Hello Birgit, thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us today. Tell us a bit about yourself and your career at Zalando.
I am from Hannover and have been working at the Zalando Outlet Store here since August 2019. Back then, I started as a Cash Specialist, meaning I supervised the cash registers, but I've always been ambitious and worked my way up. When the position of Team Lead Cash was posted last year, I applied for it immediately, and since January 1st, 2023, I have been Team Lead.
I like the versatility of my work and the chance that Zalando gives for people to shape their careers.
How would you describe your role?
Depending on whether I'm in the morning or evening shift, there are always different tasks and you need to be flexible. Every day in the store is different: on weekends and during special promotions, we know it will be busy. If someone is sick, whether in the store or cash team, we discuss it and support each other.
Speaking of flexibility: Birgit has to briefly interrupt our interview to sign for a quick pickup run.
During the morning shift, the cash area is set up and the store is prepared for opening. I need to check if there are any messages left for me by the evening shift and ensure my team and the team on the floor are complete.
In the evening shift, I check on the cash register area and the sales floor and I discuss with my team and the floor specialists to see who needs support. There can also be issues or error messages that pop up. In such cases, the team comes to me, but I am also the point of contact for many other stores.
Do you help other stores as well? That sounds interesting, please tell us about it…
Yes, that's correct. I've always been interested in learning more. I contributed to our Zalando cash desk guide, the process manual, which was created to help with a quicker onboarding of new team members and serves as a reference for questions in less common situations.
Because of this work, I'm very familiar with these processes, so I'm the contact person for other stores when problems arise. If I can help, I'm more than willing to do so.
What do you like most about your job?
I appreciate the variety and the interaction with people, both within the team and with customers. I enjoy being there for the customer and supporting my team in doing so. All of my colleagues know that they are important to me, and they can always approach me. I must say, I truly have a great team.
Can you talk to us a bit about diversity in your team?
Yes, absolutely. In my team, I have a lot of people from different nationalities and religions. I have team members from Syria and Afghanistan, among other nations, who are encouraged to be themselves at work. I believe it's crucial to support everyone and give every person a chance.
Many individuals here in the store get the opportunity to start their careers here in Germany. When they started, some had limited proficiency in German, but I think it's important to encourage and support them. I saw that they made great progress quickly, especially because they interacted a lot with customers at the cash register. Zalando stands for diversity and my team lives that value.
What advice would you give others who want to do what you do?
Stay curious and open to new things. One should participate in training sessions, ask questions, and be eager for new tasks - it's all part of it. My advice: bring in your own ideas, even if they are not always chosen.
Would you like to be part of our Outlet team? Find out more about our open positions, locations and teams.
