How to Stand Out For an Ecommerce Role

In the ‘How To Stand Out’ series, we ask industry professionals what they would love to see on a job application, breaking down the barriers to the ever competitive job market. This week, we’ve asked Sophia Tones, Ecommerce Manager at Fred Perry to tell us about how she got her current role and what she would be wowed by on an ecommerce job application.

Name: Sophia Tones

Job title: Ecommerce Manager at Fred Perry

How did you break into the industry and this particular role?

I graduated from Northumbria University with a BSc in Communications & PR. I chose the course because it covered a broad spectrum of subjects, such as web coding, event management and English. After I left university, I got a job in events where I was hands-on with the website. I loved how you could create something and make changes instantly.

After I moved to London, I got a job at Estée Lauder as an Ecommerce Assistant. During my time there I progressed through the business working for some incredible luxury brands. I was also a part of projects including exciting product launches, website re-platforms and re-designs whilst learning about beauty retail. After eight years I was ready for a new challenge. When I saw the Ecommerce Manager role at Fred Perry I jumped at the opportunity.

Fred Perry is an incredible brand, one that I’d loved growing up. The job description really fits with my skill set. In Ecommerce, you can become a specialist in an area quickly, but this allowed me to oversee a wide scope of responsibilities. 

Did you do anything that made you stand out when applying for this role?

I was keen to make sure that my CV had been seen. I applied through the website, sent my CV to the HR recruiter, and asked a friend who worked there to pass it on too! 

Has there been an instance where a job applicant has wowed you? What did they do?

I’ve been really excited about our latest recruits. I met our CRM Coordinator at an Ecommerce event. There were a lot of senior leaders at the event, but I loved that she put herself out there and wanted to learn from peers in the industry. We got talking after the event and she mentioned she would love to work for the brand. We were recruiting so I invited her to apply.

Our new Ecommerce Assistant got in touch via LinkedIn with our HR team, who then put him forward for an interview. Despite not having much experience in the industry, during the interview process he demonstrated his passion for the brand. He also asked a lot of questions which showed me he wanted to make sure that Fred Perry was the right fit for him. 

I would highly recommend asking plenty of questions in interviews. It’s a great opportunity to build a rapport with the interviewer and make sure that the business has the attributes that are important to you.

What skills do you look for when hiring for an Ecommerce role?

A desire to learn is important to me. The industry moves quickly, and you need to keep up.

If you don’t have any experience but are keen to break into Ecommerce, there are lots of free resources available to upskill yourself, I suggest watching webinars and reading up on industry news. After working in Ecommerce for over 10 years I still need to keep on top of industry news and best practices. My manager has been very supportive and encouraging of self-development, one of the reasons why I love working at Fred Perry.

What would you recommend an applicant do to get themselves noticed?

Utilise LinkedIn. Detail your experience and skills using key terms that recruiters might be looking for. Share updates of courses or extra-curricular activities you’ve completed that make you stand out from other candidates. Connect and follow business leaders, recruiters, and brands in your chosen sector.