I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Target (Stoughton, MA) in Oct 2012
Interview
Applied online, got call one week later for interview. Was instructed to arrive at least 10
minutes early to complete computer based questions. These were multiple choice and along
the lines of, "If you observed a guest behaving in a suspicious manner, what is the
best/worse thing you could do?" HR person came and took me to back offices. Another
associate was first person to interview me. She was personable, but seemed somewhat put
out at having to do the interview . She asked why Target and then a series of questions about
past situations, such as, "describe a time (at work or home) where you didn't get along with
someone. What was the situation? How did you handle it? What was the outcome?"
"Describe a time when you had to work as part of a team to accomplish something?" "What
would a former supervisor say were your strengths? Weaknesses?" She then led me back to
a waiting area. Then a manager type came and took me to another office for another office.
She, too was very friendly and mostly easy going. She stressed the importance of the cashier
role, said that often the cashier is the only Target employee the "guest" makes contact with
and how vital it is that cashiers represent the best of the company...friendly, fun, respectful,
helpful, etc. She asked many of the same questions, "why Target" and some of the same
scenario questions. She then asked "what if questions". "What if you were working the
register on a very busy day and a guest complained that they couldn't find something...what
would you do?"
Through both of these stages I maintained an upbeat, friendly, smiley demeanor which they
seemed to like. I answered all the scenario questions about guests with the attitude that the
customer is the most important person in the building and that making sure they had a
positive experience is paramount. I felt confident through both these stages, except for when
I got the last question (see Most Difficult or Unexpected Question). But I got pushed through
to the next (and last stage), the HR person, who was the same woman who had retrieved me
from the front of the store. She sat me down in yet another office, asked me to indicate what
days around the coming holidays I was able to work. She then asked if I had been told this
was for a seasonal position, which I hadn't. She told me the pay was $8/hour and asked if I
was interested in accepting the position. It was a take it or leave it thing and there was no
negotiating. I then was sent for drug testing.
I did think it was odd that it wasn't until I got to HR was I told that this was a seasonal
position, with no benefits. I couldn't help but wonder if I had somehow been "downgraded"
during the process due to something in my performance. There was something cold about
the whole thing, even though everyone seemed friendly on the surface. Maybe they're all just
overworked and tired.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What would you do if you were on the register on a busy day and a guest came to you complaining that they couldn't find the shoes their son wanted?
I applied online. The process took 1+ week. I interviewed at Target (San Jose, CA) in Nov 2011
Interview
I sent in my app for the season last year, around November. In the app you have to answer a questionarre, This is to determine if you will fit into the environment. After my app I got a call within a week for an in person interview at the target store. At the interview I had to sign in on a sheet and fill out a situational questionarre. I waited with some others in another room waiting to be called in for an interview. When It was my turn I went into the first room, the guy was very nice and ask me situational questions like: "Tell me a time you had to work in a group" or "Was there a time that you did not get along with someone and what did you do to handle it?". After that I was told to go to another room, this was my final interview. The lady was super sweet and made me feel so comfortable, she asked me some general questions like: "Why do you want to work at target?" and one or two situational questions like: "Was there ever a time you felt like you had to much to do, what did you do to handle this?" "Have you ever made a mistake? How did you fix it?". Since I was the last interview I was told to go the room next door to talk to the HR manager, I got the job!
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
"Was there a time that you did not get along with someone and what did you do to handle it?"
I applied through an employee referral. The process took 2 days. I interviewed at Target (Brooklyn, NY) in Oct 2012
Interview
I applied mid September. A friend works at the one I was interested in working at and she asked HR to pull my app up. I was called the beginning of October. I was scheduled to have an over-the-phone interview on the 16th. The person who interviewed me over the phone was EXTREMELY nice. It wasn't a stiff conversation and she made it easy to understand the questions. She also laughed a lot which made me more comfortable. After completing the first interview, I was told to come in the next day for an in-person interview which was at 3pm. I arrived at abut 2:30 and was sat in a room with other applicants where I had to complete a questionnaire. Basic what would you do questions, easy. I was than called in by a really nice young man. He basically asked me the what would you do and name a time where questions similar to the over-the-phone one. I was asked if I had any questions in which I asked bout transitioning from Seasonal to Regular Part-Time and about students being able to move up even while attending school. After that in-person interview I was told to sit back in the waiting room to be called again. 2 minutes later I was called by a female who offered me the position and explained Drug Testing and Background Testing procedures, Pay and Orientation date.