Onboarding New Employees
Prominent electronics dealer Fry's Electronics maintains around 35 locations throughout the State of California. Growth of the brand, ongoing staffing needs, and expectations of operations facilitate the regular hiring of new and motivated workers. Popular entry-level positions available at stores include customer service representative, merchandiser, and cashier. The retail chain also hires on managers with regularity. Though differing slightly by location, hiring processes implemented by the company to onboard new workers typically take the form of straightforward and relatively informal interviews with staff. The interview process may last anywhere from a couple of days up to a couple of weeks. Most applicants finish all portions of the interview process in a matter of days.
Meeting with Hiring Personnel
Basic, cut-and-dry sessions, job interviews last about 10 to 15 minutes and feature both standard interrogations for the retail industry as well as specific inquiries about the company and position desired. A typical worker goes through at least two job interviews during the Fry's Electronics hiring process. Managers may encounter additional interviews. Early interviews include 1:1 meetings with department managers. Later interviews feature similar formats but with store, general, and district managers.
Common Interview Questions
Interview questions reflect the customer-oriented nature of available positions. Common prompts ask workers to provide personal and professional details about past experiences in the retail industry or similar positions, as well as information about hobbies, work ethics, and other related matters. Fry's Electronics interview questions also touch on scenario-based instances commonly encountered in retail settings. Workers may need to respond to: "How would you deal with difficult customers?" or "How would you upsell a product?" Sales skills typically prove common points of conversation for merchandiser and customer service representative jobs. Interview questions mainly revolve around customer service for cashier hopefuls. Managerial candidates navigating the interview process also encounter situational inquisitions, most of which delve into retail operations and leading groups of employees.
Know the Industry
In order to perform to full potential, applicants participating in the Fry's Electronics hiring process must possess working knowledge of popular electronics. Many positions require workers to provide product recommendations, and applicants must possess the ability to offer knowledgeable assistance to patrons. Workers should remain confident and positive during interviews, as well. The Southern California retail chain takes pride in customer service and hires individuals with exceptional interpersonal skills and friendly, accommodating attitudes. Dress well, in either business-casual or formal attire, to each interview session. Employees typically wear khakis or slacks with button-up shirts while on the clock.
Fry’s Electronics Sales Associate Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Fry’s Electronics Computer Sales Associate: I was a salesman in the computer section, and my basic duties were to assist anyone who came near the computer section, any questions people had when they called… they would sometimes bring me over to answer the questions, and that’s about it. Just serve the customers in the store.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Fry’s Electronics Computer Sales Associate: Not very crowded most times. When it got to midday, it got a little crowded, but towards the night and in the morning, it was empty, very quiet, relaxing. You are standing on your feet a lot, but that’s to be expected with a retail job, so it was okay.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Fry’s Electronics Computer Sales Associate: The application process was kind of annoying, because I personally like to handwrite my application. I don’t like to type them and send them as a PDF document, because I feel like when you send that to employers, sometimes they’re not going to be looking at that as much as they would if you handed it to them in person. But, they don’t give you the option to print out the application, which is kind of annoying. I did it online. I sent it. They didn’t get back to me, so I thought it was very important, and I called them and I spoke to them. I said, “I was wondering was I supposed to follow up?” They said, “Oh yeah, we actually got your application. Why don’t you come down for an interview?” Then, I went from there.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Fry’s Electronics Computer Sales Associate: It’s a lot of character questions: Who you are as a person, what are your interests? Those are the ones that got me off-guard, because you don’t think like, “Explain yourself in a sentence,” and you don’t think, “How do I explain myself in one sentence?” Those kind of questions you want to look out for. The rest are just basic. They even asked me a couple of general questions about computers to make sure I have some kind of knowledge before the training, but it was nothing that wasn’t standard in interviews.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Fry’s Electronics Computer Sales Associate: If I had a better knowledge of electronics overall, because although they didn’t ask me experience questions about them, if they could tell that you really understand computers and you have a passion for computers… for the position I held – obviously, for other positions you need other experiences – but for the computer position, if you really understand computers, and you have a passion for technology, that’ll boost your percentage of getting into the job.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Fry’s Electronics Computer Sales Associate: Be persistent because they have a lot of people applying, so you really have to be persistent. Even once you send in the application, you want to go follow-up in person, on the phone. Be persistent until you’re sure that they know you want the job, and that’s the best way to get that job.
AJ says:
I’ve been shopping at fry’s electronics in Manhattan Beach California for over 25 years. I live for Fridays! Why? well, Fry’s advertise in the Los Angles Times each week. I buy a Paper or I go to the local Starbucks and look though the Local Paper that someone has left. My only concern is the Friday’s Los Angeles Times and the Fry’s ad’s in there. I don’t really care about any other part of the paper only the Fry’s ads.
I’m a Computer Technician and I also build systems for friends using the “Famous Bundles”(Motherboard & CPU Combo’s) that Fry’s was once Famous for. Even though I never Coin the Phase(“Thank God It’s Friday!”) it sure did apply to Fry’s! My Background is Customer Service(A lost Art These Days) I use to work for a Small Computer store in The southbay area of Los Angeles.
When I visit Fry’s Electronics I really try to engage the local Customer Service Reps to see and gauge how much they know. They don’t know that I”m baiting them but they do Pass. They always Up Sell me on things that I really need.
I love visiting the Burbank store, the Anaheim Hills store. I love the different themes each store has. I love the Place. I use to thing what it would be like to work for Fry’s and what I could bring to the table. Hummm….