Interview Insider: How to Get Hired at Nordstrom

Interview Insider: How to Get Hired at Nordstrom

11/12/2014 06:00:00 am

One applicant took a recruiter on a video tour of her closet.

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Nordstrom began as a family shoe company in Seattle in 1901. It's since grown into a mega retailer with a workforce of more than 61,000 employees. Nordstrom currently operates 280 stores in 37 states, including 117 full-line department stores in the United States and one in Canada, 159 Nordstrom Rack stores, two Jeffrey boutiques, and one Last Chance Clearance Store in Phoenix. Nordstrom also owns the online private sale site, HauteLook.com, which has offices in Los Angeles, and Trunk Club, a personalized clothing service, with locations Chicago, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and LA.
The number of locations is rapidly multiplying as Nordstrom is in the process of a major expansion across all stores. There are job openings across the company in areas ranging from retail sales to e-commerce management to engineering. "I can't think of a time when we're not looking for new employees," says Mary Porter, Nordstrom's director of talent acquisition. She shares how to get in on the hiring frenzy.
What qualities do you look for in every candidate?
We're looking for individuals who are passionate about retail and our company, and those who want to work hard and take care of our customer. We work really hard to do really well.
What areas of the company are growing fastest?
Our Rack division is rapidly expanding. We expect to open 33 new Rack stores from now through 2016. There will also be 13 new department store openings from now until 2018, which includes five stores in Canada, and our first stores in Puerto Rico and Manhattan.
We also have a lot of growth happening in e-commerce and technology. As our customers increasingly shift to shopping online, the importance of our Nordstrom direct business — including Nordstrom.com, our mobile shopping experiences, and catalog — has continued to grow. Specific opportunities include designers (both digital and apparel), web developers, e-commerce merchandisers, and product managers. The majority of these positions are based in Seattle, but HauteLook in LA frequently has similar positions open.
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What types of jobs are available to recent college graduates?
We are consistently hiring retail positions in our stores across the U.S. and Canada. We have a pretty strong internship program, which is great way to get your foot in the door. We tend to hire our interns.
What types of internships do you offer?
Internships are open to enrolled college students in six areas: retail management, merchandising and planning, technology, and fashion, as well as an MBA internship and a general headquarters internship. Interested students can search for the internship — or seasonal job — that they want through our online student center. This summer, we had 900 interns across our stores in the retail management intern program alone.
Do you offer payment and relocation assistance for interns?
Each of our internships offers competitive compensation and a Nordstrom merchandise discount. Our retail management interns work on commission, so their compensation varies based on how much they sell. There is no limit to how much they can earn. We do provide housing assistance for our Seattle-based internships.
How can an internship with Nordstrom give a candidate a competitive edge?
I think it's an opportunity to get to know our culture and see how we work. This helps interns make a really good choice about which direction they want to go in their careers. We've also found that past interns hit the ground running once they're hired. They tend to just acclimate faster.
Do most jobs require a specific degree?
There are some very specialized roles that do have degree requirements — such as those in engineering and technology — but in most cases we are looking at all of your skills and experience especially to evaluate whether or not you'll be good for the role, and for the company.
Where do interviews take place?
Depending on the role, we start everyone with a phone interview. If they are applying to a local position, they will have an interview in that store. For candidates in corporate roles, we may fly them in for in-person interviews in Seattle or conduct them via video conference.
What do you expect candidates to know about the company before an interview?
It's always insightful if they know something new that's happened with the company recently and they can talk about it intelligently. I like to see people do their due diligence.
/Do you expect candidates to have a strong online presence?
We do utilize LinkedIn, and we interact with candidates there quite a bit. But we don't look them up on the Internet.
Where do you typically look for candidates?
We get a large group of candidates through our careers site. We also use LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and SimplyHired. We're also active on college campuses. We have partnerships at dozens of schools, including Florida State University, Texas A&M, the Fashion Institute of Technology, Washington State University, LIM College, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Washington State University, UC Berkley, USC, UCLA, Columbia, NYU, and many more.
Do you attend any specific job fairs?
We partner with the National Retail Federation, and we attend different career fairs throughout the year. We're always looking to recruit an employee population that reflects the customer we serve. Some of the career fairs we attended this year include the National Black MBA Annual Conference, Out for Work National LGBTQ & Ally College Student Career Conference, Hire America's Heroes, NRF Student Program at Shop.org, and the National Retail Federation's Big Show.
Is it OK for a job candidate to interact with you on social media?
Absolutely. We really want to interact with candidates in ways they want to interact with us. Email us, call us, find our recruiters on LinkedIn, which is where recruiters are most readily available. Contacting us through personal Facebook and Twitter accounts is less effective.
How important is it for candidates to understand fashion and retail trends?
I think it depends on the role, but for some roles it's absolutely critical that they understand trends and the retail business — such as in product development, merchandising and buying, and design. In other areas, it's good to have a passion for retail and the fashion industry even if it's not a job requirement. It helps you relate to our customer.
What types of questions do you typically ask in an interview?
"Why do you want to work at Nordstrom?" "Where do you see yourself in five years?" "What are the skills and capabilities you bring to the role that we should be aware of and excited about?" "Tell me about areas where you need development and illustrate how you will work on that."
What's the best way to prepare for a job at Nordstrom?
I think there's tons of information about our company online. Spend time on the careers site. We have videos and information that can really help. Spend time on our e-commerce site to understand that side of the business as well so you can connect how that role influences what happens online or in our stores. Walking through the stores is a good way to understand what we feel like. Interact with a salesperson and ask questions.
What questions should a candidate always ask in an interview?
It's so important to always ask questions. It's good to ask, "What does success look like in this position?" Ask the interviewer to share some of the successes they've had in their career. And ask them what they like best about working at Nordstrom. Ask them, "What advice would you give to a new hire to have a successful career at Nordstrom?" Maximize the time to ask them information that would help you understand how to succeed.
/What questions should never come up?
I don't think there's a bad question. I'm a proponent of asking a lot of questions and engaging as much as possible.
Is it OK to bring up salary?
Sure. It's fine. I think it's important especially if you have a salary expectation. It's better to find that out early in the process.
What's a mistake people make in interviews all the time and don't know it?
One mistake is not having any questions prepared to ask. You've got somebody sitting there; leverage that opportunity. Another mistake is someone who doesn't come across as knowing the company.
What's the most memorable thing anyone's done in an interview that landed them the job?
We were doing a video interview with someone who was really excited to work at Nordstrom. She took the camera into her closet to show off her shoes, and explain her passion for fashion and retail. We started as a shoe company so it resonated. And it was really nice to see that level of enthusiasm.
Do you want to hear about a candidate's extracurricular interests or passions outside of work?
I think it's really interesting to get to know what people are passionate about, especially college students who may not have a really extensive work history. It's good to see if they're in fashion clubs or if they're involved in other types of groups on campus or in the community that shows their leadership capabilities.
What should candidates wear to an interview?
I think it's important to dress professionally but in a way that best represents you and your style. Be authentic and be yourself. You should look professional but unique.
Do thank-you cards or emails matter to you?
Absolutely. But make it personal. Include something unique about the conversation that you had, something that shows you were really listening or connected to the individual.
Interview Insider is weekly series offering tips for getting a job at some of your favorite companies. Check back every Thursday for the latest interview.
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