A Day in the Life of the IMR Rotation

Eilis Forrester, on Old Navy’s Planning team, shares what a typical day in the life of the IMR rotation looks like, offering advice on how to make the most of your time in the program!

What does a typical day look like for you in the IMR program?
A typical day in the program is a blend of classroom style instruction, some shadowing or touch bases with your coach or buddy, and working through a project/presentation that is reflective of the key classroom learning for the week.

What has been your favorite part of the program thus far?
Every single person you meet is so incredibly supportive of the learning process. You have your own mentor, coach and buddy and they are personally so invested in your success. Not just them, but everyone else that you meet through your learning process really takes the time to answer questions, be available and with patience.

What has been the most challenging? How were you able to overcome it?
The most challenging part is being patient with yourself in the way everyone else is. There are so many programs and systems to learn, and it’s taking time. The IMR program is built to teach in a certain order, which is great, but you can’t have the expectation that you will feel masterful of one before you move on.

What has been your experience of going thru the program remotely?
My experience has been great but I’m mindful that it is what I make it. When an instructor says they love when cameras are on and they do icebreakers and ask for participation, then that’s for you to decide how engaged you want to be. The team has done an amazing job embracing technology like Miro boards, MS Teams, of course Zoom, all of which helps to make it feel like you’re not so far away.

What has been your biggest learning since joining the IMR program?
There’s been so much about the inner workings of the company and product I didn’t realize. And now I also pay more attention to the news and macro/global issues dealing with supply chain and shipping issues than I ever have before!

How was your experience transitioning from field to HQ?
I think I’ll be able to answer this better once I really start diving into my own work but, as of now, everyone has been genuinely excited to hear the field employees’ perspective. I think the hardest part is going from an environment where you feel confident in knowing the job and what to expect to an entirely new field. But to that I’d say, just always be a student and don’t forget to approach things from the customer’s perspective. The other part is the physical transition – it’s real! Coming from the field, you’re used to 10k+ steps a day, which is very different than sitting behind a screen all day! I’ve promised myself to stay committed to getting up and going on walks to keep my body moving.

Any advice for incoming IMR’s?
Be open to the timeline. At first it will feel like, “wow, 12 weeks, that’s a long time!” But it flies by so quickly, so take advantage of every touch base, every class, and every meeting you sit in on.

Don’t miss out on the latest Gap Inc. news! Sign-up to get email alerts about news on Gap Inc. and our brands.