What attracted you to a career in retail?
I had always enjoyed working as a casual and working with team members and interacting with the customers. As I became older I realised that there were huge opportunities for young people in retail if I approached the career seriously.
How did you get to where you are now?
My favourite quote is 'the harder I worked, the luckier I was'. I have worked with diverse employers in locations ranging from Tamworth to Hamilton Island and being open and flexible to these opportunities has developed my skills and abilities and contributed to my progression. I began as a casual with Kmart, moved to Denmark when I was 18 to au pair for 12 months in 2006, then worked in marketing for Retail First shopping centres from 2006 to 2008. From here I worked at Kmart as a customer service manager before managing property in Hamilton Island for 12 months in 2009. I then returned to Kmart as a manager in training having established that my passion lies in retailing and progressed through the program, being appointed as a department manager in Tamworth in October 2010. In this position I was awarded the NRA Young Retailer of the Year prize and moved back to Brisbane as a department manager in November 2011. I begin my appointment as Store Manager at Indooroopilly on June 11, 2012.
What has been your biggest achievement in retail to date?
My biggest achievement has definitely been being awarded the NRA Young Retailer of the Year and subsequently my participation in the 2012 Westfield Retail Study Tour.
What has been your biggest challenge in retail so far?
My biggest challenge is the working with such a diverse group of team members and customers, everyday. I prefer to reset and rather than view it as a challenge, view it as personal development and character building!
What is your role at Kmart currently on a day-to-day basis?
On a day to day basis at Kmart I am responsible for store rostering, P&L accountability, execution of head office directed material, delivering an exceptional in store experience, managing internal and external processes and managing all of the unknowns that arise each day!
What impact has winning the NRA Young Retailer of the Year Award 2011 had on your retail career and future prospects?
The NRA award has created exposure to an incredible network of contacts and opportunities for me to both promote and develop my career in retail. Earlier this year I had the opportunity to work with Workcover NSW and their Youth Week event. In particular, the Westfield Study Tour provided such a wealth of experiences and insights that I will now be able to adapt to my business and my role. The networking opportunities on the tour were fantastic, and depending on my career direction, there are definitely contacts and opportunities available to me.
Where would you like to be in two years?
In two years I will have completed my degree and established myself as a store manager within Kmart. I would also like to have begun exploring a role in the 'learning and development' area.
What are you plans for the short-term?
Following my Bachelor degree I would definitely consider an MBA or a Masters in Human Resources.
What is your ultimate career goal?
I'm not certain of my ultimate career goal as I believe that opportunities you haven't even considered come up and without realising it these can become a part of the ultimate career goal. So I'm conscious not to close myself off to opportunities. However, I would like to have my own business relating to learning and development; and promoting careers in retail.
What advice would you give to those who want a career in retail?
To those who want a career in retail I say go for it! For me, one of the biggest hurdles I had to overcome was accepting that a career in retail IS a career, regardless of the opinions of others. The opportunities are endless and just like any industry, it is what you make of it. So long as you are genuinely passionate about it and embrace the work you do, the opportunity for success is endless.
Are you at all concerned about the future of retail?
In terms of being concerned for the future of retailing, I'm not. And this was reconfirmed on the Westfield trip. Through all of the presentations it was consistent that the brands who will succeed despite all of the economic conditions, are those who recreate and reinvent themselves to remain relevant. They are the brands that provide an in store experience that is second to none, who find their niche in the market and remain true to their vision, and whose brand tells an engaging story. Retail is a dynamic, ever-changing environment and I really don't think that shopping online will replace the in store experience and the joy of actually shopping. It all comes down to how that in store experience is delivered and how online combines with the in store experience to determine how successful retailers will be in the future.
PROFILE
Name: Jennifer Skeahan-Heugh
Store: Kmart, Indooroopilly, QLD
Current position: Store manager
Date of birth: 15/3/1988
Courses undertaken:
- Currently studying Bachelor of Business at Southern Cross University by distance – double major in human resource management and management
- Manager in training program, Kmart Australia
- Worksmart training, Kmart Australia
- Manage my team, Kmart Australia
- Understanding the Kmart national agreement, Kmart Australia
- Australia performance management training, Kmart Australia
- Recruit & select courses, Kmart Australia
Achievements:
- Triple digit growth in selected Kmart departments in Tamworth
- Sixty per cent increase in ‘Kmart customer compliment cards’ for outstanding customer service
- Hamilton Island Holiday Apartment’s over achieved budgeted revenue