This week has been exceptionally busy and it’s not only the flowers that are blooming in the shop! Rachel is starting to look like she’s eaten way too much Christmas pud and it won’t be long before she waddle’s off on maternity leave, so not only do I need to think about getting someone to cover for Rachel, but with Valentines Day, Mothers Day and a busy summer of weddings and celebrations on the horizon, I really need another permanent member of staff.

Finding that ‘perfect someone‘ to join the floral dream team is no easy task.

There are the obvious essentials like having some previous experience in floristry!!

This sounds obvious, but you wouldn’t believe the number of applicants who express a vague  interest in flowers, that’s it!

“I like flowers and working in a flower shop sounds like fun”

“Do you have any qualifications or experience in floristry?”

“No, but it can’t be that hard can it?” 

On the other hand we’re not looking for ‘paint-by-numbers‘ florist; someone who’s trained, but has no individual flair or imagination.

I wanted to involve the whole team in the process, taking in all their thoughts and requirements, so we started by looking at job adverts for florists, to see what our competitors were after.

“Blah, blah.. Florist, blah, blah, including Saturdays, blah blah creative, experienced, blah blah…“ they all sounded exactly the same!

To be honest, I think we would be better putting an ad on a dating app than on a job site!

After a team brainstorm, we decided that our perfect florist would be;

• Fabulously Entertaining – Most of us in the shop have a very low boredom threshold, if I’m deprived of stimulation for more than a few minutes I’m likely to face-plant onto my workbench, snoring (Becky is even worse!). So I need the people I work with to provide inspiration, stimulation and entertainment. This can be provided in a variety of ways, but the ability to dance, play an instrument, french skip and/or sing (badly) will come in handy, along with a willingness to play the fool, join in games and embarrass themselves in front of customers.
• Funny with a great sense of humour – The perfect person could have a quiet dry sense of humour or a extroverted slap-stick approach to comedy, but they must laugh at ALL my jokes and never attempt to out-humour me 😀 Obviously, there will be times in the Flower Shop where humour is not appropriate, so the ability to sober up (metaphorically) pretty quickly is essential.
• A mind-reader – Someone able to decipher customer requirements. Occasionally (quite regularly) we get customers specifically asking for things we know they don’t mean eg. “Could I have a bunch of scented  Fuchsias?” “Do you mean Freesias?” “No, Fuchsias!!” I pick out some Freesias…“Yes, perfect just what I wanted”
• A fan of BBC Radio Four – Must be up to date and aware of all comings and goings on the Archers.
• A florist with flair – As a I’ve already mentioned above, having had some floral training is essential, but we’re not an Inter-flora florist. Having a confidence and individual style which fits in with our floral ethos is something we’re looking for.
• Adaptability –  Decorating, shop fitting and carpentry skills will come in handy and there will be times when customers will call into the shop with peculiar requests such as “Do you have anything that will repel badgers?” 

In exchange, we will provide one of the best places to work, including perks such as:

• A regular supply of cake and chocolate.
• Chilly working conditions (preferred by menopausal women)
• A scant disregard for most Health & Safety.
• Support and encouragement from all members of the team.
• Cold, damp washroom facilities that are often filled with flowers and foliage.
• Cups of tea, biscuits and sometimes sandwiches delivered by the Saturday delivery driver.
• Never a dull moment.

The difficulty is putting all this into a standard job description/advert. Like dating (I’m told) it’s all about meeting the perfect partner. So, if this sounds like you or if you know of anyone who might fit the bill, get in touch!