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My friend and I both finished uni in 2008 with degrees in Geography with GIS.

I started at the bottom working in the IT sector and ended up on a decent wage. She took retail jobs and is currently working in John Lewis on about 13k a year.

She knows she needs to get out of retail but is struggling to find jobs to apply for.

At this point I am thinking of directing her into administration jobs to get experience and then trying to get her a human resources type role?

Any other advice anybody can offer? Is there any recommended courses she should take?

Thanks!
 
What does she enjoy doing?
What are her aims?
Any specific sector?

She has retail experience, would she consider the business side of retail?

Need a hell of a lot more info
 
If she's in retail has she considered something like becoming a buyer? Most large companies have graduate schemes for this kind of thing that would probably still be the best way in. I think she'd have to wait until Sept/14 though to be honest to start, and start applying August/13. Although some years of the larger companies (read supermarkets) have year round applications I believe.

kd
 
If she's in retail has she considered something like becoming a buyer? Most large companies have graduate schemes for this kind of thing that would probably still be the best way in. I think she'd have to wait until Sept/14 though to be honest to start, and start applying August/13. Although some years of the larger companies (read supermarkets) have year round applications I believe.

kd

I know for a fact she would not have considered this. Its a good shout and something I had not even considered. Will pass it on, thanks! :)

What does she enjoy doing?
What are her aims?
Any specific sector?

She has retail experience, would she consider the business side of retail?

Need a hell of a lot more info

I understand that was not much to go on, I will try and get more information. Business side of retail? Could you provide any example roles? or do you mean quite literally start a business?

I can't assist other than to say my wife works in retail - get out - get out while you can

Yeah, she is living at home at the moment but she will struggle to ever move on on that wage. It does not sound very fun, almost soul destroying tbh.
 
Well, as you say she's in Retail, that also isn't much to go on. What is her exact job, do you have her CV, or any background to see what her job involves. If she likes retail, but cannot progress in the part of retail she is in, she could look to transfer in to another part, but without knowing what she currently does it's tough to. Working in John Lewis could be any number of jobs.
 
A progression from Retail is to go into Sales itself but that depends on the person. Currently I am in sales but would like to get out. The money is decent (as a figure) but the hours are long and you are basic+OTE which means your wages fluctuate month to month.

The last point is the one that annoys me most. I don't mind working hard. If you work hard in commission jobs, you can still end up with a low wage as you are ultimately dealing with the public who may not end up buying. I would rather they didn't control my wages.
 
I hear that JL is an excellent company to work for and like any large company I would assume there may be internal opportunities for movement and progression. Is there an internal job board?
 
Boy comes home from school and hears screaming coming from his mum and dads bedroom. He runs up the stairs and opens the door and see's his dad naked and his mum dressed in a cheerleaders outfit. "Mum, Dad, whats going on?" The dad tells his son to go back to his room and that he will be in 20 minutes to talk to him.
20 minutes passes by, his dad walks into his sons room to find him having sex with his grandmother. The dad is shocked "what the hell are you doing" The son replys "not so funny when it's your mum".
 
A progression from Retail is to go into Sales itself but that depends on the person. Currently I am in sales but would like to get out. The money is decent (as a figure) but the hours are long and you are basic+OTE which means your wages fluctuate month to month.

The last point is the one that annoys me most. I don't mind working hard. If you work hard in commission jobs, you can still end up with a low wage as you are ultimately dealing with the public who may not end up buying. I would rather they didn't control my wages.

I can't imagine her in sales, with targets etc. I assume you would have to either have insane banter skills or be reasonably pushy.

I hear that JL is an excellent company to work for and like any large company I would assume there may be internal opportunities for movement and progression. Is there an internal job board?

Yeah she says most things about the company are quite good and they are accomodating with things. It's more that the salary is quite low, not lower than other retail, just retail in general. Promotion prospects from what she says seems like become a manager, but there are many people who would be before her in that respect anyway.

Finding her a job won't get you out of the friend zone.

That is not my angle, I just want to help a friend who I have known for years now. I'm in a happy relationship, we own our own home and we will be trying for kids next year :)

Well, as you say she's in Retail, that also isn't much to go on. What is her exact job, do you have her CV, or any background to see what her job involves. If she likes retail, but cannot progress in the part of retail she is in, she could look to transfer in to another part, but without knowing what she currently does it's tough to. Working in John Lewis could be any number of jobs.

Bra fitter. It's more she wants a fresh start, if possible start from the bottom but eventually have something to aim for and end up applying for a job that might have a degree as a requirement.
 
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When she chose to do her "Geography with GIS" degree, what job was she hoping to go into afterwards on the back of that degree and what's stopping her doing that now?
 
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