The Interview
So - just got back from my group interview at American Eagle Outfitters, wish me luck! I may hear as early as tonight if they want me to come in for training tomorrow morning! I really hope I get it, but if not, I won't be *crushed* -- but I'll be happy that I've made the biggest stride in getting a real job in a while. So, thought I'd let you in on a little behind the scenes commentary on my interview today!
First, I didn't even know what to wear!? Do I dress fancy-schmancy, shirt+tie+dress shoes? My first instinct was the mantra "you can't look too professional" but with Sarah and Google's help, I changed my mind. You can in fact look too professional, so I'm quite glad I dropped to one of my button ups with khaki's, and even that may have been too dressy. But yeah, if you ever interview at American Eagle Outfitters, or somewhere similar (maybe this blog is to help people who are interviewing there --) definitly wear *nice* casual. I did know, however, not to wear Hollister Co. (my button up was AE btw.)
Cool, so I woke up - and after some Circle K juggling - got to my interview fairly early actually, like 8:36a for a 9:00 meeting. Btw, the drive on a good day is apparently like half an hour or much less -- I left the house at like 8:06 and got on the freeway like 8:13-ish. After reading my car manual for five minutes - which btw I now know how to operate cruise control =D - I saw a girl my age go inside, and figured she was there for the interview too. Also, the Mall has a mall-walking program where old people with disabilities can walk the mall for exercise before they open! How cool! Anyway, I ended up meeting my match -- there were initially two other guys, and a girl. We waited outside the entrance and chanted for a few the guys were in High School (Jackson and Stark) and the girl went to Muskingum. Anyway, we chatted for a while about randoms stuff cause I read online you want the interviewer to see you being friendly with the other interview-ees so you look like a team player. (Cite.)
Interestingly, being early for an interview is a great sign - cause the four of us were definitely the four most likely candidates in the end when there totaled 9 interviewees. I was very into the friendly good answers kinda way, the one guy was very job experienced 'had a job since i was 11', the one guy was very 'kid friendly, looking for a real job-i'm a camp counselor in the summer', and the girl was nursing and just generally nice and good at giving answers. It was structured that we all sat on the chairs in the back, and the hiring manager would ask a question and we'd kinda just answer when we like. Not answering, or answering after most others had definitely looked bad, I was pretty good at answering first or second in a respectable way. Some questions: "Name an idea you had that changed someone's life?", "What do you think our demographic is?", "What store in the mall has the best service?", "-the worst?"
I answered best with the Chinese restaurant cause of free samples and got a laugh from everyone including her, interestingly the almost unanimous answer for worst was Hollister and Abercrombie. Which led her into a rant, because she's seen a bunch of people come to AE from them looking for a job. Remarkable HCo-Facts: if your hired, your picture and first name are sent to corporate, who decide to keep you based ON YOUR PICTURE. They do not look at work experience. One girl who worked there and applied for AE said, when asked what was her job at her previous post, "to look good." They are actually told at HCo. not to give customer service, just to basically be models and re-fold the same shirt over and over! At AE, if hired, I'd be able to wear what I like as long as its the AE look (not Abercrombie or HCo though.) At Hollister, they actually tell you *EXACTLY* what to wear when you come in - you have to buy the clothes, and wear *THE Clothing* they say every day, or some days they'll order you to wear one color. Craziness! But anyway, she also suggested there was some other social taboo they supported though didn't go into detail.
Then we had a "you two play sales people, the rest of you play customers." And I got to be a sales person, and she even noted how well I did because I was the only one to try to get them to try on clothes in the fitting rooms. But anyway, when we asked her questions it was stuff like her worst customer and employee benefits. They get a pretty good discount, 40% off new stuff (which is likely why you'll see employees wearin the new stuff...) and a bunch of other things. Also, if you write to corporate about a community service organization and get so many staff to go to it - they'll donate 500$! I would so try that for Circle K.
Fashion advice of the Day: Well, I'm not a big fan of plaid. Like, at all. But studies show its the incoming trend, and I like to be trendy, and if I got a job I'd have to be trendy - so I'm willing to compromise and buy some plaid.
Song of the Day: Brittany was asking about this the other day while shopping, so "3" by Britney Spears. Well, the music video is reeeally boring. Seems like she's trying to take Beyonce's Single Ladies music video and make it her own, only its not good, neither is Single Ladies though, lol.
Remarkable Link: American Eagle Outfitters has a blog: http://theaescene.blogspot.com/ And apparently there's some exclusive content, per se, such as images of the photo shoot from the most recent model pictures all up in stores. Interestingly, it was shot in Canada.
First, I didn't even know what to wear!? Do I dress fancy-schmancy, shirt+tie+dress shoes? My first instinct was the mantra "you can't look too professional" but with Sarah and Google's help, I changed my mind. You can in fact look too professional, so I'm quite glad I dropped to one of my button ups with khaki's, and even that may have been too dressy. But yeah, if you ever interview at American Eagle Outfitters, or somewhere similar (maybe this blog is to help people who are interviewing there --) definitly wear *nice* casual. I did know, however, not to wear Hollister Co. (my button up was AE btw.)
Cool, so I woke up - and after some Circle K juggling - got to my interview fairly early actually, like 8:36a for a 9:00 meeting. Btw, the drive on a good day is apparently like half an hour or much less -- I left the house at like 8:06 and got on the freeway like 8:13-ish. After reading my car manual for five minutes - which btw I now know how to operate cruise control =D - I saw a girl my age go inside, and figured she was there for the interview too. Also, the Mall has a mall-walking program where old people with disabilities can walk the mall for exercise before they open! How cool! Anyway, I ended up meeting my match -- there were initially two other guys, and a girl. We waited outside the entrance and chanted for a few the guys were in High School (Jackson and Stark) and the girl went to Muskingum. Anyway, we chatted for a while about randoms stuff cause I read online you want the interviewer to see you being friendly with the other interview-ees so you look like a team player. (Cite.)
Interestingly, being early for an interview is a great sign - cause the four of us were definitely the four most likely candidates in the end when there totaled 9 interviewees. I was very into the friendly good answers kinda way, the one guy was very job experienced 'had a job since i was 11', the one guy was very 'kid friendly, looking for a real job-i'm a camp counselor in the summer', and the girl was nursing and just generally nice and good at giving answers. It was structured that we all sat on the chairs in the back, and the hiring manager would ask a question and we'd kinda just answer when we like. Not answering, or answering after most others had definitely looked bad, I was pretty good at answering first or second in a respectable way. Some questions: "Name an idea you had that changed someone's life?", "What do you think our demographic is?", "What store in the mall has the best service?", "-the worst?"
I answered best with the Chinese restaurant cause of free samples and got a laugh from everyone including her, interestingly the almost unanimous answer for worst was Hollister and Abercrombie. Which led her into a rant, because she's seen a bunch of people come to AE from them looking for a job. Remarkable HCo-Facts: if your hired, your picture and first name are sent to corporate, who decide to keep you based ON YOUR PICTURE. They do not look at work experience. One girl who worked there and applied for AE said, when asked what was her job at her previous post, "to look good." They are actually told at HCo. not to give customer service, just to basically be models and re-fold the same shirt over and over! At AE, if hired, I'd be able to wear what I like as long as its the AE look (not Abercrombie or HCo though.) At Hollister, they actually tell you *EXACTLY* what to wear when you come in - you have to buy the clothes, and wear *THE Clothing* they say every day, or some days they'll order you to wear one color. Craziness! But anyway, she also suggested there was some other social taboo they supported though didn't go into detail.
Then we had a "you two play sales people, the rest of you play customers." And I got to be a sales person, and she even noted how well I did because I was the only one to try to get them to try on clothes in the fitting rooms. But anyway, when we asked her questions it was stuff like her worst customer and employee benefits. They get a pretty good discount, 40% off new stuff (which is likely why you'll see employees wearin the new stuff...) and a bunch of other things. Also, if you write to corporate about a community service organization and get so many staff to go to it - they'll donate 500$! I would so try that for Circle K.Fashion advice of the Day: Well, I'm not a big fan of plaid. Like, at all. But studies show its the incoming trend, and I like to be trendy, and if I got a job I'd have to be trendy - so I'm willing to compromise and buy some plaid.
Song of the Day: Brittany was asking about this the other day while shopping, so "3" by Britney Spears. Well, the music video is reeeally boring. Seems like she's trying to take Beyonce's Single Ladies music video and make it her own, only its not good, neither is Single Ladies though, lol.
Remarkable Link: American Eagle Outfitters has a blog: http://theaescene.blogspot.com/ And apparently there's some exclusive content, per se, such as images of the photo shoot from the most recent model pictures all up in stores. Interestingly, it was shot in Canada.
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