Clinique - Talent plus interview! help!

[LoveBeauty]

So I have my talent plus interview with EL and I was wondering if there is someone who could give me a few examples of questions the ask you?

 

[jillybean]

Gosh, I can't remember any specific question just that the person doing it had no emotion. She went very fast and just asked the question, waited for your answer and then moved on to the next. I remember it was a lot of rating yourself. Something like 'would you say you are better at sales than your coworker' or something like that. Honestly, I thought the whole thing was a waste of time.

You will not get any indication of how you did during this phone call. He/she will tell you they will be forwarding your answers to the hiring person and then you just wait.

That probably doesn't help a whole lot but don't be worried about it. Just answer the best you can. It's not really about knowledge of the brand or anything. Sorry I couldn't help more.

And no to the drug test, at least not at the store I worked at.

 

[LoveBeauty]

Thank you! I live in Arizona I was just wondering what there policies were.

 

[TalentPlusInc]

Hello,

My name is Beth and I work for Talent Plus. I came across this blog and thought I would respond to be helpful. The talent interview is one piece of the selection process for our clients, including EL. It is not a pass/fail interview. Talent Plus' mission is to help all individual's find jobs they love because we believe EVERY person has the talent to be amazing at something. Our interview science helps identify more people like your best. EL is using our science to get a better understanding of ther employees (and future employees) natural talents and how they will perform on the job. The best advice we can give you is to completely be yourself. You will gain the most out of the experience if you do that. Because we are looking for your most spontaneous answers, that is why our interviewers often don't say much else besides ask the interview questions, or why they don't carry on a long conversation with the person being interviewed, or show too much emotion. We don't want the interviewer's response to encourage or discourage a different outcome from your response, or make you think one way of responding is better than another, so we always want to be careful about this. It is a structured interview. However, we defintiely don't want it to come across that we have "no emotion" ether. Because we are very excited you are going through this process. Just be yourself and enjoy the experience!

Also, after you have been through the interview, we encourage you to not share the questions with another candidate or friend, so that they may have as equal an opportunity to go through the process and answer only how they would answer. As someone mentioned earlier in this thread, following the talent interview, EL will get back to the candidate with the next step in the selection process.

Thank you!
Beth B.
Talent Plus Employee

 

[TalentPlusInc]

[FONT=&quot]One point of clarification regarding this thread and my comment above, EL is not the employer and they would not be getting back to candidate with next steps in most of these cases - the retailer would. Thank you![/FONT]

 

[jillybean]

Thanks for sharing that, Beth, but really, when I went through mine, the person I was talking to was like talking to a brick wall. She was the most monotone person ever. I never got the indication she was excited I was going through this phase. However, could have gotten someone who was having an 'off day.'

 

[cleverbella]

I was just told that I failed the test so jow is it not a pass or fail test? I would really like to know why I did not pass. Thanks

 

[JettaGuy42]

I had my Talent Plus interview today and I would be glad to offer some tips for people going forward. 1. It is for sure a pass/fail situation. The questions offered usually two answers neither being great. You had to somehow arrive a meeting point that made it sound like you had chosen one of the answers. 2. Some of the questions bordered on inappropriate. "How loyal are you?" I asked professionally, to my jobs? He responded, "No, personally and give an example." Another "What personal belief would you go out and defend?'' Excuse me? I am going to sell skin care. Why are you asking me such personal questions about myself ? Is this to rattle me and see how I react? I used to be an administrative assistant to our airports head of security and I didn't go through half of this crap for the security clearance I needed. I think this test is a bunch of BS, frankly. 3. I was asked "Do I work harder than my friends?" Well my best friend just finished law school while working full time and being top ten in his class and getting his dream job, my bf just went back to college and pursuing his passion for art. I am re-entering beauty retail...Do I work harder than these amazing people? No, I work differently. But of course I said, "yes" because that is what they wanted to hear. 4. They don't want to hear of any of your passion for the beauty industry, they want to know if you are a problem solver, that question was asked over and over in different ways. So brace for it. Made me a little wary of Lauder's management system that they want such task solvers.

I guess I would tell you be as honest and upbeat as you can. Realize they are going to back you into corners with the questions. And they give ZERO feedback. It was like talking to a wall. I was also told I could take as long to answer as I needed but when I stopped to think about an answer, he kept saying, "hello? are you still there?' Thanks for that, really helpful. It has also been dreadfully slow getting to this point, so now I don't know if I will be kept in the dark about all of this for a long time. I interview very well and get most jobs I face interview for, but this was the most unsettling interview procedure I have ever been put through. Making me question if I want the job after all...

 

[cleopatrananton]

I don't work for an EL company anymore, but I did at one time. It amazes me to no end how many people do not pass this test. On this very day, I had a co-worker who wanted a Clinique position at our store tell me that she did not, in fact, pass talent plus and therefore would not be getting the position. She is an amazing person, a hard worker, customers love her, she is very professional and can sell. And yet, she didn't pass her talent plus interview. I seriously am starting to think that EL Companies are doing themselves a huge disservice using talent plus.

 

[angieangel]

I've been a manager for 5 years and have used talent + to find the best for my business. I can see why people think it is a pass/fail situation, but what it really does is establish what a persons natural top talents are, and whether or not that person is a "fit" for the business' needs. A lot of the questions require a person to pull from past experience and explain how they have handled certain scenarios, talk about beliefs, goals, hobbies, etc. The reason it is so important to be honest during this interview, is because it is believed that your talents rarely to almost never change. For example, when I was first hired I was given my top 3 talents. Years later, I was told they were making updates with the talent + program, and needed me to retake the test to be on file in the new computer database. I remember joking around with my district manager, saying, "What If the results come back and I am no longer a fit! Can you imagine?!" That's when she scoffed and said even though its a few years later, and questions may be different, as long as I was honest the first time, my talents should be the same-which they were!! From what I remember, EL took their top performers and asked them these questions and noticed certain talents that drove growth, within employees and the business. For example, in the scenario above, someone indeed can be a hard worker, well liked, and can sell-but may possibly not be "fit" due to lack of certain crucial talents. I have personally had one scenario where I really REALLY pushed to hire someone although they weren't reccommended, and I would probably never do that again. I had invested a lot of time, coaching, and development into someone who still resulted in an underperformer. Instead of investing all of that time and effort into an individual who provided satisfactory performance, I could have utilized talent + to find the right person for my staff, and analyze the talents I already have, and look for someone with the talents that will either support what I already have, or fulfill what I am missing. Long story short, I believe in the science behind talent +. I know how to motivate and drive my employees in the ways that are most important to them. I have one employee that is an "achiever" and she needs to be acknowledged when she does something well. That might not be necessary or even important to a different employee. On the flipside, it's also how I am driven by my district manager, she's knows one of my top talents is competitiveness-so she drives me by doing regional contests. Long story short, talent + is very intricate, and if you find that you are not a fit, don't feel like you've failed. You were just not what they were looking for at that moment in time, and realistically, if you were to take on the job, there would most likely be a lot of challenges and struggles along the way.

 

[anticorporate]

the talent plus interview is a total joke..the questions are extremely invasive and meant to pick your brain.. it is not an interview tool aimed at selecting a candidate with great qualifications. it is to see whether or not you are a corporate drone with no brain who will obey authority no matter how under qualified the management may be.. they want to know basically if you will be friends with your coworkers..and if you say it is more important to be professional that is a bad thing..if you are not "hungry" for sales..bzzzt..wrong..questions like if someone is giving away free things at work what would you do? when you ask them to clarify as to what "free" means is it free samples or maybe someone being unethical like lets say stealing which happens a lot in retail..they say oh..interpret it yourself... questions like do you work harder than most of your friends.. and do you think a promotion should be given to someone because they have worked there for a long time and have seniority?? its a total corporate mind melt and the funny thing is if you don't see that you are exactly the kind of moron they want to hire..its pathetic that a company uses such a transparent and twisted way to hire people..they obviously don't have anyone in their employ that actually has any skills or they wouldn't have to resort to such measures....i am highly educated, (although being lazy in my typing here) and possess a strong proclivity for retail sales not to mention i am also a licensed cosmetologist who does makeup for a living, also have a strong background in cosmeseuticals...would have made their company a lot of money, built their client base and furthered their brand..i only needed a part time job for the fun of it so no i am not upset i didn't get hired..but wanted to warn people that it is totally bs...and don't fall for it..you will feel violated after you speak to them..i will never place myself in the hands of corporate idiots again..no matter how skilled i may be..talent plus not two thumbs but i give u one finger straight up..you and any company that uses this system is well, bad form and you wouldn't want to work for someone who thinks they have the right to attempt to invade your privacy and think that you should agree to it just for a sh**ty low paying job. laaaaaammmmme.

 

[anticorporate]

the talent plus interview is a total joke..the questions are extremely invasive and meant to pick your brain.. it is not an interview tool aimed at selecting a candidate with great qualifications. it is to see whether or not you are a corporate drone with no brain who will obey authority no matter how under qualified the management may be.. they want to know basically if you will be friends with your coworkers..and if you say it is more important to be professional that is a bad thing..if you are not "hungry" for sales..bzzzt..wrong..questions like if someone is giving away free things at work what would you do? when you ask them to clarify as to what "free" means is it free samples or maybe someone being unethical like lets say stealing which happens a lot in retail..they say oh..interpret it yourself... questions like do you work harder than most of your friends.. and do you think a promotion should be given to someone because they have worked there for a long time and have seniority?? its a total corporate mind melt and the funny thing is if you don't see that you are exactly the kind of moron they want to hire..its pathetic that a company uses such a transparent and twisted way to hire people..they obviously don't have anyone in their employ that actually has any skills or they wouldn't have to resort to such measures....i am highly educated, (although being lazy in my typing here) and possess a strong proclivity for retail sales not to mention i am also a licensed cosmetologist who does makeup for a living, also have a strong background in cosmeseuticals...would have made their company a lot of money, built their client base and furthered their brand..i only needed a part time job for the fun of it so no i am not upset i didn't get hired..but wanted to warn people that it is totally bs...and don't fall for it..you will feel violated after you speak to them..i will never place myself in the hands of corporate idiots again..no matter how skilled i may be..talent plus not two thumbs but i give u one finger straight up..you and any company that uses this system is well, bad form and you wouldn't want to work for someone who thinks they have the right to attempt to invade your privacy and think that you should agree to it just for a sh**ty low paying job. laaaaaammmmme.

 

[angieangel]

the talent plus  interview is a total joke..the questions are extremely invasive and meant to pick your brain.. it is not an interview tool aimed at  selecting a candidate with great qualifications. it is to see whether or not you are a corporate drone with no brain who will obey authority no matter how under qualified the management may be.. they want to know basically if you will be friends with your coworkers..and if you say it is more important to be professional that is a bad thing..if you are not "hungry" for sales..bzzzt..wrong..questions like if someone is giving away free things at work what would you do? when you ask them to clarify as to what "free" means is it free samples or maybe someone being unethical like lets say stealing which happens a lot in retail..they say oh..interpret it yourself... questions like do you work harder than most  of your friends.. and do you think a promotion should be given to someone because they have worked there for a long time and have seniority?? its  a total corporate mind melt and the funny thing is if you don't see that you are exactly the kind of moron they want to hire..its pathetic that a company uses such a transparent and twisted way to hire people..they obviously don't have anyone in their employ that actually has any skills or they wouldn't have to resort to such measures....i am highly educated, (although being lazy in my typing here) and possess a strong proclivity for retail sales not to mention i am also a licensed cosmetologist who does makeup for a living, also have a strong background in cosmeseuticals...would have made their company a lot of money, built their client base and furthered their brand..i only needed a part time job for the fun of it so no i am not upset i didn't get hired..but wanted to warn people that it is totally bs...and don't fall for it..you will feel violated after you speak to them..i will never place myself in the hands of corporate idiots again..no matter how skilled i may be..talent plus not two thumbs but i give u one finger straight up..you and  any company that uses this system is well, bad form and you wouldn't want to work for someone who thinks they have the right to attempt to invade your privacy and think that you should agree to it just for a sh**ty low paying job. laaaaaammmmme. 

Whoa. I'm sorry that the interview left you disgruntled, but that doesn't mean you have to attack me personally. All I wanted to do is share some insight from the hiring perspective, and to let those who were beating themselves up about it know that they didn't "fail" per se, just not the right fit for the position. Clearly, from your defensive rant and rudeness, you have just demonstrated that Talent + did something right by not recommending you. I'm sorry that its upset you so much, that you felt compelled to open up an account just to make that post.

 

[KimmyAnn_678]

I've been a manager for 5 years and have used talent + to find the best for my business. I can see why people think it is a pass/fail situation, but what it really does is establish what a persons natural top talents are, and whether or not that person is a "fit" for the business' needs. A lot of the questions require a person to pull from past experience and explain how they have handled certain scenarios, talk about beliefs, goals, hobbies, etc. The reason it is so important to be honest during this interview, is because it is believed that your talents rarely to almost never change. For example, when I was first hired I was given my top 3 talents. Years later, I was told they were making updates with the talent + program, and needed me to retake the test to be on file in the new computer database. I remember joking around with my district manager, saying, "What If the results come back and I am no longer a fit! Can you imagine?!" That's when she scoffed and said even though its a few years later, and questions may be different, as long as I was honest the first time, my talents should be the same-which they were!! From what I remember, EL took their top performers and asked them these questions and noticed certain talents that drove growth, within employees and the business. For example, in the scenario above, someone indeed can be a hard worker, well liked, and can sell-but may possibly not be "fit" due to lack of certain crucial talents. I have personally had one scenario where I really REALLY pushed to hire someone although they weren't reccommended, and I would probably never do that again. I had invested a lot of time, coaching, and development into someone who still resulted in an underperformer. Instead of investing all of that time and effort into an individual who provided satisfactory performance, I could have utilized talent + to find the right person for my staff, and analyze the talents I already have, and look for someone with the talents that will either support what I already have, or fulfill what I am missing. Long story short, I believe in the science behind talent +. I know how to motivate and drive my employees in the ways that are most important to them. I have one employee that is an "achiever" and she needs to be acknowledged when she does something well. That might not be necessary or even important to a different employee. On the flipside, it's also how I am driven by my district manager, she's knows one of my top talents is competitiveness-so she drives me by doing regional contests. Long story short, talent + is very intricate, and if you find that you are not a fit, don't feel like you've failed. You were just not what they were looking for at that moment in time, and realistically, if you were to take on the job, there would most likely be a lot of challenges and struggles along the way.

This is a very good description of how Talent+ can be used and why some people who may seem like they would be great employees may not end up being hired. I was amazed when I was shown my top 3 "Talents" (which may be more like qualities rather than talents) how spot on they were in descriptions of my personality & how I like to work. These Talents are then used my CM to help her determine what kind of encouragement/coaching will best motivate me to perform better.

 

[angieangel]

This is a very good description of how Talent+ can be used and why some people who may seem like they would be great employees may not end up being hired.  I was amazed when I was shown my top 3 "Talents" (which may be more like qualities rather than talents) how spot on they were in descriptions of my personality & how I like to work.  These Talents are then used my CM to help her determine what kind of encouragement/coaching will best motivate me to perform better.

Exactly! It allows growth and development for both the employee and the employer. It's a great way to decide what work's best to elevate each employee custom to their needs. I highly doubt Estée Lauder would have continued paying a third party company, Talent+, for all these years unless it has proven success time and time again. A lot of other companies use different variations of the Talent+ interview to hire as well-I know Ritz Carlton and I think possibly BMW. The reason talent+ is different from a pass/fail is because it uncovers your talents. Everyone has talents in different areas, and companies want to see a general overview of what they could possibily benefit and/or encounter by having you on board. I'm not saying all Talent+ interviews are accurate depictions, I understand some people just don't interview well and could quite possibly be amazing. Management understands this and analyzes the what-if's. It's not uncommon for employers to do a screener prior or after a face-to-face. Now these are more pass/fail. My first job was working for Anchor Blue when I was 16. I had to take an aptitude test that asked multiple choice questions like, "if you caught a co-worker stealing, what would you do?" I also worked for another company in which their screening test was thru their back office computer, and would ask common sense questions like "if it is 3PM right now, is it a) morning b) afternoon c)night" and "Sally has $10. She buys 3 apples and spent $2.15, how much does she have left?" If they couldn't pass those first 'qualifier' questions, they automatically couldn't continue and answer the actual serious interview questions. I mean seriously?? I can't even count how many ppl had to come get me and say, "It won't let me take the actual test." I don't remember any of the talent+ questions being invasive whatsoever, they are traditional interview questions asking about honesty, work ethics, values, teamwork, goals, customer service, etc. Obviously there's no asking about religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity.... I have met a lot of people within the company who are highly educated, have other "successful" jobs, yet they always come back to work retail cosmetics, because that's what they're GOOD at. They excel in the position because it comes naturally to them, it's one of their talents and what they enjoy. On a side note, Talent+ is just a tool companies use. Management ultimately decides who they want to hire. My honest opinion though, you have to either have an amazing face-to-face interview and/or excellent (and relevant) recommendations. I just interviewed someone who I thought would be a wonderful addition to my team. When I told her the next process in the interview would be taking the Talent+, she informed me she already took it when she interviewed for another Lauder brand.....and wasn't a fit. She then explained that English was not her first language (although she speaks it very well) and there were a lot of technical words from the interview she didn't understand, therefore she was unable to answer accurately. I really believed in her, so I asked my DM to give a second interview, and she loved her! I'm making her an offer tomorrow. There are exceptions!!! Good luck to all!

 

[billiejean619]

I have something to say about the talent+ interview I just had yesterday. I have not heard back my results yet, which i feel makes my comments,more objective especially to the talent +person on here. These questions 100% set you up to fail. Tell me how asking me 'how honest are you? and "are you honest?" Is going to help figure out who I am. Please name ONE SINGLE PERSON ON PLANET EARTH ........one, 1........that would say they are dishonest or answer that they are low on a scale for honesty WHEN TAKING A TEST FOR A JOB!?!?!?!? .....The questsions are a joke, a 5th grader could have thought of better questions. When u factor the question above, that is true, no one can argure that not even the talent + person. Come on. Are you honest? Let's use common sense and ask some legitimate questions, thank you. Also, they try to trick you and catch you in a lie. For example they then ask you, "do you ever exaggerate?"....which I said yes to, because i am being honest and I have done so in my life, and I do not wish to lie so I answered truthfully. But now I think that answer is likely bad because exaggeration might be considered a form of "dishonesty" by "them". Idk. The "vision" by that Dr. Hill guy sounds hokey. Let's pray EL comes to their senses, hopefully this is just a passing trend. I worked for EL years ago n GRADUATED SUMMA CUM LAUDE WITH A 4.0.... went back to school SPECIFICALLY for a high up position with EL....but you know what????? ......after this test, I'm not sure they deserve me.

 

[Robin Hemenway]

Hello! I am currently in the interview process as a Clinque counter manager. I applied directly to Estee Lauder and was called by a Retail Talent Manager. This woman was amazing! She sent me straight to Talent Plus.I was exhausted after that interview and mine took 50 minutes. It's been 2business days and The Retail Talent Manager sent ME a thank you letter in the mail along with a sample! Who does that in this day? I am very impressed with her! What a great way to represent Estee Lauder! Haven't heard anything from anyone else and Idont know if I passed but I wanted to share this with the community.

 

[billiejean619]

Hi robin! That is awesome! I also got a sample in them mail and was immediately set up for a talent plus interview after my first interview...... I am still waiting to hear back after the talent plus.....I'm hoping to hear something soon!!! Good luck to you!

 

[Robin Hemenway]

Billie Jean, Hey Girl! Thank you for sharing. I didn't even apply to the store. They just called me out of the blue. I am in Tennessee.When I called back the person who conducted the Talent Plus she said. "oh there is no pass or fail, we just help the store to move them along in the interviewing process." I said. So? now what? Do I apply to the store? I applied to Macy's and Belk. Haven't heard a thing. Have no idea what's going to happen next. If you don't mind sharing I would appreciate it. I will give you my personal address if you'd like.I kind of feel those big long interviews where for nothing but who knows.
Thanks in advance!Robin

 

[billiejean619]

Hello again Robin! Oh that is pretty good they reached out to you first though, actually for me i applied online thru the store for a Account Coordinator position. Then I got an email from a recruiter for EL. She wanted to do a phone interview, which we did n it went well so she said I needed to do the Talent + interview. I did that the following day. I haven't heard anything and it has been 2 weeks now. i followed up with the EL recruiter earlier this week n asked if the Talent + interview found that I was a match???? She said she passed my info along and "hopefully someone from EL would be contacting me very soon". Idk if they are just blowing me off but I am just going to look elsewhere then because if they cannot at least have the courtesy to let me know they went another way after 2 interviews then that is just too disrespectful for me if I dont hear something next week im moving on. I hope u hear something soon!!!!! Do you know or doee anyone know if we are allowed to have or see our Talent + results??????