QRF has continued to connect with commerce students who interned this past summer in the retail industry. We had the pleasure of speaking with former QRF co-chair, Annika Kwok. Annika is in her fourth year at Queen’s and interned this past summer at HBC. Keep reading to hear about her unique position and advice for recruiting!
Tell us about what you did this summer?
This past summer I worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company as a Planning Intern. My primary responsibilities included creating purchase orders, tracking order data and using that data to influence further purchasing decisions.
What interested you about the retail industry?
I find retail interesting for several reasons. Firstly, I find consumer behaviour to be really fascinating and retail companies in particular are constantly looking for strategic ways in which to curate the ideal product mix to influence their consumer’s behaviour. I also think retail is in a really cool and innovative space right now, where we’re seeing companies such as Amazon and Shopify stir up traditional retail practices, which is causing the entire industry to adapt and change drastically.
What’s your number one tip for people new to on campus recruitment?
Focus on what you’re actually interested in! When I first went through OCR, I would just go to as many events as possible and apply to as many jobs as possible, which caused a ton of unnecessary stress. Create a target list of industries and companies that you are genuinely interested in and you’ll be able to actually focus on your true passions/interests and ultimately more successful.