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: Hammill Prasawat
Current position: Optometry Partner (Designate)
Location: Kings Meadows, Tasmania
Years within the business: 6 years
Why did you pursue an optometry career, and how did you enter the profession?
Being around optometrists my whole life meant I had a natural curiosity about eyes. As a profession that is dynamic and rewarding, optometry was in my foresight from a young age. Because of this, it was my first preference coming out of high school, followed by engineering and actuarial studies. I can still remember googling the ATAR and UMAT cut-offs and stressing in year 12, hoping my marks were good enough for my first pick.
How did you come to work at Specsavers, and what attracted you to the business?
I started my dispensing days at an independent practice where the products were high-end. However, this drew a certain demographic. A friend had recommended Specsavers as a place to work as it resonated with me by providing affordable eyecare and eyewear to all demographics. After a quick interview with Dylan – the retail director and my future mentor – I spent my weekends at Specsavers. It was higher volume and faster paced than independent optometry, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
What was your first role within the business, and what did it entail?
I started out as a casual dispenser at a busy Sydney store during my university years. Working the shop floor taught me the dispensing side and then moving into the clinic coordinator role developed my understanding of the levers that drive the business and how the retail floor at Specsavers functions.
Since then, what growth opportunities have presented themselves?
I was fortunate during COVID to secure a metro Sydney graduate role. Through the two-year Graduate Program, I developed clinical skills with my mentorship and was also presented with growth opportunities outside of the test room. This included travelling to other parts of the state to work in regional areas, mentoring final year students/graduates, an outreach trip with The Fred Hollows Foundation, and in-store projects, among others. This culminated in the Pathway Program where I learnt more about myself, the Specsavers business model and my leadership skills. The biggest growth opportunity came with packing up and moving into designate partnership in another state, where I put to use what I’ve already learnt and build on them as a leader in a thriving business.
Can you outline your top career highlights since joining Specsavers?
Due to the partnership between Specsavers and The Fred Hollows Foundation, a highlight of my time was being given the opportunity to see first-hand how optometry and ophthalmology were provided in under-serviced, remote and vulnerable communities. Travelling hours into remote land, being hands-on, on the ground and seeing what’s outside my four walls opened my perspective of eyecare delivery as a whole.
What is your most interesting clinical case?
One of my more memorable cases was when I was a fresh graduate and a patient presented with a sore red eye. It was a textbook case of angle closure, I clearly remember looking through the oculars of the slit lamp and buying myself time, mentally ticking off all the signs and symptoms in my head and trying to remember the exact treatment protocol. On top of this I had to whip out a perkins which I hadn’t touched for months. I remember panicking in my mind and stepped outside to call my mentor – Merna – at the time to ask what I should do. In the heat of the moment, it had slipped my mind exactly what to do, but the support of Merna meant the patient got the right treatment quickly.
What excites you most about turning up for work each day?
Working in my role means no two days are the same because my duties range from seeing patients, overseeing and managing a team, business planning, to problem solving. Coming to work to a fresh challenge, developing myself and creating wins for others makes work exciting and creates a sense of purpose.
More reading
Specsavers Stories – Ishmeen Dhaliwal
Specsavers Stories – Adam Chen
