Is This The Norm For Macy's?

[weezee]

Happy New Year!

I had applied online for a position at the Clarins counter at Macy's a few days ago. I've never used Clarins so I went down to Macy's to see what they have. I had mentioned to the associate (she was actually the Arden counter manager) that I had applied online and she got really excited for some reason (maybe cause she has had to work extra hours until they hire someone). Anyhow, she gave me the cosmetic manager's number and told me to call her and follow up, which I did and left her a message.

While I was talking to the associate, I asked her about what kind of training she got. She said that each line has their own traininig at certain times of the year. She said that until then, you just read boxes and figure it out??? Is that the norm for Macy's? I asked her if they at least did training when it came to makeovers and she said no?? She made the comment that my makeup was pretty and that I wouldn't have a problem. It's a lot different putting on your own makeup than on someone else. I was just curious if this is how Macy's did their "training" for beauty advisors.

Thanks,
Tara

 

[MissMarley]

Well, each counter manager is different. Mine trained me in Clinique techniques and rules, until I went to official Clinique school. I had previous experience, but I still was given a lot of training. Whatever counter you're at should provide you with someone in charge to train you- they shouldn't just leave you on your own. I was given a book to read and a training manual to complete before I even went to school.

 

[lara]

Macy's won't control training beyond, say, how to use a Macy's register or how to use their security pinpads. The actual hands-on make-up and sales training is up to the individual counter and company to arrange.

Some cosmetics companies are very hands-on in regards to training, others will give you a handbook and tell you to wing it. You pick up the practical aspects of it fairly quickly either way.

 

[weezee]

Thanks girls. Hmmm, I wonder if my husband and son will let me practice makeovers on them???

 

[calbear]

and i have learned that many counters don't have alot of foot traffic requiring makeovers. Most of the counters that do makeovers at my location are doing them cause it is overflow from our counter. don't stress - u learn alot on the job.

 

[weezee]

Thanks calbear. I won't stress out about it. I'm a pretty quick learner, so I'm sure I'll do fine once I do finally get a counter job....or just keep telling myself that. hee hee

 

[NYDoll88]

Yes, it is. At my Macy's, we called it "school" and it would happen a few times a year. Basically, everyone goes...not just if you're new. You learn new techniques and about new products. Usually they last a couple of days. But don't worry----I started work at Estee Lauder with absolutely no experience and no training, and I quickly became one of the best sellers at the counter. Go to the Macy's or Clarin's website and check what the bestsellers are. Clarin's makeup is pretty simple, but they have an extensive skincare line. A lot of people use the skincare and sunscreen, so try to read up on it. Your first few days will be hard, but I'm sure there will be another associate there to help. It won't take long for you to get the hang of products and techniques, and the job is a lot of fun. Good luck!

 

[MissMarley]

Our Clarins counter ladies are awesome- they focus a lot on skincare and self-tanning products. i definitely go to them when i have a question about self-tanning, i think they're the experts. it's a good brand, and i think it gets overlooked a lot. they just got their spring/summer colors and they're beautiful too. let us know if you take the job! (also, at least at our macy's, you can transfer to other counters after a year at one, so if there's another counter you really want to be at...well, just do a great job at clarins and you've got a major leg up on the competition for any other counter you might want to work for!)

 

[weezee]

I met with the manager and was offered the position but it turns out that it is a full-time position and I can only do part-time (nights/weekends). She said that there would be a few part-time positions at other counters coming up and asked me if I could hold off for about a month, which I can. She also asked me if I'd be interested in handing out perfume samples for special perfume events and I said yes, so she is trying to find out when the next one is and will let me know. Hopefully everything will work out. She was really nice and introduced me to the girls working behind each counter when I got there and they all seemed nice too. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed it will all work out.

 

[mAra]

I've been an on-call in cosmetics at Macy's so I've tried most of all the counters, and there really isn't any official cosmetics training when you're new, the only thing you really need to know is how to use the POS, (the register, the point of sale)

But when you are permanent at one counter, each brand has their own special training once or twice a year, it usually happens at the same time each year, so if you are hired after it's already happened then you'll have to wait for it to come around again.

The only thing I advise is that you research all the products well, so when it's time to sell you can answer all the customer's questions, in my opinion this is alot more important in the beginning than makeup application, although it is good to be comfortable with applying makeup on different types of faces, because you never know when it can get busy.

Also about scheduling, it's a bit hard if you can only do specific times, in cosmetics I believe all schedules are set, I don't think they can create anything specific to what you want. If you want to work on the cosmetics floor, the manager will usually tell you which counters have an opening, and what the schedules are for each of them. Most of the schedules have a mix of different shifts. There are 3 types of shifts: an open, mid and close, and during normal season hours those shifts are 9:30-5:45, 11:15-7:30, and 1:15-9:30, but when there are sales or during the holidays these hours can change, to up to 4hrs earlier or 3hrs later.

Hope I haven't confused you, and good luck!

 

[weezee]

Thanks mAra and you didn't confuse me.

Yes, if/when I get hired, I will for sure research and study products online.

When I met with costmetics manager, I had a typed up schedule that I gave to her that I could work and that way I was up front about it and no surprises if I were to get hired. She got really excited when she saw I could work nights and weekends. I also told her that if there was a special event and she really needed me during the day during the week, I would work. Also, my husband teaches, so when he is on break, I can work days. I was honest and told her that my goal is to keep my kids out of childcare (been there and done that with my oldest) and she said that she commended me and told me that family comes first, which I thought was really cool.

 

[lanaleigh]

I was a Clarins manager for a Macy's owned store almost ten years ago, and also worked for them several other times. Let's just say that Macy's = no training. Clarins, however did a wonderful training for me. They put me up for a week in a Hyatt, and I had $60 a day to spend on dinner, parking, etc. (Breakfast and lunch were provided.) The whole week was training in their line. I learned so much, and I was touched to be treated so well. I wish I could have stayed with them longer.

I never even got register training at Macy's, although now they do that. One time, all of us counter managers had to go to a meeting two hours away to learn about working as a management team. And the Lancome manager and I got into it in the car on the way down. She later apologized on the way home, but the irony of that was lost on no one. The training was really useless, and we were all mad to be loosing commission.

In my experience, the only training program Macy's has is the clown schools for the Thanksgiving parade.

 

[weezee]

The clown school comment made me laugh.

I've gotten to know some of the girls at the other counters and they said that they didn't get much training. I've been going on line and "studying" products from all of the counters our Macy's has. Unfortunately, our Macy's has a hiring freeze in effect right now. They aren't hiring at all in any departments. I'm still in contact with the cosmetics manager and I go in and buy makeup once a week. The cosmetics manager said that hopefully there will be a position the first of April. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and until then, I'll keep studying products and trying some of the new products in the Spring 2008 lines. Our Macy's doesn't have a MAC counter, so I am hoping for Lancome or Lauder. The gal at the Clinique counter told me that when they hire part-time, they have the expectation that you will eventually become full-time and I can't do that right now with little ones.