Bose Store Manager Interview Questions
& Process

I had two interview experiences with this company for the Store Manager position. The first, a third party recruiter contacted me although I never applied directly. They set up an in person interview at the store, but I was contacted the day of the interview that the position had already been filled by the store. Two years later, I applied directly for the Store Manager position at Bose in another state. I had two in person interviews at a Bose store on different dates which both lasted an hour. When the first person called from the store they said to stop by anytime on the weekend. Then they called back to say they could only meet at a specific time. Both interviewers/managers were helping customers when I walked into the store. One manager asked if I was late, and I informed them I told an employee I was there for an interview ten minutes earlier. Both interviewers asked the same questions which was a repetitive process. Neither manager was clear if I was applying for a Store Manager or sales role, and the setting was a two folding chairs in the back of the store. I was moved on to the next process with an HR representative at corporate. This was a standard interview and they asked more interpersonal questions and were engaging which led to a better experience. I was next contacted by a store again to do a secret shop experience at the mall the Bose store was located. The interviewer called in the evening and asked if I could meet the next day which was a significant inconvenience because I was working as a Store Manager at another job. Because I was still interested I agreed. I was asked my opinions of different stores selling cultures. I felt the last interview went well and was told I would be contacted in a week with a final decision. This never happened and was my last contact from Bose. Overall I spent four hours interviewing for the Store Manager position over the course of a month. The interview process was extremely unorganized, and there was no respect to schedule based on the needs of someone who was presently employed. The fact that no follow-up was given to me one way or another illustrates a lack of professionalism during the entire interview process.

Met with the manager for a meet and greet which turned into an interview. The questions focused on retail management personality and experience, including 'what if' and situational scenarios. There was also an 'engagement' test where I had to go to a nearby store, engage with an employee, observe them, and then critique their performance on a rating scale. I also had to explain how I would address their sales technique or faults as a manager. It was a positive and practical test for a retail manager role.

The interview process was pretty straightforward. I didn't even have to fill out a formal application. It seems like management is really willing to bend the rules if they find someone they truly want for the role. The company, Bose, is shifting its focus from just passion for demonstrating products to a blend of that and actual sales skills. While these two aren't mutually exclusive, it can be a challenge to excel at both.