Clinique job?

[Rhiannon1408]

Hi geeks, I'm trying to get through to Estée Lauder careers to apply for a Clinique counter job. Was just wondering if anyone has applied before and what sort of things they ask you in the telephone interview?

I spent an hour on hold yesterday so hopefully I actually get to speak to someone today!

Rhiannon x

 

[laurakate]

That's a long time to be on hold to them! Maybe it's due to the job vacancies increasing re Christmas temps.

Be sure to have some product knowledge even if you just have a web page of there's open. I think they asked me my favourite product and why. Think they ask a bit about qualifications and why you want to work for them. I don't recall being asked anything too suprising and they tell you whether you have been successful or not right there and then.

Good luck

 

[lorna shaw]

hi hunny
i was on hold for 2.5 hours yesterday 2 hours monday i eventually got through this morning at 9 am only being on hold for 45mins lol. they just ask you experience product knowledge etc just be chatty confident and do bit of research on the brand like best sellers award winners etc, good luck

 

[Rhiannon1408]

That's a long time to be on hold to them! Maybe it's due to the job vacancies increasing re Christmas temps.

Be sure to have some product knowledge even if you just have a web page of there's open. I think they asked me my favourite product and why. Think they ask a bit about qualifications and why you want to work for them. I don't recall being asked anything too suprising and they tell you whether you have been successful or not right there and then.

Good luck

Thank you

I've been on hold for 35 minutes now, I'm wondering if I'm ever going to get through!

I use a few Clinique products so hopefully I'll be ok there, but that's what product training is for right?!

Eurgh wish they'd answer the phone!

 

[Rhiannon1408]

hi hunny
i was on hold for 2.5 hours yesterday 2 hours monday i eventually got through this morning at 9 am only being on hold for 45mins lol. they just ask you experience product knowledge etc just be chatty confident and do bit of research on the brand like best sellers award winners etc, good luck

Oh my I think it might be a while till they answer then!

I've got the website up now, having a nosey through. I've actually used more of their products than I thought I had. Haven't used any of their skin care ranges before though...

 

[emsyj]

I didn't have any problems getting through when I called, maybe they have a peak time just after they've updated the job site or something? I was asked what my favourite Clinique product was and why, and also for retail/sales experience. I worked in John lewis when I was a student so told them about that. I got through to face to face interview but I think they crossed me off the list when I said I couldn't work on Saturdays, which I understand but it's true, I can't so I guess I wasn't right for them.

I then got a call from the area manager to set up the interview and she asked me to visit a counter before the interview to have a skin analysis and a chat with the assistant, which I did.

At interview they asked me more about which products I use and like - I said Clarifying Lotion and Exfoliating scrub (they are mainly focussed on skincare as a brand and were quite keen to stress this at interview - so you are best to be familiar with the main 3 step and other skincare products rather than make-up, which is a secondary thing for them). They also asked what I would do to bring people to counter on a quiet day, how I would deal with a customer making a complaint, whether I had much experience working towards targets (they spent quite a long time talking about targets so make sure you know how sales targets work and have something ready to say about these).

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Rhiannon1408]

I didn't have any problems getting through when I called, maybe they have a peak time just after they've updated the job site or something? I was asked what my favourite Clinique product was and why, and also for retail/sales experience. I worked in John lewis when I was a student so told them about that. I got through to face to face interview but I think they crossed me off the list when I said I couldn't work on Saturdays, which I understand but it's true, I can't so I guess I wasn't right for them.

I then got a call from the area manager to set up the interview and she asked me to visit a counter before the interview to have a skin analysis and a chat with the assistant, which I did.

At interview they asked me more about which products I use and like - I said Clarifying Lotion and Exfoliating scrub (they are mainly focussed on skincare as a brand and were quite keen to stress this at interview - so you are best to be familiar with the main 3 step and other skincare products rather than make-up, which is a secondary thing for them). They also asked what I would do to bring people to counter on a quiet day, how I would deal with a customer making a complaint, whether I had much experience working towards targets (they spent quite a long time talking about targets so make sure you know how sales targets work and have something ready to say about these).

Hope that helps a bit.

Thank you that is really helpful, I was on hold for just over 2 hours yesterday before my phone battery died. So I'm on hold again now! I'm a little worried I won't be able to get through, and the job will disappear from the site

 

[emsyj]

The jobs seem to hang around for ages in my experience, although I am as far away from you as it's possible to be so maybe they're more popular in your area and go quicker? It was about 2 weeks before I even got the call back to arrange the face to face interview, and another week before the interview itself - and the job was still live when I got the rejection letter so it was up for at least a month, but it may be different in different locations.

Best of luck with it, they seem a good company to work for and there's lots of training and benefits.

 

[Rhiannon1408]

Got through, they said I don't have enough retail experience....

 

[laurakate]

Sorry to hear that!

I passed the telephone interview because at the time I had lots of retail experience and was looking for my first beauty job (was wanting to get out of retail and focus more on beauty).

I turned down the offer of a face to face interview when on the phone the counter manager (or was it area manager, I forget!) stressed that it was a very retail focussed job. It didn't sound very hands on in terms of using the products, it sounded more about reciting info about the products to people and for me, this isn't the direction I wanted to take.

I find it interesting that they seem to seek retail over beauty experience. I guess this says a lot about the job role and I guess it wouldn't be for everyone.

 

[emsyj]

Yep, they're all about the sales/retail thing - I was trying to impress them with my beauty and makeup qualifications and they basically said they weren't relevant!

MAC might be more focussed on beauty skills? I think it's harder to get a job there though - seems to be round here anyway, there are far fewer vacancies listed there.

Have you looked at Clarins? I have a friend who worked for them for years and said they're a fab company to work for.

 

[LJObeauty]

I had a telephone interview with them the other day, i called up around 12 and they said that they could either do it there and then or give me a few hours to research there company and there products so i did that, i looked on wiki and then on the website which had loads of good information, when i called back they took me straight onto the interview and asked me questions like when was the brand first establised, what do i know about how the brand came about, where they sold there products, what i would do if a client asked me for advice ect ect
deffinitley do your reasearch as they are tough to get in with and are all about BRAND BRAND BRAND!

hope that helps x

 

[LJObeauty]

ah just saw that you didnt get the face to face interview, dont worry neither did i they said i didnt have enough experience either :/ there tough cookies!

 

[Rhiannon1408]

I used to work at Champneys Health spa where we had a Bare Escentuals counter. I worked on there a lot and I was always within the top 3 sellers. Also, I know its not quite the same but I've worked in pub/restaurants for 5 years and that's all about up selling etc. Quite annoyed to be honest as I am more than qualified for the job!

I asked her what it was that they refused my application on and she said that they have other people with more relevant retail experience and told me to go and get a Christmas job!

 

[emsyj]

I used to work at Champneys Health spa where we had a Bare Escentuals counter. I worked on there a lot and I was always within the top 3 sellers. Also, I know its not quite the same but I've worked in pub/restaurants for 5 years and that's all about up selling etc. Quite annoyed to be honest as I am more than qualified for the job!

I asked her what it was that they refused my application on and she said that they have other people with more relevant retail experience and told me to go and get a Christmas job!

Sounds like you have way more relevant experience than me, my retail experience is limited to working in John Lewis during uni holidays and that was over 10 years ago! I would look at Clarins, they give better product allowances and have great staff retention rates. You can do your application to them online so no hanging on the phone either.