How to Get a Job at Sephora (Step-by-Step Guide)

Why people want to work at Sephora

Sephora has a reputation for being one of the more desirable retail jobs in beauty because:

• You’re around makeup, skincare, fragrance, and beauty trends all day.

• The culture emphasizes education, client service, and inclusivity.

• Hourly pay for frontline roles like Beauty Advisor in Canada averages around $18–20 per hour, with some cities and senior roles paying more.

• There are clear paths to move up into roles like Paid Services Beauty Advisor, Coordinator, Lead, Assistant Manager, and Store Director.

It’s still retail, so it can be tiring and fast-paced, but if you love beauty and customer interaction, it can be a good fit.

Step 1: Understand the main Sephora job types

Knowing the roles helps you target your application properly.

1. Beauty Advisor (BA)

This is the most common entry-level role. Beauty Advisors:

• Greet and assist clients on the sales floor

• Recommend makeup, skincare, hair, and fragrance products

• Do quick touch-ups, shade matching, and mini services (depending on store policy)

• Restock shelves, maintain displays, and keep testers sanitary

• Hit sales, service, and loyalty sign-up goals

Sephora looks for:

• Strong customer service skills

• Passion for beauty and trends

• Comfort working in a busy, high-energy environment

• Ability to stand/walk a full shift and lift boxes up to around 50 lbs

2. Licensed / Paid Services Beauty Advisor

These are the people doing more advanced services (full makeovers, facials, brow services), and in many locations they need a license or certification (e.g., esthetics or cosmetology, depending on local rules).

They usually earn more than regular BAs and have higher service and sales targets.

3. Operations / Stock / Cash roles

Jobs like Operations Consultant, Cashier, Stage/Stock focus on:

• Receiving shipments

• Organizing back-of-house

• Processing returns and purchases efficiently

• Keeping the store running smoothly behind the scenes

Great if you like structure, systems, and less direct selling.

4. Leadership and corporate roles

• Leads, Coordinators, and Assistant Store Directors oversee teams, operations, and performance targets.

• Corporate roles exist in merchandising, marketing, e-commerce, distribution centres, and more, but most people start in-store.

Step 2: Check you meet the basic requirements

Each posting will vary, but common requirements for in-store roles include:

• Age and work eligibility in your country

• Retail or customer service experience (not always mandatory, but strongly preferred)

• Strong communication skills

• Ability to stand for long periods, bend, stretch, and lift up to ~50 lbs

• Comfort working in a fragrance-filled environment and handling cosmetics

• Reliable attendance and flexible availability, especially:

  • Nights

  • Weekends

  • Holidays

  • Peak retail times (holiday season, major sales events)

Licensed roles may also require:

• Cosmetology or esthetics license / diploma, depending on local regulations

• A certain level of hands-on makeup or skincare experience

If you’re missing some of this, it doesn’t mean “never”—but you might want to build up some retail or customer-facing experience first.

Step 3: Build the skills Sephora actually cares about

Sephora’s job descriptions give you a checklist of what to work on.

A. Customer service and sales

You should be able to:

• Strike up friendly conversations with strangers

• Ask good questions to understand a client’s needs (skin type, concerns, budget)

• Recommend products and explain why they fit

• Handle objections (“That’s too expensive,” “I’m not sure about that shade”)

• Close a sale without being pushy

Any retail, restaurant, or hospitality job will help you practice these skills.

B. Product knowledge and passion for beauty

You don’t have to be a pro MUA, but you should:

• Know major categories: foundation finishes, skin types, common ingredients, fragrance families

• Follow trends and new launches

• Be able to talk about your favourite products and why you love them

Hiring managers can tell when someone genuinely loves beauty versus just wanting any job.

C. Teamwork in a high-energy environment

Sephora stores are busy. You need to:

• Work closely with teammates

• Handle multiple clients quickly during rushes

• Switch priorities when the store suddenly gets packed

• Accept feedback from leads and managers without taking it personally

If you can show you’ve thrived in high-volume service work, you’re already ahead.

Step 4: Create a Sephora-ready resume

You don’t need a fancy resume template. You do need one that screams: beauty-obsessed, client-focused, reliable.

What to highlight

• Customer service experience

  • Retail, café, restaurant, call centre, hospitality

• Sales or upselling wins

  • “Consistently surpassed daily sales targets by 10–20%”

• Beauty experience (formal or informal)

  • Freelance makeup on friends/clients

  • Cosmetology/esthetics school

  • Beauty content creation (TikTok, Instagram, etc.)

• Teamwork and reliability

  • Shifts covered, peak season performance, recognition from managers

Example bullet points

Instead of:

• “Worked retail at clothing store.”

Use:

• “Provided product recommendations and styling advice to 60+ customers per shift, helping the store exceed weekly sales targets.”

• “Maintained clean, organized displays and ensured inventory was fully stocked during peak hours.”

You want the hiring manager to read your resume and think: “This person can talk to clients, sell, and handle busy shifts.”

Step 5: Apply the right way

Most roles are posted and processed through Sephora’s careers platform and major job boards. When you upload your resume to their careers system, they may even flag you as a “Potentially Good Match” or “Potentially Great Match” for certain roles based on your qualifications.

Tips for applying

1. Target specific roles, not “anything.”

   • Choose Beauty Advisor, Operations Consultant, Cashier, etc. Don’t just fire a generic resume at dozens of roles.

2. Customize your resume for each role.

   • For Beauty Advisor: lead with customer service + beauty passion.

   • For Ops/Stage: lead with organization, accuracy, and efficiency.

3. Use the job description’s language.

   • If they say “passion for client service” and “knowledge of what’s new and trending in beauty,” make sure those exact ideas are visible in your resume and (if required) cover letter.

4. Attach a short, focused cover letter if you can.

   • 2–3 paragraphs: why Sephora, why this role, and how your experience fits.

Step 6: Follow up smartly (without being pushy)

Once you apply, you can:

• Wait a few days, then call or visit the store during a non-peak time to politely ask if they’re currently hiring and mention you’ve applied.

• Keep it short: “Hi, I recently applied for the Beauty Advisor position online and just wanted to introduce myself. I love your store and would be excited to join the team.”

Don’t corner staff during rushes or demand an on-the-spot interview. You want to show enthusiasm and professionalism, not desperation.

Step 7: Prepare for the Sephora interview process

Current and former employees report a mix of:

• Phone screenings

• One-on-one interviews with managers

• Group interviews

• Sometimes a makeup or product demo (especially for services and BA roles)

Common interview themes

From interview reviews and typical beauty retail practice, expect questions like:

• “Why do you want to work at Sephora?”

• “What does great client service mean to you?”

• “Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult customer.”

• “How would you help a client who doesn’t know what they’re looking for?”

• “What are some of your favourite brands or products, and why?”

• “How do you handle pressure when the store is very busy?”

For services roles, you may also be asked:

• “Talk me through the steps of a full-face application.”

• “How would you handle a client who says they don’t like the look you just did?”

How to stand out in your answers

• Mention specific brands and products you genuinely love.

• Be honest but positive about past jobs: focus on what you learned.

• Use STAR structure (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for customer service stories.

• Emphasize teamwork, not “I did everything alone.”

Step 8: Nail the makeup or product demo (if they ask for one)

For many Beauty Advisor or Paid Services roles, you’ll be asked to apply makeup on yourself or a model and talk as you go.

General expectations, based on job and employee descriptions:

• Sanitation: clean tools, disposable wands where appropriate, no double dipping

• Shade matching: foundation and concealer that actually suit the model’s tone

• Blending: no harsh lines, smooth transitions

• Communication: explaining what you’re doing and why (“I’m using a hydrating primer because your skin looks a bit dry in this area,” etc.)

• Client focus: asking what the person likes, not just doing what you want

You don’t have to be the best artist in the world. They’re looking for good technique, hygiene, and client interaction.

Step 9: Understand realistic pay and growth

Pay varies by location and role, but recent data shows:

• In Canada, Beauty Advisors average around $18–20 per hour, with some reports higher in big cities or for experienced staff.

• Other roles (Stage/stock, operations, paid services) can pay more, and leadership roles like Store Director often move into higher annual salaries.

Perks can include:

• Employee discounts on product

• Occasional gratis (free product for training and brand promotions)

• Opportunities to move up to lead, coordinator, or management roles

• Access to training and education on brands and techniques

But it’s still retail: shifts can be tiring, hours may fluctuate, and weekends/holidays are busy and mandatory more often than not.

Step 10: Keep improving your chances over time

If you don’t get in right away:

1. Build more retail/customer service experience.

   • Especially in fashion, beauty, or any environment with strong sales goals.

2. Keep expanding your beauty skills.

   • Take short courses, practice looks, or build a small portfolio on social media.

3. Reapply later.

   • Hiring needs change—especially before peak seasons like the holidays.

4. Stay positive when you visit the store.

   • Friendly interactions as a customer can make your face familiar to the team.

Quick recap: how to get a job at Sephora

• Learn the main roles (Beauty Advisor, Licensed/Services, Operations, Leadership).

• Make sure you meet the basics: eligibility, flexible availability, ability to stand and lift, passion for beauty.

• Build a resume that screams customer service, sales, and beauty obsession.

• Apply through official channels and tailor your application to each job.

• Follow up politely and in person when it makes sense.

• Prepare for interviews focused on client service, teamwork, and product knowledge.

• Practice a clean, client-focused makeup or product demo if applying for hands-on roles.

• Accept that it may take time—keep building experience and trying again.

Do all that, and you’re giving yourself a real shot at turning “I love hanging out at Sephora” into “I work at Sephora.”