Assistant Store Manager 

How did you get your current job?
I posted my resume online and a recruiter from the company contacted me.

What was the application process?
I submitted my resume with their electronic application.

Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
I had 3 interviews for my job. The first was with a recruiter, the second with the district leader, and the third with the zone leader and my “pending” immediate supervisor. The first one was the most extensive. However, all of the interviews were based on performance-based questions, which require you to draw from past experiences, tell them what happened and what was the solution.

If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
Some of the questions were about allowing family members to have freebies, others were about taking money or supplies from previous employers, others were in regards to my criminal background and driving history, still others asked about if i were ever in a situation where something specific happened and then what did I do when that happened. For example, did you ever see another coworker do something against policy? what did you do? OR was there ever a time where you had to persuade someone on a topic that you yourself didn’t truly believe in? OR did you ever have to work in a group on a project that you didn’t want to do or with a group that you didn’t want to work with? OR have you ever presented an innovative idea to your supervisor? what if they didn’t like it? ETC. There were many MANY questions.

Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
I feel that they did an adequate job with training, especially compared to the massive amount of information that there is out there to learn for a position like mine.

Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
There was a very intensive, extensive, and massive training for my position. I spent a few weeks at a training store, then I spent a week at the corporate location. I returned for a few weeks at the training store and then spent another week at the corporate location. This cycle repeated itself yet one more time before I was able to start working in my actual location. Once I started at my permanent location, I was still constantly learning new tasks and procedures since there are so many different things to learn. After a few months, the company sends you back to the corporate location for one more week of final training and you also get your food manager license since we serve food at our locations.

Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes. I felt that I understood the business background behind the company and behind its reasons for certain changes or decisions they made. I also felt comfortable on the computer and was able to keep up with what was required of me. Finally, in matters of HR (which was my emphasis) I felt more knowledgeable than many of my peers.

If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
No. My internship had a marketing research focus which is not really related to my job at all. However, I did have a job during college where I managed several coworkers, and I feel that THAT experience was very beneficial for me while starting this job.

If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
A higher level of education, beyond high school, would be almost essential. I would insist that they fill out an application as completely as possible. It is also extremely important that they be very truthful on their application. They must also come to the interview dressed professionally, and early. Also, it would be a good idea to practice some performance based interview questions beforehand, just to get some good examples in their mind.

What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
It is very necessary for someone in my position to be very professional, and a great people person. You are constantly in the spotlight. There are customers everywhere, and they all need something. You have to be willing to give them anything and everything that they want. Plus, you have to be happy about it. That just goes along with having a very high level of customer service. Also, a person in my position needs to learn very quickly since there is a constant flow of information being thrown at you every day. Whether it is about a price change, a product recall, a plolicy change, or a new program in place for hiring, etc. one must be very willing and able to learn quickly and to be flexible enough to make it a smooth transition. Another very important skill to have is to be very organized. There are so many different aspects within this position, especially since there is a kitchen and we have food related concerns to deal with at our location. Being organized will help you keep your head and stay on top of your game and what is required of you.

Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes. There are many computer related tasks which usually require some level of training. Also, knowing how to learn and put a practice into effect is something that most people learn after going through a higher level of education.

What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Take notes or write in a planner/journal in order to keep yourself organized. Use a folder/filing system to keep all the important documents you may need organized. Understand that you are there to guide the employees, that doesn’t mean they will always like you or that you will always be their “friend”. When it comes down to the rules, it is extremely important to be very consistant so that you never doubt your past reasoning behind your actions. Finally, communicate as much as you possibly can. With your superviser it will be important to tell him what you understand and what you need to learn. Also, if you don’t understand something, speak up so that you will be able to learn it and thus become more valuable to him/her. Also, give your opinions and ideas freely, but always in a respectful way. This too will earn you your supervisor’s respect. As for your coworkers, it will be important to communicate your expectations to them so that they know exactly what you are looking for from them. That way, if they ever fail, you will be able to feel confident that you clearly explained what was required of them. Also, make sure to praise your coworkers and show appreciation for their hard work and jobs well done. Simply thanking an individual can do wonders. In the end, they will respect you more for this.