Mac Demo Do's / Dont's

[paparazziboy]

so what are the do's and dont's for the demo.
i want to apply so bad i have the application filled out im just scared to turn it in lol. i dont know if im really good enough to get the position. i have been doing makeup for about 7 months now mostly on myself.

so i wanna know what i should do and not to do at my demo if i do get one.

i know they give u brushes but if i have my own mac brushes can i use them i have a full brush belt of over 30 brushes they are in a mac brush belt

what do i wear to the demo i know it black but can it have any designs on it

how should do my makeup

i dont wanna look like a drag queen going in

any help would be great

[rosasola1]

Typically for a male applicant... their makeup look is flawless skin, perfectly groomed brows... contouring... um, a lil gloss, and deff mascara They don't let you use your own personal brushes due to not knowing whether they're cleaned properly or not. Dress is professional black, meaning sleek, hot, trend inspired. If there is any print on it, it must be black. Deff look up MAC's sanitizing procedures on here that will be a big help for your demo. I hope that helps! and trust me, you being a guy already gives you a head in the race!

[Jackie O]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosasola1

Typically for a male applicant... their makeup look is flawless skin, perfectly groomed brows... contouring... um, a lil gloss, and deff mascara They don't let you use your own personal brushes due to not knowing whether they're cleaned properly or not. Dress is professional black, meaning sleek, hot, trend inspired. If there is any print on it, it must be black. Deff look up MAC's sanitizing procedures on here that will be a big help for your demo. I hope that helps! and trust me, you being a guy already gives you a head in the race!

Hi there, I've already had my demo interview and then last week I did my second interview with the district manager. I was told I would definetely hear back from them with a decision within a few days, but if they didn't not to freak out because things have been really busy with them launching the new collection recently and various other things. but it's been about a week now and I'm getting nervous lol However they did give me a really strong and positive feeling that they were impressed by me. Is it considered too pushy if I call them at this point to check on the status, or should I just wait it out? I do want them to know that I am persistant, but I don't want to come across as too impatient you know what I mean?

[rosasola1]

shoot, after a week! call back for sure... it's not too soon. You'll stay fresh in their minds if you give a call.

[Jackie O]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosasola1

shoot, after a week! call back for sure... it's not too soon. You'll stay fresh in their minds if you give a call.

ok thanks! I'll call them right now! lol

[paparazziboy]

ok i know this sounds dumb but how does me being a guy help get ahead

[TheRealRodie]

I had my demo a week ago also. I was told I would hear something this week. The advice I could give is to be you! Try to stay calm...(something I didn't do.) Never disagree when you are being critiqued. It will only help your skills. A girl at my demo was already freelancing and was doing a demo from a picture to get hired on perm. After being critiqued she gave excuses as to why she didn't do what was asked of her. BIG NO NO! Keep your area clean and use tissue or napkins to put all product on. When you are done using a brush, put it on the tissue, not the bare counter. Sanitize everything! Know why you want to work for MAC and some history such as viva glam for MAc aids foundation, cruelty free, and B2M. I got thrown a question that I had no clue as to what the answer was. He asked me if I knew the difference between a free standing counter and an actual MAC store. He said that a freestanding counter was in a location such as Macys, Dillards Saks ect. that people walk into not really going to shop specifically for MAC. This gives you a chance to pull passing customers. An actual MAC store caters only to MAC customers and they always come in looking for a MAC product. It made sense but I have no idea why that question was asked. Try to be ready for anything. My guy gave us about 40 mins to do a day/night look. We stood there waiting for brushes and other things so of course we didnt finish in 40 mins. I feel like I didn't get the job because of time. Oh, and if you know your models foundation shade and skin type thats a plus too. I didn't get time to color match or to ask about skin type. Our models were sent to the back while we picked up product from the sales floor. My model doesn't wear MAC foundation. I had to eye what color I thought she was. Luckily I got it right. Every Demo interview from what I have read is different. Mine was reaalllly different. NOTHING like what I read. So again be prepared for anything. I hope this helped.

[Jackie O]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paparazziboy

ok i know this sounds dumb but how does me being a guy help get ahead

I think what she meant by you being a guy is you're not the traditional female who comes in looking for the job. you're held at higher standards so as a man they expect you to bring it, and you'll obviously stand out more so that's a good thing! Good luck to you! Don't be nervous though, just go for it like I did! One thing the manager told me, having makeup skills is excellent for the job, of course, but those are things that can be taught. It's your personality that will really get you noticed. And I was like oh I hope they like my personality then! lol I really clicked with the managers when we talked, it was the first time in my life I didn't feel like I was really being interviewed, I felt like I could be myself but still maintaining professionalism of course. My advice to you is just be yourself! I know it sounds cliche but trust me, it will help you shine!

[boudoirblonde]

My tips are;
Be PREPARED for ANYTHING. If your MAC counter knows you, and you always go in with rockin' eyeshadow, they aren't going to ask for that, they are going to ask for bold lips, or bright cheeks!

Have a read here but don't imagine too much about what its going to be like. My demo was so different to anything anyone has posted here. They didnt want me to explain, they just wanted to see that I could do makeup. And ultimately I didnt get hired because the other girl had better skills. I had way more experience, and she hadn't had any beauty industry experience, and yet they hired her, so not every MAC is different, they arent all looking for customer service skills!

[mteexo]

1.] Santize sanitize sanitize. Wipe down all powders, sanitize your hands, use spatulas & petri dishes for creams.

2.] LASHES! not all locations ask for you to do lashes from what i've gathered from other MA's, but if you can do them and they don't ask you to, before you start, ASK them if they would like you to demonstrate. you'd be surprised how many people can't/don't do lashes .. && lets face it, PEOPLE LOVE LASHES!

3.] SHOW AND TEACH! MAC is REALLY REALLY REALLY going towards this method. people will buy 300$ worth of product when they feel awesome after you've done their makeup, but then they get home and can't do ANYTHING themselves. so show & teach! not on EVERYTHING but on key parts, make sure they have a mirror in their hands at ALL times watching you. even though you probably know you're model, it's still a "customer" for the moment, you are already an ma for the moment, and you are trying to show that you can work in the MAC setting.

4.] do know some knowledge of MAC cosmetics history, MAC AIDS fund, B2M, and Viva Glam.

5.] close as you go .. this is a MAC training technique - if you do this, you will score major points. since you are "pretending" its a random person, as you are going through the application, ask them how they like things, etc etc. when they go "wow, i LOVE this!" create a "wow me" pile. the products you use that they absolutely love, set them aside so at the end, you go over what you've used and then you have a pile of things they will commit to buying.

6.] if you have ANY product knowledge, explain the products you are using as you are applying. why you chose them for the person, why you like them personally, etc etc.

7.] investigate! ask you "customer" questions about skin. steer clear of "industry lingo" [full coverage, oily skin, dry skin, sheer] .. you'd be surprised, people who want full coverage sometimes don't realize full coverage means you see no skin, they assume full coverage to just cover blemishes. ask them WHEN they get oily, WHEN they get dry, WHERE do they get oily/dry, ask them what they want their foundation to look like [natural, dewey, etc], ask them what THEY dislike about their current routine. it will make a huge difference in being able to select product.

last but not least [sorry, i know its a lot!] don't forget skin care. not sure if you will be interviewing with a counter manager or a RDAT, but they will probably ask you questions in front of your model like "why did you use this, why did you pick that, what did you ask him/her about their skin & what they were going for, etc etc" so be prepared!

stay calm, take in ANY advice &/or criticism and eat it up! good luck!

[Zoffe]

You've gotten some great advice already, but I just wanted to add one more thing
Don't panic if they ask you a question and you don't know the answer! Just admit that you don't know. That'll get the question out of the way faster than trying to answer when you don't know what to say, and that way you can move on to something you do know
After all, they don't expect you to know everything!

Good luck!


Edit: Just one more thing, haha What makeup you wear to the demo/interview should reflect what makeup you usually wear. Since you're a guy, you can probably get away with just having flawless skin(foundation, contouring, maybe a neutral blusher), nicely groomed brows and lashes, and some lip balm on the lips.
That being said, as long as your makeup is nicely applied, you can get away with wearing colours as well!

[La Dolce Diva]

I agree with previous posters- know what foundation and concealers you want to use in advance.

Also, inform your model in advance of anything you want them to know. I thought I did a great job of explaining the products and what they do to my model. So of course I was in shock when my boss (yay!) came to ask my model questions and my model she began to ask questions that I'd already answered. Have the "don't say anything crazy...or how about don't say anything at all" (unless its "I love it- ring me up!") convo before you arrive. Same goes for certifications LOL

[serenity87]

Affirmative Action. You know how it is in the work force. With the way the work force is, they have affirmative action so that women can get more jobs in the male dominant work field. But on the same note, they can't be sexist, and affirmative action works for males to. With MAC, because it is a women dominated work field, being a guy gives you an edge because MAC is all about diversity and differences amongst people.