Sephora Careers & Jobs – Application, How to Apply, Requirements & Interview Tips
Last Updated: March 3rd, 2022 by
Sephora careers give you a chance to help bring out the beauty in people.
This French retail chain sells skincare and beauty products. It wants to inspire and teach customers how to use those products to let their inner beauty shine!
Sephora sells hundreds of brands in its stores. They even have their own ‘Sephora’ line of products!
All the products they sell include hair, nail, body and skincare products, as well as cosmetics. They even sell beauty tools like brushes.
Sephora offers more than just retail jobs at their stores. There’s so much more than that!
Sephora also has jobs at their distribution centers, in marketing and even in their tech departments, just to name a few.
Whether you’re looking for a job as a Makeup Advisor or Project Manager, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about finding a career at Sephora.
Sephora Jobs & Careers
Submitting a Sephora application can be done easily through the Sephora Careers website.
This website is also where you’ll apply for retail positions at Sephora stores all across the U.S.
Sephora has a lot of jobs and careers that you can choose from:
- Cashier
- Beauty Consultant
- Shift Coordinator
- Marketing Analyst
- Talent Coordinator
- Plus many more positions
Cashier
As a Cashier, you’ll be working part-time at a Sephora retail store.
Here, you’ll be taking care of client transactions like payments, returns and exchanges.
A lot of your time will be spent talking to customers and also making sure that they’ve signed up for Sephora’s Beauty Insider program.
When you’re not doing that, you’ll be making sure that the store is clean and beautiful, just the way it should be!
If you find any issues with inventory or parts of the store, you’ll also help by making sure that the management knows about it.
This job is excellent for people who are comfortable handling cash and being friendly with customers.
It’s also great for people who prefer working during busy retail hours at night, on weekends, and during the holidays.
Beauty Consultant
As a Beauty Consultant, you could specialize in one of a few different beauty areas. You could apply as a:
- Color Consultant
- Fragrance Consultant, or
- Makeup Consultant
Whatever your specialization, you’ll be helping customers bring out their inner beauty.
You’ll talk to them and understand their needs, and then you’ll give them advice and product recommendations.
In this position, you’ll know more about the products Sephora sells than anyone else!
This part-time or full-time position is especially perfect for people who have a passion for beauty products.
It’s also great for you if you want to share your knowledge with others while also becoming more of a beauty expert yourself!
Shift Coordinator
Before those beauty products reach Sephora stores, they have to go through Sephora Distribution Centers.
As a Shift Coordinator, you’ll be making sure that everything goes well at one of those centers. You’ll work with associates from different departments to take care of inventory and get it to where it needs to go.
In this position, you’ll be a leader.
As a leader, you’ll be using the in-house computer systems to track everything that’s going on. Your team will look to you for guidance, motivation, and information about what they need to do and how to do it safely and efficiently.
This job is excellent for people who love working in team environments. It’s also great for people who are driven by productivity efficiency. People with great problem-solving skills would do well here, too.
Marketing Analyst
If you like working with data, then putting in a Sephora application in the Marketing Analytics team is probably something you’d enjoy.
When you’re on this team, you’ll be an essential part of Sephora’s marketing efforts. You’ll work across many internal teams, making sure that the company’s marketing is reaching the right customers.
As an analyst, you’ll also be working with partners outside of the company.
You’ll work with media partners to make sure that Sephora’s marketing reaches the right people. By doing this, you’ll also help build the customer’s loyalty towards the company.
This role is excellent for people who are experienced in working with numbers and data. It’d also be great for you if you like working in fast-paced roles that change quickly.
Talent Coordinator
As a Talent Coordinator, you’ll be responsible for helping with the ‘people’ side of things at a Sephora outlet.
This means you’ll help with things like job applications and interviews. You’ll also lead the outlet when it comes to logistics and organize staff training and annual reviews.
In this role, you’ll also get an understanding of how well the outlet is doing. With that, you’ll also help to point out where there might be business opportunities for that outlet.
This role is perfect for you if you’re able to influence your peers. It’s also great if you are good at juggling many different responsibilities at the same time.
Sephora Manager Jobs
Sephora also has a lot of management positions in its departments.
This includes its retail outlets, distribution centers, and corporate offices. No matter what area you work in Sephora, there’s a management role that you can work towards.
For example, at Sephora retail stores, you could work as an Assistant Manager of Client Services.
At the corporate offices, you could work as a Project Manager or even a Social Media Manager.
As an Assistant Manager of Client Services, you’d be responsible for making sure that your store’s customers are treated well whenever they’re in your store.
As a Project Manager, you’d be coordinating all the moving parts of Sephora’s projects. This means working with vendors, partners, brands and Sephora internal teams whenever a special project, like the launch of a new brand, takes place.
As a Social Media Manager, you’ll help manage Sephora’s social media presence.
This happens on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and so many more! You’ll help the team to plan what content goes out and when it should be posted.
Seasonal Job Openings
Sephora also has seasonal job openings that you can apply for. Typically, these are part-time roles at their retail outlets or at their distribution centers.
For example, you could work as a Seasonal Makeup Consultant at their retail outlets, or as a Seasonal Warehouse Associate at their distribution centers.
They do not specify if these are summer or winter seasonal job openings. Still, our research shows that internships typically happen in the summer, while there are a lot of seasonal job openings towards the end of the year.
This is probably to cope with the Christmas and New Year shopping season.
How Much Does Sephora Pay (Hourly & Salary)?
Sephora offers hourly and salary pay, as well as a long list of benefits.
The benefits that you get depend on your role and also your location.
A perfect example is the free product samples they give out to employees so that they’ll be familiar with the products they sell to customers. They also offer you and your family medical benefits, family planning, and retirement planning, too!
On top of that, they also host employee events and give training to you as well.
On average, Sephora pays $10.42 an hour for an Order Picker, 22% below the national average. However, for some roles, the pay is well above the national averages for similar positions.
Here’s the pay for a few other positions to give you an idea of what it’s like:
- Beauty Consultant – $13 an hour
- Makeup Artist – $13 an hour
- Sales Associate – $13 an hour
- Senior Warehouse Worker –$13 an hour
- Packer – $12 an hour
- Assistant Manager – $175 a day
- Manager – $51,000 a year
How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Sephora?
Our research shows that you have to be an adult to work at Sephora. This means you have to be at least 18 years of age. Here’s a list of entry-level jobs you can apply for:
- Brand & Events Coordinator
- Operations Consultant
- Talent Coordinator
- Services Coordinator
Does Sephora Drug Test?
No, most of the time.
According to some applicants, there have been drug tests conducted for new employees. This doesn’t seem to happen all the time. Most have reported not being drug tested.
Based on our research, one person reported being tested by having a mouth swab taken. It’s not clear if any other kinds of drug testing were done.
Even if the odds are low, it’s always safer to assume that a drug test could take place.
Possible Sephora Interview Questions & Tips
If you’ve gotten yourself an interview at Sephora, congratulations! Here are a few common questions to get you prepared.
Why do you want to work for Sephora?
This is a regular question asked at almost any job interview with any company. It’s a way for the recruiter to understand what you’re motivated by. They want to know if your reasons fit with the company’s reasons for existing.
Sephora is a company that wants to help people discover their own beauty. They also want to educate their customers on the products they sell.
Your answer should focus on what you love about beauty and cosmetic products. It should also show that you want to help customers learn more about using these products.
What’s a unique/weird talent you have?
Recruiters ask this type of question to see how well you know yourself. It shows them how much self-awareness you have.
A good answer would be a talent that offers value to other people. For example, you could say that a unique ability you have is in knowing how your friends feel, even if they don’t tell you.
For a question like this, it’s best to avoid weird ‘talents’ that might not show a positive side to yourself. For example, it might not be right to tell them that you have a talent for drinking more tequila shots than your friends…
What value do you hope to bring to Sephora?
This is kind of similar to the last question. Recruiters want to know what you’re good at and if you know how to use your abilities to benefit Sephora.
To use the same example as before: if you’re able to know how other people feel, even if they don’t tell you, you can say that you’re good at keeping a team together.
You can tell the recruiter that you’re great at helping struggling teammates and inspiring them to work together even better!
What would you do if…?
Some applicants have been asked what they would do in ‘pretend’ situations.
When recruiters ask these kinds of questions, it’s usually so they can see how you think, and see how good you are at solving problems.
They may ask you something like, “What would you do if a customer didn’t know which product to choose?”.
If this is for a retail position, a good answer should show that you’ll be patient and friendly with the customer and that you’ll help them choose a product that matches their needs.
Remember: with these kinds of questions, there’s usually no ‘perfect’ answer. They just want to see how you would think in that kind of a situation!
Other Requirements When Working For Sephora
If you get a job at Sephora, there are some requirements that you have to follow. Like any retail job, you always have to be friendly to the customers, no matter what. You are representing Sephora each time you talk to a customer.
Other than knowing the specific responsibilities of your job, all Sephora employees need to know about the products that they sell. This also means knowing how those products should be used.
So, knowledge about makeup, fragrances, and other products goes a long way!
Sephora Hiring Process
The Sephora hiring process isn’t difficult.
Past applicants have said the hiring process is positive overall. If the recruiter wants to interview you, they may contact you through email or with a phone call.
You also may be interviewed in groups. Most of the time, you’ll be interviewed one-on-one.
Overall, the hiring process will probably take a day or two if there aren’t any hiccups. If they need more follow-up information, the process may take one or two weeks.
Sephora strongly believes in education and training. It’s safe to assume that you will be provided with product training when you first start with them.
They also give employees free product samples for you to get first-hand knowledge about the products they sell.
Know that most positions are in sales, so in your interview – so show your personality.
Showing that you can also have the ability to sell products is also recommended.
If you’re going to do makeup on a model during the interview, make sure to speak to them before you begin applying the makeup.
When applying product make sure you explain:
- The product that you’re using
- Why you chose this product or why you recommend it
- How you apply it (how to use it) and what to do when they get home.
Having a look at some of the popular Youtubers in the makeup space and how they speak is valuable.
Read More: How to Become a Piercer. Discover what it takes to pursue this body modification career.
What to wear for a Sephora interview
It’s best to come dressed to impress in business casual wear.
Most makeup counters dress in black, so wearing mostly (or all black) with some red accents would be recommended.
Wearing some makeup appears to be recommended, but wearing makeup after you’re hired is not mandatory.
Does Sephora Do Background Checks?
Yes, Sephora does background checks on new employees.
There’s also a good chance the recruiter will call the references that you provide to them. Recruiters usually call you references to ask if you were a good employee at your previous jobs, or to find out if you have a good character.