All About Retail: Sales Associates, Management, etc.

[_hannah]

I did a seller internship. Well, first you should you are not the only one and the competition is quite rude. It was truly amazing, wonderful people. Well as for the few I saw, I suggest you this :
- Most of customers are Asian (Chinese/Thailand/Hong Kong/Japanese) so if you master one of these language it will be one asset for you. I noticed also that brazilian client are growing so if you know portugese it could help you
- Secondly, you should know that tons of people wants to work in Vuitton and your sentence "i want to work there, but I don't know what I want to work there" left me a little . A lot of people worship Vuitton and dream to work in Vuitton but you don't work there only for the name. They look for people who are passionate ( NOT I LOVE VUITTON / THIS IS MY DREAM ) they look for someone who understand their history, their values. You could work in very diverse area because it's a big company ( from Marketing/Sales/Supply Chain/Research&Development... )
- Well you say that you want to be a seller. Do you have experience ? From the people I worked with there's like 4 differents interview, so they can test the motivation and the TRUE motivation.
- If you want to work in the head office, the competition is even more hard and they mostly take people from big business school.

Figure out what you want to do first before choosing a company.

 

[BetteT]

Moving this thread into the Retail Sales thread ... since she's talking about working as a salesperson at Louis Vuitton.

 

[Glamr and Glitz]

I am really interested in working as a sales associate at Saks Fifth Avenue. I applied online to multiple positions and I also sent them several emails but haven't gotten a response yet and it's been close to a month. Does anyone have any advice as to how I can contact them for an interview?

A bit of information about my experience and qualifications:
I have no prior retail experience but have previously completed several internships at multiple fashion designers in addition to a jewelry company, where I gained experience assembling look books, entering orders, running reports, processing stock, and packing and shipping merchandise. I have experience styling and I also know a bit about choosing colors to complement warm or cool undertones, picking clothes that fit and flatter your body, how to wear multiple colors and prints in one outfit, and how to dress to elongate the body.

 

[BetteT]

Welcome to the Fashion Spot!

I would say that if they have not contacted you within a week, they either don't have any openings at the moment, or that your qualifications just don't meet their requirements. I'd guess it was the latter.

Retail is sales ... and as I understand it, the high end stores want people who can sell ... who have a proven track record that they can meet sales goals, and perhaps have a clientelle following. So, maybe you will have to set you sites lower, and try for a lesser store, to get that sales experience under your belt and to build your resume.

There's one other possiblity ... about how to approach them ... but it's a long shot. That is to walk into each store and ask for the department manager in whatever department you think you might be qualified to work in, to inquire about openings. If you can even get to talk to any managers and are able to impress that person on the spot, they might send you to personnell with a recommendation. Impressing them, means something different to each manager, but what you are wearing counts a lot ... you need to look like their salespeople. Do your research in advance, and for Saks, you should look classy and rich. So, if the sales associates are wearing all black and it's expensive labels, that's what you need to wear. Walk in as if you were reproting to work. Of course, carry a copy of your resume .... geared to what you think they might need in a sales associate and be prepared to answer any questions on the spot. Be prepared to "sell yourself" ... and if you can do that, then they might assume that you can sell their merchanidise, too.

 

[GERGIN]

I think a key requirment in terms of moving up in positions, working in head office or even at a high end store is showing that you are capable of being a long term employee. My chances of moving upward in the industry have been successful mainly because ive been with a company longer than a year and ive also gone up in position level. I went from being a sex specialist at an adult store to a full time womenswear and menswear specialist at a Brooks Brothers flagship store (and they pay very well in Canada, let me tell you.)

 

[Glamr and Glitz]

Thanks for the information! I'm currently in the middle of the interview process with Urban Outfitters. Would this be a good stepping stone to eventually work at Saks?

 

[BetteT]

Not the best because it's inexpensive juniors clothing and Saks is a lot different. But as a first step, it's fine and you can move up to higher end stores later, once you have some sale experience under your belt.

Make sure you work on any sales goals they give you .... if you exceed them consistently, this is something that you can put on your resume. And sales are sales ..... no matter what you are selling.

 

[aldn]

I worked at Urban Outfitters for 2 years... Have you tried Nordstroms glamr? Oh. I just realized you are in New York. Even Bloomingdales or Barneys Co-Op is closer to your goal.

 

[Nosaceli]

Hello everyone, I'm interested in getting a job in a high end store such as Dior, Céline, Prada.. in London this summer. I have no working experience, but I'm studying fashion design and my dream is to end up working (as a designer, or such) in a iconic brand like those, and I guess you have to start from the bottom so there I go.

not to sound cocky or pretentious, but I can say I look pretty good, also I have a fancy style and I can pull off the snooty attitude (which seems to be pretty good, according to this article I've just read)http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...S-help-shop-assistants-sell-fancy-stores.html

I wonder if I go all around those stores showing up (both attitude, and physical appearance)and I give the manager my CV I might get the job.

Do you have any experience (or advice) about what can I do, or just if you think you have to "have a name" to be hired on those? It would be really helpful

 

[dsamg]

Hello everyone, I'm interested in getting a job in a high end store such as Dior, Céline, Prada.. in London this summer. I have no working experience, but I'm studying fashion design and my dream is to end up working (as a designer, or such) in a iconic brand like those, and I guess you have to start from the bottom so there I go.

not to sound cocky or pretentious, but I can say I look pretty good, also I have a fancy style and I can pull off the snooty attitude (which seems to be pretty good, according to this article I've just read)http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...S-help-shop-assistants-sell-fancy-stores.html

I wonder if I go all around those stores showing up (both attitude, and physical appearance)and I give the manager my CV I might get the job.

Do you have any experience (or advice) about what can I do, or just if you think you have to "have a name" to be hired on those? It would be really helpful

Did you ever have any luck?

 

[Nosaceli]

Did you ever have any luck?

I didn't have time to try yet, but I guess I've changed my mind and the best option is applying via internet when there's a place? however I presume the people with connections in the Industry finally get the best chances tho

 

[GiaNiSu]

Working as an SA at a Luxury Brand?

I see lots of postings for sales associates at local Burberry, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton boutiques, but they all seem to require some previous experience working in a luxury boutique. To begin working in luxury retail requires previous luxury retail experience, so where does someone begin?

Have any of you worked as an SA in any luxury brand boutique? How did you begin? I'm asking because it seems interesting to work there for a year or so to delve into the environment and get to know the brand better.

 

[fashionista-ta]

I would stop by and talk to a manager about how you might gain the experience you need. You could ask if it would help if you had luxury experience from someplace like Nordstrom, working in Collectors, as a Personal Stylist, etc. I know an unpaid internship is a luxury, but is that something you might be able to pull off? I would think that after talking to several managers, you should have multiple useful suggestions ...