What's your job about?
My employer is an Electrical Proprietor for Harvey Norman, and I manage the Audio Visual department for them. I had the opportunity of completing the Harvey Norman Graduate program, and then progressed into the Key Development program. As a graduate trainee, I learned how to run an entire department of 20+ colleagues and motivated them in achieving KPIs daily.
My main goal has been to overlook the stock levels in the department and interact with suppliers regularly. No day is ever the same for me, as every day brings a new challenge and a new learning opportunity. From interacting with customers to submitting credit claims, I have experienced a wide range of responsibilities. One of the most challenging and fun parts of this program has been the responsibility of improving an underperforming area of the business. I had a great time motivating our team in improving the add on culture, and the results made us all work harder every day while enjoying the process!
A part of this program is to work on an underperforming area of the business and ensure that you can improve the results. For me, the task was to increase the surge protector add on culture. While our team was successful in achieving this target, we had the most fun in the competitiveness and the incentives that this challenge brought along.
What's your background?
I was born in India, and migrated to Australia in 2004, spending most of my childhood in Melbourne.
Some of the most important stages of my life were throughout the university, where I worked part-time in many roles and developed skills that no books can teach. I undertook many internships both locally and abroad, and also worked in hospitality and retail throughout my degree.
I came across this opportunity at Harvey Norman on their website, and it appealed to me as I have always enjoyed working in retail and interacting with customers face to face. It has now been over a year since I have been with the company.
I’ve learnt that one of the most important things in life is to try your best in whatever responsibility you have been given. This mentality has shaped my career and allowed me to have experiences that I would have never had if I never tried!
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes, anyone can do this job if they are passionate enough. This role doesn’t discriminate between backgrounds, and your success is entirely dependent on how you can interact with customers and your team.
It is important to be open to challenges in this role, and it is also important to be open-minded. There will be many opportunities to leave your mark, you just need to be able to see those opportunities and grasp them!
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I have always enjoyed interacting with customers directly, and this job provides me with endless opportunities to do exactly that! While my main goal has been to learn how to run a team, I have thoroughly enjoyed speaking with customers, and finding solutions for them which not only satisfy them but also give me a sense of pride in what I am doing.
What are the limitations of your job?
There is a huge amount of responsibility on your shoulders as a graduate trainee, because you are expected to run the business like it is your own! Weekend work is common, and the work may also feel physically demanding at times, but trading hours are very lenient in comparison to other retail jobs out there! The biggest limitation in this role is weekend hours, as you have to be committed to working on weekends if the business needs you.
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