J'ai postulé en ligne. Le processus a pris 3 semaines. J'ai passé un entretien chez Sur La Table (Wayne, NJ) en juin 2014
Entretien
I applied online for the position and got a call from the General Store Manager a few days later to have a 30 minute telephone interview. He told me to come into the store for a face to face. During the interview, he asked me basic retail questions and how I dealt with conflicts as a manager. I came from having over 12 years of experience in a supermarket retail environment and 2 years in management, so I was going from a much much larger scale into a very small one with much less revenue and employees to deal with. The interview went very well and he told me he'd definitely tell his DM about me and that he would give me a heads up on when she'd call for a phone interview.
The next day the GSM calls me and tells me the DM is very busy and probably won't be able to call me until the end of the week. I say that's fine I'm free all day long. Finally the end of the week comes and still no call. But I do get a call from the GSM asking me if I'm getting any other jobs offers. That's really none of his business but being the honest person I am, I tell him no. He then goes on to tell me that the DM is "concerned" about my experience as a manager and that going from such a large business to a small one might be a challenge for me. Really? He then goes on to tell me he could get me a job as a Floor Lead for $13 an hour if I really wanted it. I said no I applied for management; I'm more than capable of running a store in the mall with 10 employees that gets as few customers as it does. I told him I'd like to speak to the DM. He tells me that's fine and that he'll call me next week to let me know again when the DM is going to call, since she's so busy.
The following week goes by and I hear nothing, so I called the store and asked for the GSM. He wasn't in so the person on the phone asked me if I'd like to leave a message. I was a bit hesitant because I did this once before and the GSM said he never got my message and that his employees never give him messages. That's nice. But I did anyway. Another week went by and I never heard back. It's been almost a month now since the interview and I see the job posting has been taken down. It's probably better for me; I'd rather not be involved in a company with such a lack of communication and teenagers in charge of a chef store that have no idea how to cook or bake.
Questions d'entretien [1]
Question 1
Give one specific example of how you sold a product to a customer.
J'ai postulé en ligne. Le processus a pris 5 jours. J'ai passé un entretien chez Sur La Table en août 2015
Entretien
After filling out the online application and creating a profile the company communicates your info is received. Store Manager calls and asks you questions then asks for an in person interview. Then interview with district manager. Offer is then made to you.
Questions d'entretien [1]
Question 1
Explain a time when you gave exemplary customer service.
J'ai postulé via la recommandation d'un employé. Le processus a pris 5 jours. J'ai passé un entretien chez Sur La Table
Entretien
It was a very loose interview. The store Manager was very conversational. We discussed cooking, leadership and some product. We discussed some of the stores challenges and what I would do to impact them. I asked about training and product knowledge.
Questions d'entretien [1]
Question 1
Living or dead, who would you cooking your favorite meal for? What's your favorite product in our store?
J'ai postulé en ligne. Le processus a pris 2 semaines. J'ai passé un entretien chez Sur La Table (San Francisco, CA)
Entretien
I was screened over the telephone for about 30 minutes and invited in the following week for a more formal, one-hour interview. Both interviews took place on the weekend (store manager's choice, not mine).
The store manager was late for my in-person interview, then ducked into the back area and left me standing around on the sales floor for a few more minutes before returning. I almost walked off at that point because I already had a vision of how shabbily I'd be treated if I landed the job. But I stayed because I'd already prepared and taken the time from my precious weekend to be there.
The store manager didn't seem to have thought through exactly where we would conduct the interview, so he headed out into the mall with me. The limited seating there was already taken, so the entire interview was conducted with both of us uncomfortably perched on a window sill with many customers passing by and standing nearby and zero confidentiality and privacy. I found it quite unprofessional, but simply carried on as best I could.
When I left, I was told a decision would be made within days as to whom among the candidates would be getting an interview with the store manager's boss.
There was no follow up at all, though. I think if someone has taken time from two successive weekends to pursue a position and presented himself or herself professionally, s/he deserves at least to be contacted in a timely fashion with a decision. Based on the reviews here, it is not a particularly great company to work for in the first place. Finding capable, experienced people to work for little money cannot be easy in this environment. So why the arrogance and the unprofessionalism? Employment is a two-way street. Candidates are judging you just as you are judging them.
I thought the treatment was lousy, and I will never shop at Sur La Table or recommend the store to anyone simply as a way of registering my ongoing disapproval of my experience.
Questions d'entretien [1]
Question 1
There was nothing innovative or unusual in the questions. Anyone with even a bit of experience will have heard these questions or variations on them many times.