Meet the Faces of Paddy Power
Curious about what it’s like to work at Paddy Power? Here’s the inside scoop from two lovely Paddy Power staff.
Paddy Power is hiring for Customer Service Team Leaders at a range of stores across the UK! But what does the role entail? And who’s behind the nation’s most banterous betting stores?
We caught up with Natalie Hughes and Agnisha Rabadia to get the full inside scoop on what you can expect working for the UK’s fastest-growing bookmaker, known for its cheek, boldness and banter!
Meet Natalie, a sociology and social research graduate, bookworm, and self-proclaimed nerd.
“One of the words I’d use to describe myself is nerd. I love watching documentaries on literally anything. I used to watch Air Crash Investigation and alien documentaries as a kid, and I love reading, anime and manga. I love reading up on different things and having as much knowledge as I can on anything and everything. Jack of all trades, master of none, that’s me!”
As with everyone who begins at Paddy Power, Natalie’s journey began with her working as a cashier. As a cashier, she was trained up to be a Customer Service Team Leader, a role she was in for 3 years part-time while studying at university.
Natalie then joined the Switch it Up programme, where she started in the Talent Acquisition team, and is now working on a rotation within Paddy Power’s marketing team.
Employees who have been working in Paddy Power shops for over a year have the opportunity to apply for the Switch it Up programme. This is a graduate scheme comprising four different rotations in total, where employees can explore and experience a different department within the business in head office.
“Part of my research for my masters degree was in the sporting industry. I’ve always been interested in market research, sports research and gender. It seemed like it fit well to do something related, and knowing how to work with figures translates nicely to head office jobs”
“When I first joined Paddy Power, I was at university and really just needed a job. But when I had to move back home, I knew I really didn’t want to leave the company. I remember ringing up my district manager and begging him to let me come back to the store. I said “I really don’t want to leave the company’, and I begged them to let me stay even though their teams were full. Gary kindly made room for me to work there, so I could come back and stay in Doncaster.”
“When I was back, I was still looking into other jobs as I didn’t want to waste my degree. But at this point I knew I didn’t want to leave Paddy Power, so I thought why not get a job in Head Office instead? Why go out and do something completely different when I could stay somewhere where I know the brand and where I really fit with the company values. So that’s when I applied for the programme.”
“When Covid hit, we still got paid our full contract, they always kept in contact and our district managers would reach out to make sure we were okay. I was living completely on my own at the time, so I really appreciated this. It really stuck with me and I knew they were a great business.”
“I’m big into social justice, and so I’m very aware of big social issues. One of the reasons I wanted to stay with Paddy Power was because they reflect my values on this.
You can see a lot of work that they do in trying to be as aware of social issues as they can be, and actually making a stance on them. The company agreed that the happenings in Russia regarding gay rights were an issue, so they made a stance, in the most Paddy Power way possible, by making a big show and donating to LGBT+ causes every time Russia scored a goal at the 2018 World Cup. It’s values like that which I really do support.”
Meet Aggie! Aggie would describe herself as outgoing, loud, eager to learn, and a loyal member of the Paddy Power family for almost three years.
Similarly to Natalie, Aggie is also working on the Switch it Up graduate programme, originally having worked as a Customer Service Team Leader in North London. She currently works for the Brand Marketing team on her current rotation, which she loves.
“You don’t need to have much experience to work in the Head Office on the Graduate Scheme. They assess you on your skills and character, which meant that I found it so much less scary when I applied.”
“For students who are just out of university and feel like they don’t have a way to get their foot in the door, the Switch it Up programme is an amazing way in. I graduated and joined Paddy Power initially just because I needed a job, but I ended up staying on longer than planned because I loved it too much. I’m glad to have gotten into the graduate programme because it’s just what I love doing and to stay with a company I enjoy working for.”
“As with everyone who starts off in Paddy Power, I began as a cashier and received training to become a Team Leader. The sign-off period to become a Team Leader is between 3 to 6 months, and I got signed off in 4 months which is pretty good!”
“As a Customer Service Team Leader, you’re in charge of taking bets and responding to customers. In the morning, you come in and get everything set up. Usually the mornings are calm. As the day progresses, the usual customers will come in, have some great chats, and you’ll take bets, and ensure any queries or issues are dealt with.”
“Working in shops, I loved how well you got to know your regular customers. Even now that I’m here in the Head Office, I still hear from my manager that customers I used to serve are asking about me, which is so nice to hear.”
“I also loved my team, they were so cool. On a quiet evening, I remember always having such a good time chatting along and working.”
“Sometimes managers from other shops will call you to help out on certain days, which meant I was able to work in other shops within my district, and could build great relationships with others in the company. We’d all go for dinners together sometimes too, like at Christmas. You just get to meet so many new people.”
“Another thing I love is the flexible work schedule. You can often rearrange the days you work to fit in with your own life. My work and social life balance is very important to me, so this was great for me.”
And finally, for those looking to apply to join Paddy Power, here’s a tip from Aggie:
“Be really open-minded and eager to learn. If you have no previous knowledge of sports, don’t worry because they’ll teach you everything and you’ll pick it up quickly!”
Leave A Comment