Dairy Queen Interview Questions & Tips

How Long After I Apply Do I Get An Interview?

The Dairy Queen interview process provides an easily accessible way for potential team members to find jobs in the ice cream industry. After submitting the appropriate forms, applicant contact with an official hiring manager may take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Five business days best represents the average time applicants wait to hear back from the ice cream shop chain regarding possible employment. Some job hopefuls receive phone calls in as little as a few hours and schedule job interviews for later the same week, especially if the need to hire workers is urgent and pressing.

Types Of Interviews Held

Standard hiring procedures implemented by Dairy Queen primarily include one-on-one interviews with a hiring manager. However, due to franchising, the specific interview formats used by DQ locations often vary greatly. Some workers may participate in group interviews during initial hiring sessions and move on to 1:1 interviews later in the process. Employee referrals may further shorten or change the nature of the interview process, with some applicants receiving job offers without ever having to formally participate in any kind of hiring session.

What To Expect During The Interview

Job hunters who end up in one-to-one or group interviews with Dairy Queen should expect the sessions to last no more than 30 minutes. Entry-level job interviews may only span the length of 20 minutes, although group interviews generally tend to run longer than traditional one-to-one interviews. During group interviews, applicants typically respond to inquiries directed at all participants to encourage discussion and to gauge social skills. If asked to participate in a group interview, engage fellow participants in lively and friendly manners. Make quick introductions and even organize and guide discussions, especially if in pursuit of managerial roles. One-on-one interview participants should also behave in friendly and sociable manners.

Standing Out When Answering Questions

Dairy Queen employees sometimes come in contact with hundreds of customers on a daily basis. Workers need to continuously exude positive and attentive demeanors, regardless of any given situation. The company takes great pride in customer service and often bases all hiring decisions off the personalities and abilities to interact with others in calm and courteous manners at all times. Interview questions specifically expressing desirable customer service qualities include: "What would you define as good customer service?", "Do irate and irritable customers pose a challenge for you?", "Have you ever worked in a position of customer service or regular busy work?", and "Do you generally have a lot of energy or would you consider yourself more of a laidback personality?"

Use What You Know

Interviewers also take several other factors into account when speaking with potential restaurant associates. Other contributing factors affecting employment consideration with Dairy Queen include previous work experience, hours of availability, and any relevant skills related to the desired job. Overall, the hiring manager attempts to figure out what kind of work ethic an applicant possesses. Relating past experiences from previous jobs to the demands of the position desired often helps applicants demonstrate a strong fit for the work. Employment hopefuls should dress presentably for the job interview, maintain eye contact with the interviewer, and appear enthusiastic about the opportunity. Hiring managers generally make a decision on whether to hire a candidate by the end of the initial or deciding interview, which may not happen until the second or third interview session. Explain why you want to work for the ice cream chain and remain persistent throughout the interview process. Applicants who show genuine enthusiasm beyond basic needs for employment generally receive additional hiring attention from Dairy Queen.

Dairy Queen Crew Member Interview Video

Video Transcript

Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Dairy Queen Employee: I was considered the cake maker. I would come in the morning and I would prep the cakes with the ice cream, fudge in the middle and everything, set it overnight, and keep it a big rotating ordeal. That’s pretty much what I did every day.

Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Dairy Queen Employee: Very friendly. It was a privately owned franchise. It was the only one he owned, and he was there 90% of the time. In fact, he had an office upstairs, the owner did, Scott. Everybody else was very nice. Very low turnaround rate, too.

Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Dairy Queen Employee: Again, I would come in the morning, rotate the frozen cakes into the cakes that need to be decorated by the cake decorator. Then, I would start over with the new room I had in the freezer and make sets to sit in the freezer overnight.

Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Dairy Queen Employee: Very simple. Just fill out your application, and then I interviewed with the manager himself. Very short questions and that was pretty much it. No extensive search or anything like that.

Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Dairy Queen Employee: Just the fact that, first of all, I lived very close, so they knew I was dependable – they knew I lived next door. And, I’m a friendly, outgoing person, and it was kind of what he was looking for, and was part of his crew to fit in.

Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Dairy Queen Employee: It was great starting out. I was just out of high school, and it’s a great first job. Kind of get you through college, get you through summers, stuff like that.

More Dairy Queen Interview Videos:

Related Links:
Dairy Queen Application
Dairy Queen Cashier
Dairy Queen Crew Member
Dairy Queen en Espanol