Gibbons Company department store in Reid Street is a long-standing retailer with a large and varied team that contributes to its success. The Royal Gazette has profiled two members of that team, Nancy Cabral and Triquia Petersen, about their different roles.

One company, two employees, but two very different jobs. Nancy Cabral works as a cosmetics consultant seeing to the needs of customers on the shop floor with eight ladies working in her team. Meanwhile Triquia Peterson is a key part of the back office operations dealing with everything from sales audit to gift cards.

But both women are equally important to the running of Gibbons Company department store in Hamilton.

Ms Cabral, a petite bubbly Brit, came to Bermuda nine years ago after having travelled the world. She has been with Gibbons Company for two years and is the senior sales person in the cosmetics department.

Ms Cabral speaks enthusiastically about her work. "I enjoy making people happy. To make people look and feel good," she said. Any bad sides to the job? "I am on my feet all day. At Christmas the hours are very long, sometimes from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m."

But all Ms Cabral's time is not spent on the shop floor. She also sees to the many requests for special events such as fashion shows and weddings. Other assignments come in the form of companies and hotels who organise staff make-overs and other special events.

"There has been a change in shopping patterns since the downturn in the economy," Ms Cabral said. "People still spend but less than before. They only buy what is necessary. At Christmas many husbands would only buy their wives one gift from the cosmetics department rather than two or three as has happened in the past.

"Many Bermudians want the latest products, sometimes before they are even launched in Bermuda.

"In my working day I supervise orders, co-ordinate lunch breaks, do make-overs and give skin-care advice."

And she enjoys working in Bermuda. "It is very different from the UK," she explained. "This is more like a family. And the customers are very loyal. They want to know their sales person and do not hesitate to ask to be served by a specific member of staff."

There are special events held at Gibbons cosmetics department several times a year when make-up artists from the top cosmetics brands demonstrate their wares in the shop. Customers can try the latest products and get advice from the experts. The big brands also send representatives to Bermuda to advice and educate the sales staff. At other times the staff will get the opportunity to travel abroad for training.

Ms Cabral's life seems to be devoted to beauty and skin care. "Even when I am not at work I provide beauty and skin care services. I get many requests to perform beauty treatments on friends such as facials and massages," she said.

Ms Cabral trained as a beauty therapist in the UK where she worked in various beauty salons, including those in both Selfridges and Harrods in London. But her career also took her to far away places such as New Zealand and Australia before she saw an advert for a job in the cosmetics department at Trimingham's in Bermuda. She spent five years at the store before it closed down.

Ms Cabral is married to a Bermudian and two years ago they bought a home in Southampton. Ms Peterson, a svelte Bermudian from St. David's joined the firm a year and a half ago as a junior accountant after having graduated with a degree in accounting from St. Mary's University in Halifax.

But having had the opportunity to visit London on several occasions, she does not necessarily want to stay in Bermuda, although she bought a house in St. David's with her family a year and a half ago. "I like the environment in London and would consider moving there," she explained.

The ambitious young accountant especially enjoys the problem-solving aspect of her work. "I often come across problems and enjoy figuring out solutions," she said.

"Working at Gibbons is a very good learning experience. I joined Gibbons so that I could be exposed to a range of accountancy disciplines and decide which one suited me the best."

Ms Peterson, who is clearly very career focused, spends her spare time studying on-line towards an MBA at the University of Phoenix in the US as well as working at the Southside Family Bowling.

No two days are the same, she said. "I deal with payables, various queries regarding gift vouchers and double charges, clearing sales audits, pay roll tax and the Capital G credit card rewards to name but a few."

Ms Peterson originally signed up for a degree in Psychology at St. Mary's but during her statistics lessons she realised that she was very good with numbers. That realisation encouraged her to change career paths and graduate with a degree in accounting before returning to her native Bermuda.

Her job at Gibbons is her first full-time position but she has the experience of two summer placements at MEF, the restaurant group.

When the two women are asked what advice they would give to budding Bermudians considering a career in the retail industry they both explain that it is getting harder to attract new staff. Bermudians do not seem interested in working in retail and some younger people find it difficult to deal with customers and working with people.

"And you must always be prepared for the unusual," joked Ms Cabral. "And think outside the box," added Ms Peterson.