I applied for a Co-Manager (CM) position with DSW and received an e-mail requesting an interview the very next morning! The Store Manager (SM) was very willing to work with my then current employer's schedule and the 1st interview took place 3 days later. I arrived 15 minutes early but the interview started late due to unforeseen circumstances on the SM's part. During the interview, the SM was very professional yet personable. The SM asked the typical questions you would expect for such a position. She asked about future career goals which I appreciated because she went on to express that there were opportunities for growth within the company. The interview lasted 1.5 hour and ended with a request for a 2nd interview with the District Manager (DM). Overall, I left the 1st interview feeling 100% confident that I would get the position and enjoy working with the SM. A few days after the 1st interview, I received an e-mail stating a time and location for the 2nd interview with the DM that would take place the next day. This was a little inconvenient for my current employer but I made it work. I arrived 10 minutes early to the interview which also started a little later the the requested time. The 2nd interview with the DM was a little more nerve-wrecking. The DM was pretty straightforward about what he was looking to accomplish with the new CM hire. He was also less personable. He questioned, with a doubtful tone, my qualifications and ability to excel at the position I was interviewing for but followed up with expressing interest in hiring me for a lesser position that they would make available along with the possibility of progressing towards the CM position later. Initially, I processed this a bit of a confidence killer but it ended up transpiring into more of a challenge as I gave it more thought throughout the interview. It was very obvious that the DM was very knowledgeable and worked his way up from where I would be starting, something to be appreciated. After discussing both positions opportunities, we discussed pay. The pay scale between both positions was significantly different (-14k) with one being hourly and the other salary but the benefits were the same. Ultimately, I left the 2nd interview less confident about acquiring the position I initially interviewed for and knowing that instead I would be offered the lesser. I was notified about a decision 2 days later and my conclusion from the 2nd interview was confirmed however I was reassured that there was a strong possibility of a promotion to CM within 6 months given that I perform well. The interview and hire process took a total of 10 days from the date that I submitted an application and resume. It was a positive experience and resulted in employment with a set start date that would allow me to resign from my previous employer in a professional manner and roll right into the new position with DSW (I can't afford to go without income for too long). My relevant/retail background: 3 years of retail/sales experience, 3 years public relations/marketing experience, 1.5 years creative display/visual merchandising experience, 1 year of retail management experience, and a BA in Advertising from a public ivy (a combined studies of public relations, journalism, marketing)