Alice values the extra mile Parliament goes for its staff

I first started working in Parliament back in 2012 as a House of Commons banqueting team waitress after being headhunted by the manager at the time. He had noticed my customer-focused skills at an event I worked at within the Portuguese community. In 2018, I became a waitress on the Principal Floor of the Palace of Westminster, serving the Members Dining Room, Strangers Dining Room, Smoking Room, and Pugin Tea Room. I’ve met many MPs over the years, and they are lovely to work with! 
 
During my time here, I used all the learning courses available to me. My Principal Floor Manager was a real source of inspiration for me to do something with the tech skills I had gained over the years. I decided to hone my skills in Excel and everything data: cleansing, formatting, presentation - anything available!  
 
And thanks to taking all those courses Parliamentary staff have access to, and after many failed job applications, I landed my dream job. I am now, very proudly, the People Insight Officer for the House of Lords. And I am still learning! Thanks to my current managers, I am now studying my Level 5 CIPD Associate Diploma in People Management. 
 
I really value the extra mile Parliament goes for staff, and the community I have here. People are from all walks of life, coming together to support Parliament and what it represents. 
 
My advice to someone wanting to join The Lords? Apply, apply, apply! No matter how many jobs you won't get, the right job will say yes. You won't regret working with us in the House of Lords!