A luxury-goods shopping hub, Hong Kong is home to many high-end boutiques from the worlds of fashion, watches and accessories. One of the most prominent retailers is department store Lane Crawford, which will be looking for recruits to join its Graduate Leadership Programme at the Career Forum.
There are not many companies in this sector that offer management trainee programmes, so the retailer is competing for candidates with well-established schemes in the financial services sector, as well as big Hong Kong institutions like CLP Power, MTRC and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, says Alison McLaughlin, HR project consultant.
Lane Crawford, which has stores in Hong Kong and mainland China, is looking for candidates who are energetic, passionate and keen to learn. They should also be able to demonstrate their ability to work collaboratively – on projects, through CSR activities, or in sport, for example. “This is more important than their specific degree or skills,” McLaughlin says.
It is also important for candidates to be interested in global trends, particularly in the lifestyle sector, as this has a strong influence on the luxury retail industry. Those best suited to the programme would also have a passion for fashion and be able to cope with the challenge of working in an industry that is constantly changing.
“Being open-minded while working in a fast-paced environment can be energising, but also requires resilience and adaptability,” McLaughlin says. “Recently there has been a downturn in mono-brand luxury retail sales and a fall in visitors to Hong Kong, so graduates looking at long-term careers in the industry should think about innovative ways to respond to these conditions.”
Successful candidates will undergo a two-year training programme at the Lane Crawford Academy. “We offer a wide range of progressive and continuous development opportunities to our graduate trainees, from comprehensive and tailored onboarding retail skills and on-the-job training to bespoke programmes and activities,” McLaughlin says. “We ensure that our graduates are equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude required to be a successful future leader at Lane Crawford.”
Depending on the individual’s interest, graduates chosen for the programme can enter one of three streams: retail, product and enterprise. The company is looking for candidates who have a passion for developing their career in retail management – this could be in store or online retail – and retail technology and product, which includes opportunities to focus on buying, merchandise management, or working with the creative teams.
The rapidly evolving needs and lifestyles of customers in Hong Kong and China set the agenda for luxury brands the world over, McLaughlin says, so candidates need to be able to keep up. “Our advice to students is to be willing to learn and make mistakes, and have the desire to strive for improvement to deliver an outstanding experience to our customers.”
