With over 1,000 stores across the country, Victoria’s Secret is still the largest lingerie retailer in the US. They advertise plenty of jobs for Sales Associates, including part time jobs for students. They typically interview several women in a group interview, asking mostly basic questions about experience, motivation, and customer service.

You should wear all black for your interview–that’s the dress code for the employees, and you should stick to it already in the interview–to blend in. Try to look attractive, nice clothes and shoes, makeup and stuff, and do not forget your beautiful smile at home.

Before we look at the questions, I want you to realize one thing: Victoria’s Secret managers are looking for confident women with personality. Be yourself, show confidence that you can handle the job (even if you lack experience), and speak loudly and clearly while answering their questions.

Do not forget to keep an eye contact with then store manager, and try to show some enthusiasm for the job. These things matter even more than the exact words you say in the interviews. Okay, let’s have a look at the questions.

 

Why do you want to work for Victoria’s Secret?

Because you shop at their stores regularly, or at PINK, if you’re still a teenager. You love the variety of products they offer, nice lingerie for all occasion and body types. It’s always easier to sell products we like, to work for a brand we admire. Hence you decided to apply with them, because you have only positive associations when it comes to Victoria’s Secret.

You can also praise things that relate directly to your new job. Perhaps you really enjoyed the level of customer service, or the entire shopping experience in their store, and would love to deliver such a quality service yourself, to women like you, to people you should understand well.

Another alternative is referring to a recommendation you got from a friend. You know someone who works at VS, they told you great things about the atmosphere in the workplace, the team spirit, and also fair wages, and hence you decided to give it a try and apply.

One way or another, they should get an impression the Victoria’s Secret is your first choice, and you do not try to get a job with anyone else at the moment. Or maybe you try, but if they choose you, you won’t consider other offers anymore.

 

Can you tell us something more about your previous working experience?

Speaking honestly, Victoria’s Secret isn’t famous for a good employee training. Many seasonal sales associates reported that they got no training at all, just the first day of orientation, or even just the first hour. Obviously this depends on the exact job location, but more often than not, they count on you having some experience already.

Anything you did before (even if it was flipping burgers at McDonald’s, or just some part time job at the college, such as resident assistant) is better than nothing. Because in each job you communicate with people, you have responsibility for something or someone, and you learn the basic working habits, such as waking up and coming the shift on time, cooperating with your colleagues, etc.

Explain your working duties, and how they relate to the position you try to get in their store. And if you have no experience, ensure them that you understand their expectations. You’ve shopped with them countless times, and know what they expect from a great sales associate–proactive approach, motivation, looking for opportunities to up-sell the customer, etc. You have the right skills and personal traits to handle the job, and are sure you’ll succeed–even without any previous experience.

It is pivotal to show confidence at this point, especially if you lack experience. Unless you believe that you will excel in your new job, they will find it hard to give you the chance.

What would you do if you saw a coworker doing something that was against the rules?

Teamwork is very important for each Victoria’s Secret store, and you should approach this situation cautiously in an interview.

Say that if it was something minor, you would not report your colleague immediately. On the contrary, you would call them aside, and have a one on one with them.

Do they have some problems? Are they aware of the rules? Why did they do what they did? Can you help them somehow to overcome their crisis?

You would try to help your colleague first, understand why they broke the rules. If it was something major, however, if you saw them stealing or drinking alcohol at work, say that you would report it immediately. It is important to play for the team, but at the end of the day certain things simply cannot be tolerated in the workplace…

 

Tell me about a time you had to deal with a difficult customer.

Try to talk about the situation without emotions. It doesn’t matter if you talk about a rude customer, someone who complained, or even someone who was more interested in inviting you for a drink than in the products you were selling, and would not let go after you refused them several times.

Ensure the interviewers that you expect all kinds of customer behavior, and it won’t derail you in your job. They were rude, but you remained courteous. They complained, you tried your best to solve their problem, to help them. But if they continued to complain, or left the store unhappy, murmuring bad words in your direction, you simply got over it quickly, and tried your best with the next customer.

That’s the attitude they seek in good candidates. You should try your best with each difficult customer, without getting involved into pointless arguments. If it doesn’t work, however, it’s time to move on, and try to satisfy the next customer, without dwelling on the negative experience with the previous one. For some inspiration, you can check 7 sample answers to this question.

 

What does a great customer service mean to you?

Being attentive to the needs of the customers. Listening to them, asking follow-up questions, giving precise information about the products, including origin and materials, trying to up-sell them on accessories or beauty products, etc.

Proactive approach goes without saying. Ensure the hiring manager that you do not plan to stand somewhere in the store, hiding behind the shelves, staring on the screen of your smartphone. You plan to keep your eyes open, and look for every opportunity to help the customers.

Because you understand that if they are not satisfied with the staff in the store,they will go somewhere else to buy their lingerie and to spend their money. That’s the last thing you want to happen…

 

5 other questions you may face while interviewing for a job with Victoria’s Secret

  • Imagine that a customer buys a black bra and a red negligee. What will you try to up-sell them before they proceed to checkout?
  • What do you consider your greatest weakness when we talk about the work of a Sales Associate?
  • Tell us about your latest shopping experience at Victoria’s Secret. What products did you buy? What did you like about the work of the sales staff? Is there anything you didn’t like?
  • In your opinion, what role do you typically play in a team?
  • How does this job relate to your future career goals?

 

Conclusion, next steps

Interviews for in-store jobs with Victoria’s Secret belong to interviews with average difficulty. It is easy to find out what questions they will ask you, and to prepare for them in advance. They typically won’t ask you any tricky questions.

However, the brand still has a strong recognition by the US public, and the jobs with VS are very popular among young women. Hence you will typically compete with many other people for the job. What’s more, it is not always easy to stand out in a group interview, and personal preferences of the managers may sometimes decide it against you (or for you, of course).

Nevertheless, you focus on things that are under your control. Prepare for the questions from this article, put on your best clothes, and do not forget on a positive body language and confidence in the interviews.

We hope you will succeed, and wish you good luck!

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Antony
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