Sales assistant Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement at Islamic relief. It taught me a lot of skills about retail and communicating with customers. It was a little tiring to be on my feet, but this is expected with the role and enabled me to help as many people as possible.

The staff were really welcoming. They made sure that I was comfortable in my role and knew what to do. They were really friendly and within a short while I felt valued like a real member of the team. I got to know everyone well and they were great company as I worked.

A lot of guidance was provided to me. When I first arrived, I was given an induction, giving me a tour of the store. Prior to my placement I was also given a staff handbook which allowed me to prepare before the role. I felt ready before I had even started.

My skills of communication and people management skills improved greatly. I learnt how to approach people if they needed help and knew when to provide assistance. I grew in confidence as I became a member of the team. Working in a charity shop allowed me to see how giving to charity is so beneficial.

Each day was relatively the same. I knew that I had to sign in and out. Throughout the placement I was allocated tasks to do. Admittedly there sometimes were no tasks for me and so I helped out where I could. All in all however, the role was structured and I knew what I was doing.

A lovely atmosphere. Both the staff and the customers were very friendly. There was music playing in the background. I did not feel pressure to do a certain task. I was given the freedom to do my tasks to the best of my ability. It was a great environment

I believe my personal training came through experience with this placement. We did not have a dedicated training day or session. However I did have tips and advice given to me as I completed my tasks for the day. I believe experience is equally as important as sitting and learning

The placement gave me a really big insight into working for a company. I learnt about all the aspects of a company that happens behind the scenes, aspects that customers may not see. I learnt of the ups and the downs such as dealing with disruptive customers but also helping friendly ones.

I gained insight of company culture through my experiences at the store. The handbook provided also gave me ideas of the core values and ethos of the company. The main staff acted as role models of what the company stands for.

Very valuable. This is is because, as much as I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the placement, I concluded that working in a retail environment was not suited to my skills and attributes. It opened my eyes however to possible future avenues that I can take.

I was not paid as my placement was completed based on a voluntary basis. I enjoyed this aspect because I believe it enabled me to work without an incentive needed and so I enjoyed the placement more. At the end of the placement, the staff did give a gift bag with some gifts to say thank you.

Due to the nature of the placement, there were not opportunities to network with other companies or firms. However, we were able to meet other employees of the company and ask them about their role and what it entailed. This was very insightful and beneficial

As aforementioned there were no networking events. Though meeting with other employees was a good and helpful experience

Yes, we were told of how we could volunteer in other ways for Islamic relief. I was informed that I could help out with collecting charity money and also taking part in events and activities that the charity holds. I was made aware of the many vast opportunities that were on offer.

I would recommend this insight. It had its challenges, however ultimately it provided me with skills that I can use in many different settings and environments. The staff were friendly and helpful and the general atmosphere was great!