REI Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 671 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
30 roles · 671 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at REI.
REI
Retail Design Manager
Manager Average Neutral experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Background check
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
I had a phone screen with the recruiter, then an interview with the hiring manager. The hiring manager made a comment about me joining the zoom like "very early", even though she joined the meeting late. The recruiter didn't follow up with me until months later even though I repeatedly emailed to ask for feedback.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you walk me through your background and career journey?
REI
Sales Associate
Entry Average Negative experience No offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Group Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Group
So I applied, did a video, then a phone interview. If I was lucky, I had to go through a really long, big group interview in the shoe department. We sat for ages on uncomfortable wooden benches. It felt like a popularity contest, and they only hire seasonal workers as cashiers. I never heard back about whether I was hired, so I called the store directly to ask if I should show up for training the next day. They acted like I was the one who didn't know what was going on and said I should have gotten an email saying I wasn't hired. I didn't get one, not even in spam. I know how email works. After two weeks of dealing with REI corporate, they admitted they messed up and never notified me. Now, when I shop there, the manager won't even look at me.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Beyond REI, how does respect apply to the world outside?
REI
Product Compliance Manager
Manager Average Positive experience No offer 3 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Onsite
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
The interview process was pretty straightforward. I enjoyed talking with the teams and learned a lot about the business and how it's structured. They asked me about my past experience and how I'd approach hypothetical situations. I was given a regulation to read before one of the interviews, which was interesting.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- How would you handle managing compliance issues with different teams?
- Tell us about your background and relevant experience.
- What would you do in these hypothetical scenarios?
REI
Customer Service Associate
Entry Average Neutral experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Background check Offer
Interview formats
Behavioral Case
I had a rather informal meeting with the head of the team. We discussed my approach to customer service and how I would handle the team's current sales targets. After that, I signed a preliminary letter to be considered for a seasonal associate onboarding group. However, I was never contacted to join a group, even though I was under the impression the interview went well. It seems the business's needs might have shifted, but it would have been good to get some follow-up.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- How would you go about inquiring if a customer wants to become a member?
- Could you describe the types of goals you've previously managed?
REI Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from REI interview reports.
“If int a=3 and int b=2, how would you swap them so that b becomes 3 and a becomes 2?”
Read reports →“Imagine 3 switches outside and 3 light bulbs inside. How can you figure out which switch controls which bulb without being able to see inside?”
Read reports →“Can you write code to show the words in an array and count the duplicates, like for 'john anne john john anne'?”
Read reports →“What advice would you give a customer interested in backpacking who has no prior hiking experience?”
Read reports →“Suppose you crash-landed in a plane and could only grab a few items, what would you choose to take with you?”
Read report →“As a group, imagine you crash-landed in a remote area during an REI adventure. You have a list of items and can only keep 5 as you head to the nearest town. Which 5 do you choose?”
Read report →“What would you do if a customer wanted to return an item but it was past the return policy date and they were angry?”
Read report →“If we had $10,000 for travel, where would you suggest we go? Sell me on your idea!”
Read report →“How would you handle a customer wanting to return items that are obviously used and opened?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 671 REI interview reports.