I am a professional freelance makeup artist. I applied at Glamour Shots for a job as a makeup artist because I'm currently in a "lean" time and would like a part-time job that fits my skills. As is usual in the industry, I took along a portfolio containing photographs of the work I've done in the past. The interview was very positive and I was asked to come back the next day for a technical interview (doing a glamour makeup look live at the store). The manager asked if he could keep my portfolio overnight to review it. As I would be back the next day, I allowed him to.

The next day, the manager was not present. I did a makeup look on a photographer who told me, "nobody ever gets to this point and doesn't get hired... Unless they're really bad at makeup". Being that I'm rather skilled in makeup application I took that to mean I would, at the very least, meet with the manager again and at that time could reclaim my portfolio.

The next week, I called in to the studio to ask about the status of my application and was told the manager that interviewed me was not working at that store anymore. He had turned control over to another manager to give his attention to a studio in his home state and hour and a half away. Despite several calls to the Orland Park Glamour Shots, the new manager refused to speak with me or call me back. I finally got a hold of the original manager at his home studio. He told me my portfolio was not in his possession and should have been left at the Orland Park studio for the new manager to review. Again, I called that studio and asked a photographer to look for my portfolio. She called back several hours later saying it was not in the studio.

Since I'm currently interviewing for positions with MAC Cosmetics, Benefit Cosmetics, and sending promotional materials to publications and agencies, my portfolio is essential. Reprinting it did not come at a small cost. To date, I still have spoken with nobody in management at the Orland Square Mall Glamour Shots. I consider this theft of personal property.

If Glamour Shots chooses to actively recruit industry professionals, they must maintain the standards of the industry - and that means return of materials after review.