Build-A-Bear Store Manager Interview Questions
& Process

It was a really long process! After applying, I first had a 15-minute phone interview with another manager. Then, I had a meeting with the District Manager (DM) that lasted over an hour. After that, another hour-long phone interview was scheduled. Following that, I was asked to come back to the store for a three-hour assessment test. At the end of the assessment, the DM asked me to notify all my references because they were going to be contacted. She thanked me for coming and said I would be contacted either way. However, she never contacted me, not even with a rejection email. I spent more than 6 hours interviewing, I told all my references she'd be calling (she never did), and she didn't follow through on her promise to notify me either way. It seems like this is a common experience for other candidates and part of Build a Bear's usual practice: telling candidates they'll be notified either way but never actually contacting them.

I was contacted by the District Manager and she wanted me to set up an interview date with her. I was able to do the day she asked me, so she said she will have one of her Store Managers set up a date for me. The interviewer was nice and friendly. Asked me over 20 questions, reasonable and not too hard. I answered them all smartly with a smile. At the end, she was very happy and said she will contact the DM and get back to me within 1 week. 2 days later, the store manager called me back and said they wanted someone with more experience. The requirement for the job is 1-2 year management experience. I have way more than that and a degree, only because I'm 24, not 42 who has been working at retail for over 20 yrs? maybe my comprehensive retail experience is not good enough for building a bear.

I went in for an initial interview and felt it went really well. They said I'd get a call back about how it went, but I never did. After waiting a week and a half, I called them and was told I was moving on to a second interview. Then, nobody contacted me for two weeks to schedule it. I finally called again and they told me they'd hired someone else. It's crazy that they'd promise a second interview and then ghost me, never following up. It felt super unprofessional, and I wouldn't consider working there now, even if they have my application.