“If you’re committed, there’s always a way at Specsavers”
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01/03 2022 - Stores

“If you’re committed, there’s always a way at Specsavers”

Valdemar Semedo worked as a sound engineer for years, but the irregular working hours didn’t match well with his situation at home. By retraining himself in 2012, he refound a balance between his professional and personal life. And joining Specsavers in the Netherlands made all the pieces fall into place: “My career may sound peculiar, but for me, hearing has always been the main theme. It isn’t a coincidence that there are quite a few hearing care experts with a background in music! The road towards my current job at Specsavers made me discover new aspects of my profession and rediscover my passion for it.”

Read this story in Dutch

Space to be an entrepreneur

One of Valdemar’s friends joined Specsavers and is now running several stores, which inspired Valdemar – but at the time, he wasn’t ready for a switch. The chains he used to work for as a hearing care expert offered him the variety of products and technics he had so much feeling for. “Looking back, I didn't develop as much as I could have back then,” declares Valdemar, “I was used to being entrepreneurial as a sound engineer, but there was no room for such ambitions at my previous employers in hearing care.”

The pandemic shed another light on his situation: “When the stores had to close, it all became too quiet for me. Colleagues relied upon my skills and experience, but what about my own development? It’s all good when you’re able to teach others things, but I also want to develop myself as a professional.” When he saw a vacancy for a team lead at Specsavers, the right time had come and he applied. He had good chemistry with the people he spoke to, was hired during the lockdown and soon found to be true what he’d expected of Specsavers. “This is a daring, innovating and transparent company with a straightforward and no-nonsense attitude. I’m from Rotterdam, a down to earth and sturdy Dutch city, so this company culture fits me like a glove. What you see is what you get.”

A clear vision

Within a couple of weeks, he felt that much committed to the Specsavers stores in Rotterdam Alexandrium and Rotterdam Binnenwegplein, the Netherlands, that he decided to take on the partnership. “The programme I’m enrolled in to become a hearing care partner is the best thing that ever happened to me,” he says passionately. “There are so many aspects of this job that make me happy. I get the opportunity to form a team and run several stores. There’s a lot of flexibility, Specsavers has a very clear vision and values and I totally stand behind the customer approach. And the high pressure we get to deal with? That’s what I call a challenge!”

At the start of 2022, Valdemar is expected to become a partner. The training he’s now taking maps his personal strengths and pitfalls: “This is my chance to grow. Specsavers doesn’t just throw you in the deep; they make sure you’re well prepared on your way to a new step in your career. In the stores, I was still deciding on what I wanted and what I’m most suited for, but now everything is starting to make sense. When you have a certain drive and eagerness, you can develop really fast in this company.”

Do you ever stop learning? Valdemar doesn’t think so. Even for seasoned hearing care experts, he sees plenty of opportunities at Specsavers. “Unfortunately, I have experienced situations in which knowledge wasn’t appreciated as much as it should be. That doesn’t happen at Specsavers! When you have certain skills or knowledge, you can support your team members. Maybe the routine of your job as a hearing care expert will run smoother, maybe you can work faster or improve the quality of certain technical adjustments.”

Take the steering wheel

What he hears from other hearing care partners at Specsavers appeals to him: “Hard work pays off. You’re in a stable situation, which is great when it comes to your private life, but you still have the thrill of financial opportunities.” Being an entrepreneur with a large company behind you for support is perfect, according to Valdemar. It makes that you can fully focus on your profession and your team. “There’s a lot of room for personal development. That Specsavers has a certain strategy doesn’t mean things can only be done in a certain way; if you want something, there’s always a way. You have to take manners into your own hand, speak up about what drives you, then you can take the steering wheel of your career.”

Curious to know more about working in hearing care at Specsavers in the Netherlands? Read more about being a hearing care expert or about the Specsavers partnership!

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