Getting to work with beauty products all day? Sign us up! Working for a beauty counter is totally a dream job! Working for Benefit Cosmetics? Now THAT is in the realm of amazing things we have only ever daydreamed about. We absolutely love their products and Brow Zings has definitely reached Holy Grail status in our makeup kit.
Which is why we are so excited for this week’s guest post! QC Ambassador Stephanie Wyatt is officially a Benebabe! And she is going to let us on everything—from what the interview process was like to some sneaky (read: brilliant) new ways to use tried-and-true Benefit products.
Stephanie is still in the early stages of her training with Benefit, but we hope this teaser will help you imagine the ways that a talented makeup artist can bring their skills into a real-world context and develop that all-important concept: experience!
What was the interview process like?
Stephanie really took initiative for this one. Instead of waiting for her online application to catch the eye of a hiring manager, she took the opportunity to introduce herself right on the spot. She headed right over to her local Benefit counter as soon she heard there was an opening.
This totally worked in Stephanie’s favour as she was called for an interview not too long after. As Stephanie points out, many beauty counters look for extra staff around the holidays—so sometimes timing plays a big part in the hiring process.
And sometimes employers will keep a seasonal hire if they do a really great job! But remember that you can really sell your qualification when you first approach a counter without saying a word: rock an expertly applied face of makeup and everyone will know that you mean business.
The audition process
There are a number of stages to getting hired with Benefit cosmetics. And Stephanie’s people skills were put right to the test during the first part of her audition! After a one-to-one chat with the counter manager and meeting with the area manager, she was asked to recruit a customer to the counter for a beauty demonstration.
Sometimes the interviewing process is the most intimidating part of getting hired. And Stephanie admits that it was a totally nerve-wracking experience. But Stephanie stayed cool and landed herself the position. After all, knowing how to apply makeup on someone else is just as crucial as knowing your makeup products. That way, you can relax and show off your extensive knowledge without breaking a sweat or drawing a blank!
What’s the best part of working at a counter?
Even though she hasn’t officially started on the counter yet, Stephanie is looking forward to gaining valuable hands-on experience with both customers and makeup. By working on the counter, she will able to truly put her makeup artistry skills to the test by using different products and applying it on a range of different faces.
As Stephanie points out, working in a retail environment demands 100% professionalism. Recruiting potential customers involved a delicate balance of interaction, as well as professional knowledge of the products you are selling. But developing some strong customer skills will absolutely carry over into your career as a makeup artist!
Have you learned any new tricks of the trade?
This is the part of the job we all daydream about! You have to play with products to know what you’re selling, right? Right! Matching a client to the best product requires extensive product knowledge!
It’s true! Stephanie has already learned how to be innovative with some of the Benefit products she will be working with. For example, she reveals that License to Blot, an oil-blotting stick from the POREfessional line, can also double as mattifier agent (put intended) for your lips—giving YOU the licence to have the perfect matte pout.
Really—working for a beauty counter is such a great way of developing your experience in the makeup industry. Not only do you get to practise applying makeup every day, you can show off your professionalism, as well as and your killer makeup artistry skills. Win-win.
