Retail Assistant Review

My day to day tasks include: stocking shelves, reducing the price of items, helping customers on day to day basis, helped my other employees and helping the manager with a few tasks. My main role was just to get a feel for what working in retail was like and these tasks as well as some IT work helped to show this to me.

Having completed my work experience at Marks and Spencer’s in 2015 I thought it was a very informative experience. Not only did it teach me what it was like to be in the working world and outside of the protective bubble that secondary school provided for me but it also gave me some new useful skills that are transferable to many aspects of life. For example, I learned to work as part of a team which not only boost my confidence skills by a great amount but also helped to develop me skills as a leader as I was leading he group tasks several times. I also gained further confidence by talking to and helping customers whom Inhad never met before and this really has helped improve me life. I also learned some crucial IT skills which are still transferable to my work today. Overall work experience at M&S was a great short insight into what life will be like after I finish my long journey of education. I thank them for having me there.

I really enjoyed the experience, they were kind and friendly to me and never once did I feel like I was an inferior. It gave me several transferable skills that I still apply to other aspects of my life. I also really enjoyed working as part of a team and getting a feel for what working in retail was like. Overall I really enjoyed the work experience at Marks and Spencer’s.

I felt quite valued by the marks and Spencer’s team, they didn’t let me feel like an outcast because I was new or only there temporarily. They were supportive and the said on several occasions that I was a great asset to their company. They also treated my like a normal employee so that’s I could get a feel work the working life.

The programme was well structured, the company had several different jobs for me to do on different days and they gave me a wide variety of tasks over my work experience so that so I could really get a feel for what working is really like and which aspects I enjoy and which I don’t.

I received lots of support when I asked for it however I do feel that in their attempt to make me work independently that they many have forgotten to teach me some of the crucial skills needed to do a particular job so the support lacked there on occasions however overall I think the support was great.

I received lots of support from my employer when asked for, they were kind and calm realising that I was new to this industry and were ready to support me however way they could. They did also let me do most jobs independently realising that independence is a crucial skill aswell. Overall the support from the employer was great and better than that from the training provider.

The salary met my needs quite well as I am a student so I don’t need too much money to get me through. It could have been a little higher however as the amount of work and effort I put in was quite a lot and I did feel they underpaid me for this but considering I am a student and this was work experience I think it was fine.

I feel this aspect could be improved, there were little or no opportunities outside of work for me to show the employer what I can do and the skills that I have. However this was not too much of a problem as the amount of opportunities I had inside work was even greater which covered up for this.

Yes

I would recommend the work experience to anyone as it gave lots of skills and opportunities that I would not have otherwise. I know that I feel much more confident going out into the working world after my education due to the knowledge that he work experience has given me. It was a great opportunity and I thank them for having me.

I would recommend that you make the most out of the work experience by taking all the opportunities that come your way as they will be of great importance when it comes to going into the working world. I also recommend that you always ask for support where needed as working independently is great but asking for support is another big part of working in Retail.