When people decide to work at Specsavers, they’re joining a company with a purpose to change lives through better sight and hearing – hence why more Australians and New Zealanders choose the optometry provider over any other.
As one of the largest employers in the ANZ optometry sector, Insight sits down with an employee each month to hear about their growth trajectory within the company.
Specsavers Stats
Name: Gina Nguyen
Position: Graduate optometrist
Location: Specsavers Westfield
Paramatta, NSW
Years with business: 4
Why did you pursue optometry?
I’ve been highly myopic since a young age and was seeing the optometrist every six months – even up until I graduated high school. These regular visits sparked my curiosity and interest in the profession and I began thinking that I would love to start a career as an optometrist. As I grew older, I began to ask my optometrist about the path he took to enter the profession, and I dedicated myself towards that same goal.
How did you come to work at Specsavers?
I was drawn to Specsavers due to its strong commitment for exceptional eyecare whilst still remaining accessible and affordable to the community. I share these same values regarding eyecare and joined Specsavers with the goal of becoming an optometrist so that I could make a positive impact on people’s eye health and wellbeing.
What was your first role within the business?
My first role at Specsavers was as an optical dispenser. My responsibilities included assisting patients with suitable frame selections based on their prescription, ensuring accurate fitting and adjustments and ensuring the lenses dispensed were suitable for the patient’s lifestyle needs. I was also responsible for processing orders, handling repairs, and providing ongoing customer support. This role enabled me to experience both the clinical and retail aspects of optometry and further deepened my passion for the profession.
what growth opportunities have presented themselves?
Since my initial role as a dispenser, I was able to expand my knowledge and skills with hands-on experience and training. I gained a greater understanding of clinical workflow, patient communication and product knowledge, all of which has supported my progression into becoming a confident optometrist. Now as a graduate optometrist, I am growing and learning under the guidance of my mentors, who support me in building clinical skills and delivering exceptional patient care.
What are your top career highlights since joining Specsavers?
Receiving the Dame Mary Perkins Award within my first two months of practice, which was incredible recognition that boosted my confidence early on. It was based on a patient case that demonstrated my clinical care, patient communication, and timely management. The patient also left some positive feedback for me which was really rewarding and motivated me to further grow as an optometrist to give back to my community. I also had the opportunity to present this case at the Graduate Program Mentor-Mentee event in front of all my New South Wales graduate peers and their mentors, which allowed me to share my experience and improve my public speaking and leadership.
What excites you most about turning up for work each day?
The opportunity to make a real difference to a patient’s vision, whether it be someone’s first pair of glasses to see clearly, or managing an ongoing ocular disease. Everyday feels very rewarding and there are always new challenges and opportunities to grow as an optometrist. Also, having a team who share the same values and are incredibly supportive makes work even more motivating.
