KEY POINTS:
LINDA TRAINER
GEneral Manager Shopping Centre Management and Marketing, Westfield NZ
What was your first job?
I was one of the first females accepted into Progressive Enterprises' Management Trainee Programme and $3 an hour didn't seem to go far. I stayed for two years and left to do my OE.
How did you get that first job?
I was doing a town planning degree at Auckland University but decided I could get to where I wanted to go faster if I immersed myself in the industry and worked my way up. Progressive had an ad in the Herald. There were hundreds of applicants and I was lucky to be accepted.
Did you enjoy it?
Figuring out what turns customers on, motivating them to buy from our business and seeing sales grow has and continues to be rewarding.
What did you learn?
Understanding people - what motivates them to buy. The supermarket environment exposes you to your customer en masse and you find out quickly if you have got it right.
What was your boss like?
His words of encouragement motivated me to want to succeed. I owe a lot of my early determination to him.
Any advice for someone starting out?
Work hard, listen, learn, and keep thinking about how you can do it better next time. Have a can-do attitude, be passionate and be a winner. And be humble!
Is it harder for people entering the job market now?
Most businesses now have performance review systems and training programmes. It is accepted that the young employee needs to be constantly stimulated and challenged and wants to "run", not climb, up the corporate ladder.
