At Vision Express, we’re passionate about training and
development which is why we offer a range of career pathways for all of our
colleagues. Your learning matters to us, and we care about your growth. We’re
proud of our colleagues and we want to help those who are looking to take their
next step, we’re always keen to share careers advice. We spoke with Mickey
Daniels who began his career with us, as an Optical Assistant and now works as
a Store Manager in one of our Top 50 Vision Express stores.
What are
your career options?
We make
sure you can achieve your goals and get the support you need at every stage of
your career. That’s why we have various career pathways that set us apart from
the competition. With more customers visiting our stores, we have more
opportunities than ever. Mickey has lots of experience with us and shares his
thoughts on the different routes to becoming a Store Manager:
“There are
quite a few different pathways for our colleagues, in all roles. Historically,
you start as an Optical Assistant which is our entry-level role. You don’t need
any optics experience or any qualifications to join us, and that’s what I
started as, straight from school when I was sixteen. From there, you’ve then
got a few options. There are the Vision Express Sponsorship programs to then
becoming a Vision Express Dispensing Optician, a Contact Lenses Optician
and even eventually an Optometrist, or you can go down the management route.
The different management roles that I’ve had
are Team Leader, then Assistant Store Manager and then my current role which is
Store Manager. You could even look at the Store Support Office route, which
could be working in Operations, Loss Prevention or Training. There are loads of
different avenues you can choose depending on where you want your career with
Vision Express to take you.”
How to
take a step up the ladder
The climb
up any career ladder is always a challenge because it often means stepping
outside your comfort zone. However, communication is also very important. Mickey
has experience developing a team and he’s seen first-hand that speaking to line
managers about your career goals, is the key to making progress within a store
environment.
“I think
it’s about speaking up and expressing your interest to your manager. It’s also
about working towards your current role and current goals, to show that you’ve
got the capabilities – and then speaking up about where you want to go.”
Having
guidance and support from your leader will help you move forward. We’re always
here to support our team to be the best version of themselves. Our managers are
able to help become more confident in certain areas and deliver personalized
development plans, which will give you the support you need to step in the
right direction. Your vision is our vision.
“I had that experience with some of
my Optometrists who have both developed into Optometrist Store Managers. They
expressed an interest in it, so I started giving them one on one time with me,
so they can see what I do on a day-to-day basis as a Store Manager, as part of
their development plan. This was to check that they do understand the role and
that it’s definitely for them, it gave them a clearer understanding of the
requirements of the role and if this was something that interested them.”
Therefore,
having the right attitude and communicating your needs to upper management is
crucial for taking the next step and moving your career forward as a Store Manager.
The day-to-day responsibilities of a Store Manager include creating great
customer service, providing exceptional care for visitors and managing a team.
All of this requires commercial understanding and excellent people skills.
Growing
your career with Vision Express
We
understand that career growth is important. We make sure our employees always
have something to look forward to, even when you’ve been working as a Store Manager
for a long while. But why is Vision Express a great place to grow your career?
“It’s the
support you get from the start. I think it’s knowing exactly who to go to and
the support from your managers. I look after twenty people in my store in
Manchester and they know I’m the point of contact for anything they need, I make
sure I’m there for my team. Vision Express are really good at supporting and
knowing who to go to, depending on what you need. I just think it makes it so
much easier for everyone to decide what they want to do and who to speak to.”
“We also
have talent maps at Vision Express, so every year the Store Managers and the Regional
Managers will be given a talent map to plot people as to where they’re at in
their careers. Then what happens is that when opportunities come up, anyone
that’s recruiting for a role can pull up that talent map and select the people
who are overachieving and invite them for an interview.”
Talent maps
are also a great motivator for our colleagues. It gives them the opportunity to
see different options and where they can take their careers, as well as share
their skills and knowledge in other roles across Vision Express.
We’re an
employer that’s focused on professional development, and we believe everyone
should have equal opportunities. By joining Vision Express, you’ll have plenty
of opportunities to learn new skills and ensure you keep learning and growing.
Let
Vision Express help you
Whether
you’re just starting out in optometry, or looking for your next Store Manager role, Vision
Express can help you. We’re committed to giving you the best support to help
you progress on your path faster. If you enjoyed Mickey’s career advice, now’s
the time to take advantage of our great opportunities.
Take a look at our store management
jobs today
and contact us to find out more.
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