Store management: Tom Hawthorne

Name: Tom Hawthorne

Job: Graduate commercial manager

Employer: Marks & Spencer

Area of work: Store management

Qualifications: BA business studies and human resource management, Worcester University

I wanted to work for a respected retail company where I could use the skills I learned at university. I had been working part-time at Marks and Spencer while at university. I then applied for my current position.

I’m now half-way through a structured training programme that lasts twelve months in total. It involves a different topic each week from company policies and duty management to health and safety regulation and disaster planning (such as dealing with terrorist attacks). It’s really interesting and prepares you for a role in the company. I spent a lot of the early weeks on the shop floor getting to know the environment and my colleagues. I’m currently in charge of the children’s wear section in our branch and work with my section manager and commercial team to review the section’s performance and implement changes.

My working week

My company has a set framework for the week that every store follows, though individual issues often crop up to compete for your time. Mondays mostly involve commercial meetings to review performance and discuss prioritisation. On Tuesdays we investigate a particular range to identify why it’s not performing as expected. On Wednesdays we review costs and identify factors that are affecting the ‘bottom line’, a plan is then formulated to reduce such costs. Thursday is ‘people’ day, in which I get involved with my colleagues, review their performance and augment plans for staff development. Fridays and Saturdays are spent putting into practice all the things reviewed. It’s great to see plans come to fruition on the shop floor. I play a hands-on role and get involved with layout changes, phase change planning and role modelling great customer service.

My highlights

The best thing about my role is that it is extremely diverse and fast paced. This is great for me because I’d hate for my day to be predictable. The role is an engaging challenge, particularly managing teams and making sure we’re sharing the same vision. It’s great to get involved but you also need to find time for your own personal development.

Since starting here I’ve been exposed to many job functions. I’ve had the chance to work on projects with head office managers, including a World Cup project in our branch, which was a great success. I love getting involved with new projects, working with a variety of people and seeing our hard work make a real impact on the success of the store.

Insider tip

Before you apply for a role in retail, I’d definitely recommend getting a part-time job with the company you want to work for. This helped me out when it came to the interview. It gave me a basic grasp of the company culture and meant I could give real life examples when answering questions. It enabled me to demonstrate a general understanding of retail principles.