Nordstrom Sales Associate Job Description & Interview
Job Description and Duties
What Does a Nordstrom Sales Associate Do?
Working in high-end and trendy store environments, Nordstrom sales associates must remain up-to-date on popular fashions and how to make the best wardrobe decisions. By using their expertise and sense of style, Nordstrom sales associates provide excellent customer service skills to hundreds of shoppers every day. To keep the sales floor neat and orderly, sales associates often rearrange and organize shelves and racks, lay out new products, and build merchandise displays.
What Does Nordstrom Look for in a Sales Associate?
Prospective sales associates must possess great communication and negotiating skills to gain hiring consideration with Nordstrom. The abilities to follow directions and make sound decisions also represent major requirements for employment consideration. Schedule flexibility, physical abilities, and willingness to work extended hours as needed also aids applicants in beginning retail careers as sales associates.
Salary and Compensation
How Much Do They Get Paid?
Nordstrom sales associate positions feature an average pay rate of $11.25 an hour. Employees may increase salary options with experience and commissions on sales. Even as entry-level positions, sales associate jobs with Nordstrom come with several attractive perks and job benefits. For example, each employee receives significant discounts on store merchandise.
Additional Job Benefits
Employees may also access vacation time, though part-time workers may not get paid for the time off. Additional benefits include comprehensive health insurance, prescription drug coverage, dental and vision plans, savings plans, and 401(k) retirement options for longer-tenured associates. Benefits eligibility information may become available during the interview and hiring process.
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Nordstrom Sales Associate Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Nordstrom Sales Associate: I was a sales associate. What you do is… it’s a little different at Nordstrom’s, because you actually work on commission, so what you do is you help customers and when you work at Nordstrom, it’s a little different because you’re not just working a register or folding or hanging clothes; you’re interacting with people. It’s more like you meet someone, and they have… “Oh, I’m going to this party,” and you fully outfit them. It’s a standard retail kind of thing, just more interaction with the customer.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Nordstrom Sales Associate: There’s a wide range of people. Nordstrom’s like a higher up department store, so you have people who can just spend $1,000 and not even blink, and then you have people who can’t or just normal people who shop there, too. It really depends on the day. It can get tense, because you work on commission and you have slow days, and if you have a lot of people on the floor, it can get kind of rough, because you want to make your sales goals. Otherwise, it’s a great work environment. You get to know people on a different scale, because you’re not just standing there and folding things; you’re talking to them and getting to know them. So, it’s a good work environment.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Nordstrom Sales Associate: The application’s online, so you go to Nordstrom dot com online, and then I just waited, and they called me in for an interview. You go in for an in-store interview. At the end of the interview, they give you a couple items and ask you to complete them to see if… they give you a situation and you have to dress for that situation and make an outfit for it, and if you can sell and relate… get to know people and be able to sell an item. After that, they called me in and told me I got the job.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Nordstrom Sales Associate: I was a student at the time so I was up front that, “Oh, I’m still in school and I have stuff I have to do with that.” They more wanted to get to know who you are and see if you’re a good fit for working on it, because Nordstrom’s really heavy on customer service. So, if you’re one of those people to blow people off, they don’t want you there. Basically, being a friendly person.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Nordstrom Sales Associate: Be yourself. You’re on your feet for eight hours a day, like a full-time job, so just be prepared for anything. When you’re applying, just make sure it’s something you really want to do, because once you’re working long hours or closing, you have to really love it. And if you go into work and you’re not in a good mood, you can’t really sell things, so you have to really be on top of that. Just have fun with it.
Nordstrom Home Goods Sales Associate Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Nordstrom Home Goods Associate: So, basically I worked in the home goods area of Nordstrom. So, they sold furniture, bedding, sometimes silverware and cookware, you could say. Honestly, it wasn’t a very busy part of Nordstrom. I’m sure the women’s section and the men’s section is more, obviously. But overall, it was a good thing. I mean, people would come by and ask me questions about like, “Where can I find certain products? Where can I find… specifically, I’m looking for this kind of silverware.” “Oh, we have that in that section.” And I’d take them there. I didn’t really know much about the merchandise, but I just answered general questions, and I was mostly behind the counter. I didn’t really leave unless people asked me something.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Nordstrom Home Goods Associate: So, the application process was very simple. It was a paper application, and I guess that was the initial screening. And then a week later, they called for interviews, and the interview was with the manager in that department, specifically. He asked questions about our previous work experience, whether or not… what are some qualities we can contribute, what are our hours, what are other time commitments, the pay, and if we’re okay with it. And if we’re not okay with it, then you can’t really apply for the job. It all happened within three weeks, so I heard back pretty soon.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Nordstrom Home Goods Associate: Obviously, they always ask those typical questions, like criminal history, health history, stuff like that, just in case, because they want to know who they’re hiring, I guess. I guess how my qualities can contribute to the specific position that I had, like if I was social, what are some things I have done previously in the work environment, which I really didn’t have work experience before, because I was 17, 18. You can’t really work before you’re 16, right?
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Nordstrom Home Goods Associate: I’d say they should be very… this might be kind of off-topic, but it’s good if they know somebody already working there, because then that’s how you hear about certain openings. Honestly, one of my friends worked in the women’s section, and she told me about a position opening in Nordstrom, and I was like, “Well, I could use some money on the side.” So, I applied. Always knowing people is good. And word of mouth, definitely. It’s good to know how to socialize with people and make people feel comfortable around you, whether it’s your coworkers or the customers. Because if you can’t understand what they want, then you’re not really fit for the job. You need to be able to read people and not pry, but ask questions in a way that they would feel comfortable. And, just working well with others is important, because the job can be really rewarding if you make it rewarding, even though it’s maybe not in a fun department. If you’re really close with your coworkers, it could just be that much better every day to show up.
