The position requires you to work full time, inside a shop within a major department store. But don't feel privileged, you are going to be used and abused, without any support from MK. MK has a huge ego, expecting the department store to follow all of their visual standards, meanwhile they do not execute well in that environment since it's very promotional driven. You are torn in the middle, constantly trying to please both parties. There are unrealistic demands from MK, while you are trying to run a business, that's busting out of the seams. Your plans will be stretched so high, you will never receive a bonus. Retail stores have better commission structure, even though you earn millions for the company in Flagship.
Prepared to get dirty! Although you receive an allotment, your not prancing around the store modeling these clothes, you are going to endure serious labor in them. You are expected to clean ALL DAY LONG. Be ready to see piles of clothes in the fitting room, piles of clothes on the floor, piles of clothes at the cashwrap, tons of rods of clothing in your stock rooms, and running out of product since the sell thru is very high. The customer is extremely demanding and rude, they are sales driven and do not have time for you to "get to know them." It's a business, a business of making money. You will be swept under the hustle and bustle so fast, say goodbye to your life. On top of the physical demands, you will also have to be very well versed in how to run a business. Reviewing weekly sales reports, and submitting weekly recaps, that are PAGES long, recapping your business to your corporate team. They already have access to this information, so it's a waste of time. There is an outline, you must follow, so there isn't much room for you to showcase your knowledge of the business, even though you know it the most, as you watch unit sell thru every single day in the shop. You are granted 2 hours of office work, every Tuesday. That's hardly enough time when you were busy selling, stocking & training your team. Now you have to submit endless busy work, client trackers, jet set exercises, action plans and schedules so that your DM can hit her deadlines! Our competitors with shop managers are given adequate time to achieve all of their expectations, AN ENTIRE OFFICE DAY and do not have to cram in all their work into 2 hours. That is unethical, especially for those who commute over an hour to the store they work in. Another downside, you will have to provide your own laptop/ipad since the company wont provide that for you, so you can submit your work.
The corporate team loves to judge your every move, easy to sit back and point fingers when you aren't managing the daily operations of the store. You have to be prepared to speak with upper management, while they ridicule the shop, post an event day. The standards are held very high, because the brand wants an image of luxury, but will sell clothing at 75% off the MSRP price. Very condescending. upper management loves to challenge you to share "best practices" and original ideals. The purpose of this is so your superior can take credit for them while they send you weekly recaps, "cheerleading" you on to keep sucking wind at your shop to hit numbers.
