Interview to work in Macy's makeup dept!

[ashley8119]

The stores to possibly work for are: MAC, Benefit, Lancome, Elizabeth Arden and Clinique.

This will be my first interview (ever), and I'm really nervous and I don't know what to do!

Is there anything I should bring or be prepared to know?
I applied for position of "Beauty Advisor". And I know more about makeup than some of the girls I've encountered in the makeup department...but I'm still nervous!

Has anybody ever worked in a department store makeup area? What should I expect? It's 3:16 in the morning and I just got around to getting my email from the MACYS employment representative requesting an interview. And now I won't be able to sleep! I'm soo jittery now!

Any help would be appreciated! Thank you in advance!

[Naked Lunch]

I work for the Benefit counter in my local Macys. I can tell you right now DON'T WORK FOR BENEFIT!!!! I don't know about by you, but here it's the slowest counter. So slow in fact, they can't keep a counter manager so we're without one.

When I applied for Macys I did about 4 interviews before I got the job. I had to interview with the cosmetics manager and they just asked me about customer service and if I could make my goals. They are HUGE on customer service, so make sure you tell them that it's very important to you. That scored me major points. Refer to customers as clients, they like that too.

After I did that interview I met with the account managers for the company I was chosen for (Benefit) They liked me and asked me to go to a different mall and "audition" there. I had to pull customers and make them sit down. After that it was another interview with the cosmetics manager and I was filling out my papers.

hope that helped!

[VioletB]

I have worked at Macy's at the Estee Lauder counter for five years now. If you want my opnion, all the Estee Lauder owned companies are going to "treat" (no pun intended.. everyone wants free stuff!) you the best as far as goals, gratis, seminars, etc. Some Lauder owned companies are Clinique, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Prescriptives, etc. Lancome is a pain in the ass. They are not very generous at all, and MAC is hard to get into without any experience. (Trust me! I still can't get in with 5 years behind me!) So my suggestion would be to maybe go for Clinique. They are a great company and you will always be treated well.. You will have a talent plus interivews, and the questions are very important! Your answers stick with you forever! They base a lot of their hiring and placing on the talent plus interview. Anyway good luck and don't be nervous! Macy's is a great company to work for.

[FacesbyNiki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VioletB

I have worked at Macy's at the Estee Lauder counter for five years now. If you want my opnion, all the Estee Lauder owned companies are going to "treat" (no pun intended.. everyone wants free stuff!) you the best as far as goals, gratis, seminars, etc. Some Lauder owned companies are Clinique, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Prescriptives, etc. Lancome is a pain in the ass. They are not very generous at all, and MAC is hard to get into without any experience. (Trust me! I still can't get in with 5 years behind me!) So my suggestion would be to maybe go for Clinique. They are a great company and you will always be treated well.. You will have a talent plus interivews, and the questions are very important! Your answers stick with you forever! They base a lot of their hiring and placing on the talent plus interview. Anyway good luck and don't be nervous! Macy's is a great company to work for.

I don't think that's true.

Did they give you any feedback as to why?

[MissMarley]

Go for Clinique if you can! They treat us SO well. I would definitely avoid Lancome, as they have four gift with purchase times a year, with huge goals to hit in all of them, and they do NOT treat their employees well. Very stingy with gratis, training, etc. I love working for Clinique! I would work for any company owned by Estee Lauder.

[VioletB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FacesbyNiki

I don't think that's true.

Did they give you any feedback as to why?

No that's the funny part!! I have been working for Lauder for the last five years. I applied at Nordstrom, had all my interviews, including a demo, (which I *thought* went really well.. the manager seemed to give me really good comments!) and then I was told I would have a phone interview from a regional rep. The phone interview never happened, and I patiently waited a couple weeks. When I finally called the store to see what was going on the manager sounded excited to hear from me and told me he'd call back, then he never did. I called again, got called back again, and then all of the sudden the positions were filled. The counter manager told me that because of my skills he wanted me to be on their freelance team.. But I can't do freelance because it's only like once a month and I wouldn't want to quit Estee Lauder just to freelance once a month for MAC.
I felt like I skipped a step.. I was told I would have a phone interview and then all of the sudden they don't have any more openings. I don't know what more I could have given them.

Oh yeah and when I asked what I could do to improve, or help with futher inquiries for MAC positions he said to copy MAC facecharts. That's it..??

[MissVivaMac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VioletB

No that's the funny part!! I have been working for Lauder for the last five years. I applied at Nordstrom, had all my interviews, including a demo, (which I *thought* went really well.. the manager seemed to give me really good comments!) and then I was told I would have a phone interview from a regional rep. The phone interview never happened, and I patiently waited a couple weeks. When I finally called the store to see what was going on the manager sounded excited to hear from me and told me he'd call back, then he never did. I called again, got called back again, and then all of the sudden the positions were filled. The counter manager told me that because of my skills he wanted me to be on their freelance team.. But I can't do freelance because it's only like once a month and I wouldn't want to quit Estee Lauder just to freelance once a month for MAC.
I felt like I skipped a step.. I was told I would have a phone interview and then all of the sudden they don't have any more openings. I don't know what more I could have given them.

Oh yeah and when I asked what I could do to improve, or help with futher inquiries for MAC positions he said to copy MAC facecharts. That's it..??

hmmm...I recently decided I wanted to work in the Cosmetics business. I had worked previously for a corporate cable company in the sales dept(nothing to do with make-up). I first applied to Macy*s (having no experience I thought it would be the easiest)... I was scared to apply to MAC because no previous pro experience, but a friend coerced me.

Long story short...

For Macy*s I went to a group interview and a cosmetic sales manager interview in the same day. My impression is that they want to see personality, professionalism, passion, and most importantly SALES techniques.

Then the cosmetics manager setup 2 interviews one with Bobbi Brown and one with Benefit.

In the meantime, MAC called back I went to an interview with the Assisitant Manager, then 2 weeks later audition at the corp office with trainer and regional mgr, then another interview.

Didnt hear from MAC, so I started at Macy*s, but that same day the MGR from MAC called and offered a position at M*A*C. I definitely took the position at MAC instead!!!!

Bottom line: Its hard to know what they are looking for. I think sometimes personality and sales can over rule cosmetics experience. Nothing can replace professionalism, personality, and artistic ability. M*A*C was a long process, but well worth it!

[FacesbyNiki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VioletB

No that's the funny part!! I have been working for Lauder for the last five years. I applied at Nordstrom, had all my interviews, including a demo, (which I *thought* went really well.. the manager seemed to give me really good comments!) and then I was told I would have a phone interview from a regional rep. The phone interview never happened, and I patiently waited a couple weeks. When I finally called the store to see what was going on the manager sounded excited to hear from me and told me he'd call back, then he never did. I called again, got called back again, and then all of the sudden the positions were filled. The counter manager told me that because of my skills he wanted me to be on their freelance team.. But I can't do freelance because it's only like once a month and I wouldn't want to quit Estee Lauder just to freelance once a month for MAC.
I felt like I skipped a step.. I was told I would have a phone interview and then all of the sudden they don't have any more openings. I don't know what more I could have given them.

Oh yeah and when I asked what I could do to improve, or help with futher inquiries for MAC positions he said to copy MAC facecharts. That's it..??

Sorry, to hear that happened to you.

But copying facecharts is a good thing though. It does help you.

[FacesbyNiki]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissMarley

Go for Clinique if you can! They treat us SO well. I would definitely avoid Lancome, as they have four gift with purchase times a year, with huge goals to hit in all of them, and they do NOT treat their employees well. Very stingy with gratis, training, etc. I love working for Clinique! I would work for any company owned by Estee Lauder.

LOL

I use to work for Clinique.

[FANTASYFACE]

What Are Facehearts?..sorry I'm A Newbie Trying To Get Into This Bussiness..

[ash10spro]

hm.. perhaps i will go check out some face charts =)

[MsCocoa]

For those working for Estee Lauder companies did you have previous experience? Also did you apply through the comapny(EL) or through the counter?

[lanise1328]

I start my new job for Estee' Lauder @ Macys. I have neer worked in
cosmetics before but I have worked in retail. Someone told me I should apply because of my outgoingpersonality. I did the interview and they hired me. I say just be yourself and try not to be nervous. Good Luck! Hope you get the job.

[lechic12]

What is the gratis like at Estee? How is Lancome stingy? I heard its $350...? That doesnt sound too bad. I just started to work there, and I want to know about the gratis, but the people that I work with aren't very nice, and I can see them thinking that I'm greedy.

[glamdoll]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lechic12

What is the gratis like at Estee? How is Lancome stingy? I heard its $350...? That doesnt sound too bad. I just started to work there, and I want to know about the gratis, but the people that I work with aren't very nice, and I can see them thinking that I'm greedy.

I worked for Lancome and they are definetly stingy. its $350 if you are full time, for part time is $175 not only that, when you order it they "forget" to send you at least like one or 2 pieces. This happned to ALL the girls at my counter, we called and emailed and nothing. It was a lost cause.

So i ended up getting $115 in gratis, so yeah.

And the GWP 4 times a year sucks dude. SUCKS.

[VioletB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by glamdoll

And the GWP 4 times a year sucks dude. SUCKS.

AMEN TO THAT!! I am soooo glad I don't have to deal with GWP anymore!! I am getting thrown into Colorforms presell though... LOL Not sure what is worse??


Ok GWP is.

[glamdoll]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VioletB

AMEN TO THAT!! I am soooo glad I don't have to deal with GWP anymore!! I am getting thrown into Colorforms presell though... LOL Not sure what is worse??


Ok GWP is.

Seriously! The goals are so high, and there is no like reward or I dunno motiviation you know? People are stingy too! They want gwp or they wont buy anything!

Or

They will buy things to get multiple gifts only to return them! ugh.

And just to clear it up, Macy's has nothing to do w/ MAC's hiring. MAC is independent from Macy's so it can help you make friends and be known, but not like the hiring, i found out the hard way!

hth someone.

[lechic12]

Hey, thanks so much for the heads up! I'm a parttimer, and darn it, that is a lot smaller than I thought (when I was interviewing they said it was 350, and didnt tell me that was only for full timers). Now I can only get like..5 things LOL