Job Responsibilities
While I was employed as a beauty advisor I was responsible for making sales,
ringing
up my customers, maintaining order within my my cosmetics counter, and
occasionally applying make-up. About 90% of my time was spent on equally on
ringing sales and waiting on customers and the rest was spent maintaining my
area
and updating my customer registry. The customer registry is a list of customers
who
are interested in being contacted about new products, special events that the
line
may be having, etc. In a beauty advisor's downtime, they are expected to call
clients
and see how their needs can be met. About 4 times a year a beauty advisor must
travel to "beauty school" (in my case it was located at the corporate
headquarters in
NYC) and spend a full day being updated on new products, makeup application
techniques, and any new selling techniques being implemented.
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Job Requirements
does not apply
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Uppers
The best thing about the job is getting to work with makeup and fragrance, two
things I love. If you can't get excited about them, there is not point in
working
for a cosmetics company. I also enjoyed assessing a customer's needs and
providing them with the right product. I was only an ok makeup artist but on the
few occasions I did a great job, the customer's job was a thrill.
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Downers
The hours are bad! There is nothing worse than having to close on Christmas
Eve
and then open on the day after Christmas. I had to come in on New Year's Day
2000
at 10 am. You always have to work weekends. I would get maybe one weekend day
off every other month or so and you are expected to put in at least 5 hours over
time
during holiday season and gift (free gift with purchase) time.
The second worst thing would be the pressure put on you to sell in the way the
company wants you to- being pushy. I loved selling but I wouldn't suggest things
that
a customer wasn't interested in just because I had to sell so many of X this
month.
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Lifestyle
In addition to what I discussed under the lifestyle section, I would advise
anyone
looking for a job in this field to be honesty with themselves and not pursue
this
career unless they don't mind the hours and are competitive and very outgoing.
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Compensation
I had previous retail experience but no experience in cosmetics and I started
with
$10/hour plus 3% sales commission. I left that counter before I could get a
raise and
the next store I went to started me at 10.50 with the same commission. As far as
I
know, the only way your commission percent goes up is if you become a manager. I
know that health insurance is available but I know nothing about that. I was
only an
ok salesperson and during gift and the holidays I was able to pull in my
paycheck in
commission.
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Advice to Jobseekers
In addition to what I discussed under the lifestyle section, I would advise
anyone
looking for a job in this field to be honesty with themselves and not pursue
this
career unless they don't mind the hours and are competitive and very outgoing.
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