Thato Letlape

IIE Bachelor of Commerce
The IIE’s Varsity College Pretoria
GRADUATED CLASS OF 2018
Company: Smollan

Description of your duties on a daily basis

My daily tasks include doing floor walks at retailers, checking merchandisers and field marketer tasks. I also negotiate with store managers for more shelf space, order stock and perform administrative functions.

Why did you choose the qualification you studied?

Business management has always been my passion. I love understanding how organisations function, how the supply chain functions and how the global business environment functions.

Is your qualification relevant to your job?

Yes, my qualification is directly related to my job as I am a Graduate Manager in the retail space. I feel that my degree has adequately prepared me for my job and all the modules are relevant.

What is your greatest achievement to date career wise?

That would be securing this position at Smollan, a leading retail solutions company.

What are your future career plans?

I want to gain experience in my role as Field Manager and want to understand the retail business more. I would also like to pursue further studies and manage an fmcg brand.

What advice would you give to students who are looking for or about to embark on their first job?

• Ensure that your CV is set up professionally.
• Load your CV on job search sites like Pnet and Careers24.
• Create a professional LinkedIn profile, as recruiters are always looking.
• Have a job search action plan and implement it, which the campus Career Centre can help you with.
• Prepare well for interviews, be confident and sell yourself.
• Make sure your personal values and the organisation’s values align.