"The people and the versatility of the scheme. I’ve always wanted to work in retail, so once I knew what Argos had to offer, I knew I wanted the job."
Top tip…
“Make sure you’ve done plenty of research into Argos and its competitors. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – even the ones you think may be obvious, as sometimes they aren’t. Don’t be afraid to speak up and voice your opinion and most importantly, (cheesy as it sounds) be yourself! Don’t let your personality be hidden by nerves.”
Top tip…
“Make sure you’ve done plenty of research into Argos and its competitors. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – even the ones you think may be obvious, as sometimes they aren’t. Don’t be afraid to speak up and voice your opinion and most importantly, (cheesy as it sounds) be yourself! Don’t let your personality be hidden by nerves.”
Danielle's Career Journey
Why Argos…
“The people and the versatility of the scheme. I’ve always wanted to Danielle's Career Journey
Why Argos…
“I was looking for somewhere where I could receive high quality training in a sociable but professional environment. It was also imperative that there be great career opportunities within the organisation.”
“I didn’t want to be in an environment where I felt I would always have to keep my head down. I’d been to other interviews where I’d walked into an office and immediately felt my shoulders rise three inches with the tension and bad atmosphere. What I found with Argos, is that everyone – no matter how senior their position – is genuinely happy to help. I’m really impressed by the amount of support and guidance I’ve received so far.”
Being chosen…
“I don’t think I’d realised just how much I wanted the job until my phone rang the morning following the assessment centre – my stomach was in knots. Needless to say I was over the moon when I found out. It was an amazing feeling knowing I could finish my finals and enjoy my summer and that I had a job waiting for me at the end of it.”
Getting started…
“I only started with Argos at the beginning of September (2009), before that I was at the University of Edinburgh where I studied Spanish and French.”
“I love the newness of everything. I’m loving being part of the management team in store and physically seeing the positive results of my hard work: whether it be seeing new recruits develop, or great new displays. Being new gives you the great opportunity to meet lots of people and get involved in various different tasks.”
“I’ve learnt that you don’t get anywhere if you don’t ask questions and speak to people. Taking a managerial position within the team in store has given me a great opportunity to put my communication skills to the test and it has really boosted my confidence to see how well people have responded to me, given that I arrived out of nowhere and was expected to lead them.”
Working in store…
“I’m currently on my first rotation: working in store. What better way to gain a deep understanding of how the company gets its products into the homes of our customers than by working in store?”
“I work alongside the Customer Services manager, helping with the general running of the store. I’m also getting involved with tasks for my Area and am currently working on getting a detailed plan drawn up for the launch of the new catalogue.”
“It’s also great to have contact with our customers – to know what it is that keeps them coming back. Or, if it’s just a one-off visit, finding out what we could do/improve on to make sure they return.”
“I’ve loved it! It’s great working as part of a team. It’s hard work, but incredibly rewarding when you see things running smoothly as a result of your input. I’ve learnt so much about how the company works from working in store and most importantly, have learnt so much about the public’s view of Argos from chatting with the customers. I’ve been lucky enough to visit quite a few stores on my area, so have a great point of comparison with regards to the older stores and where the stores are moving to in the future.”
“I really feel as though I’ve gained a solid knowledge of how things work ‘front of house’, and am now looking forward to the next step up at head office.”
Development & training…
“I would say that this rotation has exceeded my expectations. I’ve been so lucky with the store I’ve been given as my manager is fantastic. She trains most of the new management that join the area, so I definitely came to the right place. Moreover, the team of store managers of North East London, as well as my area manager, have been so supportive and have allowed me to get really involved in tasks and assignments for the area. They’ll be a great point of contact for when I’m up at head office and fingers crossed I’ll still be invited to the area socials!”
“My next rotation will be in marketing. I’m not sure yet which department I’ll be going into, but have met with people from all departments and know that I’ve got an exciting challenge ahead of me no matter where I go.”
“The fact that the scheme is based on a series of rotations means that we’re given the opportunity to have a taste of all different areas of the company and not just restricted to one specific area, as found with many other graduate schemes. We’re also given continued support from staff of all levels from all departments, so there’s never any fear of not knowing who to turn to if you’ve got a question.”
The culture…
“There really is a buzz within the company. I’m yet to work up at head office, but from my experience in store I would definitely say it’s a work hard, play hard culture. Everyone works as a team and is hugely supportive of one another and there’s always plenty of smiles and laughter.”
Mentors and buddies…
“It’s been brilliant. I’ve not been in contact with him as much as I have with my buddies (who are always a great first point of call with any questions), but knowing that I have a mentor on top of them is hugely reassuring.”
“What I like is that our mentors are from a department other than our sponsored area. For example, I’m sponsored by marketing and my mentor is one of the trading directors. This means I will have extra reassurance when I enter this rotation as I’ll have my mentor to guide me, but he’s also been very supportive in general. He’s hoping to come and visit me in store before the end of this rotation to see where I’ve been working.”
Ten years time…
“In ten years I hope to have a good role within the marketing department and to be able to pinpoint a positive change in the company and be able to say ‘that was me’.”
Why you should apply…
“There is something for everyone. Being that the scheme is based on different rotations, you get experience in all areas of the business – not just one, as found with many other graduate schemes out there. There are endless possibilities to progress within the company and what I’ve found fantastic is the amount of support I’ve received.”