Soulmates & Stories: Meet our former holiday helpers Noémie & Vanessa
To help our customers find the perfect gifts, we're looking for new colleagues to join us as holiday helpers. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in a Rituals shop during the festive season? Read on as Noémie and Vanessa, two former holiday helpers, share their experiences.
Meet Noémie and Vanessa
“Hi! I’m Noémie from France. After working in luxury pastry and graphic design, I joined Rituals as a holiday helper during Christmas. I loved the customer-oriented approach and cheerful atmosphere so much that I returned to Rituals six months later, becoming a permanent Sales Advisor. Now, I’m an Assistant Shop Manager awaiting my store assignment.”
"And hello from my side! I’m Vanessa from Germany. I'm a huge Rituals fan, and this year marks my fourth time returning as a holiday helper. My full-time job is as a printer, which involves little to no contact with people. That’s why working at Rituals is great for me. It puts me in direct contact with customers and gives me the balance I need from my other job."
How did you experience being a Rituals holiday helper?
For Noémie and Vanessa, it’s all about the festive spirit, enthusiasm, and passion for sharing light-hearted moments with customers and colleagues. “What made this experience extra special for me was the sense of camaraderie and support within the team,” Noémie continues. Receiving support from office colleagues working side by side with her on the shop floor during Christmas was particularly meaningful to her. "Nicolas from the HR department reinforced our shop during this period. It’s rare in other companies for head office staff to join the shop floor. This is the magic of Rituals."
What are your shop team's holiday traditions?
Reflecting on three holiday seasons, Vanessa cherishes most the moment when the entire team comes together on 23 December to reflect on what they’ve accomplished together. "The busyness of the past days lifts off your shoulders, and you feel proud. It’s a wonderful feeling to receive the team's gratitude and realise how much you’ve contributed to the success."
For Noémie, there are several traditions she doesn’t want to miss. However, two are particularly close to her heart: "During the holiday season, we share food, and everyone brings a special dish from their home country. This creates a festive atmosphere, allowing us to discover new cultures and their flavours.” In addition to her love for food, it’s the daily (sales) challenges set by her shop manager that Noémie gets excited about: “My manager Régis would set up a kind of advent calendar, and we would open a window every day to discover a new challenge. If you win the challenge, you receive a Rituals product as a gift.”
What is a memorable moment from that time?
As a big lover of Rituals products, Vanessa explains that "one of the most exciting moments is the 'Xmas Kick-off meeting'. We all get together on this day and discuss what great products and campaigns Rituals has come up with for this season. It feels almost like Christmas Eve as we get to try new things immediately, and our shop manager gets to act as Santa Claus, gifting us with presents."
While Noémie also loves the product news, she recalls a touching moment when she was able to create a meaningful experience for a customer: "A young man came into our store one day in November. He told me he wasn’t looking for anything in particular but was waiting for an interview at another store in our mall. He said he hadn’t had a job for a while and was very stressed. So, I took the time to listen to him and tried to calm him down by letting him try out some of our products. He left without buying anything that day. However, he returned later in December. He thanked me greatly for the experience I provided and told me he got the job. With his first paycheck, he bought Rituals products for Christmas. It was very moving to see his gratitude." This connection with customers is exactly why Noémie loves working for Rituals.
Experience the festive season at Rituals
For Noémie, this job is perfect for those who love spreading joy and are passionate about helping others in a dynamic and joyous environment. Vanessa adds how it can be a great addition to your main job. "Of course, it’s a bit stressful alongside my full-time job, but I’d come back again and again just for the Rituals team and the shop atmosphere. It can also be a great opportunity to get started at Rituals and see what opportunities are available to start a career here. I’d say: what are you waiting for?"
