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Old 11-05-2014, 11:18 PM
 
Location: New York
40 posts, read 31,854 times
Reputation: 39

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hi, i'm ashleigh...the girl who's mother wants her to lie on job applications. i haven't done that, and was finally able to get interviews, but they've been going something like this:

'so, you work at [name of store]? why would you want to leave?'
OR
'you work at [name of store]?' AND THE INTERVIEW STALLS. ALL THE INTERVIEWER WANTS TO DISCUSS IS MY CURRENT JOB. AT EITHER QUESTION, THE INTERVIEW GOES NOWHERE AND I KNOW I'M NOT GETTING THE JOB.

i feel like i'm being pigeonholed because i work at a store with a not-so-great reputation and since i'm in retail, other retailers look down upon this store since there's like twenty (or possibly more) all over the city. this may not be the case, but....why would this happen? i really wish i didn't work at this place because their reputation is so bad, but i want to leave, and how can i do so if i'm being judged by my current employer's reputation?

if someone in retail knows, this would help tremendously!
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Old 11-05-2014, 11:39 PM
 
Location: Saint Paul, MN
1,365 posts, read 1,874,836 times
Reputation: 2987
How are you answering those questions? Asking why you want to leave and discussing your current role are very normal interview discussion points.

You need to come up with polished responses to the questions you expect to be asked. Something like:
Q: "So why do you want to leave XYZ Store?"
A: "XYZ has been a great place to learn about the retail game, but now I am looking for something more [.......]." (Here is where you mention something positive about the new position, like that it offers benefits or it involves selling something you have a personal connection to or it has great potential for advancement or whatever)

Q: "So you work at XYZ Store?" *long pause*
A: Yes I do. XYZ has been a great place to learn about the retail game, but now I am looking for something more [.......]." Then answer whatever follow-up questions they have about the work you did there.

Unless you have been working at Crazy Karl's Methamphetamine Emporium, I doubt you are being passed over because of your current employer. If the hiring managers truly had a problem with your current job, they wouldn't be interviewing you at all. That means you are either tanking the interviews or the competition is just so steep that they have to turn away highly qualified candidates. Can you do some practice interviews with a career counselor to give you a better idea of which scenario is more likely?
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Old 11-06-2014, 12:00 AM
 
Location: New York
40 posts, read 31,854 times
Reputation: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by StPaulGal View Post
How are you answering those questions? Asking why you want to leave and discussing your current role are very normal interview discussion points.

You need to come up with polished responses to the questions you expect to be asked. Something like:
Q: "So why do you want to leave XYZ Store?"
A: "XYZ has been a great place to learn about the retail game, but now I am looking for something more [.......]." (Here is where you mention something positive about the new position, like that it offers benefits or it involves selling something you have a personal connection to or it has great potential for advancement or whatever)

Q: "So you work at XYZ Store?" *long pause*
A: Yes I do. XYZ has been a great place to learn about the retail game, but now I am looking for something more [.......]." Then answer whatever follow-up questions they have about the work you did there.

Unless you have been working at Crazy Karl's Methamphetamine Emporium, I doubt you are being passed over because of your current employer. If the hiring managers truly had a problem with your current job, they wouldn't be interviewing you at all. That means you are either tanking the interviews or the competition is just so steep that they have to turn away highly qualified candidates. Can you do some practice interviews with a career counselor to give you a better idea of which scenario is more likely?
i want to leave my current job because it's a dead end one, but i just politely say that there's no more room for growth and that i would like a greater challenge. i just found it awkward when i went to saks' fifth avenue and the interviewer said, 'so you work at [name of store]' 4 times and shut me down whenever i tried to discuss it.
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Old 11-06-2014, 12:21 AM
 
Location: New York
40 posts, read 31,854 times
Reputation: 39
also...it's incredibly easy to get a job in retail. this will not be a career for me, just something to make ends meet while i get my life together. but i also can't get over how weird retail interviews are getting. not saying that the above was weird, it's just not something i would expect to be asked. i kind of felt like my experience alone would negate the need for the type of interviews i'm getting. am i missing something? im starting to think that i need a college degree just to fold sweaters nowadays....
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Old 11-06-2014, 09:16 AM
 
1,163 posts, read 1,799,070 times
Reputation: 746
Quote:
Originally Posted by ashleighkaye View Post
also...it's incredibly easy to get a job in retail. this will not be a career for me, just something to make ends meet while i get my life together. but i also can't get over how weird retail interviews are getting. not saying that the above was weird, it's just not something i would expect to be asked. i kind of felt like my experience alone would negate the need for the type of interviews i'm getting. am i missing something? im starting to think that i need a college degree just to fold sweaters nowadays....
You are going from low-end retailer to high-end retailer, but it is still retail.
Do they pay more?

Are you hoping to move up to buyer or something?
I am confused.

Perhaps the high-end retailer is looking for someone truly interested in high-end retail which does not sound like it is you.
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Old 11-06-2014, 09:52 AM
 
Location: Saint Paul, MN
1,365 posts, read 1,874,836 times
Reputation: 2987
Quote:
Originally Posted by ashleighkaye View Post
also...it's incredibly easy to get a job in retail. this will not be a career for me, just something to make ends meet while i get my life together. but i also can't get over how weird retail interviews are getting. not saying that the above was weird, it's just not something i would expect to be asked. i kind of felt like my experience alone would negate the need for the type of interviews i'm getting. am i missing something? im starting to think that i need a college degree just to fold sweaters nowadays....
I am having a hard time understanding where you are coming from on this. What do you find so odd about those lines of inquiry? Discussing your current job and why you want to leave are very, very, very common questions in a job interview. They are such basic standards that they are going to be present in virtually 100% of interviews across the entirety of the work world. Are you suggesting that because you have experience they shouldn't be asking you this? How would they know what your experience entailed if they didn't ask you?
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Old 11-06-2014, 10:04 AM
 
Location: midtown mile area, Atlanta GA
1,228 posts, read 2,381,994 times
Reputation: 1792
Quote:
Originally Posted by ashleighkaye View Post
i want to leave my current job because it's a dead end one, but i just politely say that there's no more room for growth and that i would like a greater challenge. i just found it awkward when i went to saks' fifth avenue and the interviewer said, 'so you work at [name of store]' 4 times and shut me down whenever i tried to discuss it.
High end retail tends to be very picky. They want young, stylish, aggressive salespeople -some want sales people to already come with a list of customers that are loyal to that salesperson.
Try more of "middle income retail". Macys. Bloomies, Lord & Taylor, Coach, etc.
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Old 11-07-2014, 12:52 AM
 
Location: New York
40 posts, read 31,854 times
Reputation: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by StPaulGal View Post
I am having a hard time understanding where you are coming from on this. What do you find so odd about those lines of inquiry? Discussing your current job and why you want to leave are very, very, very common questions in a job interview. They are such basic standards that they are going to be present in virtually 100% of interviews across the entirety of the work world. Are you suggesting that because you have experience they shouldn't be asking you this? How would they know what your experience entailed if they didn't ask you?
i think it's the way that the question are posed that make me scratch my head...i automatically assume i'm being judged and don't understand why.
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Old 11-07-2014, 12:54 AM
 
Location: New York
40 posts, read 31,854 times
Reputation: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by midtown mile girl View Post
High end retail tends to be very picky. They want young, stylish, aggressive salespeople -some want sales people to already come with a list of customers that are loyal to that salesperson.
Try more of "middle income retail". Macys. Bloomies, Lord & Taylor, Coach, etc.
i've tried...applied for macys 5 times, no response, coach, no response, bloomies, that interview went wrong as soon as they assumes i was a workforce1 applicant, lord and taylor, no response...old navy gave me an awkward and rushed phone interview and H&M said i 'didn't have enough personality'...
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Old 11-07-2014, 12:58 AM
 
Location: New York
40 posts, read 31,854 times
Reputation: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by ieee488 View Post
You are going from low-end retailer to high-end retailer, but it is still retail.
Do they pay more?

Are you hoping to move up to buyer or something?
I am confused.

Perhaps the high-end retailer is looking for someone truly interested in high-end retail which does not sound like it is you.
i really like retail. it just doesn't come across well because i feel that soon as i walk into an interview for something higher end, they're assuming that because i'm from a crap store i can't do the work it entails...like i once went on an interview that required me to play with legos. needless to say, i didn't get that job....

maybe my interview skills suck. or my personality doesn't show. idk. i'm trying to figure this out because if i do not die from hating this job so much, i will get fired....or quit.
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