Emma Sidhu – Microsoft Operations Manager

When she’s not wearing the hat of retail operations manager for tech giant, Microsoft Australia, Emma likes to unwind by spending time with her two-year-old son, friends and in the sunshine. Read her story in retail, customer service and management for some of Australia’s and the world’s largest retail groups.   

What is your current role and what does it involve?

Operations Manager for the Microsoft retail store. My main responsibilities include people management, auditing and compliance, recruitment, stock management and customer service.

What did you study to get into this field?

I actually studied a Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management at The Hotel School, fortunately, a lot of the units studied were extremely relevant to this role and broad enough to utilise across multiple industries including technology within retail.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I actually wanted to be a veterinarian as I have a huge love for animals and also did my work placement at my local veterinary clinic.

What was your first job and what do you think it taught you?

My first job was actually in retail at Priceline and taught me nearly everything I needed to know about customer service.

What’s the most interesting thing that’s happened to you in your career?

A very proud and I suppose an interesting time in my career was when I worked with the Oroton Group. I climbed the ranks here very fast! Within two years of starting as an assistant manager, I became an area manager at the age of 22 and was the youngest within the business which felt like a huge responsibility on my shoulders. 

Name a career highlight

Having the opportunity to travel to the US twice within the eight months that I have been with Microsoft to represent Australia (they found our accent very amusing). 

Name a career low

A career low, in my opinion, should always be something you should learn and grow from. We have a saying within my current business called “fail fast learn fast”. One of my biggest career lows was learning that people choose to perceive certain things without seeking to understand the decisions behind.

Name something you still don’t know 

In my opinion, you should always be in a role where there is something you don’t know. If you know everything, it’s time to move on. In my current role, one thing I don’t know is where I am going next, at the same time this is exciting for me and keep me ambitious. 

What’s the most important career tip someone has given you? 

Work smarter, not harder. 

What qualities and skills should people have if they want to become a manager?

This is a great question, I think the answer is that someone should want to be a leader rather than a manager. A leader is inspirational, has respect for and from their team members, and builds great rapport – all the attributes that anyone would want to work towards.

What’s next for you?

Continuing to work for an amazing business such as Microsoft and growing through the business. 

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