Sales Advisor in Superdrug. I was just looking for was a bit of extra money and wanted a role where I’d be using my knowledge to help others.
I’ve been volunteering for Girl Guiding for 14 years and it’s helped me develop my confidence in front of people. Being calm under pressure and becoming someone who leads by example. Working in a customer facing role in a store was a natural choice.
Making quick progress
My store manager at the time, he said, "You're really good. I think you should be a team leader." And I was just like, "What?" I had never seen myself in any sort of retail managerial role before, so I was really taken aback. The area manager at the time, was also very supportive of it and this filled me with a lot of encouragement. Within four months I was trained and promoted to a team leader. Then, after a couple of months, my manager said "I think you'd be great for the Retail Management Training Programme!"
The Retail Management Training Programme (RMT)
The RMT programme was amazing and I learned so much in such a short space of time. It was hard work, but during the programme I was promoted to assistant manager. I loved it! I’ve always been so passionate about learning inside and outside work, and this programme was a perfect fit.
Finding a new Path at Head office
I joined on a temp position as a store operations helpdesk coordinator and I loved it! I was working in a great team who made me feel welcome and I my role revolved around supporting stores, which I loved! Helping them by connecting them to the different teams across head office and supporting with various requests, from marketing to all things delivery. I got to meet so many amazing people and I found that listening and supporting were two core skills that I was good at. I also learned how to use Excel and added yet another skill to my career CV.
A life-changing moment
Head Office is such an amazing place that you get to meet so many interesting people and opportunities are always coming up. Then something amazing happened. An email arrived asking for applications to join the Millennial Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee. This was an AS Watson European and Asia team that were being tasked with thinking about ways we can bring about positive change. My application was a video created with the help of the Girl Guides I was looking after at a summer camp. And I got through!! Next stop, Thailand!
Operation Smile
After various zoom calls, the committee members met in person in Thailand at an Operations Smile mission. We helped out at a clinic in Thailand and got to see first hand the amazing work Operation Smile do. People were turning up having walked miles with their children for this free and life-changing operation. And I can’t even describe the feelings of seeing children before they had surgery and after surgery. It’s truly humbling.
Here we were split into teams, and my team chose to focus on ‘community’ and support ‘Operation Smile’. The business work with many charities, but this one was especially important to us having seen the mission first hand. Essentially, babies born with a cleft are nine times more likely to die before their first birthday. Every bit of support they can get, can change this statistic and provide life-saving surgery and cleft care.
My Perfect Role
Back in the UK, I knew I needed to take the next step in my career, so I applied for the role of Beauty Services Operations Manager. I spent 10 months in Bristol supporting the South West before settling into my current role covering the South East. I’m in my perfect role. And it’s one where I’m applying all the skills I’ve learned over the years from every role I’ve done and every course I’ve taken.
Never Stop Learning
One of the greatest things about being part of Superdrug, and AS Watson is the opportunity to learn and grow. There are so many courses to take, with support at every step of the way. I’ve had the chance to be part of something that really changes lives and I couldn’t be prouder of who I am today and the company I work with.