Archived Interview time!

[Stuckinsoftlines]

So My interview training when I was promoted consisted of good luck please don't hire someone lame and follow the packet. Sad to say the only 2 people I suggested to hire quit before 90 days, one without notice. So with the crazy seasonal hired happening I'm getting 10 team members which is great I'm excited but any interviewing tips so I don't hire more flakes?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Follow the bp questions. The etl has final say after their interview. They want bodies with some brains, these days.

 

[commiecorvus]

Maybe mention to the people exactly what they will have to do so there won't be any surprises.
It always seems like people walk into these jobs (flow is the worst) and quit a week later because they didn't really realize what it was really like.
Maybe if the interviewers were brutally honest about the drawbacks to the job we might see fewer no calls no shows after the first couple of days on the newbies.

 

[SouthernThunder]

I'm trying to think of a way to say what I want to say, without tooting my own horn...

Above all else, you should trust your own instincts.

Especially if you are going to be personally working with the people you're hiring.

I know you have to work through the interview booklet, but don't put too much faith in that.

Quite frankly, Target would have been lucky to have me, but they didn't hiring me, despite loads of retail experience and they didn't hire me because I totally suck at their, "tell me about a time when..." interview book questions.

I can tell you about the time my store was so short of help that I worked 10 hour shifts, 7 days a week, for over a month, but that question isn't part of the Target interview booklet.

I could also tell you about the time that the stock manager and I worked the truck, just the two of us, when we were supposed to have 4, because the others thought they shouldn't have to work on Christmas night.

But, again, that's not part of their scripted interview process.

 

[dek067]

if they're late, don't hire them.
if they can't complete their questionaire (prescreen on the computer) without a lot of help, don't hire them.
after completing interviews, i always ask if they have any questions. usually it's about pay, and i direct them to hr.
i also give them a synapsis of their core roles and give them the "you'll be pushing truck until it's complete. you'll be dirty and hot. your schedule will vary. your first 90 days hinges on your attendance and your attitude. it's quite possible you will have to clean up puke." speech.
the best one so far this season---a guy from a funeral home who was laid off. he said he rarely drinks and knows not to bring alcohol to work. he also went into GREAT detail about the things he was assigned to do while prepping the bodies for cremations/funerals. he was older and you could tell he never got the "interview skills" lessons; but honestly, he was a country guy, hard worker, and if i knew he would never come into contact with a guest, i would've hired him. i bet he would've threw the truck like nobodys business.

 

[SouthernThunder]

The computer assessment was actually my favorite part of my Target interview.

This kid, he was about 20, wearing khakis and a polo that he'd slept in, asked me if I needed any help with the computer.

Let's see, I got my first computer for Christmas.

In 1986...

Thanks, but I think I can manage it on my own.

 

[redeye58]

Then there was the kid who had been hired, went thru orientation, was mid-way thru cashier training when the GSTL asked if he had any questions. He asked if he could talk to HR because he "didn't think he could do this". Seems this was his first job for a big company (prev worked at a comic book store) & was having an anxiety attack.

 

[b72pkdPhv]

I have always had moralistic issues with how the hiring process is done, and I want to emphasize that it is not just Target's fault. The hiring process, in general, is horribly slanted against the interviewer and it's seemingly impossible to get any specific details about the position until you are hired and put on the floor. This has been true of every single job I have applied for, even when I attempted to ask for specific details.

What I want to ask of those hiring managers reading this, is to please pre-emptively explain IN DETAIL the position they are applying for. Explain that, yes, they will be responsible for the gross duties of XYZ, but so is everyone else. Things like that. If my hiring manager would have done that, I can certainly say I would have had far fewer issues in my early weeks.

 

[Stuckinsoftlines]

Why can't people act professional in interviews? I have to do another 8 hours worth today and after yesterday I don't want to. I got hit on by a hand full of creepy guys, didn't hire them. Although the best was the guy that asked if having a great partner in bed counted as teamwork. I replied no said excuse me and the Tl of ap take over in his ap uniform.
Was told by some girl she smokes pot ugh they know they have to pass a drug test right?
Although the best was the girls the looked like they were going to hit the club right after the interview. Wardrob tip if I can see through your pants don't wear them if the shirt is so low your belly button is showing don't wear it you look like a street walker. Out of 20+ interviews we had 3 good ones.

 

[3LetterDevil]

RE: the "prescreen questionnaire"...before I applied for the Pharmacy Tech position, I tried applying at Kohl's. Even after 4 attempts, I "didn't meet their criteria". There's something SERIOUSLY wrong if I'm not "qualified" to fold clothing at Kohl's, but I can dispense drugs at Target :rofl:

 

[SouthernThunder]

Why can't people act professional in interviews? I have to do another 8 hours worth today and after yesterday I don't want to. I got hit on by a hand full of creepy guys, didn't hire them. Although the best was the guy that asked if having a great partner in bed counted as teamwork. I replied no said excuse me and the Tl of ap take over in his ap uniform.
Was told by some girl she smokes pot ugh they know they have to pass a drug test right?
Although the best was the girls the looked like they were going to hit the club right after the interview. Wardrob tip if I can see through your pants don't wear them if the shirt is so low your belly button is showing don't wear it you look like a street walker. Out of 20+ interviews we had 3 good ones.

I don't want to keep beating a dead horse, but...

I showed up for my Target interview in dark gray Dockers, an open neck dress shirt, dress shoes and I was about as polite and professional as you can possibly be.

I also have years of relevant experience but they didn't hire me.

I was also just doing an application online that was so ridiculous that I finally just gave up.

They wanted to know what my GPA in high school was and I couldn't go past that page without answering that question.

IF I was 19, I could understand the relevance of that question, but I'm 36.

I've NFI what my GPA was.

I also dropped out of school but I later got a GED, which I scored very well on, but my only option for that was to tell them my GPA.

I didn't HAVE a GPA, I just went and took the test.

Having been on the person doing the hiring side of things, I can certainly understand your frustration, BUT that can go both ways.

 

[SouthernThunder]

RE: the "prescreen questionnaire"...before I applied for the Pharmacy Tech position, I tried applying at Kohl's. Even after 4 attempts, I "didn't meet their criteria". There's something SERIOUSLY wrong if I'm not "qualified" to fold clothing at Kohl's, but I can dispense drugs at Target :rofl:

LOL.

Yeah, I've seen some online applications like that myself.

Not this time around, but back the last time I was looking for a job, I had a store's website tell me that I "didn't meet their criteria," without ever telling me why.

I can manage a store but I didn't meet the criteria to run a sales terminal.

 

[WannaBthebestTL]

I have one I have been using for the "Fast" part. If the candidate can not keep up with my pace walking to the training room or office where I plan to interview them in, then they automatically have one S against them and will never be the "Fast" part of FFF.

 

[Stuckinsoftlines]

Update I interviewed for hours and so did other Tl's we have about half of what we need more interviews this week but I'm super excited for the new people in sl and a few guest service people we hired. I was blunt about what the job entitles but cracked a joke sometimes some people were so nervous!

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Update I interviewed for hours and so did other Tl's we have about half of what we need more interviews this week but I'm super excited for the new people in sl and a few guest service people we hired. I was blunt about what the job entitles but cracked a joke sometimes some people were so nervous!

I knew you can do it!