Thread regarding Macy's Inc. layoffs

I was laid off in June after 10+ years w/ Macy's. The job search was tough but I worked it and found an awesome new position in another industry. I have standard hours M-F and manage a large team. My new company has amazing values and cares about its employees work/life balance.

You CAN do it. It will be tough. The previous poster hit the nail on the head - leverage the ex-Macy's network. We want to help you. Work the process and market yourself - and get the hell out! :)

I was a buyer and at Macy’s inc for 10 years and was laid off during the June restructure. I have had 0 job offers. It is extremely challenging in retail right now. While I think leaving and going to another company is a good idea, this is not the climate to do it in.

after a decade in corporate at Macys, i got laid off this year. it was definitely the best thing that ever happened to me.

here are some reasons why you should not be afraid to leave - and in fact should RUN at the first opportunity to finally leave:

1. there is a massive network of ex-Macys folks who are willing to help.
2. diversifying your skillsets beyond Macys/retail is critical to succeed long term
3. retail will be an increasingly difficult industry to work and will continue to limit your earning potential (unless you move to the ecommerce side) due to low demand, high supply of labor
4. Macy's experience, if you can spin it in the right way, is very transferrable to other industries (tech, supply chain/ops, consulting/finance)
5. once you leave, the opportunities are limitless & even if the next job you take is temporary/part-time/not ideal, once the weight of Macys is lifted, you can focus on where you really want to take your career long term (use the next job as a stepping stone & dont put too much pressure on it)

seriously, do it. there are way better opptys out there. but only if you are willing to look outside of the limitations of traditional retail roles.

Life is much better post Macy’s. I have a government position now and have 4 day weekend for Thanksgiving. I did not know what to do (almost) on my first year out of Macy’s and retail for that holiday. Plus I can take leave to extend the week off.
Christmas- no late nights or pressure It is so much better with 90% less stress. The remaining 10% is what to make for dinners.
Look so not be afraid of taking a chance, making a change, finding that job you have always wanted. I work 8-5 with an hour lunch. Work with good people and found that all my skills and talents are worth something. No more multiple weekly worthless meetings, deadlines, hours of my life I will never get back with family.
Take a chance for a change!

I was an executive with Macys for 29 years. My position got eliminated last June. Took the severance and started my own business. I work less hours, work my own schedule, have more time with family and make the same if not more money now. Plus.....I didn't have to work Black Friday!!! And don't have to worry about spending crazy hours working through the holidays for a thankless organization. Best thing that happened to me! Thank you Macys!

What I notice on LinkedIn is a lot of upper Macys people are liking target, Home Depot, Lowes, Kohl’s. They got 1 foot out the door

We lost our DVP to Belks along with half the store managers in our district who he recruited. We just had a store manager leave to go to Home Depot and two left to go to Khols earlier this year. Go to LinkedIn and do a search for Macy's executives, you will find a ton of people who have left and are doing better at retailers with a brighter future, if you're interested, send them a note and see if there are any open jobs. Other companies are aware of the crazy work ethic that comes with anyone who works at Macy's and are often happy to hire them.

How do you know that any directors and above that pushed back on reduction because of what it would do to workload for the ones who were spared, are on the chopping block now? I’m working in FP and I can tell you right now, from site merch to planning to pricing, everyone in these branches of business are beyond stretched thin to what we are able to handle. Morale is down. People don’t even care that much about the job because the company has made working conditions so toxic and unhealthy with the amount of people they have cut in the last year. They are going to really shoot themselves in the foot if they don’t think of other alternatives. I think all these VPs and above should take a pay cut. We have learned that our jobs in most cases can be done from home so give up the office space, cut down on the rent. There are many ways to save money without continuing to hurt and cause more stress and anxiety to the people who are burning the midnight oil right now running a marathon without a finish line. These layoffs year after year are getting ridiculous and the workload as it is for most of us right now, is unmanageable. I can’t even begin to tell you how many mistakes I’ve made because I’m constantly being pulled in multiple directions. I can’t spend more than 10 mins at a time on something anymore. I can’t analyze business, I can’t think strategically, I’m over capacity with what is floating around in my head. I have migraines, anxiety, nausea every day. I feel like I’m failing a position I was once so great at. If they cut more people, the people left behind will quit because none of us can take on anymore so they better figure it out and come up with other alternatives. Yes people need jobs but the cost is becoming too high now and it’s affecting people’s overall physical and mental health.