Christmas Customer Advisor at Boots: Pathway to a lasting career
What first attracted you to apply for a Christmas Customer Advisor role at Boots?
In 2012, at the age of 43, I was working as an admin temp at a Mental Health Charity in Fife. I was looking for a new opportunity, and a colleague mentioned that Boots would need Christmas Temps soon. I applied, had my interview, and my Boots life began.
What was your experience like as a Christmas Customer Advisor?
I helped with stocking the Christmas items as well as working on the busy tills. I loved that there was always something to do, the staff were friendly, and I saw people I had known from growing up in the town. After Christmas was over, I was given the delivery role, and I enjoyed the early starts and the early finishes. We would put the stock away and then help out on the counters.
How has your career progressed since starting in that role, and what do you love about your role now?
A Fragrance Advisor role came up and I applied. I really enjoyed working on the counter, helping people choose new perfumes for themselves or as gifts for others. As a trained aromatherapist, I loved finding out the ingredients in the perfumes and the training was great. I had the opportunity to visit the large Manchester branch for a few days, where I learnt a lot and met colleagues from other stores.
After a year or so my role changed to work on the Healthcare counter. I used to speak to regular customers and my manager noticed I was good with people, so she asked if I’d like to move into Pharmacy. Although I wasn’t sure at the time, it was a very good move. With a natural health background, I enjoyed helping customers find what they needed and supporting them with their health concerns.
I then had the opportunity to go through the training to become a Pharmacy Dispenser and for a while, I worked in the Care Homes section and it was very different from being in the walk in Pharmacy. I preferred working directly with the public, so I went back to the main pharmacy counter where I still work today, and it’s given me the chance to learn so much.
I’m one of the store’s First Aiders, and I’m also part of the Phlebotomy team for a research programme called Our Future Health which is the UK’s largest health research programme in partnership with the NHS, designed to develop new ways to prevent, detect and treat diseases and health conditions. We take measurements, blood pressure and some blood samples from participants to contribute to the research. It’s an exciting project to be involved with.
In the time I’ve been with Boots, I have had very good, ongoing training and development. It has given me the knowledge and confidence to support customers and stay up to date with new products. I love working in the community and being part of a company that’s well respected and constantly evolving. We’re always busy with a variety of tasks to carry out, which makes the days go fast.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about applying for a Christmas Customer Advisor role?
My job here has allowed me to be financially independent and confident. It’s a place I would recommend to others if you’re looking for work this Christmas, whatever your age. Get applying now. It can change your life for the better.
