Jennifer Louise Owen

Address: 106 Sandalwood, Westhoughton, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL5 2RQ

Home:
Home: 01942 817261
Mobile: 07761 566 951
Date of Birth: 21 January 1991
Email: jlo_owen@hotmail.co.uk
Additional information: Full clean UK driving licence

Profile
I am a second year Retail Management student with three years of retail related experience. I am a self-
motivated, innovative, and enthusiastic individual, seeking a challenging and rewarding opportunity
with a successful organisation. I aim to put my knowledge into practice and gain insight and experience
in a specialised role that I am extremely passionate about.

Education and Qualifications

Qualifications

2009 to date University of Central Lancashire:

Studying for a degree in Retail Management (Fashion)
Year 1: 66% - 2:1
Overview of learning outcomes:
• Learning how to interpret Key Performance Indicators
• Looking at space management and layout techniques with regard to improving performance
• Developing skills in managing staff and customer service
• Carrying out and analysing mystery shop approaches
• Understanding and applying logical analysis to stock management and stock loss prevention

2007 to 2009 Westhoughton 6th Form:

A Levels: Performing Arts B
Media Studies B
English Language and Literature B
AS Levels: Psychology B

2002 to 2007 Westhoughton High School: 14 GCSEs A* - C including English, Maths and Science

Work Experience

February 2008 to date Marks and Spencer Customer Assistant, Food Department, Bolton:
• I have been employed as part of an evening fill team in the food department for almost three years.
• I feel a sense commitment and dedication to the company, and have a keen interest in the standards
and procedures executed. I am appreciated as part of such a positive and fast paced working
environment, often finishing my shift with a sense of achievement.
• Working as part of an enthusiastic team has effectively encouraged my communication skills and
enabled me to be creative and innovative with regard to visual standards.
• My duties include stock replenishment, tilling, customer service and waste removal.
• I am recognised by my employers as paying great attention to detail, making the store look tidy and
ensuring that visual standards are met. I also have great commercial acumen and ensure that I am
consistent in driving performance, applying my product knowledge and business opportunities.
• I have progressed in the company by receiving training on the service desk, which includes taking
customer orders on food and flowers. I am also given the responsibility of till co-ordinating, which
includes answering phones, assisting staff and directing them to their next duties.

July 2008 2 weeks work experience St Georges Primary School

• Working within an environment of teachers and picking up skills with regard to organising
motivational activities and supervising lessons.
• This was a positive experience, as I learned how to manage young children effectively and was
given responsibilities such as creating activities, enabling me to have my input.

Key Skills
Skills

• Ability to use own initiative/Manage ambiguity I have repeatedly used my initiative as an

employee of M&S. Managers do not work during evening fill, so when presented with a problem, I
am able to manage ambiguity by making a decision at pace and utilising the resources I am
provided with. This ranges from enabling contractors to enter the building after closing, to deciding
where to place new product lines, to completing moves where little space is provided to do so.

• Good communication skills/Teamwork Whilst at university, I am able to communicate my ideas

effectively through essay writing and seminar discussion. I also did two modules in journalism
during the first year of my course, which provided me with the ability to phone/approach and
question people who I had never been in contact with before. At work, I have built upon these skills
by answering phones, dealing with customer enquiries, and expressing ideas about ambient moves,
adapting to deal with different situations and aiming to improve performance.

• Organisational skills I have always been well organised, but this skill has been required most
predominantly throughout my university course, which needs to be balanced well with my part time
job. This is a large work load and would be impossible to maintain without sticking to a strict time
schedule in order to meet deadlines.

• Attention to detail I am precise about getting things right, and if they are not, I will try again. This
means that I am highly self-motivated. In terms of visual standards at Marks and Spencer, I will
persevere to ensure that not only are the company’s standards met, but that my own standards are
met also – and these standards will continue to become higher.

• IT/Administration skills I am expected to answer the phone to customers in a polite and

professional manner. I am also proficient MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint and have the ability to
complete an M&S online order form.

Interests and Achievements

• Foreign Travel: I enjoy travelling and being able to experience different cultures. Most recently I
have visited New York and Rome, which are both cities with a great deal of history. I also visited
Viana do Castelo in Portugal, where I spent a week living with a local family, and was able to
experience the city through their eyes rather than as a tourist.
• Fashion: My interest in fashion has increased significantly since I started work at Marks and
Spencer and even more so since I began my degree. I am not only able to appreciate visual
merchandising as a customer, but also from a business and management perspective.
• Running: I run regularly and like to challenge myself by setting weekly targets.
• Fundraising: Marks and Spencer regularly holds fundraising events which I am keen to either
sponsor or take part in. I recently cycled 45 miles on an exercise bike over a two day period, raising
money for Bolton Hospice. During those two days, the staff at M&S managed to raise over £1000.

References
Ms Cheryl Gordon (Senior Lecturer in Retail Management and Personal Tutor)
Greenbank Building 265, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2HE
Tel: 01772 894772
Email: cgordon@uclan.ac.uk

Rob Collins (Store Manager)

Marks and Spencer
35 Deansgate, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 1HQ.
Tel: 01204 528491