Fleur Bosman
"From store to headquarters - now building the assortment I once stocked myself."
Fleur Bosman, Trainee BuyingAbout Fleur
Originally from Achterhoek, she made a choice to move to a place closer to the head office. Action has played an important role in her life for years. At the age of sixteen, she was already working in one of the stores. What may be "just stocking shelves" for many, was much more than that for her. The speed with which products flew through the shelves, the large volumes and the constantly changing items made her curious.
Where did this interest in Buying start?
'During my work in the store, I increasingly wondered how the range came about. Who decided what was in the store? That interest was actually there from an early age. When I was thirteen, I started my own small jewelry business. I designed and sold jewelry and even went to a fair to buy materials. There I discovered how much fun trading is: negotiating, making choices, taking risks and responding to what people really want to buy.
At one point I decided to pursue a career in HR. I started studying in that direction and ended up in the recruitment world during my studies. I worked there for over four years and learned a lot about people, motivation and talent development. I ended up at Action through one of my clients and that immediately felt right. The culture and energy suited me perfectly.
How did the switch to Buying come about?
I then held various positions within HR at Action for three years. I worked with many colleagues and hired people for different departments. Yet my curiosity about Buying never disappeared. When I heard that a place became available for a Buying Trainee, I immediately knew: this is the time. The traineeship gave me the opportunity to learn a new profession, while I already knew the organisation well. That combination was ideal for me.
What does the Buying Traineeship look like?
The traineeship lasts a year and a half and is a very hands-on programme. In the beginning, you will work a lot with the Buyer and Buying Assistant. You help with promotions, prepare meetings, make price adjustments and test samples. You learn to look critically at products and build up more and more knowledge of the range and the market. What I really like is that you not only learn what you do, but also why. You gain insight into the entire buying process and see the impact of your choices.
How did you experience the switch?
Because I had already worked at the head office, I knew many of my colleagues. That made the transition especially smooth. Communication is direct, people are approachable, and there’s always room to ask questions. The traineeship is well structured, with clear expectations and plenty of guidance. You are trusted from the start and encouraged to work more and more independently.
After just a month and a half, I was already able to take on tasks independently
What makes working in Buying at Action so much fun?
You grow quickly and are given responsibility early on. That trust is enormously motivating. For me, this traineeship is the perfect combination of entrepreneurship, analysing, collaborating and thinking from the customer's perspective. The fact that I can do this at Action, an organisation that has had a familiar place in my life for so long, makes it even more meaningful.