Cole Haan Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process was pretty simple. First, I chatted with the store manager, and then I spoke with the stock manager. They asked me some basic questions about my past retail work and explained what the job would involve.

The interview process was genuinely amazing. Although I felt a bit nervous going in, the manager made me feel comfortable and welcomed. Their friendly attitude really helped create a positive atmosphere throughout.

I was initially submitted by a recruiter. First, there was a recruiter screen, followed by a Cole Haan HR screen, and then an interview with the hiring manager. The conversation with the hiring manager was very informal and ran over the scheduled time by about 30 minutes, which seemed like a good sign. The hiring manager frequently interrupted to ask about people we both knew and their LinkedIn profiles, but it was conversational so I didn't mind. The only awkward moment was when I brought up Cole Haan's poor Glassdoor ratings, and she acknowledged the company culture issues, stating it was a trade-off for good marketing opportunities. They then contacted the recruiter, indicating that despite my clear qualifications and experience, the interview was perceived as 'too informal,' which I found odd given the interviewer's role in setting the interview style. If a more formal approach is desired, interrupting the candidate and inquiring about mutual acquaintances isn't the way to achieve it. It all seemed quite strange, and I'm glad I read the Glassdoor reviews, as I believe I avoided a bad situation.

This was the rudest and most degrading interview I've ever had. It started 45 minutes late. The interviewer only focused on one internship I had over 3 years ago, which was in a department unrelated to this role. Each time I tried to discuss more relevant and recent positions, she shut me down and returned to the old internship, asking about company culture and the creative director instead of my skills. She asked about a three-month gap in my resume, which was just my summer break from college. Her response was, 'Oh, so you chose to take a summer off instead of gaining more experience for yourself.' The interview got worse when I honestly said I hadn't visited a store recently because there isn't one near me, though I do keep up with their social media and online selection. The interviewer's tone became passive-aggressive, and I ended up in a company background pop quiz that felt like an interrogation. After I answered, she asked what I did to prepare, implying I hadn't done much. She then asked if I knew the tasks for the position, and I listed the ones from the job description, which I've done for the past 3 years. If this is how HR is, I don't want to be part of this company.