Potential for a new counter...

[MissMarley]

I'm a full-time Clinique MA at Macy's, and our Shiseido counter is failing miserably. The cosmetics manager wants to boot it and replace it with either Origins or MAC. Obviously, I'd LOVE to get over to MAC. I do love my Clinique, but color and artistry are my passions. I think I'd be able to grow and learn more at MAC. My sales are excellent, I have a well-established client base...I get customer compliments and have the most bookings out of our counter for any makeup that requires more drama or that is for a special occasion. I desperately want to manage a counter. All the other counter manager in my store have been there forever, but they started out managing young. I guess what I want to ask- first of all, do you think MAC would want me after coming from a brand that is very different? And I don't have retail management experience, but I have office management experience and then my retail sales experience as well. Would they even consider me as a manager? I just want to be able to move up and learn more and grow, and I'm not ever going to move up with Clinique- my manager has been there 10 years and wants to retire in that position, and they won't move me up till I've managed a counter. So it's either move (which I'm hesistant to do- my husband loves his job here and we own a house and stuff), or go to a different brand (and MAC is my first love, even though I really enjoy my job with Clinique). I'd love some input!

 

[lara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissMarley I think I'd be able to grow and learn more at MAC. My sales are excellent, I have a well-established client base...I get customer compliments and have the most bookings out of our counter for any makeup that requires more drama or that is for a special occasion. I desperately want to manage a counter. ... I guess what I want to ask- first of all, do you think MAC would want me after coming from a brand that is very different?

Read the first paragraph, then ask yourself again if they'd want you. You have drive, experience, a customer base, a desire for career progression and practical knowledge - view your current experience objectively rather than "I work at Clinique, Clinique is the polar opposite to MAC, ergo I might not fit in with MAC".

Besides, no one is born a manager. I've progressed from a 10 hr casual at my first retail job ever (without a jot of management experience, natch) to second key at the same store in under a year because I had the chutzpah to put my hand up for it and a willingness to get up over and over again as I proved myself. If a grumpy stick like me can do it, it'll be a cakewalk for you!

It's not the brand that counts, it's you. As long as you have the right foundation experience (sales, presentation, clients, PK, that extra something that only you can bring to the table), you can be dressed up with tight black jeans and a punk-rock hairdo to become a 'Mac Girl'*.















* I kid, I kid.

 

[weezee]

Have you mentioned to your cosmetics manager that you might be interested moving to the MAC counter? It sounds like you are the perfect candidate for a position with MAC. Sometimes change is scary but you have goals and should just go for it.

Keep us updated and good luck!

 

[MissMarley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by weezee Have you mentioned to your cosmetics manager that you might be interested moving to the MAC counter? It sounds like you are the perfect candidate for a position with MAC. Sometimes change is scary but you have goals and should just go for it. Keep us updated and good luck!

Oh, I already told her that if we get approval for a counter, I want to be considered for the counter manager position. If she won't hire me for that, I want to transfer as a full-time MA and work into a management position. I've been really upfront with her about that. I hope it works. It helps that she's a huge MAC fan and always asks me to pick stuff up for her if she knows I'm going shopping somewhere with a counter (our closest is an hour away).

 

[amoona]

If a MAC counter is opened at your Macy's then you wont be getting a counter manager position there. Macy's doesn't hire for MAC and if they're opening up a brand new counter they're bringing in a manager from another counter/store to run it. You'd have to interview through MAC for an artist position and work your way up through management.

I came from two brand new counters, one at a Bloomingdales and my current is at a Macy's. Both were staffed by existing MAC artists and freelancers, and the managers all came from other high volumne locations. You have to remember that MAC runs its own operation within the department store that they're at.