[ext]

I was looking through job vacancies I could do, and I saw one for H&M in my area. It asks for weekends, and the evening, with 8-16 hours. What do sales assistants do, could I apply for it with an average chance (even though I have no retail experience in a clothing store), and what times would I expect to go into work, and end? Thanks


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[xoxjubixox]

Hi!

I didn't work at H&M, but worked at Oasis, so I'm guessing some of it will be similar. As a sales assistant you can expect to work tills, tidy round the store, help customers find items of clothing.. um, unpack delivery items, man the changing rooms.. etc. It depends on your store and it's size in terms of your duties as smaller retail shops sometimes have different needs than bigger ones.

I got my job with no retail experience (I was in first year of A Levels, and had never had a job, only done me year 10 work experience, and that was at a theatre). Basically, it's a difficult one to say. Some stores require different things, and while they might chuck your application in a pile and never look at it, they also might be interested if you write interesting things in your application/covering letter etc.

I first got a phone interview, which I passed. After which I was invited for interview. I didn't hear from the interview for quite a decent amount of time so I figured I hadn't got it, but eventually they phoned me and offered me the position. What I think happened is they hired someone else originally and then another position opened up and they thought of me.

Your opening/closing times depend on the particular store. I know my store generally worked in 4 hour stints, so I'd work 12-4 or something, but people who were on 8 or 6 hour contracts would sometimes just work all day.

Anyway, good luck!

[ext]

Thank you! it says evening/weekend, so am I right in thinking it means evening in the week, and the weekend, rather than evening in the weekend? Haha, it took me a while to realise that it could mean both things. I couldn't find an online application form though


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[xoxjubixox]

(Original post by ext)
Thank you! it says evening/weekend, so am I right in thinking it means evening in the week, and the weekend, rather than evening in the weekend? Haha, it took me a while to realise that it could mean both things. I couldn't find an online application form though


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It might be a physical application form that you need to print and take in store with your CV.. If you're unsure, drop by the branch with the opening and find out what needs to be done to apply Like at my store we didn't take CVs that people were handing out.. it was only application forms, and only when there was a vacancy. Good luck!

[ext]

Oh, ok. I was going to hand in my CV to someone that worked at the store that has the vacancy (would I hand it to any employee?).

It says weekend/evening. As a sales advisor, would I be expected to work past the closing time of the shop? I tried looking for an answer, but no-one seems to know

Opening hours
Mon - Sat 09:00 - 17:30
Sun 10:30 - 16:30

Do you think they would be a little flexible for my studies, if/when needed?


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[ext]

Never mind, the jobs gone when I checked online could I still give them my cv?


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[xoxjubixox]

(Original post by ext)
Never mind, the jobs gone when I checked online could I still give them my cv?


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It doesn't hurt to go in and try. I know a lot of places don't take them, but you have nothing to lose by going in. You could hand it to anyone really, but I'd maybe ask for the branch manager. Sometimes staff put it in a drawer and it gets buried and never seen.

I know in my store, if i was there till closing I had to stay with the senior member of staff while they cashed up the tills.. I usually tidied and they sorted the money. They need at least two people to verify the takings for the day, and they might have a "bag check" process.. Basically everyone just looks in the others bags to check there are no stolen items.. just a formality really. Generally the whole process would last about half an hour after closing, but some days it could be more.

Although if your store is bigger and there's more than two of you in till closing you might just be able to go home there and then.. there's no telling to be honest.

Anyway, hope you get a response, if not.. keep trying! I applied for loads of stuff before I got my job at Oasis.. !

[ext]

Thanks so much for the help I really wanted the job, I love H&M I'm having a hard time finding other jobs that I could possibly fit around my student schedule too. Did you enjoy your job?


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[xoxjubixox]

(Original post by ext)
Thanks so much for the help I really wanted the job, I love H&M I'm having a hard time finding other jobs that I could possibly fit around my student schedule too. Did you enjoy your job?


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There were positives and negatives. My manager and the rest of the staff were lovely and great to work with. I worked there while I was doing my A Levels, and they were really understanding about not giving me extra shifts and I needed all the spare time I had to revise. Positives were... nice customers, getting a good sale, having a laugh and being able to provide good service.. oh and a good discount too!

Negatives really were that you're on your feet your entire shift, so it's knackering. I found that 4 hours on my feet can wear me out more than a whole day in the office. Also, **** customers. They sucked. Luckily our whole team, including my managers were very supportive and wouldn't take any **** from REALLY bad customers.. But yeah, people can be rude, ungrateful and look down on you. But if you take it all in your stride it's usually fine..there's good days and bad like in every job

[MarkiMarky93]

You think you had bad customers.
try working in Asda's (fooking checkouts) alongside doing A levels !!!
I realised after the 3 months i put up with it,
that i have little faith and zero tolerance for the scum i encountered in that store. : (

[RowingGoose]

Hi, I would still go in with a CV and definitely do a cover letter too as if you haven't had any retail experience, you can explain that in your letter.

A cover letter should look something like this:

Dear ...(if you can find out the name then do so)

(introduction part)
I hope you will consider me for X. When I saw this vacancy, I was excited as H&M is ... (saying how much you love them). I am looking to work on weekends and evenings to fit around my education.
(if there is no job, put 'consider me for any future position at X', then say how much you love them)

(Experience part)
Although I have no retail experience, I do have experience in .. (other jobs)/ I am a quick learner and welcome the opportunity to improve my customer service. (Write about volunteering and other work related activities e.g year 10 work experience, if you have none don't worry).

(Hobbies part - keep this brief and RELEVANT. Sports teams look good and musical instrument playing/learning, maybe you create your own clothes or have a passion for fashion!)
A passion of mine is X. I believe this shows my active/artistic/athetlic nature/I am a team player/I love to help others/I am dedicated/devoted/determined and resilient etc.

(Summary)
With this in mind, I belive I am a suitable candidate for this position/any potential position.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully
X
(Sign name)

You will obviously have to customise this a great deal, but it really helps rather than just handing in a CV.

Evenings will mean like late night Thursdays, or if there is any stock to sort out, you might do after-school till 6 or 7.

Hope that helps!! Don't worry if you don't get a job at H&M, there are other places you can try: River Island, Bank, Select, New Look, Debenhams, Accessorize, Dorothy Perkins, BHS, Marks, TKMaxx, Boots, Superdrug, WaterStones,
Then there's the food places: McDs, Pizza Hut, Costa, Neros, Greggs etc etc etc.
Then there's the supermarkets...

I was hired by BHS for Xmas with no experience.

GOOD LUCK!

[ext]

Ahh, thank you I did a CV, and a covering letter, applying for another shop too that was looking for "sales assistants", so my friend also applied haha. Hopefully, they'll consider me As for availability, I said I'm at college, so after college on weekdays, and I could do weekends.

Did you always work both Saturday/Sunday? Just curious because I would need time to do college work/socialise

Oh, and the H&M job was actually for another store elsewhere I asked if they accepted CVs, but they dont.


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[RowingGoose]

That's a shame, I'm sure you'll find somewhere :-) Have you thought about Primark? They always seem to need LOADS of staff, it'll be busy and it's min wage but it's ok - my brother worked there. He originally only was down to do 4 hours - but he got loads of over time.

If you're asking me about working Sat/Sun, when I had my group interview for BHS, they asked us when we could work and I got an 8 hour Saturday contract. Sometimes they specify the hours, but if not you can just tell them when you'd like to work.

[tomatoslayer]

is it just me or do all H&Ms smell weird?

[ext]

(Original post by tomatoslayer)
is it just me or do all H&Ms smell weird?

haha, mine doesnt :P there is another shop in my area though (a 99p store), and it burned my nose to smell

[ext]

(Original post by RowingGoose)
That's a shame, I'm sure you'll find somewhere :-) Have you thought about Primark? They always seem to need LOADS of staff, it'll be busy and it's min wage but it's ok - my brother worked there. He originally only was down to do 4 hours - but he got loads of over time.

If you're asking me about working Sat/Sun, when I had my group interview for BHS, they asked us when we could work and I got an 8 hour Saturday contract. Sometimes they specify the hours, but if not you can just tell them when you'd like to work.

thank you yeah, i thought about primark, but i dont think they are recruiting in my area sadly. i applied for a sales assistant position elsewhere (who are actively recruiting. im guessing they want more than one, unless there was a typo in their notice in the window for "sales assistants") i handed them my cv, and for availability, i totally forgot to mention that i could work during the summer holidays. do you think that'll matter?

[RowingGoose]

Np Well May, June (and even March, April) is when companies hire for summer anyway so they'll obviously know that people won't be at college or school. You should be ok

[ext]

Let's hope so :P thanks. No doubt a lot of people would have applied though. I handed my cv to an employee, but my friend said I should have handed it to the manager because employees will throw them away. Is this true?


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[RowingGoose]

I think employees would appreciate that it would screw someone else's chances if they throw it away so not necessarily!

[Bobsyourteapots]

haha people used to throw away CV's that were handed in when I worked at Greggs but I was the only one that handed them in to the manager and I was told off for it by management!