by Simon Wright

Created on: July 16, 2008   Last Updated: July 21, 2008

The interview process for retail jobs is often quite different than if you were applying for a job in banking or teaching. In this article, I'll look at some of the specific retail-related questions that you can expect to encounter, and also some of the more generic interview questions that will inevitably also crop up.

Retail-specific questions:

- What previous experience do you have in retail? They want to check that you're familiar with the demands that come with retail jobs. This is your chance to show off your experience. If you've worked with lots of companies, focus on those that are most similar to the company that you're applying to.

- Have you had experience of locking up a shop and dealing with stock ordering? These are a couple of examples of things that retail staff may be expected to get involved with, and they'll be keen to see how much additional training they might need to provide.

- Can you tell me of a time when you were faced with an angry customer and how you dealt with it? Nobody goes through a retail career without having to deal with some angry (and sometimes irrational) customers. However, retail is a customer service industry and they'll want to see that you're able to remain calm and deal with the complaint according to standard protocol.

- Can you tell me of a time when you provided world-class customer service? Again, this is all about establishing the importance that you place on customer service. It may also be an opportunity for you to show how you used your initiative and went the extra mile to help a customer.

Common interview questions:

You'll also probably be presented with some of these old favourites:

- Why do you want this job?
With retail, there's sometimes a balance between coming across as good enough for the job, on the one hand, and not being seen as too qualified on the other hand. Many good candidates are rejected, in retail, because the employer thinks they won't stay in the job for any length of time. Think, therefore, about the role that you're applying for and how best to convince them that you're really keen on getting the job.

- What would you say are your weaknesses?
You probably don't want to be brutally honest in answering this question. 'I'm dreadful at time management' or 'I have anger management issues' are not advisable, especially if you're dealing directly with customers! Similarly, 'I don't think I have any weaknesses' suggests that you're not being honest, or lack self awareness. What should you say

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