Megan Barlow

This role has reinforced my abilities in every area of retail as I work in the shop alone. I carry out every task from opening up the shop, cash handling, displays, stock management, customer service and closing the shop in the evening. Working independently means I have to use my initiative and stay organised.

I run my own art business, creating art inspired by archaeology and ancient history. I am very creative and love working with my hands. Through self-employment, I have become extremely self-sufficient and organised. I have excellent time management skills and a strong work ethic. I maintain my art practice while also working part-time. Running a business has also made me confident in IT, marketing and logistics.

• At Urban Outfitters I had a few roles; sales assistant then a stock management role. I enjoyed working in this environment as it was very fast-paced and growth focused. I also highlighted my interest in the vintage department and visual merchandising, leading to running my own department in the store. During my time here, I learned more about stock management and the behind-the-scenes tasks involved in running a successful shop.

• While at Monki, I received plentiful training in visual merchandising. In this role I was responsible for the styling and presentation of the mannequins and window displays, the rehanging for the new campaign and the main summer sale. This was also while maintaining and updating the overall appearance of the store while in keeping with the organisation's objectives. This experience allowed me to further develop my confidence in all areas of retail as well as provide me with an opportunity to be creative and work independently. Throughout this period I received very positive feedback.

• During my time at Monki, I moved up from sales assistant to team leader. This role involved securely opening and closing the store, managing shop closes (tidying up, sizing, cashing up etc.) and motivating a team to create an exciting shopping environment, provide excellent customer service and consistently achieve sale targets.

• In this role I learned plenty about stock management, trends and the creative process behind new products. My responsibilities ranged from processing deliveries, managing stock, helping customers in fitting rooms and serving customers at the tills.

• During my time at Primark, I got the opportunity to work in an extremely fast-paced and busy environment. I worked quickly and efficiently while processing deliveries, replenishing stock and interacting with customers and providing enthusiastic service. Primark is the busiest place on the high street; this experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and greatly improved my confidence.