Jodie Elam
Hastings,UK
Summary
Motivated and hard-working Retail Assistant with extensive experience in fast-paced retail and garden centre environments. Skilled in customer service, horticultural advice, stock management, visual merchandising, and cash handling. Recognised for staying organised, efficient, and calm during busy trading periods, while supporting customers with a friendly and positive approach.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work history
Retail Assistant
Blackbrooks Garden Centre
Hastings
03.2023 - 01.2026
- Deliver expert horticultural advice on plants, flowers, garden tools, outdoor furniture, and seasonal products.
- Maintain and rotate stock, care for plants, and ensure displays are visually appealing and safe.
- Operate tills, handle cash and card transactions, and process customer orders accurately.
- Assist customers with bulky purchases, ensuring safe handling and excellent service.
- Support seasonal events, workshops, and promotions, increasing footfall and sales.
- Prepare and maintain nursery areas, ensuring plants are healthy and labelled correctly.
- Train new staff on plant care, customer service, and point-of-sale systems.
Sales Assistant
Sainsbury’s
Hastings
09.2020 - 01.2021
- Provided fast, friendly service in a busy store, resolving customer queries efficiently.
- Replenished stock, maintained organised stockrooms, and supported merchandising updates.
- Assisted customers with heavy items and contributed to achieving sales targets.
- Supported promotional campaigns, including seasonal product launches and in-store displays.
- Helped implement new stock management procedures to improve efficiency.
Retail Assistant
Co-Op
Ashford
09.2018 - 02.2019
- Delivered personalised customer service, enhancing repeat visits and satisfaction.
- Managed stock deliveries, backroom organisation, and visual merchandising updates.
- Assisted in training temporary staff and maintaining a safe, clean store environment.
- Handled customer complaints efficiently, improving overall satisfaction.
Personal Shopper
Tesco
04.2018 - 07.2018
- Prepared accurate customer orders under tight deadlines while maintaining presentation standards.
- Provided personalised support and advice to enhance customer satisfaction.
- Coordinated multiple orders simultaneously, ensuring accuracy and timely completion.
- Assisted with stock rotation and replenishment for efficient workflow.
Sales Assistant
Holland & Barrett
09.2017 - 01.2018
- Provided product knowledge advice, assisted with promotions, and maintained merchandising standards.
- Replenished stock efficiently to ensure product availability.
- Supported seasonal marketing campaigns and loyalty schemes.
- Assisted in training new staff on product ranges and sales techniques.
Sales Assistant
Cards Direct
08.2016 - 09.2017
- Supported merchandising, stock rotation, and seasonal displays.
- Assisted customers with queries and purchases, ensuring satisfaction and repeat business.
- Maintained store presentation, cleanliness, and compliance with health & safety standards.
- Contributed to in-store promotions and seasonal campaigns.
Retail Assistant
Poundland
Canterbury
02.2016 - 07.2016
- Managed shelf replenishment, seasonal product rotations, and customer transactions.
- Assisted in setting up promotions and point-of-sale displays.
- Supported colleagues during busy periods, maintaining smooth store operations.
- Ensured compliance with store policies and health & safety regulations.
Customer Service Assistant
WHSmith
Maidstone
07.2015 - 01.2016
- Provided excellent customer service at tills and in-store.
- Assisted with stock replenishment, organisation, and visual merchandising.
- Handled customer queries, returns, and complaints efficiently.
- Supported colleagues in training and daily store operations.
Admin Assistant
Stafford Upholstery
01.2012 - 06.2012
- Managed phone enquiries, collections, filing, invoicing, and confidential paperwork.
- Organised office documentation and supported daily administrative tasks.
Admin Assistant
Bigwood Antiques
01.2011 - 12.2011
- Processed customer orders, managed documentation, and supported daily office operations.
- Coordinated with suppliers and handled customer enquiries professionally.
Education
Level 1 & 2 Diploma - Land-Based Studies, Animal Management
Mid-Kent College
UKGCSEs - English, Maths, ICT, French, PE
Walderslade Girls School
UKSkills
- Fast, accurate, and efficient in high-volume environments
- Exceptional customer service & problem-solving skills
- Stock rotation, replenishment & stockroom organisation
- Till operation & cash handling with accuracy
- Visual merchandising & promotion implementation
- Heavy lifting & assisting customers with bulky purchases
- Teamwork, communication & supporting colleagues effectively
- Knowledge of plants, gardening products & seasonal displays
- Flexible, reliable & proactive with responsibilities
- Customer satisfaction enhancement
- Adaptable to peak times
- Retail sales reporting
- Merchandising awareness
- Customer needs anticipation
- Floor layout planning
- Refund authorisations
- Visual display creativity
- Point of sale operation
- Product labeling
- Communication excellence
- Retail industry understanding
- Handling difficult customers
- Flexible schedule availability
- Store cleanliness maintenance
- Merchandise arrangement
- Retail technology use
- Money handling proficiency
- Promotional displays creation
- Complaint resolution
- Health and Safety regulations
- Conflict de-escalation
- Product upselling
- Barcode scanning
- Stock replenishment
- Cash register operation
- Cash handling
- Complaint management
- Customer Service
- Confident communicator
Work availability
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
swipe to browse
Timeline
Retail Assistant
Blackbrooks Garden Centre
03.2023 - 01.2026
Sales Assistant
Sainsbury’s
09.2020 - 01.2021
Retail Assistant
Co-Op
09.2018 - 02.2019
Personal Shopper
Tesco
04.2018 - 07.2018
Sales Assistant
Holland & Barrett
09.2017 - 01.2018
Sales Assistant
Cards Direct
08.2016 - 09.2017
Retail Assistant
Poundland
02.2016 - 07.2016
Customer Service Assistant
WHSmith
07.2015 - 01.2016
Admin Assistant
Stafford Upholstery
01.2012 - 06.2012
Admin Assistant
Bigwood Antiques
01.2011 - 12.2011
Level 1 & 2 Diploma - Land-Based Studies, Animal Management
Mid-Kent College
GCSEs - English, Maths, ICT, French, PE
Walderslade Girls School