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View Full Version : Job interview tonight!! UPDATE: Frustration with interview process



jennielynn1970
09-11-2009, 01:22 PM
I have an interview this evening at Lane Bryant, a plus sized women's shop, for part time work.

I'm really excited about this! I've never really done retail (except some jewelry sales about 15 years ago), but I think it would be a fun and interesting job to have. Plus I shop there, so it would be a bonus to get a discount, lol! From the sounds of the manager yesterday, they are hiring, and said for me to come in for the interview and to go over job specifications (sounds promising). I'm hoping to start this weekend!

Hopefully I'll be an extra busy girl shortly, so wish me luck on the interview!!

Taz_Zoee
09-11-2009, 02:06 PM
That is awesome! Good luck! I like the clothes they have there. :)

Grace
09-11-2009, 02:22 PM
Will keep good thoughts and prayers headed your way.

Donnaj4962
09-11-2009, 03:07 PM
Good luck Jenn! I have worked at catherine's Plus Sizes since March ( well before I lost my full time job) and I LOVE it! I also had never worked retail, and it is loads of fun!

Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, and Catherine's are all owned by Charming Shoppes, so we are "sister stores". I love my discount also, and you will be allowed to useit at the other stores I noted above! When there is a clearance and sale plus the added employee discount.... well.... SCORE! I love a good bargain!

Keep us posted! Here's to a new PT job for you!

Karen
09-11-2009, 03:30 PM
Good luck! Retail has its joys and its pains!

catland
09-11-2009, 03:53 PM
good luck on your interview!

(job interview tip - put anti-perspirant on the palms of your hands - so when you do the hand shake - your hands won't be clammy. :))

jenluckenbach
09-11-2009, 04:47 PM
Best of luck. I am certain you'll be hired. :D

Jenn&Dean
09-11-2009, 04:51 PM
Good Luck!!!

Moesha
09-11-2009, 04:57 PM
Hope all goes well for you Jenn!

jennielynn1970
09-11-2009, 05:46 PM
Ok, I think the interview went well. The manager wants me to come in for what they call a "job preview" to work for a few hours and see if it's good for me and if I'm good for them. She mentioned enthusiasm and being fashionable (oy), and outgoing. I think I can do that, lol, and I don't have to just wear Lane Bryant clothes, I can wear what I view as fashionable. You can wear open toed shoes as long as you have a pedicure. Guess that won't be an option for me, lol. I don't do pedicures, and I normally just wear sandals. Looks like I'll be in the market for a comfy pair of shoes to work in.

She's going to call me later in the weekend to set up a day and time for this coming week. I'm anxious and excited!

K9karen
09-11-2009, 10:21 PM
Sounds promising to me Jenn!

I worked at Strawbridges part time for years. Serving people face to face is a lot harder than over the phone where you can mute your phone or make faces! :p Just remember not to let nasty folks ruin your day, 'cause it's not worth it. I usually spent my entire paycheck on clothes. Employee discounts are hard to ignore! I thinl you'll be great!

phesina
09-12-2009, 06:29 AM
It sounds like you did just great! I don't think they would have asked you to come in for a "job preview" if they had decided right off the bat they didn't want you.

Congratulations!

Pinot's Mom
09-12-2009, 12:54 PM
Jenn, I hope you get the job! Sorry I didn't see this, it's the first time I've signed on since leaving work yesterday! We hope to see you, but if not, it's for a good cause! ;)

jennielynn1970
10-01-2009, 06:58 AM
Ok, so nothing ever came of anything with this. I was kinda disappointed, but also realized that I am not a sales girl. I'm the type who would tell you "no, that's not really you, you should try something else, or you kknow what... Macy's is having some great sales right now! I was just there yesterday!" LOL... I'm honest, and don't beat around the bush, lol.

I've applied for another cashier job at Wegman's and am waiting to hear back about that, but still not holding my breath. It's like if you have a degree and you have a full time job they wonder why you want the part time job or why you want to work there. It's frustrating. All I want is something that's a no brainer and I can earn extra money at so I can pay more bills (and buy more shoes!).

smokey the elder
10-01-2009, 07:17 AM
Recession or no recession, as the holidays come closer places will probably be looking for part-time help. Good luck!

jennielynn1970
10-02-2009, 10:02 AM
Just want to vent a frustration...

I received a call back from Wegman's and was told to call to schedule an interview for next Wednesday. So, today while I had some downtime at school, I did just that... called them anyway.

I was put on hold for approximately 5 minutes until they figured out where to forward me, and then I'm told that the only appointments they have for interviews are during morning and early afternoon hours. I explain that I work FULL TIME until 3:30 in the afternoon, and cannot ask to leave my FULL TIME job to go to a part time job interview. That's just not kosher. I was told that those were the only times they have available, and that they will give me a call back if anything changes.

What the heck?! Only daytime appointments???? This is ridiculous! Do they not want to be accomodating and offer appointments to those of us who work daytime and need evening hours, or at least late afternoon??

jennielynn1970
10-02-2009, 10:28 AM
Ok, so I called back to see if they were going to plan to have any more interviews, or was this the only day they were doing them? Ended up on hold again, but they gave me an appt. for 4pm next wednesday! YAY! I don't want to be a pain, but I need the job and I don't want to have to wait another 3 months for them to call me back!

Daisy and Delilah
10-02-2009, 02:31 PM
Jennie, it sounds like they need help pretty badly. Judging this by how much time you were on hold alone.

So many places I deal with are like this now because of all the cut backs. I have trouble getting decent service out of anybody on the phone. No matter what the business, two employees are doing the work of five. I think alot of places are hiring less competent people so they can get by with paying them minimum wage. I hear about this in the news all the time and I believe we are really seeing it.

Good luck with the interview.:)

phesina
10-02-2009, 03:00 PM
Argggghhh! Well, best wishes to you, Jennie, with your interview!

A candle for you: http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/message.cfm?l=eng&cid=9284569

Edwina's Secretary
10-02-2009, 05:17 PM
I ran an ad for a client - warehouse/customer service in Houston. Had over 900 responses. Think how long it takes to sort through 900 resumes!

And then begin the phone calls...answering machine after answering machine (some with message that end the company's interest!) Wait for call backs. Play telephone tag. Finally talk to the candidates and select those for the next level.

Then comes the juggling to get interviews set up. People who "no-show" people who arrive early...people who arrive late. Usually have to coordinate schedules with a couple of other interviewers. Crisis here that makes a whole redo of the schedule necessary.

Anyway..not excusing poor behavior but remember...these are folks who work hard too!

K9karen
10-02-2009, 11:26 PM
Hey Jen..when your checking people out, just don't hold up the ice cream and chips and tell the customers they shouldn't be eating that! :p

When i worked at a department store and people asked my opinion, I always told them what I thought.

Good luck with the interview. Hope you're not overqualified.

jennielynn1970
10-03-2009, 11:11 AM
I ran an ad for a client - warehouse/customer service in Houston. Had over 900 responses. Think how long it takes to sort through 900 resumes!

And then begin the phone calls...answering machine after answering machine (some with message that end the company's interest!) Wait for call backs. Play telephone tag. Finally talk to the candidates and select those for the next level.

Then comes the juggling to get interviews set up. People who "no-show" people who arrive early...people who arrive late. Usually have to coordinate schedules with a couple of other interviewers. Crisis here that makes a whole redo of the schedule necessary.

Anyway..not excusing poor behavior but remember...these are folks who work hard too!

Oh I know they work hard, and that wasn't my complaint. My main complaint was that they only had day time interviews available, maybe I didn't make that one totally clear.

I applied online in May I believe, just got the callback the end of September (not sure they had openings back then but applied anyway in case they would have them in the future). I think it was before I was set to work at Sunny Rest all summer, or in case I couldn't find a placement for Calloway.

Anyway.... skip forward to two weeks ago... I get a phone call from a recruiter/interviewer and she sets up a phone interview. ONLY DURING WORK HOURS was available, so I chose one closest to the end of the school day where no kids are in my room. Was told I'd get a phone call or email in a week or so about whether I'd be moving forward from the phone interview.

Thankfully get a phone call to set up the next interview, in person, but they only have day time appointments available. No mention of any other day, any other time, and this makes me frantic. I need the 2nd job. I've been trying everywhere that would be suitable for me and my schedule, but not much available. So, when a company only has daytime appointments available for a part time position in a store that is open 24 hours, it makes me a bit frustrated. They have to be a bit more accommodating for those of us who are looking only to supplement our full time jobs and work daytime (or evening or whatever) and have something available for us to come in to interview. When you only interview from 10am to 3pm daytime for a part time job, I just find that a bit ridiculous.

So, that is why I called back and asked whether they were going to be interviewing at any other day or time, and let them know I was serious about part time work because I really want and need one. I was thankful, very thankful, that the interviewer did set me up with a 4pm appointment. I'm going to have to bust my ass to get there on time, but I'll manage.