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Working as a Sales Associate

The role of a Sales Associate is varied, interesting and challenging. We have more people working for Superdry as Sales Associates than any other job – this role is the lifeblood of our business. Sales Associates are the people that help our customers every day, delivering fantastic customer service, and living and breathing the brand.

Sales Associates work on the shop floor, engaging with customers, building rapport and understanding our customers’ needs. By proactively approaching customers and striking up conversations, we work hard to find out how we can help, and how we can find products to match our customers’ needs. We also ensure the stores look immaculate, by displaying products properly, in the correct size order, that they are hung or folded properly, and that we create an appealing and inspiring place for our customers to shop.

The role also involves serving customers on the cash desk, taking payments, folding and bagging our product and processing exchanges. Sometimes Sales Associates will work on the fitting rooms, helping customers to make sure that products fit correctly, advising on outfits and helping them to find additional products that would work well with what they have chosen. We also work in the stockroom processing deliveries, which involves storing the products in size order and in the right location so they can be easily found. Working in the stockroom also involves picking the correct product for replenishment on the shop floor and finding items that customers have specifically requested.

It’s a really fun job – there’s always something different to do, there’s lots of variety, and we get to talk to lots of different people all day. The camaraderie among the team in store is great and everyone’s really friendly, and while everyone works hard, people have fun together too. It’s a great role for people who are good communicators, love talking to people and find it easy to strike up conversations with new people.

It’s not always easy – we’re on our feet most of the time, we often have to work evenings and weekends, and if you’re working in one of our airport stores they open very early and close very late. The run up to Christmas can be incredibly busy and we have to work extremely hard. We always need to be our best self for the customers, so even when we’re not feeling great or aren’t in the best mood, we put that to one side and continue to deliver great service. Overall it’s a brilliant job, working with great people, for a fantastic brand, with excellent career prospects and benefits.

 

Life as a Sales Associate

Life as a sales associate

What is it really like to work at Superdry?

What is it really like to work for Superdry as a Sales Assistant - video

Typical tasks

Find out about some of the tasks you'll be involved in as a Sales Associate.

Shop Floor

As a Sales Associate, you’ll work right across the store, starting on the shop floor. You’ll interact with customers, building rapport and getting to know them, understanding what they’re shopping for, and help them to pick products that meet their needs, generating sales by delivering brilliant customer service. You’ll be the first point of contact for customers so great service is everything.

Visual Merchandising

It’s really important that our stores look absolutely amazing, and part of the Sales Associate role is to help maintain that perfect look. You’ll help to implement our visual merchandising guidelines in store by ensuring that products are properly displayed, folded and hung correctly, to make the store as appealing as possible to our customers.

Fitting Rooms

You’ll also experience working in the fitting rooms. Here you’ll help the customers to locate free fitting rooms as quickly as possible, give them advice on the fit of products they are trying, and suggest other products that go with the outfits they are considering. You’ll ensure they are looked after and given great service whilst in the fitting rooms and help them with any queries they have.

Cash desk

Working on the cash desk, you’ll process sales as quickly and efficiently as possible, keeping the queues moving and ensuring that customers are given fantastic service. You’ll scan, fold and bag products, take cash and card payments, and handle exchanges and queries. As this is the last interaction our customers have with us before they leave the store, you’ll make sure it’s a great one.

Stockroom

Working in the stockroom, you’ll be involved with unloading deliveries and putting them away in exactly the right places, so the products are where we expect them to be when we come to pick them to go on the shop floor. You’ll put together packs of stock to go out to the shop floor for display, and help shop floor colleagues who are looking for a specific product for a customer.

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You’re on the fitting room and a customer is trying on an XXL polo shirt that is obviously too small for them. They ask for your opinion. What do you do?

A.

You tell them it looks great, particularly with the jeans that they are wearing, and you lead them to the till, pleased to have got such an unexpected sale. 

Select A

B.

You say it looks OK, but are sure there are other tops in the store that would fit them better. You describe these items to the customer, and point them in the right direction to find them because you don’t want to leave the fitting room unattended. 

Select B

C.

You suggest they try an amazing new tee shirt that’s just come in, because you know it is a little less fitted. It’s a similar colour and you tell them you think they’ll love it, and whilst they’re in the fitting rooms they may as well give it a go. You get one and bring it to the fitting room, along with a couple of other options for good measure. 

Select C

D.

You politely and tactfully tell the customer that you think it doesn’t fit them perfectly, that you’d rather be honest than try to sell them something that isn’t right for them. 

Select D

A female customer walks into your store with a shopping list and begins walking  towards a tee shirt display. She looks a bit intimidated by the store. What do you do?

A.

You approach her and say hello, asking if she needs any help. When she says no thanks, you tell her to let you know if she needs anything, and go off to serve other customers. 

Select A

B.

She looks preoccupied with her list and seems to know exactly what she’s after, so you decide to stay close but wait until she comes to you. You don’t want her to think you’re being pushy. 

Select B

C.

You approach her with a smile and strike up a conversation. You ask her who she is shopping for and what the occasion is. You try to help her express the kind of thing she is after, and grab some examples to show her. 

Select C

D.

You go up to her and try to engage her in a chat. She is not very chatty but you persist with a few questions, trying different ways to get her talking. When she doesn’t respond you back off with a smile, but approach her again five minutes later and try again.

Select D

It’s close to Christmas and a young professional couple walk into the store. You say hello but receive nothing back. Behind them, a family walk in with a child holding a balloon from a pizza restaurant chain. What do you do?

A.

Continue to pursue the couple, trying to establish a conversation with them. They look much more likely to spend more than the family.

Select A

B.

Acknowledge both the couple and the family, and tell them you’re there to help if they need you. You keep an eye on both of them as they walk round the store, and approach whichever one picks up a garment first and try to convert them to a sale.

Select B

C.

Smile at the family and talk to the child about what pizza they had, and what else they have done that day. Listen with excitement to the child telling you all about what they’ve been up to. With the ice broken, try to engage the parents in conversation and establish what they are shopping for. 

Select C

D.

Say hi to the family, and talk to the parents about what they are in store to look for. Try to move the conversation along fairly quickly, but without being pushy. Keep your eye on the couple and if they are still in store when your conversation with the family comes to an end, try to engage with them about their requirements.

Select D

A customer wearing motorbike leathers and holding a helmet is browsing the footwear display. He doesn’t look like the typical Superdry customer. What action do you take?

A.

You offer to put his helmet behind the till whilst he is shopping, and ask him what bike he rides in an effort to spark up a conversation, showing a genuine interest in his response.

Select A

B.

He doesn’t look like the sort of person who would spend money on Superdry clothes, so you focus on trying to speak to more promising customers as a priority. You do say hello to him though, just in case. 

Select B

C.

You ignore the fact that he does not look like your average customer. You talk to him about the shoes he is looking at to see if he might be interested in buying them. 

Select C

D.

You decide to give it 30 seconds to see if he is a genuine customer or is just killing time browsing. You approach him and ask him a few questions, but keep your eyes peeled for other customers while you’re talking to him.

Select D

You’re on the fitting rooms on a busy Saturday. Three customers have asked for different sizes. All your colleagues are dealing with customers. What do you do?

A.

You decide it’s OK to leave the fitting rooms unattended for a minute while you gather the items, it’ll be fine as long as you hurry and keep an eye on the fitting rooms while you’re on the shop floor.

Select A

B.

You grab another team member’s attention and ask them to cover the fitting rooms for you whilst you look for the items.

Select B

C.

You radio down to the stockroom team and ask them to find the items for you and bring them to the fitting rooms, and inform the customers the items are on their way. 

Select C

D.

You apologise to the customers and explain that you can’t leave the fitting rooms unattended, and that everyone else is busy. You keep them chatting and when you notice your colleague is free, you ask them to find the items.

Select D

You’re serving on the till and a customer states they are buying an item as a gift, and asks if they would be able to get a refund if it’s unsuitable. You explain we would offer an exchange only within 28 days, and don’t offer refunds. The customer is not happy about this. What do you do?

A.

You explain that although we don’t offer refunds if the item is unsuitable, will be happy to find them something else. You write your name on the top of the receipt so he knows who to ask for if he does come back.

Select A

B.

You apologise to the customer, and politely tell him that although you would like to help, it’s company policy so there’s nothing you can do.

Select B

C.

You sympathise with his position and tell him that on this occasion, you’ll make an exception to the policy and will refund him in full if the gift isn’t suitable.

Select C

D.

You listen patiently to the customer and empathise with his concerns. You explain what the policy is and why. You make it clear that you can’t offer a refund, but try hard to make sure he feels listened to and understood. You offer to get your manager to talk to him if he is still unhappy.

Select D

You were celebrating a friend’s birthday last night, and although you arrived to work on time today, you missed out on your morning coffee and are feeling tired. What do you do?

A.

You keep busy to make the time go quicker and get on with the day the best you can, even though you don’t feel great. You do your best not to let it show to colleagues or customers.

Select A

B.

You wait for a quiet moment and pop to the coffee shop next door for a coffee. You’ll only be gone 5 minutes and the store is still quiet so you won’t be missed.

Select B

C.

You drink plenty of water and ask the first one of your colleagues who has a break to pick you up a coffee when they have their break.

Select C

D.

You let your supervisor know you had a bit of a late night and ask if it’s ok to have an early lunch. 

Select D

You’re working in the stockroom and a large delivery has arrived. You have worked 10 hours overtime this week and are feeling tired and unappreciated. A colleague comes to the stockroom to get an item for a customer and asks you to help them. What do you do?

A.

You take some time to find the item for your colleague, knowing that he won’t be able to find it easily as it is an older item and quite hidden away. You’re aware that you won’t be able to complete the delivery within the timeframe set out to you, and explain this to your supervisor.

Select A

B.

You need to focus on completing the delivery, but you explain to your colleague where the item is located and point them in the right direction. You tell them to come back and see you if they can’t find it.

Select B

C.

You tell them you’re too busy and to ask someone else to help. After all, your supervisor has set a time frame for the delivery to be completed and you need to focus on the task at hand. 

Select C

D.

You find the item for your colleague, even though it takes you a while and leaves you behind with your delivery. You work through your lunch break to catch up. 

Select D

A colleague has just broken up from a long term relationship and is feeling a bit down in the dumps. It’s clearly affecting his mood and you notice that he is being a bit grumpy with customers and colleagues. What do you do?

A.

Say you are going to grab a drink after work with some friends and invite him along.

Select A

B.

Tell your manager, and ask them to deal with it. You don’t think it’s your place to tell your colleague to change their behaviour and you don’t want to pry. 

Select B

C.

Take him out at lunchtime for a sandwich and see if he wants to talk, you might be able to help. Find a nice way to tell him to stop being moody in front of customers. 

Select C

D.

Tell him there are plenty more fish in the sea and to put a smile on his face to stop scaring the customers away.

Select D

Superdry has just opened a new store where your friend is at College. Your friend has not heard of Superdry, other than being aware that it’s where you work. You think she would be a great addition to the team and you know she is looking for a job. What do you do?

A.

You retweet Superdry’s announcement of the new store opening to your friend, and add in “#can’twait #teamsuperdry”.

Select A

B.

You call her and tell her about the role, and talk to her about what it’s like working for Superdry, why you enjoy it, what the role is and what the responsibilities are.

Select B

C.

You know you’re seeing your friend in a couple of weeks at a party, so you make a mental note to talk to her face-to-face about the role and why Superdry is such a great place to work.

Select C

D.

Your friend is clearly living in the dark ages, after all everyone has heard of Superdry! You’re sure that one of her university friends will tell her about it.

Select D
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Where could a career
at Superdry take you?

Sales Associate - Bronze

People who join us as a Sales Associate will join at Bronze level. This means you’ll be an ambassador for our brand and products, and that you get the basics right. It’s an entry level status that sets out our expectations of you while you go through your initial training. Bronze says that you have the right attitude and behaviours, but are still learning how to do things the Superdry way.

Sales Associate - Silver

All Sales Associates have the chance to progress to Silver status. As soon as you have completed your training and meet the requirements of a Silver Sales Associate, you’ll progress. Silver means you can optimise opportunities to sell product and inspire customers, and have an advanced knowledge or products, stock processes and service excellence.

Sales Associate - Gold

Sales Associates can progress to Gold status depending on their own capability and on how many Gold roles we have in their store. Gold signifies someone who shows all the right behaviours and the ability to lead a team or become a specialist in an area like visual merchandising or stockroom operations. 

Super User

High achieving Sales Associates can develop their career to become a Super User, acting as the store or area specialist for a particular initiative, such as a new system, training package or process. Super Users are the go-to person who helps everyone else to learn the new skills they need, and acts as the link between the Retail Operations team and the store teams for that initiative.

Supervisor

People who have been successful as a Gold level Sales Associate have the opportunity to progress to Supervisor, when a role becomes available. Supervisor roles involve leading and motivating a team of Sales Associates in a specific area like menswear or womenswear, helping them to do their job to the best of their ability, communicating expectations, and helping with the store people planning.

Assistant Store Manager

Supervisors who excel will often have the chance to move up the ladder into an ASM role, supporting the Store Manager with all aspects of running a store. It’s a challenging role involving all aspects of store operations, including sales and commercial, back and front of house and managing people. Opportunities come up nationwide, so the more mobile you can be, the more roles will be available.

Area Visual Merchandiser

It’s also possible for high performing Supervisors to advance their career by specialising in Visual Merchandising. Strong Supervisors will be well versed in how VM works at Superdry, and the chance to take on a field-based role supporting multiple stores across a region to deliver first class VM is an interesting career option for those with an interest in that area. 

Store Manager

The natural career pathway for a successful Assistant Store Manager is to step up and run their own store. This might be at the store in which you are working, but it’s more likely that a role will arise in a different store, so the more mobile you can be, the more opportunities there will be. First time Store Managers will usually start off in a smaller store, before moving on to a larger store.

Operations Manager

Assistant Store Managers ready to step up are also able to apply for Operations Manager or Business Manager roles. These positions only exist within our largest stores, and give us the extra layer of management we need to run them effectively. They are a great stepping stone for people who are ready for progression and want large store experience before moving on to run their own store.

Store Manager - Larger store

Store Managers who have achieved success running one of our smaller stores will be able to progress their career by taking on a larger store. Although the role is essentially the same in all sizes of store, the size and scale of a bigger store presents new challenges and opportunities that deliver real development and progression. 

Senior Store Manager

An alternative career path for successful Store Managers is a Senior Store Manager role. This involves providing support to an Area Manager by offering management expertise to several other smaller stores in a mini cluster management role. This position is a good bridge between store management and area management, helping you to learn the skills you need in the more senior role.

District Manager

For Store Managers who have shown themselves to be high achievers, the ultimate aim is often an District Manager role, covering a territory and running a group of stores. Several of our current District Managers have followed this career path through the business with great success.

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The recruitment process
in a few easy steps

We use lots of different ways to assess candidates who apply for roles with us. Everyone’s journey through the recruitment process begins with an online application, but from there we will use a combination of different methods to decide on the perfect candidate for each role. We’ve outlined the key steps below, though we don’t use all of these steps for every vacancy. Which of these selection methods we use varies from role to role. 

Step 1

Online application

All our hires start with an online application. It’s a straightforward process, just click any of the apply links, create your account and follow the instructions. 

Step 2

Application Review

We review all application forms and CVs carefully against the role criteria we set out in the job description, and pick the most suitable people for each role to take forward.

Step 3

Telephone Interview

We usually start our corporate recruitment with a short telephone interview, to understand more about your career history, achievements, capabilities and cultural fit. 

Step 4

Team Tryout 

We often use this for our Sales Assistant recruitment in stores. It is a group session involving interactive and creative exercises and a short sharp interview. 

Step 5

Face-to-Face Interview

We invite people in to meet the recruiting manager for all corporate and store management roles. It’s a great way to really get to know you and evaluate your experience and suitability.

Step 6

Testing

Sometimes we use testing to understand technical competencies, management skills, numerical ability etc. This isn’t for every role, only where we need a skill that it’s hard to show at interview.

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