Interview With Kate Sweeney Brand, Buying and Marketing Graduate Programme What Kate said about the Boots application process: I studied Chemistry at the University of Sheffield. I found the Boots Brand, Buying graduate and Marketing scheme online and applied as I love the brand and already shop at Boots. I am also interested in working in retail as I think it is a fast-paced, interesting and varied environment.

1. Interview With Kate Sweeney
Brand, Buying and Marketing Graduate Programme

2. What Kate said about the Boots application process:
I studied Chemistry at the University of I found the online application process
Sheffield. I found the Boots Brand, Buying and was simple and easy to follow.
Marketing graduate scheme online and Following this, I had a telephone
applied as I love the brand and already shop interview before being invited to an
at Boots. I am also interested in working in assessment centre, where I took part
retail as I think it is a fast-paced, interesting in several exercises, both in a team and
and varied environment. independently, written and presented.
Online Telephone Assessment
Application Interview Centre

3. Induction week:
After joining the company, I attended an My task was to recommend how make
induction week along with the other 7 better use of space in stores for fragrance
graduates on the Brand, Buying and sets at Christmas. I spent 3 days with my
Marketing scheme. During this time, we team, researching and meeting with people
worked as a team to complete a real-life from various areas of the business to put
business task. together recommendations on how to
improve the system. These were then
presented to senior business leaders at the
Meetings end of the week.
Recommendations
“It was crucial to speak to
Research
with other people across the
business to help gain insight
Presentation
and ideas, as I came into the
business not knowing how
much was possible.”

4. Time in store:
Following our induction, I spent five After a while, I was made a team leader of
months in store in the flagship in the Christmas section of the store, where I
Leicester, getting to know all the was responsible for allocating workload to
different departments. my team, ensuring that the team delivered
excellent customer care and ensuring that
the Christmas section was fully stocked
and presentable at all times.
“I learnt a lot during this time,
and really enjoyed the Excellent
Christmas period as it is the Team Allocating
Customer
Leader Workload
busiest and most exciting time” Care

5. Kate’s first placement:
“It was a huge learning curve,
but looking back, I achieved a
lot in a year.”
In the January after joining Boots, I returned to I was required to work with both Boots-own
the office to begin my first placement in the brand and external suppliers to develop the
Accessories Trading Team. Here, I was an best product range for customers, ensuring
Assistant Buying Manager for hosiery. that the pricing, promotion and distribution
strategy was optimised.
I had control of a category budget, which meant
that I made decisions which had a real and
immediate impact on the area. In this role it was Pricing
crucial that I was reactive to changes in the
Promotion
market, keeping an eye on latest trends and
competitor activity to ensure that Boots Distribution
continued to respond to the needs of customers.

6. Kate’s second placement:
“My second placement in the
Brands department allowed me to
further build on my experience. I Developing
became an Assistant Brand Boots
Manager for Boots Pharmaceutical
brand
Pharmaceuticals.”
This role had a core focus on developing the
Boots Pharmaceuticals brand, by clearly Maximising
identifying the role the brand plays within each areas Boots
takes the lead
category and maximising the areas where Boots role
Pharmaceuticals takes the lead role, through
product innovation and marketing support.
Marketing Product
support innovation

7. Kate’s position as Assistant Brand Manager for
Boots Pharmaceuticals:
This role required me to have a deep In this role, I had to work closely with a
understanding of the consumer and the market, number of different functions such as
so that I could identify unmet consumer needs Supply, Regulatory, Trading and Marketing
and respond to these through product in order to deliver against these actions.
development, packaging/claim updates or
development of the communications plan.
“I felt this was a really
interesting role as Boots
Understanding Identify Respond Pharmaceuticals has only
recently been established
and it was great to be part
of the team driving
awareness for the brand.”

8. How Kate felt about relocating:
I moved from Oxfordshire to join Boots, and I visited Nottingham shortly before
now live in the centre of Nottingham. moving there to look at the area and the
property available for rent. I found that
several other graduates moved to the
area and they all shared useful hints and
tips. I find the city great to live in, with
lots to do.
“Boots provided me with
information about the different
areas available and where things
are.”

9. What Kate receives beyond her day-to-day role:
“During the programme, I have taken Role play
part in core training. We received some
Group
technical training on how to use the Problem analysis for
solving personal
various systems and commercial training development
on budgeting and negotiation.” Leadership
and team
working
skills
We also received learning courses in the Peak I have also taken part in some projects working
District to develop leadership and team working with the other graduates from other
skills. These courses were fantastic and provided departments on the Brand, Buying and
an extra element of support. They comprised of Marketing scheme, additional to the scope of
exercises in problem solving, and role play, my job. This has allowed me to get involved in
followed by group analysis to identify personal organising the annual conference for Boots
areas for development. suppliers and an event run in aid of the Boots
charity The Benevolent Fund.

10. Kate’s overall experience:
Overall, I have really enjoyed the graduate “I recommend that new
scheme as it has been based around real on-the-
job experience, which I feel is the best way to
graduates at Boots be open to
learn. The work has been fast-paced and exciting different opportunities and up
and I love to see the results of my work land in for a challenge.”
stores and delight customers. I also feel that as
Boots is such a large company, there is a huge
range of job opportunities for graduates coming
into the business.
Although the program was full on and there
is lots expected of you, the rewards are
worth it. It felt great to see my work come
to fruition. I recommend building a big
network of contacts, as this allows you to
get work done much faster in an
organisation as big as Boots!

11. Visit
Boots.Jobs
To Find Out More