Brookstone Interview Questions
& Process

First, a quick 15 min call to give you the lowdown on the job. Then, a more relaxed 30 minute chat where you can tell us about yourself and we'll dive deeper into the role and what the interview process looks like. After that, you'll have interviews with the Client company, possibly more than one.

I applied online and then had to complete a lengthy application through a company link, which took over an hour. About two days later, a store manager from another location called me for a face-to-face interview. A week after that, I had the interview, which was relaxed but professional. The store manager said I'd hear from the District Manager (DM) for the next interview. A week later, I interviewed with the DM, also face-to-face, relaxed yet professional. The DM explained the next step would be a phone interview with the Regional Vice President (RVP). A few days later, the DM confirmed the RVP interview time. The RVP called, and we spoke for about an hour. This interview was professional with in-depth questions about my retail and management background. At the end, the RVP outlined the next steps: the RVP and DM would discuss our conversation, and I'd hear back from the DM that night or the next day. Within a few hours, the DM called to offer me the job!

The interview process was quite lengthy. First, I met with the Store Sales Manager. Then, I was interviewed by a District Manager twice. I was hired two weeks later. We talked a lot about selling culture and energy, with a big emphasis on energy levels and the willingness to sell challenging products like massage chairs. They really honed in on my specific experience in small box specialty retail, and weren't interested in my other retail management experience. Having solid specialty retail management experience definitely helped, and more of it would have made the hire easier.

I saw the opening on LinkedIn and got a message from HR to schedule a phone screen with the hiring manager. The call was about 30 minutes and they asked why I was interested in the role and how my background fit. A few days later, I went in for an in-person interview with two people. First, I met with the Hiring Manager who asked typical interview questions, focusing on my past and how I handle changes. He seemed to like my answers and took lots of notes. But he got really defensive when I asked about the company's bankruptcy, which was awkward. Then I met another analyst who didn't seem to know how to interview. They didn't have a place for the interview and looked at my resume for the first time during our chat. It was unprofessional. I followed up with the hiring manager a week later and heard they were still interviewing. Another week passed, and I never heard back. It was a messy process with no clear direction for the role. The hiring manager seemed annoyed that the previous person left for another job, which is understandable given the situation. The company is clearly in trouble after already going bankrupt.