Hiring Freeze

[tabou82]

Ok, so I'm totally bummed out! I talked with the counter manager with whom I completed a demo and she stated that the company-wide freeze will probably be in effect until the end of MAC's fiscal year, I think June. I asked what would happen since I'd already demo but did not recieve a verbal interview. She stated that I'd probably have to redemo and then I'd be added into a whole new pool of applicants. Problem is that I didn't recieve any feedback to know what I need to improve upon and the manager really couldn't recall as the demo was in middle January. I don't know if I'll even be alive in June (LOL)! I just don't understand how some counters/stores are hiring but others are not during a corporate freeze?! I was under the impression that this was something that would vary and could be lifted at any time but now I feel like I'm no closer to working for MAC then I was a year ago.

 

[Loveleighe]

i could be wrong but i really don't think it's company wide just regional because in the NJ/PA area i haven't seen this. I think you should focus on what you think you did wrong and really work extra hard on those things. Really don't give up bcus of this i think if you made it this far hiring freeze ( i've learned that not even some incredible artist get interviews) or not you might as well continue until they flat out say we're not hiring you or welcome to the team. I would die not knowing if i could've gotten it. it's like being in limbo.

 

[amoona]

From what I know it's a company wide freeze. All you can do is either find a job somewhere else or wait! I know it sucks but if u really want to be at MAC just think of it as some time to practice and get better.

 

[MakeupMuffin]

Well at least they told you and didn't keep you hanging.

 

[VioletB]

That's funny that this was brought up!!

I had an interview last summer and everything went really well. I'm not sure what happened but somehow I got put on the back burner and forgot about?

After my demo interview the counter manager said that I would be having a telephone interview in the next 3-4 days. That never happened. When I called they said they would call me back. Never happened. I called again, and again was told I would be called back. Anywho the positions were filled, I was crushed, but life went on as usual (which was actually cool because I got my ass back in school and now I"m on my way to becoming a registered nurse) and my love for mac is ongoing!

So here's the funny part. A couple weeks ago I was picking up a couple of items and the counter manager grabbed me and said "Don't leave until you talk to me!!" So I did as told..

and he told me he had a couple of part time openings if I was interested. Uhh I am like HELL YES. Ok I politely said yes. And he said he would be calling me. Well.. didn't hear from them yet but I was getting some stuff the other day and the guy at the counter was telling me that they have positions open but they're not hiring for them right now??

I was like uhhh... ok. So thank you this all makes sense.

THE WORLD DOESN'T HATE ME!!

 

[VioletB]

Just one more question...

Why the need for a company wide hiring freeze? MAC is a multi-trillion-bazillion dollar company.. and there are new addicts EVERY day? (..Especially from Specktra!)

 

[amoona]

Ok basically they cut freelance hours and put a freeze on hires because counters/regions aren't making plan. But from what my manager says it's a common things they do around this time of the year which is odd because this time of the year is when I was hired.

We hired a freelancer as a perm and they had to revoke the offer because of the hire freeze.

 

[Hennys]

Does anybody know when this began?

I talked to the freelance coordinator for the region I am in and she wanted to set up an interview but said they are waiting on new paperwork, or something to that effect, then we would set it up. That was two weeks ago and I haven't heard anything. I was planning on calling her tomorrow but if there is a hiring freeze should I even bother?

Also, is there a specific date when the freeze will be over?

 

[astronaut]

Darn it! I was going to apply for freelance once I got my cover letter ready and done, but it sounds like it's useless at the moment?

 

[amoona]

They're still hiring freelancers but nobody is getting hours right now. At least not in our region. But we're getting freelancers this weekend for our Fafi event and I'm sure when Heatherette rolls around there will be freelance hours for that. They're not hiring perm. employees right now.

 

[baybehbekah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loveleighe i could be wrong but i really don't think it's company wide just regional because in the NJ/PA area i haven't seen this. I think you should focus on what you think you did wrong and really work extra hard on those things. Really don't give up bcus of this i think if you made it this far hiring freeze ( i've learned that not even some incredible artist get interviews) or not you might as well continue until they flat out say we're not hiring you or welcome to the team. I would die not knowing if i could've gotten it. it's like being in limbo.

there is a freeze in the NY/NJ area

i had all my interviews and demo in the beginning of january and now its almost march and i am still waiting. when i had my third interview, the manager was awesome and told me that mac is looking at their financial year and until they give him the go ahead, he can not fill the positions he has. we also talked alot about the economy and the recession. well i confirmed that with the mac counter manager at the nordstrom that i work at and she said it was true about the freeze because even nordstrom mac can't bring anyone on and they aren't even on mac payroll. now i don't know if this is a nationwide thing, but this is the just the information that i have gotten for my area. freelancers are also a whole another part, i think the freeze is for permanent positions. so anyways, i called the manager that i interviewed with last monday and he told me that the freeze is still in effect and that the company promised the managers an answer by the beginning of this week. so i am keeping my fingers crossed & giving him a call on wednesday!

good luck everyone! i am still hoping

im just thankful that i have a job now and i am not relying on mac, even though i still want it very much and excited to have gotten this far!

 

[GreekChick]

In the Montreal area (Quebec, Canada) there has been a freeze as well. Basically the freelancers aren't getting any hours, and permanent employees are getting scheduled for extra hours instead.

 

[tabou82]

I'm going buy the counter tomorrow to buy some new brushes and hopefully the counter manager will be there and I can reiterate my desire to work for MAC. In the beginning, it was frustrating but I truly believe that good things come to those who wait! My friend has recommended me to freelance with his amatuer modeling troupe and I feel it will be great way to build my portfolio. Anyways, to the Specktranites that have become gainfully employed in lieu of the hiring freeze: CONGRATS!!!!

 

[calbear]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreekChick In the Montreal area (Quebec, Canada) there has been a freeze as well. Basically the freelancers aren't getting any hours, and permanent employees are getting scheduled for extra hours instead.

You are lucky then cause we are not allowed to work any additional hours even though there are no freelancers and a few open positions - so imagine hours on end on the floor alone trying to help ALL the angry customers who keep yelling 'are you the only one here?!?!?'

 

[amoona]

Quote:

Originally Posted by calbear You are lucky then cause we are not allowed to work any additional hours even though there are no freelancers and a few open positions - so imagine hours on end on the floor alone trying to help ALL the angry customers who keep yelling 'are you the only one here?!?!?'

haha ah yes and then i run to a corner and cry because yes i am the only one here and we sold out of the holiday brush sets ... u should have been here in OCTOBER like the rest of the world. enjoy the bitterness haha

 

[cthea]

Well, this is interesting to hear about. I interview about 2 weeks ago.
I feel like I bombed the interview, so I don't expect to hear back but with my retail experience I may be pleasently suprised come summer.

 

[dmenchi]

This freeze has even affected a lot of MAC employees that were promoted or wanted to change positions. The person that took over my third key position is now still only working for 30 hours and same payrate. poor her

...

 

[GreekChick]

Yes, alot of employees have been cut off as well, one in particular from my counter. Also, update will not be at the facility anymore. MAC just doesn't have the budget anymore.

 

[xxsgtigressxx]

Omg this makes me feel so much better about my life, Im from Jersey, and I was working at bloomingdales. After I quit my job their, the MAC counter manager who I was really friendly with told me she wanted to hire me because she loves me and because she knows i can do makeup probably better than most of the girls on her staff. So I did my demo, looked great, was told I was definitely going to be pulled in for a verbal interview and that they would call me. That was about a month ago, and I was so depressed, wondering what possibly could have gone wrong because she was so adament about me working there (literally, I did not even ask for the job, she offered and I was like OMG YES) and then I do a great demo...and then nothing! So this gives me a little bit of hope at least...

 

[erine1881]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreekChick Yes, alot of employees have been cut off as well, one in particular from my counter. Also, update will not be at the facility anymore. MAC just doesn't have the budget anymore.

i thought it was just us that was doing update differently! my counter is 2 hours away from a store and 2 other counters, so we always went down there the night before update. mac paid for the hotel, travel time, mileage, and dinner for two nights, plus supplying us with breakfast and lunch during update. well, my manager said that they were doing something different for us this season cause they didn't have the $ to do that for the 7 of us. so, that means we have update on a sunday from 9-11 (what can we possible cover in 2 hours?) before the store opens. i'm just hoping that we get to see all the upcoming collections.

after christmas, we had one girl leave, so we hired one of our freelancers. we were waiting for our MRO to tell her personally, but that never happened. since we didn't make plan we lost that spot completely. if sales improve, we will get it back, but until then, we are down one person. i think thats why they reinstated the $50 purchase policy on the weekends, cause all we were doing all weekend long was free makeup. we've got one girl who wants to move, so hopefully we don't lose that spot too!