Room & Board Interview Questions
& Process

Applied online and got a call from HR the next day for a 40-minute conversation. HR wants to make sure I'm a good fit for a team in a store. We then set up an in-store interview with three team members, which lasted about an hour with each person. Everyone was very friendly. The company uses specific technology for room design, so I learned the free version online and designed a room, which I think helped my chances. The following week, I met with another team member, which felt very informal and not like an interview. Everyone I met has been with the company for a long time, indicating they value longevity. It's not a great place if you're trying to build a resume or for short-term roles.

After applying online, I went through two phone interviews. The final stage was a half-day round robin interview at their corporate office with eight different people. The whole process felt really long, took up a lot of time, and was pretty intense socially. Their 'flat organization' vibe felt a little cultish, and it seemed like everyone had an opinion on everything. Room & Board seems to care a lot about whether you fit their culture, so be ready to really praise their products and mission. Honestly, if you're looking to build your career internally or just beef up your resume for the future, this might not be the best place for you.

A recruiter from another state first reached out for a 30-minute phone screening. After that went well, an in-person interview was scheduled for the following week, which was supposed to have 5 interviewers but only had 2. The interview was pretty standard, but the general manager asked some confusing questions that were phrased in a way that made them hard to answer directly. I had to ask for clarification on one question because it was worded so strangely. After this interview, I let the recruiter know how it went. It took over a week to hear back about the decision, and I was rejected. I was surprised because I had relevant experience and felt I could do the job, even though I was nervous. I emailed the recruiter asking them to reconsider, and she called me to give feedback, which I appreciated. I was still confused about why I didn't get the job. They mentioned needing someone 'high energy,' and I suspect they wanted someone younger. A few weeks later, the recruiter called again about a different job opening. I agreed to interview in person again. They said I'd meet with 5 people, but again, it was just 2. It seemed like they were short-staffed or didn't want to bother with a bigger interview panel. The main manager asked many similar questions, and I thought I did well. Then, a lead associate, who was also interviewing me, gave me a tour of the showroom, and I thought I had the job. I was much more comfortable with the associate than the general manager. After more than a week with no response, I emailed the recruiter about the job status. She didn't reply right away but scheduled a call a few days later. It wasn't a good sign, and they told me they were still looking. The only feedback I got after this drawn-out and discouraging process was 1) I don't seem high-energy (maybe I'm too old? Or don't talk fast enough?) and 2) I need to answer trick questions about negative/difficult experiences with only positive responses. This whole experience was very hard and disheartening, but I do value the feedback and attention from the recruiter. The whole process took a very long time, and I regret not applying to other jobs sooner. It was a 7-week letdown.

It started with an open house meet and greet, then a phone interview, and finally a round robin with 4 interviewers. Each interviewer was about 30 minutes long and held different positions: the head of HR from Minnesota, a Senior Design Associate from a Colorado store, the future manager of the San Diego store, and an 8-year Design Associate from Costa Mesa. The last interviewer asked questions that seemed off and like she wasn't knowledgeable about design, which made it tricky to answer. She also seemed to want to assert authority by saying design experience wasn't needed for the job right after I mentioned my background.