I applied in-person. The process took 3 days. I interviewed at Trader Joe's (Rockville, MD) in Jan 2015
Interview
The process took me approximately 3~5 days. I filled out an application on a Friday, and was asked to come in for an interview that upcoming Monday. A position was offered to me at the end of the interview, which I called to accept two days later.
The application itself was very basic, about two pages long and primarily giving information about myself and prior work experience. The interview reflected the warm and casual attitude I had come to expect during my years of shopping there; the other crew members I ran into introduced themselves to me, and the interview itself took place in the storeroom. The captain was very sweet, and it felt more like a friendly chat than an official interview. The time not spent going over my goals and future plans was focused on details of the job, such as the expectation of workers to be in on weekends, the varied workload, etc. I was offered a position on the spot, then called to accept not long after.
This was my first time interviewing for a job, and it was a very pleasant one. This particular Trader Joe's adheres to the same friendliness behind the scenes that the company boasts to their customers. However, there is an expectation that you are familiar with the store and its products when you walk through that door. I was asked a couple of times why I wanted to work there, and which products are my favourite. If you have passion for other people and are a fan of the store, you will do just fine. Just relax and be yourself!
The interview process was absolutely wonderful! I didn't feel stressed or nervous and it felt like I was just chatting with a friend! Trader Joes is a great company and the interview was great.
Very chill, asked things a lot of job interviews don't, more personal down to earth questions. Made me feel very comfortable. Professional but also cool vibes from everyone who interviewed me. Went to one interview with mates and another with the captain.
I had 3 separate interviews. 1 was over the phone. 2 were in person. I never heard anything after the third interview. I called the store about a week later and they let me know they didn’t actually have any available positions. Really felt like they wasted my time.