Help for a Beauty Advisor job at Macy's?

Jul 26, 2013
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I have never had a retail job before, i've mainly worked at restaurants, but i LOVE makeup. So when i put that on my resume and did the online application for my local Macy's thats hiring a beauty advisor, I didn't think I wouldn't get considered (especially with no retail experience!). So when I checked my email today and saw that I had gotten an interview, I'm stoked! I scheduled an appointment for this coming Friday.

But the only thing i'm nervous about is the questions. What does Macy's look for? I'm sure my passion for make-up isn't enough..

Anybody with Macy's/retail experience would help me a lot:smile:
 
My friend was an advisor with macys and hated it, mainly because macys wants their staff to push the credit card and you have to meet quotas. She just wants to sell cosmetics and do makeup. So she left and went to nordstrom, loves it. They don't have to push the credit card down customers throats.
 
This isn't specific to Macy's, but any sales role in makeup or any other company do have quotas and targets. So my advice would be to show them not only your passion for cosmetics but the drive to maximize sales. I am in cosmetics sales so if you want anymore advice just send me a PM :smile:
 
My friend was an advisor with macys and hated it, mainly because macys wants their staff to push the credit card and you have to meet quotas. She just wants to sell cosmetics and do makeup. So she left and went to nordstrom, loves it. They don't have to push the credit card down customers throats.

I would agree. Macys beauty counter, by all sense of the word, is not where I would turn to for beauty advice. I would go to MAC, Sephora or premier department stores for beauty tips.
 
I would agree. Macys beauty counter, by all sense of the word, is not where I would turn to for beauty advice. I would go to MAC, Sephora or premier department stores for beauty tips.

I agree. I was telling a friend, I feel like Bloomingdale's makeup associates are just random people they hire and don't know the products (my experience), where as Saks makeup associates know there stuff.
 
Most retail stores have a $$ sales point you are supposed to make for that day and week. A few of my friends worked in high end stores and it was all about $$$$. Saks pushed the credit card too. I think my one friend said they got $25.00 each time thy opened an account. The money could add up.

I would not take any recommendation seriously from a Macy's beauty advisor. They try to hard sell any item you are looking at. Not too impressed with some make applications I have seen done but this can be common in many stores. Too much makeup because they want to convince you need it all.

I think the beauty advisors at Nordstrom are fantastic and very professional who know their products.

Sephora does not impress me. Two friends went for a makeover in one of their NY stores and they have different skin tones, hair and eye color, along with skin needs. Dry versus acne and oil problem skin. But both were sold the same products in the same colors. I thought it was push that cosmetic line day. The sad part was they both bought all the products but never repurchased them. :lol:

Sales is sales- your job is to get people to buy the product. How many times will a SA tell you a piece of clothing looks great when it looks horrible?
 
Most retail stores have a $$ sales point you are supposed to make for that day and week. A few of my friends worked in high end stores and it was all about $$$$. Saks pushed the credit card too. I think my one friend said they got $25.00 each time thy opened an account. The money could add up.

I would not take any recommendation seriously from a Macy's beauty advisor. They try to hard sell any item you are looking at. Not too impressed with some make applications I have seen done but this can be common in many stores. Too much makeup because they want to convince you need it all.

I think the beauty advisors at Nordstrom are fantastic and very professional who know their products.

Sephora does not impress me. Two friends went for a makeover in one of their NY stores and they have different skin tones, hair and eye color, along with skin needs. Dry versus acne and oil problem skin. But both were sold the same products in the same colors. I thought it was push that cosmetic line day. The sad part was they both bought all the products but never repurchased them. :lol:

Sales is sales- your job is to get people to buy the product. How many times will a SA tell you a piece of clothing looks great when it looks horrible?


People that work at Sephora scare me. They all have caked on make-up (men and women) and they look ridiculous. I knew someone that interviewed there and she said they were told to do that, but if you were a cashier, you didn't have to do it.
 
People that work at Sephora scare me. They all have caked on make-up (men and women) and they look ridiculous. I knew someone that interviewed there and she said they were told to do that, but if you were a cashier, you didn't have to do it.

Haha...you know, you are soooo right...never thought of this before but they do wear a TON of makeup!
 
I went in for a free gift offer at Macy's, and one of the Estee Lauder beauty sales gal told me that their best selling Advanced Night Repair (the one that I use every night) doesn't work after 3 weeks.

I was like, "Say what?" She went on to saying something like how the serum really absorbs in the first days, but after that, your skin had enough of the ANR and so you don't need to keep using it.

It just made no sense.
 
I applied for a Bloomingdales Beauty Advisor job about a month ago and was called in for an interview. I have very little retail experience and it was over 10 years ago. The interview was easy but it was a group interview which I wasn't expecting. I am very shy when it comes to group-like settings and I tend to just listen and not say anything, so my group part of the interview was pretty awful. There were 5 other ladies and they all had manager beauty counter experience so I was pinned against the worst since I had zero.

Basically we just had to introduce ourselves, talk about our past experience, then state 3 cosmetic brands we were interested in working for and had knowledge about. We were also asked if we knew the difference between a customer and a client and to describe a time when we didn't meet a goal or when a problem occurred and how we resolved it. Then we were called in for a quick one on one interview with the H/R rep and pretty much discussed my resume a little more in detail. I was told if they wanted to interview me further I would come back in and meet with the brand counters manager.

I ended up not getting the job but I pretty much figured I wasn't going to. I was just curious about the position since I love make up. The ladies I interviewed with were sharing the worst horror stories imaginable with each other while I was waiting to speak with the H/R rep privately so I was also pretty much over the job.... lol.

Go on glassdoor.com and you can read what other past interviewees or former/current employees reviews on interviewing/working for the company.

Wear all black, as that is how Macys employees are required to dress.
 
I think if you're interested in cosmetics, get a job with the brand you like within the store. For instance my friend started out working at the Bobbi Brown counter at nordstrom. She now works directly for Bobbi brown and therefore doesn't have a selling quota. She travel a lot, doesn't stay at one store and really loves her job now. Her checks come from Bobbi Brown.
 
I think if you're interested in cosmetics, get a job with the brand you like within the store. For instance my friend started out working at the Bobbi Brown counter at nordstrom. She now works directly for Bobbi brown and therefore doesn't have a selling quota. She travel a lot, doesn't stay at one store and really loves her job now. Her checks come from Bobbi Brown.

Nice! Sounds like my dream job!