RONA Interview Questions
& Process

I interviewed a while ago and it wasn't a good experience. The interviewer asked a lot of personal questions that weren't relevant to the job. Also, the interview felt like it was going in a different direction than what was described in the job description.

It was pretty straightforward. The interview took place on Teams with the manager. The questions were quite general. They asked me to talk about my background and give concrete examples of when I've done a task similar to what was requested in the job offer.

This place gets a lot of applications, so they have to filter them. First, you bring your resume to the store and fill out an application at the customer service desk. Pro tip: Also apply online. The online application goes to management and you might not hear back for a week or more. If you meet certain criteria (like having open availability when you apply), you'll get a phone interview. It's usually about 2 minutes and is the second filter to make sure you meet company requirements (like having open hours that match business needs, being willing to be cross-trained, etc.). If you pass that, they'll invite you for an interview. It's pretty casual, but I'd dress business-casual for the first interview (some people wore hoodies, don't do that). Wear closed-toe shoes because the company requires CSA-approved steel-toed footwear on-site during work hours. The in-person interview is the third filter, and you'll meet with an assistant manager. They'll have a checklist and often ask behavioral questions, plus why you want to work there, when you can start, etc. Pro tip: Watch YouTube videos on how to answer well, and bring a copy of your resume and references. After the interview, expect to wait another week or so for an offer. The whole process can take up to 3 weeks, sometimes less depending on the time of year. They hire faster near Spring and slower in the winter.

So, I first had this phone chat where they asked about my past roles, the software I used, and just general stuff. The HR person was super helpful and quick to let me know what was happening. After that, I talked to the manager for the area, and they hit me with some tech questions. Honestly, it felt more like data engineer questions than data scientist ones.