Scottish Careers Week 2023 - My Career Change with Tegan Gladstone-Wallace, Sales Support Lead.

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#ScotCareersWeek23

It’s day two of Scottish Careers Week and all week we’re sharing the stories of Quorumites who have embarked on a significant career change on the way to joining Quorum.

The aim of #ScotCareersWeek23 is to offer career guidance, information, and resources to those looking to make informed career decisions. We hope that our stories show that there are many avenues to the career you want and that it’s never too late to make a change.

Today, we’ll hear from Tegan Gladstone-Wallace, who started her career in retail before joining Quorum as an Operations Executive and finally making the leap to our sales team as Sales Support Lead!

My Role Before Quorum

I joined Quorum 5 years ago. Prior to that, I worked for 6 years in retail, which included experience in a department store and, most recently, as an HR and Compliance manager within food retail. In this role, I managed a team of people and collaborated with the management team to oversee the daily operations of the store. This involved tasks such as stocking shelves, working in the café, and manning checkouts when needed.

I also managed the daily delivery schedule, ensured that shop standards were maintained at a high level to enhance the customer shopping experience, and addressed any customer issues. In addition, I was responsible for completing health and safety tasks, handling recruitment, and facilitating career progression within the store. I truly enjoyed the job and cherished the camaraderie with my colleagues. Each day brought new challenges, and you never knew what to expect.

What Prompted the Career Change?

Initially, I hadn’t envisioned such a significant career change. However, as time passed, the working environment underwent considerable changes. The expectations and workload for managers continued to escalate, which adversely affected my work-life balance and, in later months, my health. Workload increased while staff numbers were reduced, leading to extra days and hours of work.

The expectation was that even on days off and during annual leave, work had to continue. The rising demands made me feel undervalued and increasingly unhappy. I sought a stable career with opportunities for growth, within a company that shared my values, appreciated me as an individual, and recognised the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

What Advice Would You Give?

It’s simple: take the leap. It’s easy to become ensnared in the familiarity of your current situation, living each day without exploring the possibility of a better-suited job or company. I once thought I could never leave retail because who would value skills like ‘stocking shelves’? However, in reality, my working life had equipped me with a wealth of experience and transferable skills.

The most challenging part is taking the first step, but I found that a great place to begin is by identifying what you genuinely dislike about your current career and what you wish to avoid in your next one. Create a list of all your skills and experiences, and pinpoint what truly brings you joy. Once you’ve accomplished this, you can start narrowing down the career path that’s right for you.

For me, Quorum checked all the boxes; their values aligned with my own, they held deep respect for each individual and their unique strengths, and they provided unwavering support for any necessary training to help you become the best you can be. It may be intimidating, and you may feel nervous, but for me, I’ve never looked back and consider it one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.