Claire’s Interview Questions & Tips

Introductory Hiring Tips

As a major nationwide retailer with locations in roughly 95 percent of all American shopping malls, Claire's constantly needs to interview and hire new employees. For hiring consideration, job seekers must submit the appropriate forms to a local store either online or in-person. Applicants generally hear back from hiring managers to set up interviews within a few days, though the process may take up to a month or longer depending on the number of job openings available at the particular location. Stores typically keep applicant information on file for months at a time and may call back at a later date when needs for new workers become more pressing. Candidates who drop off the required hiring forms in-person often enjoy the opportunity to speak with the store managers and schedule a job interview immediately.

What to Wear and Why

Claire's generally looks to hire independent and motivated workers with flair for fashion and love of trendy accessories. Applicants selected to meet with hiring officials should dress appropriately for the interview by wearing fashionable dress clothes demonstrating knowledge of current trends.

Interview Questions and Common Formats

Interviews typically entail 1:1, question-and-answer sessions delving into personality traits, job skills, availability, and work history. The fashion accessories retailer usually interviews job seekers onsite at the Claire's of choice, though prospective managers sometimes need to complete a brief, pre-screening phone interview to prior to in-person meetings. Regardless of where or how the meetings takes place, applicants should answer interview questions enthusiastically to leave the best possible impressions on each hiring manager. Entry-level job openings typically demand applicant participation in a single interview usually overseen by an assistant manager. At some locations, the overall store manager meets briefly with interviewees a second time, mainly to get acquainted with potential sales associates before hiring.

Specific Examples of Claire's Interview Questions

Questions encountered during the Claire's interview process tend to vary in difficulty and subject matter according to the amount of experience required by the vacant position. Entry-level interviewees often respond to general questions like:

• "What do you like about Claire's?"
• "Where do you like to shop?"

More specific interview questions directed at prospective sales associates frequently include behavioral queries, such as:

• "How would you deal with money found on the sales floor?"
• "What would you do if you caught your friend shoplifting?"
• "How would you handle a customer who wanted to pierce the ears of a newborn baby?"

Aspiring Managers

Unlike entry-level job seekers, candidates pursuing management positions frequently go through multiple rounds of telephone and in-person interviews. Prospective managers often meet with or otherwise talk to district managers and area store managers throughout the interview process. Managerial interviewees usually face detailed questions relating to customer service and leadership. Common questions like, "You are working alone and have the phone ringing, an ear-piercing in progress, and customers waiting in the checkout line. Which situation do you deal with first, and how do you handle it?" feature multiple parts and force job seekers to apply their management skills acquired through previous work experiences. Interviews for managers sometimes include an online test evaluating the math skills and personalities of applicants, as well.

Claire’s Piercer Interview Video

Video Transcript

Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Claire’s Employee: At Claire’s, my job title was piercer. I would pierce people’s ears, and pretty much what that entitled was just me helping them find the right size earrings as well as making the pierce in their ears.

Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Claire’s Employee: The work environment there was very chill. One thing that I really like about there was there wasn’t too many employees working at one time. It was just usually me and another person. It was very personal, and we really got to know each other well, which helped us work together when it got very crowded, and we were able to help the customers better.

Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Claire’s Employee: The application process for them was fairly simple. I did the same thing where I just emailed them online. I went into the store and met with them, and there is when I actually signed my application and luckily one of the managers were there to just interview me on the spot. And from there, that’s how I got the job.

Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Claire’s Employee: They focus more on work experience, and because what I was doing sort of was a trade, they really looked for people who had experience in that. That’s why they asked us a lot of technical questions about where we’ve were, how long we’ve been there for, and things of that sort.

Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Claire’s Employee: I would probably give them the advice of making sure that they want to work there first in the sense that they should really go over all the duties that they’re going to be expected of them before they sign up, and that can really help make or break their decision. That’s what I would say.

Related Links:
Claire's Application