STUDENT JOB HELPS FUEL A FULFILLING CAREER FOR LOUISE

LOUISE Stephens took her psychology degree and after-school work experience in retail to create a career in which she already is winning national accolades.

Stephens, 24, is co-ordinator at petrol and convenience store chain OTR, and won the 2018 Young Retailer Award at the Australian Retailers Association Awards.

She initially began working in the industry at a supermarket as a 15-yearold high school student to earn some spending money.

While studying psychology at university, she started with OTR’s parent company Peregrine Corporation as a casual, working at Krispy Kreme.

After completing her degree, she moved to OTR’s HR and recruitment team, then the operations helpdesk, and now supports the operations team.

It involves working with area, state and general managers, including resolving customers questions and feedback through the website or over the phone.

“I didn’t want to practice (psychology), I realised retail has that good connection and relationships between myself and customers,” she says.

“People will say to me, ‘You did a psychology degree, how does that link in?’, and I think it really does. It’s a lot of negotiation and empathy.”

She says the counselling side of psychology helps in the retail industry, as well as understanding that customers may be experiencing something in their lives that most people are not aware of.

“It’s a very fast-paced, moving business, as we’re open all the time,” Stephens says.

“I’m taking each day as it comes at the moment. In the next year or so, I’ll do some short courses to develop negotiation and everyday communication skills as well.”

She urges young people in the industry to consider retail as more than a short-term job option.

“I was just a school student working in retail and now it’s a long-term career for me,” she says.

“As a young retailer, it’s really important to jump at any opportunities that present at you, even though things might be daunting at first.”