The Paper Store Interview Questions
& Process

Had a good chat with HR about pay and they confirmed it was feasible. Followed by a good interview with the store manager and assistant store manager, who then invited me back the next day to meet the district manager. The district manager seemed surprised by my pay expectations, despite HR indicating it was achievable and that my request was below the area's average industry standard. Although I wasn't offered the job and they didn't follow up, I also didn't pursue it further as the compensation didn't justify the level of responsibility.

Had an initial phone call with the recruiter that went for about 45 minutes, which is pretty long. It was mostly about the company's growth, earnings, and expansion. The recruiter was nice and said I'd move on and they'd send my info to the Creative Director and I'd hear back in 24 hours. But then, two weeks went by, even after I followed up a week later, and I never heard anything back. It's really unprofessional to ghost candidates. Once you start talking to someone, you should keep them updated on the status, even if it's a no.

It started with a recruiter doing the initial phone screening. The first interview was with two Divisional Merch Managers at the same time. They scheduled a second interview, but it got canceled. It was a disappointing experience. I was interviewing for a buying role, which should have probably been listed as an Associate Buyer, and it also included some planning and allocation duties. They were upfront about the job responsibilities, but it seemed like they were trying to replace someone, and the conversation felt awkward and dishonest at times. I was scheduled for a second interview that was canceled the evening before at 6 PM, with the reason given that an offer had been extended to someone else. This felt disingenuous or at least poorly organized, suggesting they might not have good HR practices, which could reflect on the whole company. I mentioned I have a young infant, and I'm left wondering if that played a role in discrimination. This also happened to a colleague who had their second interview canceled the night before. I'd recommend they either don't schedule second interviews or give more notice, as candidates often make arrangements, and it's a bad experience.

It was a really fast, easy, and pleasant interview. I spoke with the store manager, and some employees greeted me before that. They're pretty serious about how you look, so make sure you dress appropriately. You should know at least some of the products because they will ask you several questions about how you'll provide product details and sell to customers.