Fenwick Graduate Brochure Update 2017

Exclusive

VIPs only

A R E YO U

VISIONARY, INDEPENDENT, PASSIONATE?

A N I N V I T A T I O N T O O U R G R A D UA T E T R A I N I N G S C H E M E

“

We are after people with drive and initiative. We want individuals who are capable, ambitious and self-motivated. /Ǵ[ ǫPPǶ +5 NBOBdzFǸ

>ǴOǹǸPEVDZǹǴPO@

W EL CO M E To the Fenwick Graduate Training Scheme Fenwick is the UK’s leading independent store group with a reputation for being distinctive, innovative and for sourcing the very best merchandise for our customers. Our stores are staffed by a loyal and talented team, many of whom started on our graduate training scheme.

Over the following pages you can read about :BǹDZI ǹIF ǴOǹFǸǺǴFXT the experiences of three of our graduates To hear more about the and gain an insight into what it is like to scheme, visit “careers” at fenwick.co.uk be part of the Fenwick team – a team that is and watch the videos dedicated to the quality and excellence reflected in our stores. We hope their experiences will inspire you to come and join us.

fenwick.co.uk

3

>ǴOTǴEF TǹPǸǻ@

D I S COV ER F EN W I C K PA S T A N D P R E S E N T

There are 9 stores in the UK, not all of them carry the Fenwick name

285 +

4

,6725

<

ǬǬ )FOXǴDZǶ XIP TǹBǸǹFE IÇ´T DZBǸFFǸ BT B TIPQ BTTÇ´TǹBOǹ PQFOT IÇ´T DzǴǸTǹ TǹPǸF Ç´O 1FXDZBTǹǷF B Å&#x201E;0BOǹǷF 0BǶFǸ BOE )VǸǸǴFǸÅ&#x2026;

ǬǬÅ&#x192;T TPO )ǸFE )FOXǴDZǶ ǵPÇ´OT ǹIF DzBNÇ´Ç·Ç» CVTÇ´OFTT

ǬǬ )FOXǴDZǶ FYQBOET ǹIF CVTǴOFTT DzǸPN ǹIF 1PǸǹI (BTǹ PQFOǴOdz B TFDZPOE )FOXǴDZǶ TǹPǸF PO DzBTIǴPOBCǷF %POE 6ǹǸFFǹ ǴO /POEPO

ǬPIO )FOXǴDZǶ dzǸBOETPO PDz ǹIF DzPVOEFǸ BDZRVǴǸFT ǹIF /FǴDZFTǹFǸ EFQBǸǹNFOǹ TǹPǸF ǬPTFQI ǬPIOTPO BOE ǸFCǸBOET Ǵǹ

%ǸFOǹ ǫǸPTT 6IPQQǴOdz ǫFOǹǸF ǹIF DzǴǸTǹ PDz ǴǹT ǶǴOE ǴO ǹIF 8ǭ PQFOT XǴǹI )FOXǴDZǶ BT B DzǷBdzTIǴQ EFQBǸǹNFOǹ TǹPǸF

)FOXǴDZǶ :ǴOETPǸ PQFOT 7IF %POE 6ǹǸFFǹ TǹPǸF EPVCǷFT ǴO TǴ[F

fenwick.co.uk

>ǴOTǴEF TǚPǸǝ@

O U R

S T O R ES $+($' 2) 7+( 75(1'

Established in 1882, Fenwick remains a family business but each 9 stores of its 11 storesacross acrossthe theUK UKare areindependently independentlymanaged managedand and run with product ranges singularly designed to appeal to local customers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our customers customers are are the the focal focal point point of of everything everything we we do soexplains we haveChairman created a Mark 21st century department storecreated based aon do,â&#x20AC;?

Fenwick. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So we have delivery localdepartment knowledge,store unique product 21st century group basedand onimpeccable delivering local service.â&#x20AC;? Theunique result is that with youservice.â&#x20AC;? get the security of knowledge, product andFenwick, impeccable The result a big but with a small one. but is thatbusiness, with Fenwick, youthe getindependence the security ofof a big business, with the independence of a small one.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

7IF DzǴǸTÇš )FOXǴǹǜ TÇšPǸFT Ç´O 1FXÇąBTǚǡF ÇšIFO /POEPO TQFǹǴBǡǴTFE Ç´O XPNFOTXFBǸ %VÇš XIFO ÇšIF DzPVOEFǸĹ&#x192;T TPO )ǸFE )FOXǴǹǜ XFOÇš ÇšP 3BǸǴT ÇšP ǡFBǸO BCPVÇš ÇšIF XBÇťT PDz ǸFÇšBǴǡ Ç´O ÇšIF DzBTIÇ´PO ÇąBQÇ´ÇšBǡ IF EÇ´TÇąPÇşFǸFE ÇšIF FNFǸdzFOÇąF PDz Ĺ&#x201E;EFQBǸǚNFOÇš TÇšPǸFTĹ&#x2026; 7IFTF TIPQT EÇ´EOĹ&#x192;Çš ÇľVTÇš TFǡǡ POF ǚǝQF PDz NFǸǹIBOEÇ´TF ÇšIFÇť TPǡE TFÇşFǸBǡ Bǡǡ VOEFǸ POF ǸPPDz CVÇš TFQBǸBÇšFE Ç´OÇšP ÇšIFǴǸ PXO EFQBǸǚNFOÇšT +F ǸFÇšVǸOFE DzVǡǡ PDz FOÇšIVTÇ´BTN BOE ÇšIF )FOXǴǹǜ XPNFOTXFBǸ TÇšPǸFT ǸFTǚǝǡFE ÇšIFNTFǡǺFT BT NPEFǸO EBÇť EFQBǸǚNFOÇš TÇšPǸFT

If you you have have the the talent talent youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll If quickly rise rise to to the the top. top. quickly

O U R

P E O P LE

Buyers and managers are at the heart of our business and on the Fenwick Graduate Training Scheme you will be on the fast track to becoming one. You will gain in-depth experience working in a variety of departments and you will quickly become involved in every aspect of the retail process, from leading your team, analysing trends, talking to customers and negotiating with suppliers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buyers take responsibility for their product from sourcing it to selling it in store. It is a bit like running your own business,â&#x20AC;? says HR manager Liz Cook. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You take responsibility for everything.â&#x20AC;?

Responsibility is something you will be given plenty of at Fenwick, so what we look for in our graduate trainees are those people who have the drive, creativity and commercial acumen to make things happen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you want your career to fly, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the perfect place to be,â&#x20AC;? says Liz. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is no rigid structure to hold you back from achieving your goals. Just show your potential and you will be on your way.â&#x20AC;?

)FOXǴǹǜ <PǸǜ PQFOT

5ǴǹFNBOT TǚPǸF ǴO ǍBOǚFǸCVǸǝ ǴT BǹRVǴǸFE Cǝ )FOXǴǹǜ

)FOXǴǹǜ 7VOCǸǴEdzF :FǡǡT PQFOT

)FOXǴǹǜ BǹRVǴǸFT ǚIF %FOǚBǡǡT *ǸPVQ BOE ǸFǚBǴOT ǭǴOdzTǚPO BOE %ǸBǹǜOFǡǡ

5ǴǹFNBOT ǴT EFNPǡǴTIFE BOE )FOXǴǹǜ PQFOT B OFX TǚPǸF ǴO ǍBOǚFǸCVǸǝ

)FOXǴǹǜ BÇąRVǴǸFT :ǴǡǡǴBNT Č? *ǸǴDzDzǴO ÇšIF ÇŤPǡǹIFTÇšFǸ EFQBǸǚNFOÇš TÇšPǸF

fenwick.co.uk

5

352),

/(

ǬPÇ´OFE )BǺPVǸǴǹF EFQBǸǹNFOǹ $QBǸǹ DzǸPN NÇ» PXO" 0FOTXFBǸ Ǵǹ IBT ǸFBÇ·Ç·Ç» dzǸFBǹ DzBTIÇ´PO %FTǹ DZBǸFFǸ FYQFǸǴFODZF 2ǺFǸTFFÇ´Odz ǹIF ǸFDzǴǹ PDz ǹIF 7ǯ BOE $VEÇ´P EFQBǸǹNFOǹ ǴǹÅ&#x192;T Ç·PPǶǴOdz ǸFBÇ·Ç·Ç» DzBOǹBTǹǴDZ OPX

YO G ES H R AW LLE Y â&#x20AC;&#x201D; H E A D 6O(F1 ,B2U5Y I%N8G< (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;5H O M E â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Ne w cNe a s twl ec astle a n d Yo rk

6

fenwick.co.uk

>DzǴǸTǚ QFǸTPO@

Q. What was the most important thing you learnt on the graduate recruitment scheme?

A. Wow, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost impossible to answer. I learnt so much.

All the different aspects of buying, how to think commercially, how to work with customers, how to manage a team.

Everything really. And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still learning now. I think one of the most interesting things I learnt was about me and how passionate I could get about a product that I previously knew nothing about. For example, I was Assistant Buyer for Prams and Nursery. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have kids myself and before doing that job I had no idea about prams, I just thought they carried babies. But just like anything else, the customer has all sorts of other criteria like colour, size, price. Once you get into buying, you get passionate about any product.

Q. Did you always want to be a buyer?

A. I studied aviation engineering at university, so I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think I was really thinking about it then. But Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d worked in my Dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restaurant as a student, which made me realise I liked working with people. After university I had a Sales Assistantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job at Fenwick before I applied for the graduate scheme and that was when I started thinking seriously about retail as a career.

3FPQǡF QFǸTPO )ǸPN EFBǡǴOdz XǴǚI ǹVTǚPNFǸT ǚP CVǴǡEǴOdz ǸFǡBǚǴPOTIǴQT XǴǚI ǝPVǸ TVQQǡǴFǸT CVǝǴOdz ǴT Bǡǡ BCPVǚ XPǸǜǴOdz XǴǚI QFPQǡF

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

I had no idea about prams. But once you get into buying you get passionate about any product.

Q. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the most enjoyable part of your job?

A. I love seeing a customer leave with a product youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just sold them and knowing that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be really happy with it.

Especially in TV and Audio where you spend quite a lot of time with a customer and you get asked a lot of questions. It feels good. I like building relationships with suppliers too, knowing you get good deals because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve put in the work. And my team, of course. I love working together and seeing the same faces every day. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about the people really.

Q. Where What does your job involve now? do you think your career will go A. I now lead a team of Home Buyers, working with them and in the next five years? theIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d other to continuallyastake the store in a A. likeHeads to takeofonBuying more responsibility a buyer for other commercially fashionable direction whilst working with departments. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s started already, and I mentor a graduatekey trainee brands.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thethe good thing Fenwick; they give all the whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managing Prams andabout Nursery department.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the responsibility you Fenwick, want andthey also give plenty support. good thing about youofall the responsibility you want and also plenty of support and help to make sure you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel out of your depth.

fenwick.co.uk

:BǚǹI ǚIF ǴOǚFǸǺǴFX Visit fenwick.co.uk/ careers to see Yogesh talk about his experience

7

352),

/(

ǬPǴOFE )BǺPVǸǴǹF EFQBǸǹNFOǹ , ǷPǺF Nǻ EFOǴN EFQBǸǹNFOǹ (ǺFǸǻPOF XBOǹT B dzPPE QBǴǸ PDz ǵFBOT BOE ǴǹŃT B ǸFBǷ TǶǴǷǷ DzǴOEǴOdz ǹIF ǸǴdzIǹ POFT DzPǸ ǹIF DZVTǹPNFǸ %FTǹ QFǸǶ PDz ǹIF ǵPC 7IF ǹǸBǺFǷ , ǷPǺF IFBEǴOdz PDzDz ǹP 1FX <PǸǶ XIFO FǺFǸǻPOF FǷTF ǴT ǵVTǹ IFBEǴOdz ǹP ǹIF PDzDzǴDZF

CAO I M H E d e S T E C RO I X — BUYING MANAGER, LADIES FASHION — B e n ta l l s K i n gs to n a n d Fe n w i c k B ra c k n e l l

8

fenwick.co.uk

>DzǴǸTǚ QFǸTPO@

Q. What were the first things you did on the graduate recruitment scheme?

A. I remember the first day, there were two other graduates and we were shown around the store and introduced to the heads of different departments like logistics and merchandising. It was very much a blast into the store, getting to know everything about the shop and what was sold. There was lots of induction over the next two weeks with projects where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be asked to find certain items in the store or to look at a department and say what products we thought were missing.

Q. What was your first big responsibility on the scheme?

A. I was assigned to womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion and I managed about 20 members of staff. I had a mentor and a direct line manager who would give me guidance. At times it could be quite tough, there were a lot of people who had worked there a long time and I was coming in fresh and managing them.

Resilience was important.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

about fashion and then moving into it. I was an Assistant Buyer for a year or so and then got this role as a Fashion Buyer about a year and a half ago.

Q. What does your job involve now?

A. I oversee ďŹ ve Buyers helping them to select for their departments. It means I go to meet all the suppliers, go to trade shows, decide how to spend the budget, react to whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selling and order new stock. I spend all day with diďŹ&#x20AC;erent people, which I love as I am very sociable; and I meet the customers too. Although sometimes I just like to watch them and see what they look at, what they like and do not like.

I meet the suppliers, go to trade shows, decide how to spend the budget. I spend all day with different people.

Q. Do you have the most amazing wardrobe?

A. I do, but my problem is that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m always looking at clothes nine months ahead, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m always bored with the clothes I actually own and just dying for the new season stuďŹ&#x20AC; to come in.

Q. When did you move into buying?

A. After about three months, I started doing one day a week in the office working with the buyers.

And then after a year I became a Buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Assistant. I stayed in fashion for the whole of my graduate trainee time because my boss felt that I would get the best benefit from learning everything )BTIÇ´PO RVFFO ÇŤBPÇ´NIF TQFOÇš Bǡǡ IFǸ dzǸBEVBÇšF ǚǸBÇ´OFF ǚǴNF XPǸǜǴOÇł XÇ´ÇšI DzBTIÇ´PO BT IFǸ CPTT ǸFÇąPÇłOÇ´TFE XIFǸF IFǸ TǜǴǡǡT ǡBÇť

fenwick.co.uk

:BǚǹI ǚIF ǴOǚFǸǺǴFX Visit fenwick.co.uk/ careers to see Caoimhe talk about her experience

9

352),

/(

ǬPǴOFE :IFǸF %ǸFOǹ ǫǸPTT )BǺPVǸǴǹF EFQBǸǹNFOǹ 7PǻT BOE DZPPǶXBǸF , XBT B %VǻFǸ DzPǸ ǹIPTF EFQBǸǹNFOǹT CFDzPǸF ǹIǴT ǵPC BOE , ǷPǺF dzPǴOdz ǹP TFF XIBǹŃT BQQFBǸǴOdz PO ǹIF TIFǷǺFT %FTǹ DZBǸFFǸ FYQFǸǴFODZF $ CVǻǴOdz ǹǸǴQ XIFǸF , dzPǹ ǹP TFF BǷǷ ǹIF 6ǹBǸ :BǸT ǹPǻT BOE DZǷǴQT DzǸPN ǹIF NPǺǴF CFDzPǸF Ǵǹ XBT ǷBVODZIFE ǹP ǹIF QVCǷǴDZ

K EV I N B Ö C K ER — RRE EG IGOINOANL A DL I HR E CATDO RO FO FF I FNIANNA CN CEE A ANNDD IIT T — Brent Cross and Bond Street

10

fenwick.co.uk

>DzǴǸTǹ QFǸTPO@

Q. What did the graduate recruitment scheme involve?

A. I started on the scheme in 2000 along with three other graduates and within a couple of months we were given Christmas departments to run. Mine was Men’s Gifts. It was a really great opportunity. I had a team of four or five staff to manage and we had to set up the whole area and put the stock out so it looked good. I had to do all the staff rotas, manage stock levels, re-order stock and work in the department, collecting stock from the warehouse, taking in deliveries, wheeling trolleys around. It was really busy. I can still remember the feeling on Christmas Eve when we’d done it, we’d sold all our stock. It was exhilarating and exhausting. From there I moved into Childrenswear as a Sales Manager, which was a bigger department so more responsibility and more turnover. After that the official graduate scheme ended, but we were still nurtured.

We still are really.

Q. How did your career develop once the graduate scheme finished?

A. I first moved to be Assistant Buyer in Cookware and Electricals then became a Buyer in Toys, which I really enjoyed.

It was a bit like being in the film Big where you’re a grown-up revisiting your childhood. I remember flying a remote control aeroplane around one morning with the MD staring at me. But it was work, I had to check it was suitable for the store. I had some good successes there. Kids crazes can come round so fast that they catch other stores out, but because we’re in charge of our own departments and don’t have to run everything by a head office, we can react quickly. When Scoubidou was all the craze we were the only department store for miles that had them, we had queues of people coming to buy them. After Toys, I moved to Electronic Gifts then Cookware and Electrical before this opportunity came up to move into the finance side and onto the Senior Management team. Even though I didn’t have the accountancy background, my boss thought I’d be good at it and had the belief in me, so she gave me the opportunity.

“

Within a couple of months we were given Christmas departments to run. I can still remember Christmas Eve. It was exhilarating and exhausting.

7Pǻ TǹPǸǻ ǭFǺǴO TQFOǹ ǹǴNF BT B CVǻFǸ ǴO ǹPǻT CFDzPǸF IǴT NPǺF ǹP 5FdzǴPOBǷ +FBE PDz )ǴOBODZF BOE ,7 DzPǸ %ǸFOǹ ǫǸPTT BOE %POE 6ǹǸFFǹ

Q. What does your job involve now?

A. Like I am all responsible for all aspects financial A. the jobs I’ve done here, of it’sstore different everymanagement day, with the support of a team of 35.

I set thebetween financialusstrategy which I love.

I manage a team of 30 and we pay and monitor business againstand budget.

Oneservices, of the most suppliers, oversee performance customer accounts customer appealing of working the after diversity of the manage theaspects staff wages, count at theFenwick takings,islook the financial role – everyday be different. accounts for theseems store, to make sure we meet our targets, compile reports for the merchandising departments. Finance encompasses everything so we get involved in whatever comes up. At Christmas I’ll be on the tills and packing the customer’s shopping.

fenwick.co.uk

:BǹDZI ǹIF ǴOǹFǸǺǴFX Visit fenwick.co.uk/ careers to see Kevin talk about his experience

11

A good buyer and manager has:

ENTHUSIASM FLAIR INITIATIVE CONFIDENCE COMMERCIAL AWA R E N E S S PEOPLE SKILLS ENERGY

>ǴO DzPǹVT@

T H E F EN W I C K G R A D UAT E S C H EM E YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Where does it take place?

You can apply to the Fenwick graduate recruitment scheme at three of our stores: Newcastle, Brent Cross and Bentalls, Kingston.

3FǸDzFǹǚ DzǴǚ )FOXǴǹǜĹ&#x192;T dzǸBEVBÇšF TÇąIFNF Ç´T ÇšBǴǡPǸFE ÇšP Ç´ÇšT dzǸBEVBÇšFT ÇšIFǸF Ç´T OP Ĺ&#x201E;POF TÇ´[F DzǴǚT BǡǡĹ&#x2026;

Is it the same scheme at each store?

Each store runs its own scheme and looks after its graduates independently, so there is no â&#x20AC;&#x153;one size fits allâ&#x20AC;?. The aim of the scheme is to create excellent buyers and managers, but it will work with you as an individual to do this.

We will take into account your personal strengths and interests and the storeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and requirements as we plan your development.

What will I do on the scheme?

In general, the scheme will start with an induction where you learn everything about the store and experience the different departments. You will then get plenty of commercial experience on the shop floor so that you can really understand your customers, what sells, how to sell it and how to manage a sales team.

Because of the need to understand every aspect of the business, you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just be observing others. You will be unpacking stock as it arrives, bringing it to the shop floor on trolleys, pricing it up, designing display units, working the

$ǚ B dzǡBOǹF O Three stores to choose from O Experience all aspects of the retail process O Learn how to manage a team and analyse trends O Work with buyers O Gain early responsibilty

tills - in short you will get thoroughly immersed in the retail environment.

As part of the graduate scheme you will also have plenty of opportunities to learn the key skills of being a buyer.

You might work one day a week in the office alongside buyers or once you have grasped the commercial side, you might become a buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assistant.

You will learn how to analyse data so you can see what is selling well and why, you will go out to meet suppliers

fenwick.co.uk

13

> dz Ǹ B>EǴVOB ǹDzFP DZTVDZTI@F N F @

and gain experience of negotiating deals and you will travel to international trade shows where you can hone your skills for identifying great products to buy.

Will I always be based in the store?

/PDZBǷ TIPQ Three of our stores run the graduate scheme: Newcastle, Brent Cross and Bentalls, Kingston

Most of the training is “on the job”, but not always on the shop floor.

There will be some dedicated teaching time, including a week learning management skills.

What job will I end up with?

The scheme is geared towards creating confident and successful buyers and managers who can run their own department within a Fenwick store.

You might not have this job title by the end of your first year, but most of our graduates are well on their way by then.

Do I need a particular degree to apply?

At Fenwick we are not looking for a specialised degree, just one that shows a good level of intelligence. If you have the right skills and attributes to be a buyer, we know we will be able to develop those skills and train you.

When do applications close?

“

At the end of December for the scheme that starts the following September.

The scheme is geared towards creating confident, successful buyers who can run their own department.

How do I apply?

You’ll find an application form and all the instructions www.fenwick.co.uk/graduates at www.fenwick.co.uk/aboutfenwick/careers/graduatecareers

14

fenwick.co.uk

“

Like all the jobs I’ve done here it’s different every day, which I love.

Kevin Böcker Regional Director

R.S.V.P. w w w.f en w i c k .c o .u k / ab o u t - f en wick /ca r e e r s /g r a d u a te - ca r e e r s