Case Study - Helen Lau

Age: 21

Degree course and graduation year: BSc(Econ) Economics and Statistics, completed 2004.

Where did you do your placement?

I secured a seasonal work placement as a retail assistant in Madame Tussauds.

What made you decide to do a placement in the first place?

It was Christmas and I have decided to take the work placement in order to enhance my non-academic skills as well as to increase my future job prosperity.

How did you go about finding and securing your placement?

Initially, I approached the retail manager directly during the office hours to query about the job availability. Then I filled in an application by hand and was invited to a 45-minute interview. An HR employee phoned me with the good news a few days after that.

What did the placement involve?

My initial responsibilities were to provide excellent service to customers, assist the team in the completion of sales, offer advice on the sale of merchandise and direct guests through the exhibition. Gradually, I was held responsible for increasing sales within the department, training and guiding new staff members, moulding wax hand casts for guests, demonstrating the making of wax hand casts to an audience and working between various departments depending on company’s needs.

Do you feel you had enough tasks to complete and responsibility in your role?

Yes, I definitely feel that I had enough tasks to complete and a lot of responsibilities in my position(s) at Madame Tussauds. I was even trained to be acquainted with the use of wheelchair facilities too in order to enhance my service to customers.

What did the work experience make you feel about your career choices?

It offered me a view of the work involved in sales. In the light of my career choice, I believe it has helped me to identify my strengths and the skills that I need to improve on.

What did you find the differences were between being a student and working?

As a student, you initiate the method of study you desire, the time allocated on studying for a certain subject and the type of society to enrol in that fits your interests. You are pretty much a manager for yourself. But as an employee, you are working for someone else’s goals and there is always someone who stands above you. Sometimes, there are tasks which you do not wish to carry out such as tidying up which you can avoid as a student, but cannot avoid as an employee. However, I have gained so many none-academic skills from working that I would have never gained by just being a student.

Was the placement enjoyable?

My placement at Madame Tussauds was very enjoyable overall. That was why I jumped at the chance when they offered me a continual part-time employment after my placement.

Were there any problems during the placement, and if so how did you overcome them?

I did encounter problems with some unsatisfied customers during the placement. The customers were furious to find out that the exhibition was not as they had expected due to maintenance at various destinations. But I have managed to explain to them the situation, the overall enhancement to the exhibition on completion of building works, compensated them with a voucher and promised to notify them once the exhibition is revamped with many more wax figures in place.

What kind of skills did you develop (either through official training or just generally) and do you feel that these will be useful in your working life after university?

I have gained a vast number of skills such as team working, organisation, communication and demonstration/presentation skills. Many of these have already proved to be useful during interviews and I certainly do feel that these will be useful in my future career.

How well do you feel you interacted with your colleagues at work? Did you find it difficult because they were older than you were or find that you did not have much in common with people?

My work colleagues were very friendly. Some of them were full-time workers and some were, like myself, placement workers. There is always something happening at Madame Tussauds such as new wax figures or changing themes, so there is lot of excitement for the staff. We are often encouraged to experience new attractions within the exhibition and we tend to do that with colleagues during our lunch times. There are annual events for all staff members too. In one year, it was held in Planet Hollywood and in another year there was a dinner back at Madame Tussauds with ice sculptors.

Do you feel that your work experience was valuable?

My work experience was very rewarding and worthwhile. I feel that I have gained more skills and much more out of my university life by pursuing a part-time placement on top of my full time studies.

How has your work benefited the company, i.e. what kind of projects did you carry out and what kind of a contribution did they make to the company?

I believe that during my employment, I have helped to increase sales on many occasions by advising on customer purchases using my advanced selling techniques. I have also offered many ideas on methods to increase sales which would benefit the firm. Most importantly, I feel that I have given outstanding customer services to many visitors and have engraved an unforgettable experience and service from Madame Tussauds in their memories.