Retail Interview Questions to Ask at a Job Interview

Whether they’re opening up a new boutique or growing an existing storefront, small business owners of retail shops often have to hire employees for their stores. But even if these potential retail sales associates or assistant managers have resumes with great experience that “looks good on paper”, that doesn’t mean they’ll be a fit for the job.

That’s why it’s important for small business owners to interview candidates. However, interviewing candidates for a retail job calls for having a plan, an interview scoring system, and knowing the right questions to ask. Here are some interview tips and the top retail job interview questions small business owners can ask.

7 Retail Interview Questions to Ask the Candidate

It’s crucial for small business owners to understand how potential employees interact and collaborate with their co-workers. It’s also important to know the future career plans of each candidate. This helps to provide valuable insight on whether or not the candidate is a good match for the company, especially if the goal of the hiring process is to have long-term employees that grow with the company. Here are some questions small business owners can ask to learn more about the candidates they are interviewing:

1. Why Do You Want to Work Here?

The candidate’s answer provides critical insight into their motivation for applying to the retail shop. Business owners should be wary of answers lacking specificity, such as “because it’s fun,” as they offer little insight into the candidate’s genuine interest or commitment. A more detailed response should ideally connect the candidate’s personal or professional goals with the company’s mission, culture, or specific aspects of the job. This question also serves as an opportunity for interviewers to assess how well the candidate has researched the company and whether their career aspirations align with the company’s growth trajectory.

2. What Can You Tell Me About Your Retail Experience?

Inquiring about a candidate’s retail experience helps verify their resume’s accuracy and provides a clearer picture of their background. Interviewers should encourage candidates to elaborate on their previous roles, focusing on specific responsibilities, achievements, and learning experiences. Additionally, asking what they enjoyed most about their retail experience can offer insights into their strengths, preferences, and potential fit within the team. For example, a candidate who excels in customer service or has a track record of effective team collaboration would likely be a valuable asset.

3. How Well Do You Work on a Team? 

Given the collaborative nature of retail environments, it’s important for candidates to demonstrate their ability to work effectively in a team. This question aims to uncover their interpersonal skills, ability to handle conflicts, and experience working in diverse team settings. Candidates should provide examples that highlight their adaptability, respect for colleagues, and commitment to collective goals. Understanding their approach to teamwork can help assess how they will integrate with the existing team and contribute to a positive work environment.

4. What Would Your Current Supervisor Tell Me About You? 

This question encourages candidates to reflect on their work ethic, professional behavior, and overall performance from a supervisor’s perspective. It’s a strategic way to prompt honesty and self-assessment. Candidates’ responses can reveal their self-awareness, ability to accept constructive feedback, and how they perceive their strengths and areas for improvement. Additionally, this question can provide valuable information that can be cross-checked with references for a more complete understanding of the candidate’s professional character.

5. Where Do You See Yourself Five Years From Now?

This forward-looking question helps gauge the candidate’s long-term career ambitions and their vision for growth within the company. Answers that demonstrate a desire to progress within the company, such as aspiring to take on more responsibilities or move into leadership roles, indicate a commitment to long-term engagement and professional development. This question also offers insights into the candidate’s career planning, their potential longevity with the company, and whether their professional goals align with the opportunities the company can provide.

6. What Has Been Your Greatest Accomplishment? 

Discussing past accomplishments allows candidates to showcase their problem-solving skills and resilience. This question should prompt them to describe a significant challenge they’ve overcome in a previous job and why they consider it a major achievement. Responses can highlight the candidate’s strengths, such as creativity, determination, or teamwork, and provide an indication of how they might handle challenges within the retail environment. It’s also an opportunity to assess their ability to set and achieve goals, which is important for retail roles that often have targets and performance benchmarks.

7. Are there Any Additional Questions? 

By posing this question, hiring managers can gauge the candidate’s level of interest and engagement with the role and the company. Candidates genuinely interested in long-term positions typically have questions about career advancement opportunities, job responsibilities, company culture, or benefits. This level of inquiry often indicates a serious interest in the position and a desire to understand how it fits into their broader career aspirations. It also shows that the candidate is thinking critically about how the role aligns with their professional goals.

Other Personal Interview Questions You Can Ask

Depending on personal preference, business needs, how the interview is going, or other reasons, there are a multitude of other common retail interview questions you could ask to learn more about your candidate:

What Do You Do in Your Free Time?

Understanding a candidate’s activities outside work can provide insights into their personality, interests, and potential for work-life balance. This question can reveal if their hobbies or interests might complement their professional skills or contribute to the team dynamic. For example, involvement in team sports could indicate strong teamwork skills, while creative hobbies might suggest innovative thinking.

What Type of Merchandise Have You Sold the Most?

This question is designed to gauge the candidate’s sales experience and product knowledge. Detailed answers can shed light on their familiarity with certain product categories, their ability to meet diverse customer needs, and how they’ve adapted to different retail settings. It also helps to understand the candidate’s sales strengths and potential training needs.

What Was the Best Experience You’ve Had at Work?

Asking about a candidate’s best work experience can provide insights into what motivates them and what work environment they thrive in. It allows the candidate to share a positive and impactful moment, showcasing their achievements and what aspects of work they find most fulfilling. This can indicate what conditions they work best under and what they might bring to your team.

What Was the Worst Experience You’ve Had in Retail?

Understanding a candidate’s challenges in past retail roles can offer a realistic perspective on how they handle adversity. Their response can demonstrate their problem-solving skills, resilience, and ability to learn from difficult situations. It also provides an opportunity to assess their capacity for constructive reflection and growth.

What Do You Consider to Be Your Greatest Weakness and Strength?

This classic interview question requires candidates to engage in self-assessment. Their response can indicate their level of self-awareness, their ability to openly discuss areas for improvement, and their perception of their own strengths. This question can reveal both personal and professional qualities that could impact their performance in a retail setting.

What Was Your Favorite Thing About Your Last Job?

Inquiring about what candidates valued most in their previous role can help determine what aspects of a job are most important to them. This can reveal their work priorities and preferences, which can be crucial in assessing their potential satisfaction and longevity in the new role. It also offers a glimpse into the work environment and culture they prefer.

How Did You Hear About This Role?

Understanding how candidates found out about the job opening can provide insights into their job search methods and level of interest in your company. Whether through a job board, a referral, or company research, this question can reveal the candidate’s proactive efforts in their job search and their connection to your company or industry.

What Do You Know About Our Company?

This question tests the candidate’s research and preparation for the interview. Their answer can demonstrate their genuine interest in the company and the effort they’ve put into understanding its values, products, services, and market position. It also helps gauge how well they might integrate into the company culture and align with its objectives.

What Part of the Job Description Was Most Appealing to You?

Asking candidates what attracted them to the job description can highlight their career aspirations and relevant interests. This can indicate which aspects of the role align with their skills and motivation, providing a better understanding of how they perceive the job and their potential enthusiasm for the tasks and responsibilities it involves.

Did You Have Any Concerns Before Applying?

This question encourages candidates to express any reservations or questions they had before applying. Their response can provide insight into their decision-making process and priorities when considering a new role. It can also open a dialogue about any misconceptions or uncertainties they might have, allowing for clarification and reassurance.

5 Strong Customer Service-Related Questions You Should Ask

Customer service is at the foundation of any retail job. Thus, it’s important for hiring managers and small business owners to ask questions related to customer service to evaluate a candidate’s communication skills. Some critical customer service questions to ask include:

What Does Good Customer Service Consist Of?

This question allows candidates to define exceptional customer service, providing insights into their understanding and expectations of quality service. It helps interviewers gauge how well the candidate’s perception of customer service aligns with the company’s standards. Responses can reveal the candidate’s ability to empathize with customers, their problem-solving skills, and their commitment to creating positive customer experiences.

How Should Customer Returns Without a Receipt Be Handled?

This scenario-based question helps interviewers assess the candidate’s conflict resolution skills and their alignment with company policies. Listening for answers that reflect the company’s values and procedures is key in determining if the candidate can handle potentially challenging situations effectively. It also provides insights into the candidate’s ethical considerations and customer communication skills.

How Do You Handle Irate Customers Who Demand to Speak to the Manager?

Candidates’ responses to this question reveal their ability to manage difficult customer interactions independently, showcasing their conflict resolution and leadership skills. It’s important to understand how they would de-escalate situations and address customer concerns while minimizing the need for managerial intervention. This can indicate their potential to handle high-pressure situations and contribute to a positive customer service environment.

How Do You Find Items for Customers That Contact You Over the Phone?

This question tests the candidate’s adaptability and communication skills in a scenario where they’re not interacting with the customer face-to-face. It’s crucial to know if they possess the necessary soft skills, such as active listening and clear communication, to assist customers effectively over the phone. Responses should ideally include steps like confirming customer needs, offering to place them on hold politely, and ensuring they are transferred to the correct department.

What Products From the Store Would You Recommend to a Customer?

Asking candidates about product recommendations enables interviewers to evaluate their product knowledge and ability to match customer needs with appropriate items. This question also serves to determine if the candidate has done their homework on the store’s product range, indicating their research skills and commitment to providing informed customer service. Effective responses should reflect an understanding of the store’s inventory and an ability to personalize recommendations based on customer preferences.

Retail Candidate Questions and Answers You Might Need To Know

Every job interview should leave room for questions from your potential new team member, so you should be prepared on how to answer them. Here are some questions your interviewee might ask and the best way to respond:

Why Is This Retail Position Open?

This question is commonly asked by candidates to understand the circumstances leading to the vacancy. Being transparent in your response is crucial. Whether the position is open due to internal promotions, employee turnover, or business expansion, an honest answer can give candidates a clear picture of the company’s dynamics and growth opportunities. If the role is a result of company growth, it reflects positively on the business’s success and potential for future opportunities for employees.

What Are the Biggest Challenges in This Role?

Candidates often seek to understand the difficulties they might encounter in a new role. In retail, challenges can range from handling difficult customers to managing high-pressure situations, especially during peak times. It’s important not to downplay these challenges but rather to discuss them openly. Explaining how the company supports its staff in overcoming these challenges and how these experiences contribute to professional growth and skill development can be insightful for candidates.

How Do You Promote Teamwork?

This question allows candidates to gauge the company’s culture and approach to collaboration. A candidate with experience will appreciate understanding how teamwork is cultivated within the organization. Explaining specific strategies or initiatives that encourage teamwork, such as team-building activities, collaborative projects, or open communication channels, can demonstrate the company’s commitment to a supportive and cohesive work environment. This also gives an insight into how teamwork contributes to the overall effectiveness and morale of the retail team.

Final Thoughts

Interviewing candidates to be a part of a retail store’s team is an important step for small business owners to take to ensure they are building a team that fits the business’ goals and can help the business grow. By asking the right questions from the start, small business owners can find ideal retail workers that are a fit for their business.

Check out our page on acceptable interview questions for a helpful list of what to ask.