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Retail Store Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Retail store managers are responsible for many aspects of a retail store’s operation. Retail store managers are responsible for recruiting the best possible sales team. Store managers plan, monitor, and maximize retail budgets and inventory, purchasing and sales. They work in an office environment while performing administrative duties and on the sales floor while addressing staffing, customer and merchandising needs. Following are some retail store manager interview questions and answers. These questions are frequently asked in retail store manager’s interview.

1 Q: Do you have any experience in retail?

A: If you have experience in retail before, you can describe about your experience in detail. In case, you don’t have experience you can mention the skills you have which are essential for a retail store manager. Explain about your job role and responsibilities and how you were successful in achieving your targets.

2 Q: What do you think is the key role of a retail store manager?

A: This question is asked to determine whether you have an understanding of what a retail manager’s position is. Read the job description before appearing for your interview. You need to show that you are aware of the role of a retail store manager. The key role of a retail store manager includes managing the hiring process, employee training and product management.

3 Q:. What do you think about the essential qualities of a retail store manager?

A: The essential qualities of a retail store manager include leadership skills, interpersonal skills, multitasking and ability to work under pressure. Explain with examples how you have these skills and where you have demonstrated them in your previous jobs.

4 Q: Why are you interested in a position at this company?

A: Do proper research about the position and the company before the interview. Describe how you will contribute in terms of managing employees, control costs and losses of the store and meet goals. The interviewer is interested in knowing how you will contribute to the company. Such an answer will convey the real motive of your joining the company as a retail store manager.

5 Q: What did you like and disliked about your previous position?

A: Avoid speaking negative aspects of the previous position. Use specific examples for your likes and dislikes. You need not say much about this. Limit the answer in a few sentences. Start and end the answer in a positive tone.

6 Q: Describe a situation where you had to take tough decisions in your previous job?

A: Retail store managers are often faced with tough decisions in their job. For example, decisions regarding hiring, firing, settling disputes etc. Such types of questions test your decision making skills which is very essential for a retail store manager. Describe the situation in brief and also mention how you resolved the situation.

7 Q:. Describe a difficult situation with a customer and how you resolved the conflict?

A: A situation which the employees are not able to handle is often escalated to the retail store manager. So a retail store manager should have the ability to solve the problem using his customer service skills. Use an example from your previous job and briefly address what was the conflict was and its cause. Outline your response and your outcome of the situation.

8 Q:. As a new retail store manager, how would you delegate tasks to your coworkers?

A: The interviewer wants to find out about your management style. Discuss in brief your management style to give the interviewer how you will delegate the tasks to your coworker. The main goal is to achieve productivity from each employee. There are various management styles choose the one that suits you.

9 Q:. How good are you in handling a team?

A: As a retail store manager, it is your responsibility to manage the entire store as well as each employee. The interviewer wants to know that you can not only handle the management aspects but the team aspects as well. Show from your previous job your achievement as a team leader.

10 Q: What is the biggest mistake you have ever made?

A: You should answer this question in a positive way or else you can be viewed as unsuitable for the job. Say that you very well know that you made a mistake and have learnt from the experience. Then try to give an example of something that happened in your previous job. By saying that you will not repeat mistakes you will give a very positive impression to the interviewer.

11 Q: What are your strengths?

A: Mention few of your strengths and be prepared to back up your answer with examples. Show modesty while answering this question. Do not repeat whatever is written in your resume. Modify your answer in a suitable way.

12 Q: What are your weaknesses?

A: Mention that you have a weakness but then also add a suggestion of improving that weakness. You can also demonstrate the actions you are taking to address your weakness. The motive behind this is to show you have learnt from your mistakes and are taking steps to address it.

13 Q: Do you have any questions for me?

A: It is always wise to have some questions prepared for the end of the interview. This way you can impress the interviewer with your interest in the company. However limit your questions to three or four. Do not end the interviewer saying that you don’t have any questions to ask.

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Posted by Hrformats - October 1, 2014 at 12:54 PM

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