Ingles Interview Questions & Tips

How to Get a Job at Ingles

Popular among residents in the South, Ingles operates more than 200 comprehensive grocery stores across Alabama, Georgia, The Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia. Virtually all stores hire new employees for entry-level work and more advanced jobs. Naturally, applicants must participate in job interviews for hiring consideration. Depending on the number of applicants and interviews for certain positions, the hiring process may take anywhere from one week to two months to complete.

How Will I Interview for Jobs?

Ingles applicants meet with a store manager during the job interview process. Standard in nature, many interview questions revolve around proper customer service techniques and personal judgment. Interviewers may pose many scenarios common to the retail and grocery store industries and ask how the applicant would handle such a situation.

Experience and Background Checks

Applicants should paint abilities as potentially valuable assets to the continued success of Ingles. Additionally, using coherent thoughts and complete sentences during the interview may help separate an applicant from the competition. Following the interview, Ingles job hopefuls may be required to participate in a drug test and background check.

Practice to Prepare

Workers should practice answering common grocery store interview questions by using certain keywords rather than scripted responses. Personality traits, work ethic, and enthusiasm should be the biggest concern for interviewees. Following the interview, applicants should make reasonable attempts to stay in touch with Ingles hiring managers and interviewers, such as an occasional phone call or email if applicable.

Ingles Market Bakery Associate Interview Video

Video Transcript

Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Ingles Market Bakery Associate: I was a bakery associate. So my primary duties would be making sure bakery products were in stock. I would also be in charge of their ovens and cleaning dishes, really anything that revolved around baking. I would have to follow through with the baking schedule, and whatever needed fulfilling, I would make sure that was…

Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Ingles Market Bakery Associate: It was fairly relaxed. We had a uniform, and then on top of that, as a baker we also had smocks, just to keep ourselves from getting dough and other things stuck onto the uniform. We were also required to wear hats or hair nets to keep that from getting into the food. It was very casual. Everybody was really chummy with everybody else. A lot of people coming and going, depending on their situations. But there was, as the time, a core of us that kind of stuck together and we were really good friends.

Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Ingles Market Bakery Associate: The application process was fairly simple. I went to the customer service. I asked them if they were hiring. They presented me with the form. I turned it in later that afternoon. I actually got a call the very next day. Told me to bring a copy of my resume. Didn’t dress in a full suit and tie, but it was like Sunday formal. I sat down with the manager, and he asked me a few very basic questions, things like, “What would you do if you caught a co-worker doing something he shouldn’t.” Nothing terribly job specific. I originally applied for deli, and he told me that he didn’t have any openings for deli, but that the bakery was open, and also about as equal a work load. He website definitely interested in helping me out.

Interviewer: How were you notified that you received the job?
Ingles Market Bakery Associate: After the interview, he said I would be hearing from him. He actually called me back the next day, asked me if I could come back in. Then when I met with him again he started talking about particulars of the job.

Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Ingles Market Bakery Associate: Don’t be afraid to say you’re willing to work as many different sections of the store as possible. I don’t necessarily want to say that … Especially the sales associates positions are particularly skill specific. Definitely show them that you’re available to do whatever they want to do. They really like to see that initiative.

Related Links:
Ingles Application