I applied in-person. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Trader Joe's (Portland, OR) in Oct 2019
Interview
I was briefly screened when I dropped off my application, then called in for a sit-down interview several days later. The first interview with mates (managers) went very well and was fun and relaxed. I was quickly called back for a second (final) interview with the store captain and another mate a week later. This did not go well at all. Their scheduling was off and I waited for 35 min before they brought me in. It was two male interviewers and my interview was in the closet that they use for their sign designers (three desks crammed into a 7' x 7' room stuffed with signage, file cabinets, and other paraphernalia). In my previous work experience, I was sexually harassed and abused by male supervisors. Having to wait on the interviewers for that length of time, then finding myself in a closet with them was NOT comfortable at all. Maybe this works for most people, but if you have any workplace trauma around harassment, you might want to know this going in. I found this very unnerving and unprofessional, even for a quirky and offbeat employer like Trader Joe's.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Describe a coworker's success. How would your previous employers describe you. Why do you want to work here? What motivates you. Describe a situation in which you did something that was unexpected of you. Describe your weaknesses. How do you apply your strengths in the workplace.
Super easy just be yourself and know the products and you will pass with flying colors. Make sure you are available to work weekends, they usually prefer people to close which can be annoying.
two interviews one with mate then one on another day with the captain - basically the same questions at both and the typical questions you would expect strengths/weaknesses, what makes you a good employee, what makes you like an employer
It was quick and seamless and they let me know in ample time. It was a painless process and the crew was quick to give honest opinions about working there. The Captain changed but at the time turnover wasn't high.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Why do you want to work at Trader Joes and do you have any favorite products.
Crew Member applicants have rated the interview process at Trader Joe's with 2.3 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) and assessed their interview experience as 75% positive. To compare, the company-average is 72.5% positive. This is according to Glassdoor user ratings.
Candidates applying for Crew Member roles take an average of 13 days to get hired, when considering 1,060 user submitted interviews for this role. To compare, the hiring process at Trader Joe's overall takes an average of 14 days.
Common stages of the interview process at Trader Joe's as a Crew Member according to 1,060 Glassdoor interviews include:
One on one interview: 47%
Group panel interview: 13%
Background check: 8%
Phone interview: 8%
Skills test: 6%
Personality test: 6%
Presentation: 4%
Drug test: 3%
IQ intelligence test: 3%
Other: 2%
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