From the outside in – A recruiter’s journey from agency to internal recruitment functions.....

Courtney Sertdemir joined us as an Internal Recruiter 10 months ago and here, our little ray of “sunshine” explains her journey.

I think it was about two years into my recruitment career, when I was starting to feel more established and confident in my role that I began considering the move into internal recruitment, or as agency recruiters call it, moving to the “dark side”.

More and more I started to wonder about the people I spoke to on the phone, what exactly were Talent Acquisition specialists or Internal Recruiters accountable for? Was their day just like mine? Did they have as many vacancies to fill? Was there any difference working internally? Did they have strict KPI’s?

So I started to look around. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my job but thought why not see what’s out there! So, like every semi passive/ semi active candidate I’ve ever met with, I tried my luck and became one too.

Courtney climbing the corporate ladder! 

To start off, it’s a tough gig trying to get an internal role, why? Because just like me there are plenty of agency recruiters thinking the same thing about their career. So, you’re now competing against every other agency recruiter out there. I mean, you already vie for jobs and candidates in the market but now its recruiter against recruiter on the same catwalk trying to be “internals next top model.”

Now, I know what people think about agency recruiters going internal, we are over it; over the sales targets, KPI’s and cold calls. Yes, for some this is the case but for me, I enjoyed all those things, I just didn’t enjoy sending out non relevant resumes just to meet my quota, I didn’t enjoy doing whatever it takes to get a placement across the line, even if it challenged your own ethics. Unlike some of my peers, I didn’t see candidates as a dollar sign.

What I did want was to be a brand ambassador, a true subject matter expert. Why work 20 roles with multiple clients when I can work 20 jobs with one brand. You start to want to make a difference on a more personal level, you become an integral part of the organisation, believing in what you do and why you do it.

So, eventually your times comes and you land your internal dream job. Its everything you had hoped it would be and nothing like you thought it would be! For me I think the hardest thing to get used to was the silence - no radio, no bell rings and no consultants yelling over each other on the phone. Because that’s all we really did at the agency, we lived on the phone – sales, sales, sales.

You start to learn new things too; you recruit for roles you have never recruited for before – even ones you never knew existed! You have meetings with GM’s, you start truly caring about the commercial elements of running a successful business, like strategy and team member on boarding. You learn more about HR processes and work force planning.

But ultimately I got what I really wanted, a chance to place people in their dream job, a company culture to live and breathe, a chance to learn more about how a business operates from a Support Office point of view, to create long lasting partnerships and to be a trusted advisor.

So far, it’s been an amazing journey and I wouldn’t change a thing, except for maybe putting a radio in the office!

Simone Says....

Over the past year, I found myself finishing a 3-year Bachelor of Business at UTS, working part-time in a medical practice as well as at the concierge desk of my local Westfield, all while frantically looking for a graduate job. I knew the best way to kick start my career was to get ahead of the pack and land my first role within an HR team. A plan, that at times seemed easier than initially thought!

"Hi, I’m Simone… probably should have started with that! I recently completed my Bachelor of Business, majoring in HR and celebrated my 21st birthday last month. Many of my friends would describe me as happy, loud… in fact very loud, sometimes funny, talkative and the mother of the group. I think it’s the loud and talkative qualities that have always drawn me to customer service type roles. So, when deciding where to focus my studies, Human Resources seemed to be a natural choice; a career path where I could build relationships and foster positive cultures.  

My 21st Birthday & beautiful desk decorations

In the first semester of my last year at UTS, I thought it was time to get serious about my job search. I applied to multiple graduate programs that involved centralised numerical testing as the first hurdle of the application. It was weeks of endless cover letters, tests and rejections that pushed me to look beyond.

After all, applying to job ads, isn’t the only way to job search. I asked my friends and families to put the word out that I was looking for a job in HR, and sure enough I got a bite! Through an elaborate array of connections, I found SFG and well, I haven’t really looked back.

I was contacted by, my now close colleague, Courtney, to talk about my experience and then invited for an interview. It was a breath of fresh air to be given a chance to talk and actually connect with a person. Before my interview I prepared by learning about the company inside out; I read about SFG’s history and their SHIRT values.

Despite it being an interview, I experienced the relaxed and friendly culture I have come to know at SFG as soon as I entered the room. We spoke about many different aspects of my experience, both on and off my resume. I may have gotten slightly sidetracked on a horse riding story from 2009, but luckily they didn’t seem to mind! Although, I think my winning line was “I feel like I have only learnt 5% of the HR profession from my degree and the rest I will learn in a job like this”.

Skip ahead to my first day as the new Recruitment Administrator and everyone was lovely; I was introduced to over 30 people in a bustling HR team and managed to remember only one name… my manager says it’s a New Year’s resolution I should work on! The rest of the day consisted of me getting to know my team through 1:1 chats about how recruitment works and what my role would entail. 

It took a little while but soon I started to feel confident in my role; i was willing to be thrown in the deep end and my team had no problem with that. I definitely made some mistakes, but I had not only my team but others in my office to teach and guide me, which if you ask me is the best way to learn.

I remember at about the three-month mark my colleague Lucy realised I didn’t delete or file emails… it was clear I hadn’t worked for a big company before, I had over 2,000 emails sitting in my inbox. Although, I was quickly reassured by some other colleagues that they had over 3,000 i knew being organised was a key requirement for me to stay on top in my bust role. Rest assured, all of you organised, detail oriented types, I am proud to announce I currently have 3 emails in my inbox… progress!

My stint on reception! 

I have enjoyed every new experience and challenge thrown my way at SFG, even the day I was asked by my manager to cover for the receptionist who had called in sick. Naturally, everyone thought being a receptionist at a medical practice would be the same as a 450 employee support office. Despite my state of terror, it was a great test of those transferable skills we talk about on our resume. If not just to help me learn some of the hundreds names at SFG.

Although I won’t lie, I was definitely happy to return to my comfy chair in the HR office. Right now I am immersing myself in everything I can, becoming more confident in what I know and taking in all that is new. I feel so lucky to be a part of a team that invests in my learning and growth. I can’t wait to expand my understanding of HR in 2017."

Top tips to secure the job you want in 2017

Many of us spend the first few days of a New Year pondering what the year has in store for us; thinking about what elements of our lives we would like to change or improve upon and career is often at the top of the list.

Job hunting can be a daunting prospect; trawling through job boards and websites, tedious application processes and never hearing back! Bear in mind the average job search takes time and generally requires a lot of effort and activity on your part. A scary US statistic states that it takes 24.9 weeks to get hired!

Here, one of our senior recruiters, Lucy Hibbert, shares her top tips to help you win that prize!

Your Resume

The first step needs to be producing a great resume. It has to be clear, concise, readable, truly reflective of your skills and experience and most importantly relative to your profession and the market you are targeting.

For example, if you are in a creative profession such as Graphic Design, your resume needs to be a reflection of your portfolio and skill set and we would expect the CV to have a creative flair to it – that said it still needs to have all the content of a traditional resume. Conversely, if you are in a more corporate function we would not expect to see graphics/ pictures/ charts or animations!

Example resume 

Personally, I don’t mind a bit of colour on a resume, for example if you use a different colour for sub-headings it can break up the monotony of reading multiple CV’s and make yours stand out; however, don’t make it a rainbow of colour! Think about using different sized fonts (but always the same in one document) and bold to highlight different sections of key areas.

Obviously, the following all apply; spell-checking, having your work history in reverse chronical order (most recent work experience first) and including your contact details goes without saying! You also need to get someone to proof-read your resume, multiple times and be open to feedback and constructive criticism. Typo’s and errors are a pet peeve for me in a resume, especially if the role they are applying for requires you to have strong attention to detail and/or impeccable written skills. Even if your actual experience is strong, these errors can see you sent to the reject folder in a flash!

Keep it concise; no one’s resume should be more than three pages and I mean NO-ONE! Even if you have 20 years work experience the roles from the first 10 years should be title and organisation only. At the other end of the scale if you are a recent Grad with limited experience, of course include extra-curricular activities and experiences gained but do not submit a 10-page CV telling me about essays you have written in Year 10! 

You do not need to include; age, DOB, address, photo (please don’t), referees (at this point) or hobbies (unless remotely linked to the job/ industry).

Now let’s talk personality…… Of course, what makes you is what makes you great! And you may be keen to give us insight into “you” in your career statement/ objective statement at the beginning of your resume. Again, I am not averse to this but it is a fine line between quirky, cheesy and out right odd! So you collect Star Wars figurines – cool if you are applying for a job in a marketing agency or tech-start up not so cool if you are applying to clerk in a top-tier law firm. Choose your tone carefully and again get a friend, mentor or family member to review.

Cover letters – Yes or No?

I’ll be honest, I rarely read them and if I do it’s after I have already selected you to be screened. If you do attach one make it short, sharp and insightful. Explain why you are interested in the role/ organisation and address any anomalies in your career history such as gaps in employment or work rights.

Going back to my earlier point about personality, perhaps this is the best place for you to include this insight…….

LinkedIn

Now that you have perfected your resume approaching your LinkedIn profile should be a piece of cake! Make sure it is up-to-date and that you have linked your experience to the correct companies, with correct dates.

Always include a photo but make sure it’s appropriate. Think smart business casual; a head shot is best and no sunglasses or selfies! I’m not a big fan of you using your wedding photo either! You need to look professional, approachable and normal! A smile goes a long way and make sure it is reasonably recent.

Like all social sites, LinkedIn works on an algorithm based on key words – therefore if your profile contains the matching words someone is searching for it is more likely to come up in their search. Your dream job might find you! For example, if you work in HR make sure you also use the full words Human Resources and then think about including variations on theme e.g. People & Culture, Talent, Performance, ER & IR, Business Partnering etc.

Make some connections! ‘Link-In’ with people you know first; former colleagues, people you have met at conferences/ seminars, current colleagues, tutors and friends who are in professions. Then think about expanding your connections to people of interest in organisations of interest. Top tip: make sure you activate your privacy settings on LinkedIn so connections cannot see your activity. (you don’t want your current boss to know you are on the hunt for a new role!)

Follow companies of interest and like and share their posts. Follow LinkedIn ‘Influencers’ you are interested in. I also recommend following a few media outlets/ publications/ distributors as your LinkedIn ‘feed’ can be a great one-stop-shop of catching up on some business/ industry news.

Job applications

Do your research: Before applying check the role is one you are truly interested in and check the company is one you would like to work for. Are they based in a location you can get to? What are their products/ services? Can you review them on Glassdoor or Job Advisor? Look at them on LinkedIn – do you know anyone that already works there? When we ask a candidate what they know about our business and the answer is little to nothing, I question their level of genuine interest.

Be honest: If you are asked to fill out a questionnaire or form, be honest. Nine times out of 10 there is a prescriptive brief that the recruiter is trying to meet and whilst you might still be an ‘interesting’ candidate they will prioritise those that more closely meet this brief. If you are unable to progress your application, as you cannot move on from a selection criteria page as you do not meet it – do not lie! Make a note of that organisation you are interested in and Recruiters name, if you can access it, then email their recruitment team directly. Explain that you were disappointed not to have been able to apply as you didn’t meet all of the selection criteria but are still interested in an opportunity with the organisation and were wondering if there was anything else you could be considered for. #greatcandidatebehaviour

Keep a tracker: I’m a big fan of a spreadsheet! Keep track of the role/ company/ date you applied (and any other info you want) so that you can follow up and remember which roles you applied for. I would also suggest saving a copy of the ad copy/ printing it out, so you can use it for reference. There is nothing more off putting than when you call a candidate to chat about the role they have applied for and they say “Sorry, which role is this I have applied for so many in the last few days I’ve forgotten.” #badcandidatebehaviour

Follow up: By all means sending a follow up email after the closing date or a few weeks after an application is fine. Do be mindful that if you have been informed ‘only successful candidates will be contacted’ then there is a chance you haven’t been successful. Of course, this is disappointing if you felt you were the right candidate for the role but pitch your email/ phone call appropriately. Be upbeat and friendly not aggressive or challenging. Ask for some open feedback and be open to what you might hear.

Selection & interviews

If you are selected for a telephone interview/ 1^st interview……… congratulations!

Be prepared, have the job advertisement to hand and if the first point of contact is a phone-call make sure you can really talk and that you are in a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted. Hearing a candidate whisper and be insistent they are “okay to talk” when they are clearly at their desk or in a stairwell is not setting yourself up for success!

Do your research, be on-time and look the part! Check with a recruiter about the dress code if you are unsure. Smile, try and relax (as much you can) and take your time to listen and answer questions.

It’s inevitable that you will be nervous and all good hiring managers/ recruiters will be sympathetic to this, to a degree. An interview is an artificial environment so the more you prepare the better it will go. Practise your answers to standard questions & think of examples you can provide of certain scenarios. If you can’t answer a question, the perfect answer is “I’m afraid I haven’t had that experience yet but what I would do is X, Y & Z” or “I don’t know the answer to that but I would be honest and up front and want to research and learn. I’m not afraid to ask questions where needed”.

Have a notebook and pen (that works) so that you can jot any interesting points down and have some pre-prepared questions to ask at the end of the interview. If you aren’t told what the next steps are – ask so that you know what to potentially expect & timeframes.

Offer

You get the call and are offered the job you wanted…… again massive congratulations!

Negotiating: Be reasonable. At some point in the process you should have been asked about your salary expectations, now is not the time to add on an extra $20k to try your luck! If the role has grown in size in terms of responsibility/ scope and you now think it is reasonable to negotiate on the package, then do so, but you will need to be able to justify why.  

Accepting: If you want the job it’s ok to be excited! Follow all the instructions of documents that need to be completed and sent.

Yay!!!

Congratulations – can’t wait to see you on your first day at SFG! 😄

Being rejected

No-one likes being rejected and if you really wanted the role and were genuinely excited then it can be a genuine blow. Try to contain your emotions but it’s perfectly ok to say you are disappointed. Ask for feedback and if you can, make some notes. Ask for more clarification/ examples if they can be provided. Then go away and reflect. Is there some constructive feedback there that you can take away and work on? On reflection can you agree with any of the points made and how would you improve for next time? Remember no-one shots the bulls-eye with the first arrow nor without practice.

Then pick yourself up and dust yourself down and get back out there – the right job for the right person is out there for all of us. Happy Hunting!

Ground Breaking…

In the culmination of plenty of planning & hard-work, Friday 5th August saw Specialty Fashion Group & Toll Group announce the start of their partnership in constructing a new state-of-the-art distribution centre in Sydney’s South-West.

LEFT TO RIGHT: John Sidoti MP, Member for Drummoyne, Parliamentary Secretary for Roads, Transport, Industry, Resources and Energy; Brian Kruger, Managing Director, Toll Group; Gary Perlstein, CEO, Speciality Fashion Group; John Marsh, Managing Director, Logos; Ned Mannoun, Mayor of the City of Liverpool.

A core part of the SFG Logistics five-year plan, the new 32,000 square meter facility will be at the cutting edge of logistical solutions for Omni-channel retail in Australia.

Moving from a largely manual facility in Homebush to one with advanced automation and an additional 14,000 sqm space will capitalise on speed of pick & pack, improved inventory, throughput volume and other enhanced capability to meet the change in customer demands as digitalisation moves to the forefront of retail business strategy.

SFG currently handles over 300,000 units per week of replenishment and online units which are sent out to the stores network or individual customers. The new warehouse will double that capacity, with the further potential to increase to over 1 million units per week. We have worked closely with Toll, over the design phase to create a facility that focuses on efficiencies such as store product sequencing, auto e-commerce bagging, and automatic carton optimisation.

To celebrate the partnership of this innovative new distribution centre and start of the build a soil turning ceremony took place on site, in Prestons last Friday, attended by key Toll executives and our own CEO, Gary Perlstein along with members of the SFG Logistics team.

Tolls’ Managing Director, Brian Kruger said; "Our aim at Toll, is to connect people and products, and we look forward to working with Specialty Fashion Group to enable a fast, efficient and cost effective supply chain for its customers."

Gary Perlstein also spoke of the collaboration saying; "We have worked with Toll to create a supply chain solution that enables our Omni-channel strategy across all brands, for a streamlined and memorable customer experience."

The facility will employ over 100 warehouse operators when the final phase of the construction, by the LOGOS Group Australia, is completed in October 2017.

“I am extremely proud of what the SFG Logistics team, in partnership with Toll, have been able to plan and achieve to date on this project.” Said Alex Linton, GM of Logistics. “The next 12 months of construction & transition will be both exciting & challenging times but the end result, of being at the forefront of logistic solutions, to aid business growth, will be extremely rewarding for everyone on the project. Ultimately, the customer is at the centre of all our business decisions at SFG and the impact on the overall customer experience will be huge. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank all those involved, as it is a tremendous achievement.”

The commemorative spade!

So what’s next on the horizon for the Logistics function at SFG? A focus on the expanding international operations, in particular a consolidation of the warehousing in the US, optimisation of the bonded shipping hub in China as well as importing directly to Australian domestic regional ports are all on the cards!

Well done to all those involved on this huge endeavor. A massive step forward to put SFG ahead of the game in retail and into the same arena as the big, international players.

Credit to Big Rigs 

Meet Penny........

It’s not really a revelation to hear that the role of a receptionist is crucial to many a business. They create the first impression and reflect the business values & culture.

Here at SFG HQ we are very aware of having the best person/people in the role and are lucky to have two wonderful ladies who job share the role at SFG Reception. Penny & Nina are true superstars, hard-working and ever smiling. They are approachable, engaging and always happy to help!

The other day our Editor was in the buzzing reception hub at SFG, chatting to Penny and she had some wonderful things to say about her role & time so far at SFG, so we thought we’d share her thoughts. Meet Penny………

Ahhh, Penny, you are looking lovely yet again today – wearing any of our brands?

I am! City Chic top and earrings today!

Such an ambassador! Love it! Right, so tell us a bit about you?

I’m married with two beautiful boys aged five & three. I love travelling, especially to Greece and exploring the beautiful islands & villages where I can indulge my passion for food and cooking. I also love spending time with friends and family.

I Joined SFG almost one year ago in a part-time Reception role that I share with my lovely colleague Nina. I work 5 days a week either a morning or afternoon shift and handover with Nina at lunch-time. This has been the perfect arrangement to allow me to balance my child-care arrangements, secure fulfilling work and ensuring work/life balance.

What attracted you to the role at SFG?

Being a mum, I was attracted to the hours but more importantly I loved the SFG brands. I grew up with Katies and Millers as my Mum and Grandmother would frequently shop there. I also love fashion so when I saw the role advertised, I thought why not work within the fashion industry!

Penny @ SFG reception in Sydney

As a receptionist, what does your role entail?

The reception area at SFG is super busy, so my hours flyby! My day to day tasks include meeting and greeting clients, customers & suppliers, answering incoming calls and receiving and sorting deliveries. We have anywhere from 50 - 200 parcels delivered each day! I’m also responsible for sending out all international samples and managing the couriers as well as responding to email enquiries and requests from SFG team members.

What’s your favourite part of the role?

People! My day centres around interacting with people all day from all different walks of life, whether that’s my colleagues, suppliers, customers or our couriers. This gives the busy role a lot of variety.

What are the perks to working here?

There are so many perks working at SFG! One the best ones being our generous staff discount (40%) which means there is an even bigger excuse to shop and I have a happier husband! We are also able to attend samples sales, again receiving a significant discount as well as getting to see the latest fashion trends, first, before it hits the stores. I was recently asked by one of our suppliers if I would mind wearing a few bits of their jewellery, which are currently stocked in our stores, and the best bit is I get to keep it! However, by far my favourite part of working at SFG is the team culture we have, everyone is so friendly and approachable it means coming to work is always fun!

What would your top tip be to someone considering a role at SFG?

Don’t be intimated by the stereotypes that the Fashion Industry has. At SFG that couldn’t be further from the truth – the people here are down-to-earth, friendly and welcoming and the culture is great! If you want a great role, in a buzzing environment all you need to do is demonstrate the SFG values and work hard and I’m sure you would be a success!

Now Penny, I don’t want to cause any ruffling of feathers internally but who is your favourite SFG brand & why?

Hahaha – I love them all! But if I was pressured to pick I would say that I have two favourite brands, City Chic and Katies; I love what City Chic represents in terms of giving confidence and sass to plus-size women to wear whatever they want and to look & feel fantastic! And with Katies it’s about accessing latest trends and fashions whilst also being affordable and keeping some classic pieces.

Favourite fashion trend of the moment?

I’m obsessed with leather look coated jeans at the moment they are so versatile, you can dress them up or down, are comfortable but with a bit on an edge!

Who’s your style icon?

Penny's dream destination

My current style icon is Sally Obermeder! I love her sophisticated & classic style, she always looks so well put together without trying too hard.

Now, obviously you want to be at SFG forever (!) however if you weren’t working at SFG what would you be doing?

I would be living on an island somewhere in Greece, sunning myself with a cocktail, sampling delicious food!  

One Woman – Many Stories

The Retail Concept:

If you have been out and about in Western Sydney, in particular, Wetherill Park in recent weeks you might have seen that a new store concept will be opening soon at the Stockland Centre. Would you like a sneak peak?

Here at SFG HQ we have been busy creating an exciting new ‘department store’ concept that will showcase fantastic product ranges from across all of our six fashion brands! This awesome new venture will enhance the customer experience by providing a sanctuary for her to shop in making her choices simpler. Our customer values fit and is looking for a little guidance to transform fashion ideas into her own style.

One Woman marks a new beginning; for retail, for fashion, for you!

The 28^th April 2016 is fast approaching and will see us opening the first One Woman store in Wetherill Park, an impressive 750sqm space and home to over 50,000 units of stock.

The new store in Wetherill Park, NSW, Australia

The store will feel personalised and will offer guidance and inspiration to the customer during her shopping experience. Designed around a theme of water, the store will provide a sanctuary of calmness and transformation. Our aim is to curate an environment that is elegant, feminine, soft and warm; with an abundance of natural light provided through an amazing central skylight paired, with 5,000 origami birds, hanging from the ceiling to entice our woman through the door!

The sneak peek!

We want to help our woman find and select great clothes that suit her SHAPE irrespective of SIZE. We are going to help her determine her style personality.

The store will also be home to a ‘Denim Zone’ where all six brands will feature 100% of their denim collections; overall, across the store, the size offering will range from a size 8 through to a size 26. The customer will flow naturally from one brand to the next, allowing them to view and explore different items from the variety on offer.

We look forward to welcoming our customers through the door in 59 days!

The Charitable Foundation:  

A number of years ago SFG founded a registered charity under the name 1Woman with the aim of raising funds for a selection of female focused charities in Australia. To date, this Foundation has primarily had an internal focus and has allowed our team members to raise money and/or donate their time to some fantastic causes. During 2016 we will continue to build upon this great endeavor, to re-launch this Foundation and increase its impact. To support this, there will be a 1Woman Foundation Area in the One Woman store– All for one, one for all. Customers will be invited to contribute to the Foundation by purchasing a gift with a proportion of the proceeds going to the charity.  

We have already partnered with Thread Together a charity that coordinates the distribution of clothing donations to help disadvantaged people from all walks of life. In January they collected 25 boxes from our Alexandria Support Office and the recipients were very grateful of the opportunity to receive clothes to assist them financially and from a self-esteem perspective. 

SFG Team Members supporting 1Woman!

As the One Woman journey continues we will keep you up to date with all the exciting developments. Good luck team for the grand opening – awesome work so far!

An insight into the Buying function at Katies

We recently sat down with James Matthews-Newman, Head of Product for Katies to see if we could garner an insight in to the world of Apparel Buying within our iconic Katies brand. Take a read to discover what the Buying function looks like and get a sneak peek into up-coming trends for AW16.

Can you tell us what your role as Head of Product does within Katies?

"In short, I manage the best buying team in Australia! I’ve been with Katies for a year now & am still impressed about the high performing nature of the team! Essentially, I manage the process of getting product to market; working closely with our suppliers to building relationships; setting the strategic direction of the categories & implementing sales initiatives.

I’m also the conduit between our Design and Merchandise Planning functions, as well as working closely with Visual Merchandise, Marketing & Store Operations."

James looking very dapper in a tux! 

What have you loved about your role so far?

"12 months has absolutely flown by! The teams moral, work ethic & ability for all the departments to pull together is truly inspiring. I love the huge design focus that we have within the Katies brand. Very few ‘high-street’ brands, at our price point, invest like we do in the design element of our product. Whilst, I have a career that spans 15years in the fashion & retail industry I’ve found the last year has been packed full of learning for me & I truly feel like I am surrounded by some of the best in the industry & we all come from a very diverse background. We all want the brand to be successful & will do whatever it takes to get the product looking its’ best to meet & exceed our customers’ expectations!"

What does a ‘typical’ week involve for a Buyer in your team?

"Haha, I wish I could answer that but as anyone who has worked in buying knows, there’s no such thing! The only two certainties are the Monday morning trade meetings, to review the previous weeks performance, & that it will be crazy busy! But we wouldn’t have it any other way."

Everyone says a role in Buying is “fast paced” what does this mean at Katies?

"It is fast paced and therefore not for the faint-hearted. You need to be on top of your game, be highly organised and able to multi-task & prioritise. The teams focus is on getting the most up to date products for our customer; it’s not about giving her “youth” trends, it’s about interpreting the trends and colours so she can buy into them, feel relevant & be trend appropriate.

We work 6 months ahead and have a new ‘story’ dropping in each week. We are a volume fashion environment & with volume comes the need to be fast. Our Buyers have multi-category responsibility & deal with a broad supplier base. Some people thrive in fast paced & others struggle – for us we need Buyers who love being in the thick of it with a broad variety of work to be involved in & who can make good decisions quickly based on their skills, experience & knowledge."

How often do Buyers get to travel & where do they get to go?

"There’s a lot of travel involved in most buying roles & for us the trips typically include; London, Los Angeles, New York, Europe, China & Bangladesh."

How would you describe the Katies brand environment & team culture?

"Katies is very much a team focused environment; everyone works well together & truly wants to see the brand achieve success & provide great product to our fabulous customer – she deserves it! I am a great believer that you are only as good as your team."

The Katies team having fun on Melbourne cup! 

What exciting things can we expect from Katies in 2016?

"I can’t give too much away as don’t want the competition getting wind of this, but we have some exciting new “capsules” launching……………………………………"

What’s the most challenging part of a Buying role for a new person joining the business?

"As when joining any business, it’s the first few weeks where you just feel like you don’t know anything; new systems, you’ve inherited someone else’s range, different business language etc. We’ve all been there & my advice is that you have to manage those frustrations safe in the knowledge that it will all fall into place. We encourage out new starters to ask loads of questions, don’t be afraid to get stuck in & have a voice & opinion, make notes and smile!"

What’s your top career tip for a Buyer looking to progress their career?

"Remember why we are in this industry; it’s about providing amazing clothes for our customers, never lose sight of why we do this & never under estimate your customer, learn to love her. If you are passionate about fashion & love what you do that will show in the results!"

What’s the best thing about working in the Katies brand?

"We operate like a high-end designer with great attention to detail, amazing prints & artworks that are designed in London & Europe. This strong design focus coupled with offering this to our customers at great price is what stands us apart!

It is amazing the amount of work & effort that goes into every single product that we produce and the fact that we can offer such a great price never fails to impress me."

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

"Usually it’s my two dogs waiting to get into the bedroom & jump on the bed! But on a serious note, my team & my passion for what I do." 

Any sneaky insight into the top trends we should be looking out for in AW16?

1. "It’s going to be a great colour season with some gorgeous rich tones of rust, camel & ochres.
2. Knitwear is going to huge with the key shapes being the cape & poncho.
3. Another colour story that will be really strong this year is midnight blues; think Indigo and denim leading the way!  
4. My top tip would be to invest in a beautiful, quality winter coat, camel is the hottest colour this season!"

Thanks James! 

Editor 

Sneak peak to Katies AW16 collection