My M.A.C Application Experience

When I decided that I wanted to apply for a job at M.A.C it was a little less than a year ago. At this time I had plenty of retail experience but not much with makeup and I know a year is a long time, but the time was definitely necessary. In the summer of last year I enrolled in an open course at London School of Beauty and Make-up. I also joined an agency working in the temp beauty department for different brands (mainly Chanel) to gain some experience working in a make-up orientated surrounding and that is what filled the time.

In April, I decided that I was ready to start applying for permanent roles and of course, at the top of my list, was M.A.C. I will say now that receiving my position as a make-up artist was an opportunity I was so incredibly lucky to have because I initially applied to be a cashier. I figured with my retail background and the recent experience I acquired in make-up I could successfully get through that application process. But one thing led to another and I was offered the better position of MUA. If you want to know how it happened continue reading. Xx

So, step one of the application process is an online application. I liked it because it was not excessive like some of these applications can be. Also they give you a word limit which definitely helps you get to the point and makes the application less daunting.

TIP: Before you begin your application, go to a MAC store (preferably one where they recognize you) let them know what position you are applying for and ask for any advice they can give.

The second step of the application is a telephone interview. I waited about four days after completing my application to receive an email with details of a number to call. The telephone interview is mainly for them to gauge your knowledge of the company, the products and how much you want to work for M.A.C. They also probe you a little for details of past employment. Remember RESEARCH IS KEY! You have to know your FACTS! You also need to know about some products, the more the better! I wrote a list of my top 5 products, because naturally those are the ones I knew the most about, and think about how you would sell them to a customer. You want to mention the following:

• The founders and how it started
• Viva Glam
• Kids helping kids
• Back 2 Mac
• M.A.C brand and message ('all ages, all races, all sexes') 
• Any other information you think will help with your progression.

Remember at this point I was still applying for a cashier role, so prepare to be asked a lot more about make-up, application, your skills and any past experience or qualifications if you are applying to be an MUA.

TIP: You don't have to call immediately, but I would say you want to be as quick as you can because the process is already very long and vacancies are being filled all the time. In my case the role I applied for was filled before I could get to the face-to-face interview stage.

Immediately after the telephone interview, they put me on hold while they reviewed my answers and let me know then whether or not I had passed the second stage. After they told me I had passed I was informed to wait two weeks to hear from the area manager about my face-to-face interview. I anxiously waited, but heard nothing so I called back after the two weeks were up and that is when they told me the position had been filled. But fear not! The lady forwarded me to an interview date five weeks later in the Kensington Store. This is where it got interesting!

I don't have a picture of what I wore or my make up the day of my interview, but I'll give you a brief description. In MAC you can pretty much wear what you want, but it absolutely has to be all black. I kept it simple with a black long sleeve body con dress and black ankle boots. My hair was styled in a long bang fringe cut and for my make up I done a gold smokey eye with bold liner and bright pink lip (Candy yum yum).

TIP: Even if you're not applying for a make-up artist position, go with your face BEAT TO THE GAWDS HONEY! By this I mean do your makeup to the best of your ability. This will definitely get you noticed. I know for a fact it helped me stand out.

The lady who interviewed me was so lovely, she gave me so many compliments on my make-up and asked me why I hadn't applied to be a make-up artist. I told her my reservations and we moved on and I didn't think twice about it. By the end of the interview I could tell it had gone well and she offered to put me forward for an additional position, a new role they were introducing as 'concierge'. I said that would be amazing and she said I should here back within a week about the outcome of my interview.

Now, to cut a long story short this is what followed: I received a call from the Westfield Sheperds Bush assistant manager asking me to come in for a second interview for the concierge role. I happily accepted and was given a date two weeks later. A few days before I was due to go in he called me back to tell me that they had scrapped the idea of concierge and my heart sunk! I was gutted, because I knew I would have got the cashier position, but of course that role would have been filled by this point. But fear not! That is when he told me they would like me to come in to do a MAKE-UP TEST to be a MAKE-UP ARTIST! At first I was apprehensive, but after he explained the process - 30 minute make-up on my chosen model, followed by a short face-to-face interview - I said absolutely and got practicing! I waited 3 weeks (bugged 'em a couple times) and they got back to me with a date.

TIP: Practice doing make-up on your model as if you were in the interview! It is such an advantage that you get to bring your own model, it allows you to be so much better prepared.

INTERVIEW DAY

Interview Look

Product List: 

• MAC Studio Fix Foundation 
• MAC Select Cover Up Concealer
• MAC Eyebrow Crayon in 'Spiked'
• MAC Paint pot in 'Quite Natural'
• MAC Eyeshadow in 'Sketch' & 'Wedge' 
• MAC Gel Liner in 'Blacktrack'
• Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara (I don't own MAC mascara... yet)
• Sleek Contour kit
• MAC Mineralize blush in 'Gleeful'
• MAC Highlighter in 'Gold Deposit'
• MAC lipliner in 'Cherry'
• MAC matte lipstick in 'Lady Danger'

TIP: As you can see from the list I STOCKED UP on my MAC products! And although she didn't ask me about any of the things I was wearing I didn't want to leave anything to chance and neither should you.

I was so nervous going into this interview, I was paranoid about being late and got there 45 minutes ahead of my interview time, but it allowed me time to look over the products and see what I might use, also gave me time to calm down.

I met with my interviewer and she introduced herself as did I and we got straight into it. The task at hand was to ask my my model what she wanted done and to make her up as if she were a customer. I bought a friend of mine who has a beautiful bone structure and lovely skin who's makeup I've done one hundred times, so it was pretty simple. She requested a day look, so that meant I didn't have to get together too many products. I had 30 minutes, but I finished in 17 (which surprised me and impressed my interviewer) and throughout the application I was trying to talk about what I was doing and trying to describe the advantages and benefits of each product. To be totally honest it didn't seem like she was watching my technique as much as she was looking at my interaction with the customer and my ability to sell the products.  She was also impressed with my product knowledge so make sure you get to know the product ranges.

TIP: Before your interview, if possible, book yourself into a counter to have your make-up done by one of the artists. It helps so much to have a first hand experience of how it is done and also if you get to talking I'm sure they will be happy to give you tips and hints. The guy who done my makeup did.

After I completed her make-up she gave me a task that was more focused on my skill of application. She told me to do a nice bold liner with gel and a brush (my favourite look to do on myself) and the 'perfect red lip'. When I finished that she gave me her critique, I corrected my mistakes and we moved on to the interview portion.

I felt like it ended up being less like an interview and more like a discussion which eased the pressure, but she asked me things like:

• Why do you want to work for MAC?
• What trends are you seeing at the moment on and off the runway?
• Explain a time you have handled a difficult customer.
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
• What would you do to ensure your progression within in the company?

We ended up talking for about 30 minutes and she was so lovely and made me feel very confident about my performance. By the end she said she was happy to tell me that I had passed my make-up test! I left and waited for about six days and finally I got the call welcoming me to MAC!!!! 

Now I know this is a long read guys, but I really wanted to get as much detail in as possible without adding any useless information because these kind of accounts really helped me when I was going through the process. As you can tell I didn't get my position in the most straight forward manor and I don't know how often these opportunities arise, but I can say that I was prepared and that is what allowed me to successfully get through it all! My account is not a description of the exact process all applicants will go through, but I hope it helps you in your journey.

If you're currently in the application process or thinking about applying please leave comments and let me know how it goes!

Speak soon xoxo