Hi everyone, this is Mayela Gutknecht, the Youth Relations Specialist here at the Jobs for Youth program. On March 2, 2007 Jobs for Youth and Macy’s West presented Spring Forward Job Shadowing Day at Macy’s Union Square. The lucky participants were a group of 30 junior and senior students from Thurgood Marshall led by the much loved Counselor Charmaine Ferrer.

Rito inspires me. He works for Macy’s and came with me and Kevin the day before to prep the students at Thurgood. While he was making sure the students understood what to wear the next day—absolutely no denim and make the most out what you do have—I was eating pizza!

We met early in the morning and hopped on a bus—as soon as we arrived we started taking pictures. Everyone looked so nice and clean. Then I saw a couple of guys with their shirts untucked. I had to say something. One tucked his shirt back in and the other gave me a funny look—okay, now I feel like my mother.




I was very impressed with introductions. Most said their favorite thing to do was be with friends and family. Some deviated and said some really creative responses. Carrie, a Macy’s Hiring Manager, said that this Job Shadow Day was like getting the answers before the test—go ahead and ask the managers anything you want about the hiring process and working for Macy’s. So, one student stood up and said, “My favorite thing to do is get the answers before the test.”




We divided into groups, and the rest of the day we met with the Loss Prevention Manager, Women Shoes Manager, Cosmetic Manager, and Visual Manager. We learned that the most expensive shoes cost $1,300! We learned that most of the Managers had started as entry level sales associates and worked there way up—there is a lot of opportunity for growth at Macy’s!






We ate lunch, and ended with six or so groups presenting “What Our Future Looks Like”. I teared when one young man showed us boxes he had drawn showing a seed, a sprout, a plant, a tree, and then a tree with apples to show the life of boy growing to be a man.