Cato Store Manager Interview Questions
& Process

I filled out an application at the store, and the manager was there. She asked if I could do a written test, which had 50 questions where you had to rate your agreement on a scale. After the test, I was asked to come back for an interview the next week. I met with the manager first, then the other assistant manager. They both asked questions and wrote down my answers on a form, asking the same questions. Then, I had to pick out two outfits: one casual and one for a dressy event like a wedding, including shoes and accessories. This part took some time because I had to find items that caught my eye as I walked around the store, but I found the task easy.

I heard about this store manager gig from a friend, then went online, printed out an application, and handed it in at the store. The first assistant manager, who I kinda knew, called the District Manager (DM) to set up an interview. The DM was close by, but couldn't find a time that worked with my current job's schedule, so I ended up having my interview during my lunch break. It was in the back of the Cato store, took my whole lunch hour, and they asked stuff like "What do you think makes a good leader?" "What makes a great sales associate?" and "Your store is not making its sales plan, what do you do?" All these questions were on a sheet they had. Then they asked, "How do you feel when things don't go as planned?" I answered, the DM looked at her notes and distractedly repeated the question, which made me realize she wasn't paying attention. After that, I was asked to come back after work for some "Personality Tests." Cato uses the ORION and API (Adult Personality Inventory), plus a criminal background check and a check through ESTEEM or Lexis Nexis. The tests had questions about drug use, asking how much I agreed/disagreed on a scale of 1-5 or 1-10 with statements like "Smoking marijuana is the same as drinking beer." There were also vocab and math questions. Then I had to interview with the Regional Manager, who also couldn't fit me into her schedule, so it was a phone interview. This one was tougher, asking how I'd dealt with lazy employees before and how important fashion is to me. They also said the salary I asked for was "ridiculous." The DM offered me the job over the phone.

I applied for the Store Manager role on Indeed, and they called me the very next day to set up an interview. It was a really friendly chat, and they had me complete a personality test. I then had a follow-up phone interview scheduled for the same day. They offered me a position, but it was for less than what I'm currently making. I declined, so they made a counter-offer for a higher level with the pay I was looking for.