Reaching a managerial position in your 20s, is not something that happens by chance. Lottie Thompson tells us her experience as well as a decision that changed her life forever.

 

Lottie Thompson is sitting at her desk, typing and clicking away whilst radios and phones blare in the background; it’s an atmosphere of chaos yet Lottie remains focused on her computer screen.

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The 23-year-old only recently graduated but has wasted no time in beginning her career with a managerial position at one of the North East’s most stylish shopping centres, organising events which increase footfall by thousands. 

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Chatty and with a friendly Scottish accent, having grown up in Berwick Upon Tweed, Lottie is confident yet kind and having only worked at the centre for a matter of months, has already made her mark and is admired by staff and colleagues.

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Despite graduating from Edinburgh Napier University in 2016 with a 2:1 degree in Festival and Event Management, this wasn’t Lottie’s original plan. Having wanted to do fashion at university, Lottie tells me of an article that she read in ELLE that changed her decision. “Do a job that gives you the lifestyle you want rather than what you love” was its message and the magazine cutting remains on her parents’ pin board to this day.

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Her time at Sanderson Arcade, Morpeth - a small market town in Northumberland -  has been successful despite only working for the company for under a year. “The best part is that no two days are the same, you get to do your own thing, I can come in and decide what I’m going to do, if I wanted to put on an event, I could easily organise that for myself.” She laughs with the centre manager, Joel Plumley, when she admits the worst part of her job - “Joel”, she smirks, as she looks over at him. The pair of them act like brother and sister - laughing, joking and the odd squabble now and then.

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She tells me of how she doesn’t aspire to be centre manager and much prefers her own title. “My job is just social media and events whereas your job [looking at Joel] is maintenance and running the centre, I’m not really interested in things like that.” It’s clear to see that Lottie enjoys her work and as she continues to click away whilst sipping coffee out of her emoji mug, she describes where she sees herself in five years. “I don’t think I’ll be in a different job,” she says, “I’m quite happy, I really, really like my job.” She speaks of her different tasks from “food and drink festival to Christmas light switch on - a bit of everything.”

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Having previously worked for the retail giant, Next, Lottie saw the job of assistant centre manager advertised online. Lottie tells me of her interview at Sanderson Arcade: “It was really wet outside and I got lost, I didn’t think there was any chance I’d get it.” To her surprise, Lottie was then offered the position and began on 28th March of this year.

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Away from work, Lottie tells me of her plans to create an office at home which she shares with her boyfriend Nicol. “All I’ve wanted since I finished university is a Mac computer, so I go on Pinterest and I look at desk goals”. She also fills me in on her latest obsession with blogger Jamie Genevieve. “I’m obsessed with her, I watch her vlogs every evening.”

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At Sanderson Arcade, staff wear the colour navy and for Lottie this can be challenging. “I think it’s hard being 23 and dressing like I’m a smart person because not many people at 23 would dress like this, navy and black are one of those things you should never put together, but you have to here. Normally when I see something that’s navy and I like it, I just buy it”.

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Despite her managerial position, Lottie Thompson is grounded and everybody’s best friend. The Scottish accent helps, I think.