I applied in-person. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Trader Joe's (Chicago, IL) in Aug 2011
Interview
I applied in person and the process took over a month. I interviewed in August 2011. They are very concerned about promotion the company philosophy and are looking for people that are customer service oriented and excited about food.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
They asked about the products and what was my favorite recipe. They also asked alot about my customer service experience - a time when I dealt with a difficult situation, what would I do if a customer wanted an item that we were out of.
Very Basic questions.
It's two to three interviews, the final with the Captain (or highest manager) of the store. The interviews are largely to get to know your personality and how well you would do at customer service.
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.