School Specialty Customer Support Representative Interview Questions
& Process

I had a phone interview that lasted about 20-30 minutes. After that, I met with the hiring manager, another Customer Service Associate, and someone from HR for an in-person interview. We all sat together at a conference table, and all three of them asked me questions.

I applied online and got a phone interview. They asked basic questions and the HR person talked up the company culture and work-life balance. They said they needed to fill ten spots by mid-February, so I felt optimistic. Then I had an in-person interview with more standard questions, which I answered well. I took notes and asked them some questions. I also watched someone working in the call center and talked to them. However, I found out about mandatory overtime and not being able to take summer vacation, which was a no-go for me as it seemed too much. They seemed to like me and were going to check with HR. The next day, I got a generic email saying they chose someone who was a better fit. I mentioned I wanted to move into HR, but their HR people have been there for ages, so maybe that didn't help. I also suspect the mid-February deadline was just a fabrication since they've been advertising customer service jobs for years and weren't in a rush.

I had to jump through hoops for a part-time customer service job at School Specialty in Greenville, Wisconsin. I scored 100 percent on a data entry exam and was interviewed by 2 people. Then they sent me a so-called personality test, telling me to be careful not to lie, as many people do. Some questions were invasive and shouldn't be on an employment exam, like asking about political leanings (I'm a Moderate, so the Conservative/Liberal option was unfair) or if I'd send back bad food in a restaurant or just push it aside. Apparently, sending food back means I can't be easily manipulated. They said there are no right or wrong answers, yet you have to pass it. I found out they hired someone 25 years younger than me, suggesting they might not want to hire people over 55. This interviewer said I had to pass this test to be a rep, even though I was a rep for Kimberly Clark for a decade.