Here’s What Happened at Speed Mentoring with Schuh

If you’re eager to kickstart your career in buying or merchandising, you’re in the right place. At Schuh’s speed mentoring session, each mentee got the opportunity to sit down one-on-one with industry pros who’ll share game-changing CV hacks and remind you that you don’t need all the answers to begin. We spoke to Saisma and Ritul on what they learnt from their mentors, so maybe you can learn something to…

1. What’s one personal story or piece of advice from a mentor that really stuck with you?

Saisma: A piece of advice that really stuck with me was to move the education section to the bottom of my CV, as employers tend to focus more on experience. I also learned that using a bit of colour and varying fonts can make a CV stand out—something that goes against what I was told at university.

Ritul: One mentor told  me that when they first started out, they didn’t have everything figured out—but they stayed open, curious, and willing to learn. What stuck with me was their advice: “You don’t need to know everything to get started.” It was such a good reminder that it’s okay not to have all the answers, and that being proactive and open-minded can take you a long way.

2. What draws you to a career in buying and/or merchandising?

Saisma: I’m currently working as a visual merchandiser and hope to progress into a fashion buying admin assistant role. I’ve been interested in fashion buying for a while but didn’t have enough experience, so I took my current position to build relevant skills and use it as a stepping stone into the buying side of the industry.

Ritual: I love that buying and merchandising is a mix of creativity and strategy. You get to work with trends, customer insights, and numbers—all to make sure the right products are in the right place at the right time. It’s exciting to be part of a process that directly influences what people see and buy.

3. What’s one valuable thing you learned during the session?

Saisma: I learned that you shouldn’t focus too heavily on your current role in the personal profile section. It’s important to also highlight the role you’re applying for and make sure your personal profile isn’t too short but also not too long either. 

Ritul: One key thing I took away was how important it is to be adaptable. The industry moves so fast, and buyers and merchandisers need to stay flexible while still staying true to the brand. That balance between reacting quickly and thinking long-term really stood out to me.

4. Why is mentoring important to you personally?

Saisma: Mentoring is important because it provides tailored, constructive advice from industry professionals in a clear and approachable way. It helps you understand what you’re doing well and where you can improve, which is incredibly helpful when working towards your next role.

Ritul: Mentoring means a lot to me because it makes the career journey feel more human and supportive. It’s reassuring to hear real stories from people who’ve been where you are and to learn from their experiences. It gives me direction and confidence to keep going.

5. Was there anything about the session that surprised you or challenged your perspective?

Ritul: Yes—what really surprised me was how different everyone’s journey was. I always thought there was one clear route into buying or merchandising, but the mentors came from such a range of backgrounds. It opened my eyes to the idea that there’s more than one way to reach your goals.

6. Is there something you’d love to ask your mentor if you had more time?
Saisma: I’d love to share a job I’m interested in along with a tailored CV and cover letter, and get feedback on how I’ve approached the application. It would help me understand how to refine my skills and better target future applications.

Ritual: I’d love to ask how they bring creativity into what can sometimes be a very numbers-driven role. How do they keep things fresh and exciting while also meeting commercial targets? That’s something I’m really interested in learning more about.