Marks & Spencer |

“I knew I loved the energy of retail before I joined, but people arrive with no experience at all and M&S has nurtured that within myself and others. The pace is fast, the challenges keep coming and the development path is clear: everything that happens is helping to shape you as a manager. It is an amazing way to build a career and I do recommend it to friends, all the time.”

“When the M&S grad scheme opened for applications, I could see it was an incredible opportunity with a well respected brand name. And it was definitely the right decision for me – it’s been nice to feel like part of a team that’s working to achieve something together, and the focus on my development has been incredible.”

“My favourite part of the job is presenting next season's products to the leadership team for sign off. It’s all about the buyers, the designers, the technologists, and the merchandisers coming together and showcasing what we do best. Every season you learn so much, and it’s always fun to analyse what we think our customers will buy.”

“Originally, my end goal for the programme was to become a Team Manager, but thanks to all the hard work I’ve put in and the support of my managers, I’m proud to say that I will have achieved that by early next month. Now I need a new goal – I think I want to be a Deputy Store Manager by the end of January next year!”

“The reason I love it so much is because the things I do feel like they’re actually making an impact. You get the opportunity to present to people who really value your opinion, and it’s nice seeing the work you do being put into play, especially when you’re making a difference for your store colleagues.”

“M&S is a business that really cares about its people. Overall, M&S has been nothing but supportive, encouraging me to push barriers, fulfil my potential, and figures out exactly what I want to do.”

“If you’re like me, you might not feel that confident at first. There are skills and knowledge you don’t have. You might feel out of your depth. But if you embrace the challenge of new experiences and get help from people around you, you will get there. In fact, you may be surprised at just how much you can achieve. Ambition means knowing where you want to go, but it’s also about having the determination to get there.”

“I like seeing the bigger picture, understanding how everything works, and then finding ways to improve it. What I really appreciate about the M&S graduate scheme is that I get to learn something new, become the expert in it, and then build on that knowledge in the next challenge – like looking at how we can grow our Foods business.”

“Because M&S is such a big company, there are so many varied roles and teams, and there’s always something new going on, whether it’s a marketing campaign, a new product innovation, or an event. This is your opportunity to try out a whole range of roles, while working for an established brand with great products.”

I joined M&S the same week I graduated from university, diving straight into the Clothing & Home Commercial Graduate Scheme. My path to retail wasn’t exactly planned - retail found me before I found it.

I’ve always had a passion for retail, and this is now my eighth year working in this industry. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about how retail operates, and I knew a graduate scheme would help me build on that knowledge, particularly in leading colleagues and managing all of the different store operations.

I’ve always been fascinated by science, and for a long time, I thought I’d become a vet. But as I explored my options as I approached the end of my school career, I found a passion for food science and nutrition

Whether you’re preparing for the M&S video interview or for the interview at the final stage of the retailer’s graduate recruitment process, here’s our expert guidance for how to answer M&S interview questions.

Vanessa Fursden, a food technologist with Marks and Spencer, tells us what the role involves and gives us advice on securing a graduate job in this area – from tips for university to the application process.