Reach For The Stars

For my job search class this semester I had to do an informational interview with someone in a position or with a company I may want to join someday. So naturally I did mine with a Free People assistant store manager. Unfortunately there are no Free People stores anywhere close to State College so I performed my interview via the phone and email. 

Here were some of the highlights I got from this wonderful interview with Free People in Center City Philadelphia: 

The description of the Free People target market is so wonderful I just had to share, "a 26-year-old girl, smart, creative, confident and comfortable in all aspects of her being, free and adventurous, sweet to tough to tomboy to romantic. A girl who likes to keep busy and push life to its limits, with traveling and hanging out and everything in between. Who loves Donovan as much as she loves The Dears, and can't resist petting any dog that passes her by on the street."

Every display is handmade in Free People stores, down to the crochet hangers. This just adds to the amazing store ambiance that is created and different at each location. 

Personally, this assistant manager found the most rewarding part of her job to be: 
"For me the most rewarding part is being able to help people, not only customers but also our employees. I love watching any employee grow into what they have always dreamed of, working at the office's, interning at the office's, becoming a store manager or even just moving! I love watching people work hard and get to where they want to be.  It goes hand in hand that i love helping customers just as well."

In conclusion I found that this company would be a dream come true to work for. After hearing everything she had to say about her position and the experience she’s had with Free People as a company I am ready to apply, I just need to move a little closer to one now. I truly believe if you're happy to go to work everyday then it doesn't seem to be work, and that's the exact vibe I got from this interview. 

Just a few of my personal FP favorites: 

Follow Your Dreams

Watching one of my favorite TV channels the other night, BRAVO, I heard a quote that struck a chord  within me as something to live by. Courtney Kerr of Dallas Most Eligible is getting her very own TV series but on the commercial she states, "If the dreams you have don't scare you a little, then they probably aren't big enough." I feel as though this is something everyone should really take to heart and take a serious look at.

We are still at that period in life where we don't have to know what we want to be or do for the rest of our lives. Sure we're all working towards degrees right now to hopefully be employed in that field but that reality of the situation is that may not happen & it may be a safe option some of us are choosing to be financially secure after school. If you have big dreams, if you really want to be a doctor, or own your own business someday then DO SO, do not ever let anyone get in your way of saying these things aren't possible. The only things that aren't possible are things that you aren't able to set your mind to and to motivate yourself to get to where you'd like to be in life someday.

Achieving your dreams and becoming successful is powered by personal support, determination, and willingness to sell yourself to a company you want to work for. You must be willing to do that 300 plus hour unpaid internship to truly grasp the idea of the mission of this company and how you are going to help them achieve it. Do your research on the types of companies you would be interested in working for, or a business that could help you gain the experience you need to successfully start up your own in that industry.

In the age of technology we are blessed with the vast encyclopedia of information that the Internet blesses us with, and we should be using this to our full advantage. On almost all companies websites there is a tab for a career section, to post up coming jobs and internships you never would've known about without searching for.

For example here are a few of the sites which I've been looking at for internships this coming summer.

URBN Career Opportunities- Urban Outfitters, Free People, & Anthropologie

Free People Job Opportunities- Free People

ANN INC. Careers- ANN Taylor & LOFT

These sites have been so helpful to let me know what exactly each company is looking for in employees, when internship deadlines are, and how to apply for the right position for you.

When going for your dreams don't ever let the idea of something being too big or life changing is impossible to achieve, you'll surprise yourself at how far you can get when you truly believe in yourself & ideas.