Macys online scheduling (letters, applying, interviewed, job)

[midtown mile girl]

I worked for Macys as a holiday temp and they only scheduled me for black friday. I was told I could pick up shifts online, but everytime I tried to there were none available. I almost quit the 1st day of training because management was so disorganized and the office was a zoo. There did not seem to really be anyone in charge, and I had to ask more than one person the same question. All training was done on computers, and black friday was my 1st day. Is this normal for retail now?
I have applied to Nordstoms, Saks, Tiffanys and got rejection notices. I even went in person and applied to a store down the street and got the "don't call us, we'll call you". I interviewed at Saks and the woman (who was older and heavyset) kept questioning my '"stanima" and looked down her nose at me.
I'm only 44 and considered attractive, so I don't understand the rejections.

[Lodestar 77]

Before I left Michigan, I got hired for seasonal help at Parisian, an upscale store in an upscale mall. I had 2 days of "training", which was a joke. It comprised filling out paperwork, verbal instructions, then getting on the cash register/computer and taking a written test, which DID NOT include much of anything. The trainer gave us the answers individually if he happened to be there while we were on the pc. I had applied in the store on their kiosk, but NEVER took the "personality test" that seems to be required these days. All for $8.15 an hour. I worked 4 hrs. one evening, then 8 hrs. the next day, both days pretty much just stocking my area and returning clothes to the proper departments, then decided I was leaving Michigan so I let them know I wouldn't be back. However, I was terrified of running the register w/o any training, this store is like Kohls, different sales going on, coupons, discounts in "newsletters" that we were not told about, exchanges, etc. Too much confusion w/o the proper training. No wonder customer service stinks, the staff is not trained properly.

[midtown mile girl]

The register wasn't so bad, it was the coupons. None of them worked, so a worker who was an "old timer" would just override the system and key it in anyway. It's not worth the cost of printing those things for the hassle and misused discounts caused.

[veuvegirl]

Try the smaller boutiques, you will probably have more luck. However now may be a difficult time to get a job in retail. They usually are over staffed this month. Good luck.

[Tekzilla]

Very few retailers will be hiring between now and April. Of course you should still apply as you never know.

[midtown mile girl]

Actually I'm applying for admin jobs, like I have been all along, I just had not worked retail in so long since college I did not realize what a zoo it had become. I thought I could work an xmas job to have something recent to show.