Winning the battle for talent

As she puts it, Sara Zalewskyj used to 'flutter between jobs'. At one point she became a receptionist at an opticians, but left after 18 months to go travelling around Australia. When she came back, she worked on the front desk of a hotel. While she was there, she applied for a position with GJ Drew & Partners, an independent optical practice in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. She didn't really expect to get the job, and she certainly didn't see it as anything more than just another short-term move.

Four and a half years later, however, the story has taken a twist: not only is Zalewskyj still with GJ Drew & Partners - 'She's the leading light in our team,' says Jeremy Drew, the owner - she's studying for a foundation degree in ophthalmic dispensing with Canterbury Christ Church University. 'I want to further my career,' she says. 'I want to set up my own practice.'