Madewell Sales Representative Interview Questions
& Process

I applied for the Sales Associate job and they wanted to meet the next day at a coffee shop. It was strange but I went. The girl I met with wasn't the one I emailed, she was in a meeting. The girl I met with was nice, and the interview went well, but she didn't ask me anything job-related. They were hiring me for Sales Support, not Sales Associate, which I was upset about but figured it's still a job. She asked me what hourly pay I was looking for, which made me uncomfortable because I wasn't prepared. I told her $11-12/hr based on Glassdoor. She said that was on the higher end of what they pay, but I didn't say I wasn't open to a lower pay. The interview was very quick, about 10 minutes. It was strange, but she said they wanted a second interview so I said okay! I met with the original girl I was emailing the second time. It was at the same coffee shop. She didn't ask me about my 2.5 years of previous retail experience. I thought it was really strange that I wasn't being asked normal interview questions that I had prepared for. I felt like they couldn't get a sense of the kind of employee I would be if they hired me. She asked me the same salary question again. I gave a bit of a lower answer, $10-11/hr. She said it was a little high so I told her I was open to lower if necessary. It was the same kind of deal, but I felt like we really hit it off and she was really nice. I felt like I'd gotten the job. The interview only lasted about 10 minutes again. She said I'd hear back in a few days.

I got called back about a month after sending in my application. The interview itself was pretty straightforward and about what I expected, with very predictable questions. They wanted to know about my working style and my availability. They also really emphasized that they're looking for sales associates who are committed to staying with the company long-term, rather than just hiring temporary or seasonal folks.

It took quite awhile to find a time that worked for me since I was away at school. The in-person interviewer unfortunately broke their nose. We did a phone interview first, then one in person. The staff members I spoke with were super nice and responded very quickly to any questions I had.