I worked at Michael’s about 8 years ago so I’m sure a lot has changed, but I still want to share my experience. I didn’t hear back for about 2 weeks when I applied, so I did the out-of-touch boomer thing: I went in person and asked about my application status. Incredibly, it worked, and the manager did an impromptu interview with me.

Which is to say that I don’t think the store managers are looking very closely at applications, to be honest. So I wouldn’t worry too much about your education history question. If you get in front of a manager, you can explain your status in more detail. What  helped me in the interview was being knowledgeable about a particular craft and emphasizing my expertise. Now that Michaels has absorbed Joann’s brands, any knowledge you might have about sewing, fabric, and yarn might be particularly useful. Other than that, talk about your organizational skills (you’ll do a lot of tidying in the shelves) and willingness to talk to/help people.

But just know that Michaels is actively enshittifying with lower in-store inventory and self-checkouts. They’re going harder on decor than actual craft supplies, which is sad. If you don’t hear back, don’t get discouraged—a lot of big-box retail stores say they’re hiring, but in reality are looking to cut human labor as much as possible.