Marshalls Sales Associate Job Description & Interview
Job Description and Duties
What Does a Marshalls Sales Associate Do?
Marshalls sales associate jobs involve various customer service and merchandising duties. Workers arrange items on store racks and shelves, ensure accurate pricing, help shoppers locate merchandise, clean the store, and handle customer inquiries regarding Marshalls goods and services. Other job duties include monitoring fitting room areas and assisting cashiers during busy shopping hours.
Minimum Hiring Requirements
Marshalls imposes minimum age requirements of 16 years for all positions. Previous customer service or retail experience, while not required, often helps prospective sales associates secure employment. Applicants should have engaging personalities and neatly groomed appearance. The abilities to stand for extended periods of time, lift up to 50 pounds, and commit to flexible work schedules also prove necessary for sales associate positions.
Salary and Compensation
How Much Do They Get Paid?
Hourly pay rates for Marshalls sales associates rest at minimum wage upon hire and typically increase to $8.00 or $9.00 an hour with experience. Marshalls also offers limited job benefits to hourly associates, including optional 401(k) profit-sharing plans for part-time workers and voluntary healthcare coverage for full-time employees. All sales associates receive employee discounts on merchandise, as well.
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Marshalls Sales Associate Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties?
Marshalls Sales Associate: I was just like an associate with basically my official title. An associate basically does different departments. When I first got there, I was only trained in the back stockroom. My duties were essentially every day that we would get a truck stock, I would take the items off of the pallets. Then we would sort everything that came in the large boxes based off of the departments that they put in. We had a bin for every department, and then I would just be in charge of that.
Then once we would finish that every day, whatever clothes that we got in in our truck that day, I would be in charge of processing them, so putting them on the hangers, sizing them accordingly, and then putting them based off of what they were in the correct rack so that they would go out based off of if they were men’s clothes, or kids clothes, or women’s. I’ve been there for about a year and six months now, so since then I’ve also been trained in the front line, like a register cashier person. Then I’ve also been trained in the Women’s Department, Men’s Department and Sportswear.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Marshalls Sales Associate: It’s very laid back actually. I’ve actually worked at two different stores because I worked at my store at home. Then when I came here, they were actually very good about transferring me so that I could continue to work for the company. My store at home it was a lot more regimented than it is now. Now it’s a lot more laid back because of the people that I work with are all college kids mostly. But at my store at home it was still pretty laid back though. I mean they were really good with flexible hours and stuff like that they were pretty good about. I mean everything was pretty nice, never really had any complaints, always loved going into work.
Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
Marshalls Sales Associate: Definitely the customer experience that you get. I mean every day you’re interacting with customers, and you get real world experience about how to deal with a lot of different people yelling at you all the time, because you get that in retail, and arguing with you over prices. So I had a lot of that all the time, and I think it really helped me with real world experience of dealing with difficult people.
Interviewer: Please describe the application and interview process.
Marshalls Sales Associate: You can either apply in-line or with a paper application. I applied in person with paper application. You just fill it out. It’s a two-page application. Then you turn that into the hiring manager. When I applied they were really looking right away, so I scheduled my interview for literally the following Monday if I applied on a Friday. Then I went in that day for my interview. Then after my interview I got a call maybe two hours later that they wanted me to work for them, so it was very quick.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Marshalls Sales Associate: Some of the questions I remember they asked me like how you would handle dealing with difficult customers because that’s obviously something that you have to deal with in retail. They asked me what kind of qualities I thought would best help me to thrive in that environment with retail. Then they asked … I mean they asked very basic questions. They didn’t really give like situational, anything like that. It was honestly more focused on, “When are your hours? What can you do? How comfortable are you working with people? How comfortable are you working with money?” Stuff like that.
Interviewer: How were you notified that you received the job?
Marshalls Sales Associate: Well, my job that I had before that was at Panera Bread, so I already had a lot of customer experience because I worked on a register there too. So I dealt with money pretty much every day. I thought that that was very helpful because I worked there for six or eight months, so I had a lot of cashier experience already. And just the fact that it was over summer when I applied, so I had pretty much open availability that I was able to give them and they really liked that.
Interviewer: Oh yeah. When they notified you that you got the job, how did they contact you, and how long did it take for them to reach you after the interview?
Marshalls Sales Associate: It was a phone call that they had, and they essentially just told me that they contacted my references first. I think that since both my references answered right away, then it was a very efficient process that they called me within two hours after my interview.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Marshalls Sales Associate: Well, my job that I had before that was at Panera Bread, so I already had a lot of customer experience because I worked on a register there too, so I dealt with money pretty much every day. I thought that that was very helpful because I worked there for six or eight months, so I had a lot of cashier experience already. And just the fact that it was over summer when I applied, so I had pretty much open availability that I was able to give them, and they really liked that.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Marshalls Sales Associate: I think my advice would just be to be open because I think they look for it right away. Like I mentioned, when I first started there I was only working the back room. I’d honestly give the advice of just being open and being a real person. Because when you go in for an interview, sometimes you get caught up in the fact that like, “Oh. I need to be all prim, and proper, and everything.” But I think the company really looks for people to be able to give that personal touch, and that personal experience. I think that a lot of times that definitely helps them get more involved in the company right away. Because I know a lot of people that in their interview, based off of their interview, they were given coordinator positions right away.
Marshalls Sales Associate Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties?
Marshalls Sales Associate: I was a cashier and I was a sales floor associate and I was a stocker for receiving goods. So I was a part of the receiving team as well.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Marshalls Sales Associate: It was a friendly environment. It was nice, bright, it was clean. Employees are normally, they were friendly and customers were normally friendly. It was overall a good environment.
Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
Marshalls Sales Associate: Well the fact that I had to, I got experience, you know? It’s a good entry level position. Got experience working the cash register, dealing with people. And it was stocking shelves and occasionally cleaning the floors and everything.
Interviewer: Please describe the application and interview process.
Marshalls Sales Associate: Yes, I went online and I filled out the basics, name, address, phone number and then I eventually got called for an interview. It wasn’t a really hard application process at all. It took about, I’m going to say 20 minutes. There was no assessment or anything.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Marshalls Sales Associate: They asked me occasional, challenging questions like how would I deal with an employee who is difficult to deal with. If she says, basically do I believe in, is the customer always right? Occasional brain teasing questions. And then they also asked me when am I available to work and also about if I had any other previous experiences and how I overcame challenges in my life.
Interviewer: How were you notified that you received the job?
Marshalls Sales Associate: It took them a few weeks. At first I had to call back and check up on the interview status and then they said they’ll get back to me within a week. Then a week or two later they called me in and they offered me the job and I accepted.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Marshalls Sales Associate: Well, I think the way I conducted myself in the interview, that helped. The way I dress too and the way I answered the questions. I didn’t stutter or anything. I knew right then and there what I wanted to say. I think they liked that.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Marshalls Sales Associate: I would say just be ready to work in a fast paced environment and deal with occasional long lines of customers, especially on holidays. And be able to work quickly and independently and work in a team environment.
Marshalls Sales Associate Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Marshalls Sales Associate: I worked in the retail department. My job was to just put way clothes, work in the dressing room, make sure everything was straight and there was not tags on the floor, stuff that people can trip on, just help people find thing that they’re looking for.
Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
Marshalls Sales Associate: Probably that I’d get to see the clothes before everyone else, and you get a discount.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Marshalls Sales Associate: I learned about it online. I filled out an application, went in, took it in. I actually called them back a few times, and I think that’s what made me stand out. They gave me an interview. The interview was just a typical interview, “Why should you get this job? What can you bring to the table? What are your good qualities?” Stuff like that.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Marshalls Sales Associate: I think just the fact that I let them know that I was interested by calling them and checking up on my application and showing up on time for my interview and being prepared for it.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Marshalls Sales Associate: I would tell them that they definitely should be pretty serious about their job. They take everything pretty serious. Be on time. One minute late is not acceptable. Make sure you’re dressed properly, and just come prepared, too. Retail doesn’t seem like it, but it’s a pretty hard job. It’s the long hours and standing on your feet and dealing with people all day.
Nancy Poindujour says:
When I worked there, I greeted customers, provided prompt and courteous customer service, stocked the floor with needed merchandise, opened and closed cash registers, counted money, separated charge slips, coupons, and vouchers, answered questions regarding the store and the merchandise, and maintained a clean and safe work area.