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Write These Keywords on a Piece of Paper and Put It in Your Right Back Pocket

communication skills

customer care

customer service

leader

leadership role

leadership skills

led

led team

management development

management skills

motivational skills

partnering

retail management

service driven

service oriented

store management

team communication

team effort

team leadership

team management

team productivity

team results

Instant Interview the Store Manager

Go over to a checkstand, smile, and say, “Would you please page the general manager of the store?”

If the checker says, “What’s it about?” say, “I need to ask him how to find something online.” This stops any further questions cold, and you’ll hear the page.

Then you might hear, “The GM’s not in. I can get you the LOD” (leader on duty—it just makes you want to salute). You answer, “Great!” We don’t care, since we’re all about instant.

During that instant, go over to a vacant register, push the little button on the printer (love that button! Do 55), and tear off a strip about six inches long.

When the manager answers, look serious and say, “I need to speak to you privately for a minute.” He’ll follow you as you walk away from the checkstand.

Then you execute the Magic Four Hello (Do 1) with the store sentence: “I’m really interested in being a part of your team!”

He’ll say, “You have to go over there and apply online.” You say, “I know, but I want to talk to you first. What are the management positions at the store level?” Note you don’t ask about openings.

Be sure to write down the exact titles he gives you. Then say, “Is that the exact title?” He says, “Well, actually, ‘Guest Services Manager’ is ‘Head Honcho, Complaint Department.’” Write that down.

When he’s done, demonstrate the Magic Four Goodbye (Do 1) and thank him profusely like you’ve got the job. Ask his full name, exact title, when he’ll be on duty, and the store phone number. Write all these things down with your list of job titles.

Then hop on the electric shopping cart and drive over to the terminal.

Enter the Keywords in Your Responses to the Application Items

This will embed them indelibly into the computer database (Do 15).

So remove the paper with keywords from your right back pocket, place it next to the paper with the titles the manager gave you, and plunk away!

The application says, “List your most recent job activities.” You plunk, “Used communication skills in customer care activities as a leader in obtaining team results.”

That’s okay—I don’t know what it means, either. You have to be a computer to know. But some “human development sourcing specialist” in Zimbabwe will send the app electronically over to HR, and you’ll get an e-mail inviting you to call a toll-free number.

Don’t wait for that, though . . .

Call the Store When the Manager Is Supposed to be Worcking

Ask to speak to him and say, “Hi, my name is Christine. We have stock in Bullseye.” (You do—that paper stock from the register.) “I wanted to stop by and speak with you for a few minutes about joining your successful team.”

He might say, “You just have to come in and enter your application online—or you can do it at home.”

You say, “I did that yesterday at your store. George was very helpful.”

He says, “I’d be happy to meet you.”

Understand How Store Managers Think

Store managers spend long hours on their feet with a job description that would bewilder anyone.

The pressure from district managers, the employees who don’t show up, the complaining customers (happy ones don’t wait around to praise), the scheduling, the inventory that doesn’t arrive, the sale that wasn’t known, the spill on Aisle 5.

When you’re in the store, notice where it needs improvement. Are the aisles cluttered? Which ones? Is the return line too long? Are the checkers rude? Don’t ask anyone—just observe objectively.

Career retail managers are no different from any other offerors. They’re looking for any way