Interview at Lululemon... Should I go?

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Seajolly
Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
in Chit-Chat
I applied for a job at a nearby retail location for Lululemon (a high-end athletic clothing brand) last night just for kicks, and today received an email that I'd been selected for an interview next week. I'm not sure if I should even bother though, so I need advice!

A part of me thought it would be cool to go work for a company based around exercise. I am tired of working a desk job. Employees get free yoga and very good discounts on their merchandise. But the position would be a sales associate position, and I am a college graduate and am 3 years out of college. Should I really be working in retail? Would that be a big step backwards?

I don't have aspirations to be in retail, but thought that if I worked for Lululemon I'd eventually like to move up in the company and work at their Vancouver headquarters or maybe even get a transfer to go work in the UK or Australia, as the company has expanded there. Do you think if one has aspirations to move up within the company, that I should start in the retail store setting or is that pointless?

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  • aLatz13
    aLatz13 Posts: 60 Member
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    You may not have aspirations in retail, but it sounds like you want to incorporate fitness into everything that you do. Make sure if you do go through with the interview, you tell them that you're passionate about fitness and that you aspire to do more than retail, are interested in management opportunities, etc.

    Good Luck!!
  • aegira
    aegira Posts: 204
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    Go for it, it's a great change from a desk job (fellow desk jockey) and the retail industry can be full of opportunities. I started at 15 working in retail I was then moved into bookkeeping within the company and the knowledge I learned has kept a roof over our heads for many years. If your looking for a change then just do it and see where it leads...you never know until you try =)
    Good luck
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    Make sure if you do go through with the interview, you tell them that you're passionate about fitness and that you aspire to do more than retail, are interested in management opportunities, etc.

    Definitely agree with this. There's nothing wrong with starting at the bottom and working your way up in a company that you could see yourself building a career with. And I think the company would be impressed that you're willing to do that. But definitely make it clear that you want to move up and that this is not just a part-time/temporary thing you're doing just to earn a little extra cash. Show some real interest in their company.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    Thanks all! Sounds like very good advice so far.

    I'm seriously thinking I should at least go for the interview and see what it's like. Working with this company might be a great opportunity, as they have shops all across the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and are expanding to the UK too. My boyfriend and I would like to move soon, but we don't know where yet, and there's a Lululemon basically anywhere I'd want to live, so having the ability to transfer to another branch would be good. I would like to be free to not be tied down to living in one place, like many jobs are.
  • sarahq21
    sarahq21 Posts: 40 Member
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    I hear Australia is pretty cool ;-)

    Agree with the others as well! Definitely go for it and show them your intentions :)
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    I hear Australia is pretty cool ;-)

    Agree with the others as well! Definitely go for it and show them your intentions :)

    It is my DREAM to move to Australia! :heart: :drinker:

    Yep, I'm going for it! RSVP'd to the interview today! YAY!
  • aegira
    aegira Posts: 204
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    I hear Australia is pretty cool ;-)

    Agree with the others as well! Definitely go for it and show them your intentions :)

    It is my DREAM to move to Australia! :heart: :drinker:

    Yep, I'm going for it! RSVP'd to the interview today! YAY!

    Yep Australia is a great place to live, but I may be biased :laugh:
    Good luck with the interview.
  • california_peach
    california_peach Posts: 1,858 Member
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    Go to the interview. Maybe you can work there part time nights and weekends. You would still at least get the discount. When you interview ask about going from a sales associate into management. In retail it can often be hard to make that leap even with a college degree. Some retailers prefer to hire their management staff right out of college and some like to promote from within and others do both.
  • aegira
    aegira Posts: 204
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    Sooo, enquiring minds want to know...
    How did the job interview go??? :flowerforyou:
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    Sooo, enquiring minds want to know...
    How did the job interview go??? :flowerforyou:

    Thanks for asking. :smile: The interview is actually this Thursday though! I'll let you know how it goes!
  • aray379
    aray379 Posts: 131
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    If you have any aspirations of working in their corporate offices or moving up I think its a great idea to start in retail. A lot of companies keep the majority of their corporate or upper level jobs internally posted. I know the company I work for does, our CEO and many of the VPs all started out as retail employees. Lululemon is great, go for it! Good luck if you do.
  • CourteneyLove
    CourteneyLove Posts: 246 Member
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    Give it a ago! You may fall in love with it :]
    Should you be hired, you can always turn down the position if you decide you really don't want to work there!
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    Just got back from my interview. The interview was more of a conversation than an interview, but I was still nervous for some reason! I hope I did okay. It really does seem like a great place to work!
  • bakebunny
    bakebunny Posts: 253
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    Good to hear - when it's a conversation, sometimes that means that they already feel comfortable with you.

    And in case you want to hear another 'go for it' story: one of my younger brothers started out working in retail at an Apple store as a greeter. He's worked his way up (and across) the chain and was recently offered a management position at one of the key stores in this area. He chose to move sideways and took a job in another facet in the same store because he's hoping one day to become part of the management team for the New England area.... he's been told that it's a very real possibility with his background in the company.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    That is inspiring! Thanks. Retail isn't where I ever thought I'd be, but Lululemon seems like a great company to work for! We'll see what happens. I'll be happy if I get a job offer, but also fine with it if I don't because I'll know it wasn't right for me at this time.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    So an update...

    One of the ways this company hires is by taking potential employees to workout with people who work at Lululemon! They have invited me to go to a yoga session tomorrow evening with one person and another yoga session the morning after with someone else! Crazy, but pretty awesome too that they "feel out" potential employees this way. I'll keep you all updated on what else, if anything, happens!
  • angelicdisgrace
    angelicdisgrace Posts: 2,071 Member
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    Things happen for a reason....
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    Went to "interview" #1 tonight, which was a 60 minute yoga session. First of all, the yoga was AWESOME! Actually one of the best yoga sessions I've ever had, at literally the nicest gym I've ever seen in my life. Secondly, the girl who interviewed me and I really hit it off! We actually went to the same college at the same time! So hopefully that'll set me apart from any other candidates. We seemed to have a lot in common. I'm crossing my fingers because now I'm actually really excited about the prospect of working there... Tomorrow I have "interview" #2 at 6:30am. Hopefully that'll go just as well!

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