IFRC Magazine 2019/2020

RECRUITING ADVICE

Douglas Chiu, Operations Intern at Adidas

I encourage you to be different and stand out even if it means coming outside if your comfort zone. Show that you can take risk and handle whatever’s going to be thrown at you. That’s what makes good candidates different from great candidates.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to people in different roles or departments to chat. I emphasize different departments because it is important to be openminded as there are usually a limited amount of roles in the industry. Exposure is the most important thing and trying something new might lead you to endless opportunities that you might not have imagined. Everyone is very friendly and are happy to help with the competitive recruiting process.

Collaboration is key and you will need to have great interpersonal skills as well as people skills. The past summer I collaborated with 3 different departments and learned a great amount from each of them It’s all about building strong connections that can help progrss you into the next stage of your career.

Melissa Wong, Allocation Analyst at TJX

Do your own digging on companies (and internships) as well as try to talk to as many people as possible who work in the industry. Only a handful of retail companies recruit directly at Ivey, so go on LinkedIn and chat with someone at a company you are interested in and see where that goes. Take initiative, Ivey has taught you already to take steps out of your comfort zone.

Stay true to your unique style and use that to craft a story for yourself. Don't be afraid to show your genuine passion for clothes, cars, makeup, whatever it might be, and let that shine through during your interview and even on the job!

If you know what you want don't be afraid to go after it. Just because those around you may have already accepted jobs in accounting, consulting or finance does not mean you have to rush to accept any job you can find. A lot of retail jobs recruit in February or later so be patient and don't let up.

Karishma Porwal, Assistant Brand Manager at Johnson & Johnson

The consumer is the beating heart of retail. It’s easy to get caught up in pricing strategies, market share and shelf space. You have to keep up with your consumer, their changing habits, needs and behaviours.

The retail apocalypse is real! Every day, e-commerce claims another victim. It’s important, if going into brick-andmortar retail, to not only accept technology, but also to embrace it.

Retail is a lot of moving parts. It’s important to check in with all other functions in your organization to make sure everyone is aligned to a common vision.