Employment at Rainbow Shops
Rainbow Shops is one of the leading fast-fashion clothing retailers in the United States that proudly brings the latest trends and fashion you can see on A-list celebrities quickly to their customers. It offers a wide variety of clothing for women, and in the past 2 years having extended their range to juniors – babies and infants, plus size and kids, as well as an extensive shoe collection. Today, along with sister brands 5-7-9 and Marianne, Rainbow has over 1,300 stores over the United States, along with 125 stores in Puerto Rico and another 10 in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Your usual Rainbow Store is an average 5,000 square feet and its merchandise is selected depending on demographics and the size of the location.
Their headquarters is situated in Brooklyn, New York and are also particularly popular for their focus across the few targeted markets such as the plus size one, along with the moderate prices they practice in their sales.
The Rainbow Shops company is constantly hiring new employees in both their home office in New York, as well as all of their weekly stores across the country – situated in both shopping malls and other locations. They offer easily accessible employment opportunities to work in the fashion business and could give plenty improvement chances to anyone wishing to pursue a career in this particular line of retail. Ambitious entry-level associates could take the number of openings Rainbow Shops provides in terms of employment to improve and develop the skill necessary for Rainbow careers in store management and all of the trades that the retail fashion line brings.
Rainbow Shops Online Job Application
Sending your Rainbow Application can be easily done online, via their website for both their home office openings as well any store across the U.S. – depending on the openings they have at a given time. This can be done by accessing th Rainbow online application forms available at www.rainbowshopsonline.com/jobs/. If you’re looking for a job in the retail line, you can easily find the closest store in your vicinity using the search by zip code function that you can limit to a particular range of miles; alternatively, you can also look for shops by city or state.
Once you have your selection done for either the home office or weekly store positions, you can select any of the current openings that will provide you with a broad variety of information on the particular job, as well as requirements and conditions of employment. Once you’ve done your studying on the matter, you can immediately proceed further using the Apply Online button at the end of the page.
You can easily fill in all of your basic information and information regarding your education and edit in your resume and cover letter if available in the forms on the webpage. Once you have everything set and done, the Rainbow job application application can be sent out by clicking on the Apply Online button once again.
As a plus however, if you want to speed things out a little and opt out of the default pre-edited email reply placing you on hold until you are contacted once you apply online, you can go ahead and take matters into your own hands and provide your resume directly in the store of choice personally once you have located an opportunity either via the Rainbow careers page or www.rainbowshops.com. This can at times be mutually beneficial to both the applicant and employer as you get to see how you feel about the place or how you would fit in.
Minimum Age for Employment at Rainbow Shops
In order to be able to legally submit a Rainbow application for employment in most retail jobs within the Rainbow Shops line, you must be at least 16 years of age and be legally allowed to work in the United States, with a work permit where applicable. For home office positions and other non-entry level openings, a minimum age of 18 is necessary for valid applications.
Rainbow Shops Hours of Operation
Depending on geographical zone and location in either malls or standalone stores, most Rainbow Shops stores have a general schedule starting at 9 AM and ending at 8 PM. However, it varies a lot from one store to another, several key locations having a shorter working hours program such as 10 AM to 7 PM. Stores may allow shifts and flexible work schedules and depending on situation, may also be shut down on selective holidays. For stores located inside shopping malls, the schedule may prolong until closing hours.
Monday – Saturday: 9.30 AM – 8 PM
Sunday: 10 AM – 7 PM
Entry-Level Rainbow Careers and Income
Most entry-level job openings you will be able to find inside Rainbow Shops’ line of work are generally in the retail section of the company – more specifically stores. The company prides itself with their ability to bring the latest fashions to a large number of customers. There is an ample variety of products for the diversity of body shapes and sizes: tops, jeans, hoodies, outwear, dresses, skirts, swimwear, shoes, handbags, jewelry and many other accessories.
Considering the company’s primary goal to keep all merchandise up to date and keep up with all the current trends and styles in the fashion world, store stock must constantly be renewed to satisfy customer demand. On top of that, most store personnel must always interact with customers walking in, making it a very fast-paced, dynamic work environment.
As a result, Rainbow Shops are always looking for energetic individuals who are passionate about the fashion line of work, with a desire to help out customers and the initiative to turn the customer service of the store to outstanding levels.
Considering the company’s very successful growth in the past years and the constant increase in store number all over the United States, opportunities arise all the time for entry in constantly locations; furthermore, with the development of the company itself, more opportunities for advancement arise for anyone wishing to pursue a career in fashion or store management.
The positions that you can nearly always find within Rainbow Shops retail department are Sales Associate and Assistant Manager.
Sales Associate – Job Description and Duties
As a Sales Associate, you will be responsible with assistance on the sales floor and the checkout counter at times. You would be interacting with customers most of the time, assisting them with directions and providing answers to inquiries, browsing, dressing room activities such as returning products left there onto the sales floor, maintaining the store’s appearance, as well as helping the store team reach the weekly or monthly sales goal.
All of the above means that as a potential employee you would be spending a lot of time standing and interacting with customers and coworkers alike in a busy, fast paced environment. As a result, Rainbow Shops offer a very flexible working schedule, including free weekends and shift-based working schedule. However, the company is often interested in individuals who can, in return, be willing to work holidays or extra hours during peak sales periods.
This position specifies several traits and abilities as necessary for being able to perform well within the job’s parameters. They include an excellent ability to train and motivate staff, the ability to handle multitasking, a friendly, courteous and positive attitude when interacting with customers and co-workers alike, strong interpersonal skills, punctuality, a knack for being organized and prioritizing work, the ability to work well in teams and a great attention to detail. Very occasionally, a 6 months’ worth of experience prior to applying to a Sales Associate position might be necessary for larger scale stores.
Assistant Manager – Job Description and Duties
The Assistant Manager position is the one you should opt for if you are wishing to start a career in store management in the fashion retail line of work. It is the perfect entry-level job for individuals wishing to gain understanding and familiarity with the manner in which stores function and the way company policies are applied to ensure proper development of operations within it.
However, this position normally requires at least 2 years of experience in fashion retail management though already existent employees can opt to advance into the position through promotions or direct Rainbow application for it. the Assistant Manager role entails supervision of sales associates, addressing customer complaints and concerns directly, ensuring sales objective are being met by the retail unit, training and supervising of new employees as well as seeking new associates to join the team, ensuring smoothing operations and delegating work when necessary.
Salary and compensation is quite rewarding as well. Though part-time is occasionally possible, this position is predominantly a full-time one and would earn you an average of $10 to $11 an hour. For experienced individuals in the assistant manager position, you could make approximately $30.000 a year.
The preferred profile of an applicant for the assistant manager is a friendly, energetic, customer oriented, and fashion forward person with a keen attention to detail, a great team-player, shows strong interpersonal skills and is able to train and motivate the employees in service, while maintaining the general ability of multitasking and organizing in a fast-paced environment.
Rainbow Shops Careers in Management
If you are looking for a job in the management level, you still have two options: either the home office or the various stores.
Normally, the management level positions in the headquarters will require 3-5 years of experience in the field as well as a broad knowledge of the management and project management processes, as well as various degrees and sets of abilities, skills and traits depending on the particular job. The home office management openings are not as often found as the retail correspondents, listings being limited at a maximum of 10 to 15 at a time. Such available positions include jobs like Project Manager, Director of E-Commerce, Director of Marketing, Online Marketing Coordinator, IT Business Analyst, IT Programming Manager, Customer Service Manager, and others.
For retail management positions, your go-to job is generally Store Manager.
Store Manager – Job Description and Duties
As a Rainbow Shops Store Manager your main duties are to create and promote a friendly, professional environment with customers, supervisors and the rest of your co-workers.
Work in accordance with the store and company goals, policies and procedure to maximize store volume and ensure customer service, recruit, interview, select and hire new store associates as well as make recommendations for promotion and salary adjustments following close assessment of the personnel, as well as recommend underperforming associates for performance improvement, discipline or termination, where applicable.
As a Store Manager you must also coordinate your team towards completion of tasks, store and company goals achievement and ensure the store maintains excellent visual presentation at all times by presenting a fashion statement throughout the store. At least 3 years of experience in a women’s apparel specialty store is required for this position as well as a series of abilities regarding management.
Considering you would be working in a representative apparel retailer point of work, it is expected of the store manager to be a very fashionable individual and well-versed in what fashion stands for in general. If you wish to pursue a career in this department, applying for this job may be an efficient key to reach the next step. Working the job of a store manager you will never get a dull moment as life in a Rainbow Shops store is particularly animated and dynamic. In terms of salary, as a store manager you would make an approximate $36.000 a year as a total compensation value.
Basic Tips for Applying at Rainbow Shops
If you have your eyes set on a currently vacant position in any of the Rainbow Shops locations, the easiest way to apply would be the online variant. That way you can fill in the jobs and employment form, copy paste your resume and submit the Rainbow application.
Depending on how prepared you are for applying, the process should take a maximum of 15 minutes if you have your resume brushed up and at the ready. You will require information such as education background, details of past employment and reference contact information before attempting to apply.
Advanced Tips for Applying at Rainbow Shops
When applying for a Rainbow Shops job, make sure you only include the relevant information in your resume for the position you are opting. Mentioning your experience in completely different fields or within positions that do not require the same set of skills, traits and abilities will at times work in your detriment rather than your advantage – even if your experience is vast.
As it is with many, if not all jobs that you would like to get, using the opportunity to attach a cover letter to your Rainbow application is never a bad idea. Try to make it as original as you can and immediately opt out of copied, default cover letter examples. As an employer, Rainbow Shops appreciates individuals who are passionate about the fashion world and genuinely wish to join this line of work. Do pay a large amount of attention when writing your cover letter and make sure you take a few moments to read on the company’s history, mission, objectives and expectations before you proceed further.
Do not back down on making yourself look good, but remain modest and rather put an emphasis on ambition than anything else. Do keep in mind that it is a very hectic line of work to join so drive and energy are a must.
Closely read what are the expected skills as well as degree requirements for the job you are applying for and ensure it is a good fit for both you and your potential employer. It does not help either sides if you end up in a position that ends up far from what you expected, hoped for or more difficult than you can handle – especially when you intend to continue in this line of work.
A detail that tends to get overlooked is the spelling and grammar correctness of your resume and cover letter – considering you can submit your application online, where you have access to a series of spelling and grammar checkers, there should be no excuse from not making sure that your application is flawless before submitting it.
Official site: www.rainbow careers.com
Rainbow Shops Application Status
Once the Rainbow online application is sent out, you should receive a confirmation email from Rainbow Shops within several hours – to let you know that your application has been received and is current being reviewed. However, it can be anywhere between 2 to 10 business days for the company to get back to you via a telephone or email response.
If you do get selected for an interview, it can take another one or two weeks until the hiring managers get through with the entire interviewing process until they can settle on a decision and proceed to the actual employment stage.
If you feel that your interview was incomplete or left several questions unanswered for the interviewers, it is advisable for you to tie all loose ends via a follow-up letter. A follow-up letter is, however, a delicate detail of the employment process and you should objectively consider whether one is necessary or not. Proactivity however is generally appreciated and a well-placed follow-up letter may at times, be the key to getting the job.
Benefits at Rainbow Shops
Working in a Rainbow Shops store or within their home office comes with a series of advantages and benefits as well. Naturally, they depend on the position that you are opting for in the first place, but the default set of benefits currently listed as being offered by the company consists of 401 (K) savings plan, bonus programs, medical plan, dental plan, management training, long term disability, liberal clothing discounts, paid vacations and life insurance.
- Paid time off
- Medical, dental and vision coverage
- Life insurance and retirement plans
- Sick leave
- Rehabilitation help
- Paid tuition
- Hospice help
- Competitive salaries
- Long and short-term disability coverage
Rainbow Careers Interview Tips & Hiring Process Information
If you managed to get called in for an interview, there is a series of things you should definitely be careful of and prepare beforehand. Firstly and most importantly, it is important to know what values Rainbow Shops are looking for in their employees and potential employees alike. A right mix of professionalism, dedication, politeness, affinity for working for people and friendliness would normally give you the highest chances of getting selected out of all the applicants coming in for an interview.
If you have applied for one of the jobs in retail, it is helpful to know that across most of the Rainbow Shops stores in the United States there is a general interview format usually applied to applicants. They involve one-on-one meetings with Rainbow Store personnel – either store managers, assistant managers or even a district manager.
For entry-level positions you will not have to go through more than one interviewing phase, however management jobs would require several interviews with different levels of management from within the company. In case of entry-level positions however, you might have to undergo additional training sessions.
Before you head out for the interview, make sure you take a copy of your resume with you just in case it is needed at any point. Brushing up on your knowledge of both the company and the position you are interviewing for will surely give you a confidence boost and make sure you are not caught off-guard by any inquiries or questions during the interview. It is not unusual for interviewers to ask the candidates to share what they know about the company, advertisements, Rainbow Shops trends, demographics or other details.
On top of that, knowing the company you are interviewing for will ensure that you have some questions ready for the interviewers – this is a detail that also gets overlooked so often by applicants when in fact, it might be a very representative moment of the interview.
Make sure you are wearing a proper attire that matches at least the Rainbow Shops employee dress code as well.
Here are a few interview questions that you might get asked. We will not provide interview answers as we believe they differ from candidate to candidate:
- What do you know about Rainbow as a company?
- Why are you attracted to fashion?
- Have you submitted applications for other Rainbow careers?
- What kind of trends have you seen at Rainbow?
- How do you define customer service?
- What do you consider a positive customer service experience in an apparel store?
- What do you think would make a customer return to the store?
- What do you think makes Rainbow different from other stores from the fashion department?
- What makes you suitable for this job?
- How would you describe yourself?
Official site: www.rainbowshops.com
More information on Rainbow Shops
Rainbow USA is recognized as one of the fastest growing junior, kids, plus, and petite, specialty apparel retail chains and has grown to over 1,000 retail stores! We have multiple retail lines that pride themselves on their impeccable customer service, strong customer loyalty, and fashion forward apparel. The company has been privately held and debt free since 1935. Since 1980 Rainbow has grown from 32 locations to currently 1100 stores nationally. Rainbow USA is a progressive and rapidly growing retail organization that consistently thrives to open 60 retail store locations each year.
The RainbowShops brand maintains two sister fashion lines: Marianne and 5-7-9. Both of the sister brands operate with the same inclusivity and feature comprehensive plus-size options. Both Marianne and 5-7-9 operate primarily in Puerto Rico. The websites for both stores stand written in Spanish.
All in all, Rainbow careers are extremely rewarding both salary-wise and career-wise. There are plenty of opportunities for growth. Don’t wait any longer. Submit your Rainbow job application today!
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