Macy’s Sales Associate Job Description & Interview
Job Description and Duties
What Does a Macy’s Sales Associate Do?
Macy’s sales associates primarily assist customers. Key responsibilities include greeting patrons, providing product knowledge, directing customers to fitting rooms, and completing transactions on the cash register. Primary job duties on the cash register include processing payments, applying coupons and promotional codes, issuing receipts, and bagging items upon the conclusion of transactions.
Are There Any Other Responsibilities?
Associates must have strong sales goals. Additional duties Macy’s sales representatives perform include stocking racks and shelves and maintaining a presentable sales environment. Sales associates must follow all safety and loss prevention protocols, as well.
Salary and Compensation
How Much Do They Get Paid?
Pay rates vary greatly for Macy’s sales associates. Experience, duration with the company, and location often affect pay. On average, sales associates with Macy’s earn about $9.00 an hour. Experienced sales representatives may earn more.
Additional Job Benefits
Qualified sales associates earn comprehensive job benefits from Macy’s, as well. Job benefits a sales associate may receive include a 401(k) retirement plans, paid time off, medical and dental coverage, and basic life insurance.
Next:
Review the Macy’s Application page.
Macy’s Sales Associate Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Macy’s Employee: My job title and primary duties with Macy’s were to be a sales associate and also customer service and cashier.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Macy’s Employee: It was basically a friendly atmosphere. You meet a lot of people.
Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
Macy’s Employee: My favorite part was dressing nice, with the shirt and tie, and making a lot of sales.
Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Macy’s Employee: Just folding clothes, running the cash register, trying to keep your sales up, and basically showing people what they need to find.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Macy’s Employee: Basically, the application was on the computer. The interview process… you meet with someone and they ask you a few questions about your experience and what you would do in certain circumstances, and things of that nature.
Interviewer: How did the job help you later in your career?
Macy’s Employee: Basically, in sales, knowing how to keep my sales up. More experience with customer service and being a sales associate.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Macy’s Employee: Dress nice and professional – shirt, tie, and slacks.
Macy’s Sales Associate Interview Video 2
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Macy’s Sales Associate: I was a Macy’s worker with sales and stocks, so pretty much whatever they needed me to do. I was in the men’s section, folding clothes from one side of the men’s store all the way to the young men’s and on. A few weeks with Macy’s, I got to sell stuff. That’s still walking around. You’re still folding clothes, asking customers if they need anything, what they need. After that, you get your sales up, hope that you meet your quota.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Macy’s Sales Associate: It was friendly. I actually liked it. Everybody helped me my first few weeks to get adjusted. You don’t feel like you’re an outsider. So, it’s pretty cool.
Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Macy’s Sales Associate: You would go from a four-hour shift to like an eight-hour shift. You wouldn’t really be bored. You would stock clothes whenever you have down time, talk to customers, see what their style was, and put your input for suits or whatever the customer’s looking for.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Macy’s Sales Associate: With Macy’s, you would apply online. They emailed me within two weeks after I applied. They called you in for an interview. The interview was square. She went over the paperwork, availability, and just made sure everyone was on the same page after that. Walked you on a tour around the store, and that was pretty much it.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Macy’s Sales Associate: Just making sure you weren’t shy, making sure you would approach the customers, making sure you are the type of person that they are looking for. They asked me questions, like: “Would I be comfortable going up to an older woman, ask them what she was looking for, and put in what you thought she would like?”, and going from there.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Macy’s Sales Associate: Differentiate yourself from the others. Make sure you do have an outgoing spirit, you’re not shy, and you’re a hard worker, determined.
Macy’s Sales Associate Interview Video 3
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Macy’s Shoe Sales Associate: I worked in the shoe department, so I was just a sales associate. I helped people get the sizes from the back, then help them figure out which shoe, what size they wanted and just checked them out from the cash register.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Macy’s Shoe Sales Associate: I loved working there. It was really chill, nothing too crazy. I like shoes, so it was pretty easy, and I liked it there.
Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Macy’s Shoe Sales Associate: Go in, check-in, and walk around, make sure everything is cleaned up, organized; nothing’s out of place, and such. If someone asks you for help, you help them out.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Macy’s Shoe Sales Associate: You can do the applications online, and whenever you put your applications online, I don’t exactly remember the interview process, but with the application, I make sure I always call, especially if it’s online, to make sure they got my application. So they’ll call in, ask for an interview. Just really basic questions about where I worked in the past, experience I have, stuff like that.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Macy’s Shoe Sales Associate: If they’re applying or going in for an interview, just be confident in what you know. Just make sure you know that you’re qualified for the job. I know at first you get really nervous, and then when I get there, I realized it wasn’t that hard. If you are starting a job there, everyone is super nice, especially when you start. No one’s going to go, “Oh my god, you did that coat completely wrong,” or anything.
Macy’s Sales Associate Interview Video 4
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Macy’s Sales Representative: My job title was a sales representative. The primary duties… I worked in the shoe department, so we had a little monitor thing that we held, and we put people’s name on the list. Because most of the time when I worked, it was on the weekends. So with the peoples name on the list. We called them when we had their shoes. So, you just assist people with trying on shoes, going in the back and getting them.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Macy’s Sales Representative: Very busy and energetic all the time.
Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Macy’s Sales Representative: If I’m on register; sometimes on register, sometimes I was on the floor. So when I’m on register, you go behind register, punch in your information, and just stand there for a little while. If it’s not busy, they’ll ask you to go out on the floor, or organize, make sure that shoes are organized on the displays. If you are working the floor, basically do the same thing – you come in, clock in, then you just go on the floor and ask people, “What size do you need?”, “Can I get you a size?”, things like that.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Macy’s Sales Representative: The application… I filled out the application online. Then, Macy’s sends you an email saying they received it. They’ll send you back another one if you qualify for an interview. That’s what they did. Two days later, I went in the branch in Kenwood, and I had an interview, and then a week later I found out I got it.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Macy’s Sales Representative: Basically, they asked stuff about if you’re put in, for example, if you are put in this situation, if you had an angry customer, how would you react to that? How do you work in fast-paced environments? Stuff like that.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Macy’s Sales Representative: I wasn’t as nervous, I didn’t show that I was tense or uptight. And I think my personality, they liked my personality. They could tell I was friendly, outgoing, and like to work with people. So, I think that’s why I got it.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Macy’s Sales Representative: Just make sure you portray yourself in an outgoing and you like to work with people and you know how to handle situations regarding people. If you say on a test – they had a little questionnaire test when you’re applying – “I respond to anger negatively,” then they probably don’t want to hire you. So, just make sure your sell yourself. Make sure your friendly and outgoing.
Macy’s Cosmetics Associate Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Macy’s Cosmetics Associate: I was a cosmetics associate. What I really did, I worked with ringing customers up and really sort of guiding them on their choices. A lot of them would come in with sort of a product in mind that they had used in the past that they really were looking if they could get that same product or possibly something similar but try something new. That was, it was pretty varied. Cosmetics at Macy’s can be anything from perfume, cologne to specialized distributors, such as Benefit or Estee Lauder – different things like that. They’re also spread, separate by men’s and women’s, as well. A typical day could really involve any number of things.
Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
Macy’s Cosmetics Associate: My favorite part – I think Macy’s has a great company culture, so you do really feel like you are a part of the team, and I think that’s really important. I did enjoy the opportunity to possibly sample some things, test some things so that when you tell people about it, you really could give them a genuine review. That was a fun perk for me, because I am, as I mentioned, I’m into stuff like that.
Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Macy’s Cosmetics Associate: A typical day involves making sure to get the areas very well presented. You get new shipments in; you’ll want to read things that come with different packaging. How do you set up for a specific cosmetic? That’s really important, especially when new lines are coming out. Different things like that.
Inventory is a big part. You’ll want to know what – there are a lot of different ways to manage inventory. However, you’ll want to kind of get a feel for what’s selling quickly, what’s selling… going a bit more slowly. Just be ready to restock those things and keep a really good feel for that.
Other than that, I would say be prepared to spend a lot of time with customers. It is really interesting the people that you get to interact with especially when they are looking for your expertise on a specific item. It’s really interesting in that way. Especially when you’re moving around, you’ll want to be ready for just any different area. You may be working on the register, and then you’ll want to be ready to go ahead and maybe straighten up some things. Go ahead and improvise on the presentation of some things. It does take some creativity, as well.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Macy’s Cosmetics Associate: They do announce that they’re hiring. You can go right onto their job site. Go ahead and see what’s available. You can actually choose if you’re more interested with say cosmetics, juniors, men’s, different things like that.
Then, they do ask you about your interests in those specific areas. I was pretty lucky. I did get placed in what was either my first or second choice. I really grew to love it.
The interview process for me was really laidback. I was really comfortable. The people, the team was really nice at the location I worked at, and they were really interested in how they could make my experience there the best for me. It was a good mutual interview, and I did learn a lot about what I would be doing as an associate at the same time.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Macy’s Cosmetics Associate: They did ask me what sort of experience I had in the past. However, most of it is… there are things that you can learn kind of on the fly, so they really just asked me about things like my work ethic. Do I like to be around people, interact with people, and I did answer positively to all those things. I would say that they were pretty willing to teach you. Especially if you go on during a seasonal time, and they need help, and you seem to be someone who could adapt to the environment, they’ll definitely take you on.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Macy’s Cosmetics Associate: I would tell them definitely bring… just be ready to learn. But whoever you are, whatever your personality is, definitely bring that. I think Macy’s is great because they have a diversity of employees, and I think that they’ve been really successful because of that. I think the consumer base really appreciates that. Just be ready to learn. Be ready to apply all sorts of situations to whatever your goals may be. You may want to work in retail, in fashion, or you might be like me and be in a complete different industry, but I think everything’s really transferrable.
Macy’s Sales Representative Interview Video 5
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Macy’s Sales Representative: I was a sales associate. I ran the cash registers, assisted wherever needed. If the customer had questions or wanted to know something, where something was, I did that.
Interviewer: Did you earn any benefits or other job perks?
Macy’s Sales Representative: Working at Macy’s, you have a 20% discount and that’s plus any additional discount that’s given in the store. If it’s 50% off today in the men’s section, we get that plus the additional 20%. And we use our Macy’s card – that’s how we get our discount – and if you use your Macy’s card already, you get a discount, too. Double the perks, I guess.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Macy’s Sales Representative: You had to do the application online, and then they send you an email, and you have to pick what days you’re available to come in for an interview. And you go in for an interview, and both times I was hired on the spot. I assume that’s how they all go. It may not, but I was hired on the spot both times.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Macy’s Sales Representative: They ask you, “Have you ever been in a difficult situation? What did you like about a decision your supervisor made, and how did you go about that?” If you were in a hostile environment… the regular questions they ask in any interview.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Macy’s Sales Representative: I would tell them to do their research to make sure they actually know what’s going on in Macy’s. Don’t go into the interview with no knowledge of Macy’s, and to just be yourself, be happy. They like happy people. That’s about it.
Macy’s Shoe Sales Associate Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Macy’s Shoe Sales Associate: My job title for Macy’s was sales associate in the shoe department, and my primary duties were basically finding shoes for guests or bringing them out, restocking shoes in the back, and making sure the displays for each brand and designer name was correct and looked nice.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Macy’s Shoe Sales Associate: The application process, it wasn’t too bad. I applied online basically. You had to take like five different questionnaires, and then if you pass that, they call you in for an interview. Then about two weeks after that, I found out that I got the job, and then you have to train for one to two weeks. It just depends on how many hours you have available. Then, you can start working on the floor. You get trained on the floor again, that lasted about a week and a half, and then you’re on your own.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Macy’s Shoe Sales Associate: They ask questions, like: “Have you ever worked in retail before? If so, how many years?” They ask education level. “Have you ever worked for Macy’s before?” They ask about your people skills, personality, stuff like that.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Macy’s Shoe Sales Associate: Basically, I would just tell them to make sure that you’re kind of a positive person and that you don’t get offended easily or get frustrated easily, because you deal with a lot of different personalities and people. I would also tell them make sure your schedule’s very flexible, because there were some days where I was off and Macy’s would ask me to come in because the store was a lot busier. Just make sure you’re flexible and outgoing.
