“I joined the John Lewis graduate scheme in
September 2006 following the completion of
a degree in psychology at the University of
Durham. Although my degree would not
traditionally lead to such a career I've found
that the skills obtained during my time at
University have proved to be extremely
useful in the roles that I have fulfilled.
“I was initially attracted to the scheme due to
the variety of experiences that the scheme
offers along with the promise of fast paced
career progression. I was also influenced by
the reputation, which John Lewis maintains
as a caring employer and to date I have not
been disappointed!
“My first placement was as Section Manager
of Lingerie & Trend at John Lewis Sheffield
following a centrally arranged training
scheme which all graduates attended
together. The placement provided an ideal
opportunity to lead a team of people and to
begin to understand how the Partnership
works- what it really means to be a partner
within such a huge organisation. The
placement also offers the opportunity to
co-ordinate events such as stocktaking,
clearance and Christmas.
“The next milestone is the time spent
working at our Head Offices in London
where each graduate works within the buying
function. During this time I worked
alongside the Lingerie buying team to
complete a project analysing the current
lingerie assortment in the smaller John Lewis
branches. Whilst at Head Office graduates
are also able to experience areas such as
marketing, personnel, the supply chain,
finance and merchandising. This experience
further increased the knowledge that I have of
the partnership and allowed me to gain a
greater understanding of how the many areas
work together as part of one business.
“The next step for me was to spend time
working in John Lewis Cheadle as a Section
Manager on the Electrical and Home
Technology department. Although initially
daunted by the vast difference to my first
department, working within both a different
team and branch was the sort of experience
I needed to aid further progression.
“12 months later, I'm the Department
Manager of Menswear, Sports and School
wear in John Lewis Sheffield and my role
now involves leading my team of Section
Managers and setting direction for my
department. It's a role that I am really
enjoying as it allows me to think more
strategically and feel as though I can
genuinely impact our business. The role is
challenging and encompasses a variety of
demands and this suits me as no two days are
ever the same and I feel as though I am
constantly gaining experiences, which will
aid my career in the future.
“The scheme is fast paced but the support is
there each step of the way and the
experiences that you will have are largely
determined by you. The term “driving your
own development” really is true of the John
Lewis graduate scheme as although the
opportunities are endless it is down to you to
take them and make the most of each one.
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