Darshan’s been with us in our Samsung team since 2012. He began his journey at Blue Square as a Retail Sales and Marketing Specialist and up until now has had five other roles, working his way up to Client Service Director. With such an impressive and long journey with us, we wanted to speak to Darshan to find out more about his career journey, what’s made him stay, and his advice for others looking to progress in their career.
Tell us a bit about your career journey at Blue Square?
Let’s go back to the beginning…12 years ago! I joined Blue Square in 2012 and have been with the Samsung team ever since, progressing to management roles. Without going into detail on every role I’ve had, here’s a breakdown:
- Retail Sales and Marketing Specialist, July 2012 – Dec 2013 (1.5 Years)
- Field Force Executive, Jan 2014 – June 2015 (1.5 Years)
- Retail Sales Manager, July 2015 – September 2015 (3 months)
- National Field Training Manager, Aug 2015 – March 2019 (3.7 Years)
- Head of Product Training Development, April 2019 – Feb 2023 (3.1 Years)
- Client Service Director, March 2023 – Present (1 Year)
How did you gain the experience you needed to progress?
Joining Blue Square for over 12 years, I’ve always been open to learning new skills and experiencing new situations. I wasn’t specially qualified for the roles I’ve had over the years but I was always passionate about technology and loved working with others. I slowly identified the career paths I wanted to take and built my brand accordingly, I always asked lots of questions to build my understanding of the business and was keen to demonstrate I was happy to offer support wider than the role I was in.
What's the most valuable thing you’ve learnt on your career journey at Blue Square so far?
Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals and building a team that challenges you every day. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to bring together high-performing teams of passionate and determined people who’ve pushed me to break my personal boundaries in what makes a good leader and manager.
What’s made you want to stay at Blue Square?
The culture is contagious, one that I’ve never experienced in any other business, the attributes and behaviours of the individuals drive a relentlessness people first always attitude – creating astonishing results based on a sheer willingness to never give up and strive for the best for our clients. The pace in which the business operates is fast-paced and constantly evolving, keeping every day different, no day alike and an amazing place to learn and develop.
Your top tip for others wanting to progress in their role?
Remain uncomfortable, force yourself into situations that make you curious and ask questions. I learned a long time ago the best version of yourself isn’t the one that is happy and content but the one seeking to face the next challenge, always learning and never giving up.
If you’d like to join our dream team, take a look at our current roles here.