5 Most Important Tips for Passing Your Next Retail Job Interview

Congratulations! You were the only one among the other candidates to be accepted for an interview! But what do you do now? How will you really get this job?

We all go through or will go through the same feeling of anguish, distress, anxiety, sweaty palms, and dry mouth. Experienced as you may be, these feelings of anxiety can certainly ruin your interview. To help you out, here are five amazing tips for not letting anxiety take you over.

1. Preparation

Know the company you will be interviewing with.  It is not enough just to know the name of the company and that it sells clothes, for example. Search for news, visit a store, read the company’s website, and check out Wikipedia.  If you have any friends who have worked at this company, check them out as well.

Know the Customers

Maybe your business works for the teen audience, the maternity ward, the kids, or the elderly. Know which mainstream audience buys from them or visits the stores. Learn how to strategize for them.

Know Your Competitors

Know your direct competitors.  This will also help you think of a way to beat them and attract more customers.  But it won’t be helpful if your store is for teens and your “competitor” sells maternity items. It’s useful to search for products and brands that many of your audience bloggers post on the Internet to find out the audience’s preference and also points that need to be improved in inventory or service.

2. Have a Good Attitude

Studies show that specific attitudes correlate with job performance. It is therefore not surprising that companies prefer people with the right attitudes at work – professional ethics as well. Be honest during the interview. Being sociable, charismatic, understandable and patient are striking qualities that retailers look for in the candidate.

3. Your Appearance is the First Impression

Dress appropriately for your interview.  You can make a good impression, as well as showing your professional elegance, which will captivate many interviewers. On the day of the interview, get up early, take a good shower, relax, and have no need to be nervous. Also, before you read any further, you should check out sam shiah, he’s a great resource if you’re looking for more interview tips like these.

Men may choose to wear:

• Dress shoes
• Slacks
• Button-up shirt with blazer
• Formal business suit
• Tie or bowtie

While women may choose to wear:

• Pencil skirt or denim skirt
• Button-up blouse
• Jacket or blazer
• Closed flat shoes

4. Prepare Answers to Common Questions

Preparing a prompt and short answer to some questions or perhaps elaborating on them by asking for more patience and time can be advantageous.

Here are some example questions to prepare for:

“Tell us about yourself”.

This question can be difficult if you can’t answer it!  That’s why when we talk about ourselves, we always look for attributes but never find the best ones.  And you will spend at least five minutes talking and thinking about yourself. Be specific, of course, take a minute to think about it and then get to the point.

“What makes you the best fit for the job?”

Emphasize the strengths of your last performance in this work and talk about your visit to the company’s store if you saw anything that could be improved. Show that you will bring many values to the team. Talk about your past experience or a set of specific skills you’ve developed.

“Describe the moment you had a difficult customer.  How did you handle it?”

At this point, the interviewer wants to know how you would act under pressure and how you would think quickly and logically in front of a stressed client. Talk about how the situation occurred, what the circumstances were, the options you had, and what you decided – and how you applied it.

5. Prepare Questions for the Interviewer

Showing interest and curiosity while doing work can be fascinating to an interviewer.  This goes back to the idea that you really want to be there, on the team, at this specific company. Make sure to ask intelligent questions about what your job expectations would be. Turn it around and ask personal questions to the interviewers. How long have they been working there? What are their favorite things about their job? This will really show your interest.

Samantha

Samantha hails from Virginia and is a proud wife to a retired Deputy Sheriff and mother to two amazing little boys named Jack & William. A veteran product reviewer; Samantha has been reviewing products for 8 years and offers high quality product reviews with original photography.