Alishpa Pervaiz

Whilst working at Jose Eber I learnt a large amount of core skills crucial to retail, such as precise time management for shifts and hair appointments. Due to the fact that Jose is in Selfridges I learnt the importance of the presentation of my counter and my appearance alongside impeccably satisfactory customer service in order to fit the high standards and prestige of the worlds largest beauty hall. I met many customers and this broadened my experience with how to deal with a variety of customer with the utmost professionalism and decorum. My job consisted of timely bringing stock every shift, assisting customers with what they needed whether that be a Jose product or service, skincare, makeup or haircare. A key aim of the Job was to set daily targets for myself , which allowed me to remain focused to meet these initiatives and conduct myself in an organised manner.

As Head Girl managed many teams such as the events and social media teams, organising parents evenings, culture days and opening evenings, ensuring the school reputation was upheld via the composed running of the events in person and online. This experience helped consolidate my leadership skills as I became more confident in public speaking and allocating tasks during meetings. I also helped overcome a communication barrier for south Asian parents who found it difficult to speak to teachers about their concerns. Arriving to school early to tutor GCSE students and staying after hours to revise for A-levels proved my dedication to the role, not only for myself but for the whole school community alongside improving my time management.

Zurich helped me to develop my interpersonal and communication skills that I used at an interview at the Royal Bank of Canada to land me a summer internship. I attended meetings with clients both in informal and formal environments such as at the office and cafes to gage a deeper understanding on how to personally communicate with important clients to make them feel comfortable. Time management was crucial as a working day is packed with a busy schedule, and attending office staff briefings were just as important in order to ensure good team work. By setting up board meeting rooms with the correct equipment ensured I understood the level of professionalism that had to be upheld, improving my ability to independently solve any problems such as providing all necessary files if they were missing.

When working at Debenhams in Ilford I answered customer questions about the availability of certain products, the colours, sizes, qualities and functionalities. By working on shop floor I gained first-hand experience on how to engage with customers about any questions they had alongside dealing with difficult situations calmly even during the absence of a manager. During this time I traffic stopped customers especially when there were new releases or special deals to remain competitive with other brands. My job consisted of greeting customers on shop floor and providing direct assistance with the aim of marketing and selling the most appropriate product for their needs. Organisation was key as I had to maintain the professionalism of the brand by keeping a neat appearance and appropriate staff conduct alongside ensuring all products were shelved correctly to follow standards and allow a comfortable shopping experience for customers. This helped to build brand loyalty as I would often greet repeat customers who were satisfied with my customer service.