28th April 2021
Meet Amy, Visual Merchandiser in our Grafton Street Foodhall
College and further education never appealed to Amy. She wanted to develop herself, but preferred to do so in a fast-paced working environment. Joining us in 2012 as a seasonal worker, she realised it doesn’t get much faster than our Grafton Street store in Dublin over Christmas. Fast forward even further, she’s risen to every challenge and jumped at the opportunity to become a Visual Merchandiser.
“Within my role, I am very involved in the day to day running of the Foodhall. Part of my job is its overall look, while ensuring there’s clarity on our deals and offers. This is a big role within the business, because it inspires customers to buy from the moment they enter the store to the moment they leave.
Growing in a Visual Merchandiser role
Every colleague can offer something special to generate extra sales. Visual Merchandising requires innovation to get customers excited about our products. It takes a creative eye, knowledge of sales data and understanding of seasonal trends. So Amy’s expertise is of huge value to the team.
“I work with the management team to make sure events run smoothly and all phases are implemented correctly, first time. It’s so important to work well together to get these things done right.”
Amy’s perfectionist nature has earned her even more respect and responsibility in store. Whether it was the management team or the ROI marketing team, she always took the initiative to ask how she could be better. As her skills and confidence went from strength to strength, she was presented with the chance to gain invaluable management experience.
“I stepped up in a section manager role over the Christmas period, which meant leading my own team. This helped me understand the day-to-day basis of running a Foodhall and improved my management skills. M&S push you to develop without you even knowing. They believe in you when you don’t even believe in yourself.”
Are you as ambitious to pursue growth as Amy?
Succeeding in Visual Merchandising at M&S has clearly been a personal journey for Amy, as well as a professional one. After joining us as an eager but shy 17-year-old, Amy has found out how to unlock that desire to do well she always had inside. She believes with the right attitude, you can do it too.
“I’m not that unconfident person anymore. M&S opens doorways for you to develop yourself. It recognises good service and skills you might not know you have. You develop communication and leadership skills. Throughout my nine years working here, I have received many service awards and recognition for my work.”
“And if you’re already great with people, then this is definitely the job for you.”
