Heya! I searched for a entry level retail management/management trainee program for 7 months before I finally got an offer (thank Jesus for that) and I have applied for companies like Abercrombie. Friends that were in my graduating class and one of my cousins have also interacted with Abercrombie and the like.

First off, the first thing we should look at is what Abercrombie wants from its management trainees. Even if you have near 0 experience in retail, they might take you if your picture is good. Yes, a picture. These companies frequently ask for a picture to be included in your application.

You could go from 0 experience to 55-60k/year in just 1 year if you look good. That should tell you what they value. Some of these places will accept students as management trainees and pay much better than internships. You could be a manager making STEM wages just after you graduate! A college sophomore obviously doesn't have the resume to edge out a graduate with 1 year of retail management and 4+ years of retail exp, but the great looking ones can find jobs with these kind of retailers.

If you end up getting the interview, you can be confident that half of it will be testing how smooth of a talker you are. Some of my classmates have modeled before, and some of them are just great looking in general. I'm average height, average build, ~22 BMI, some muscle definition but nothing remarkable. I never get second interviews from these retailers.

My cousin is a former marine, both more muscular and skinnier. My cousin was offered the job. He's not finished with school yet and his retail experience is mostly from grocery stores.

He's also better with women than me. I've noticed a similar trend with others who landed a job at such places. Now, I have no researched empirical evidence or such BS, but I'm fairly certain that these places hire much of their staff (not just models) based on their attractiveness to the opposite sex.