Anne

Merchandising - Fashion

My job description is basically I’m an Assistant Merchandiser working with the buyers to plan the range and trade the range that we're actually selling in-store at the moment. When I first started with Tesco I had a real interest in clothing retail and the clothing industry. The job description of an Assistant Merchandiser really appealed to me, but I didn’t really know what the job would entail.

Since I started the main thing I’ve found quite exciting is the product contact and tracking the product trends that will really sell for Tesco. In terms of things that are different from my expectations, I wasn’t really aware of the international aspect of Tesco’s business and the fact that I’d be dealing with suppliers from all over the world including the Far East Sri Lanka, India. I had no idea that I’d be speaking to people from around the world everyday or that we’d source so many products from these areas.

On the graduate scheme there’s so many areas within clothing so you’ll have design, marketing, technical and visual merchandising. On the graduate scheme you get to spend a small amount of time in all those areas. So it really gives you a broad commercial awareness because you are realising where all those different areas feed into the product that I deal with day-to day. At the moment I’d hope to become a Merchandiser and Lead Merchandiser and get more and more responsibility. But I know on the scheme you are really encouraged to follow many different avenues and you’re really encouraged to take them and meet lots of people that have come from loads of different areas.