Applying for an Interview
Ralphs grocery stores use the hiring process to screen for a number of entry-level jobs and professional careers, including store manager, clerk, cashier, pastry chef, recruitment manager, and maintenance technician. All applicants must submit the required hiring materials in order to receive interview consideration. Prospective employees generally wait between a few days and a few weeks to hear back from a hiring representative to schedule a job interview.
Questions to Expect
A basic, meet-and-greet session, the interview is usually a casual conversation with a hiring manager. Most interviews feature relatively few questions and typically start out with managers giving descriptions of the company culture and job responsibilities. Some inquires that may come up in the interview include:
- "Why are you interested in working at Ralphs?"
- "What are you plans for the future?"
- "What made you leave your last job?"
- "How long do you plan to be part of the team?"
How to Stand Out
Applicants should take some time to prepare for the interview process. Job hopefuls want to study Ralphs company history, services, products, and areas served. When possible in the interview, applicants want to demonstrate command of the responsibilities and job duties of positions. Applicants should also exhibit a professional and customer-oriented attitude at all times. When giving responses, candidates need to speak in clear and concise manners. Answers should remain positive, especially when talking about previous employers.
Following Up
Applicants need to thank hiring representatives when interviews conclude. If not offered a job at the end of the interview, an applicant should contact hiring managers a few days later and inquire about job status. Showing continued interest in the opportunity often increases chances for a job offer from the supermarket company.
Ralphs Stocker Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Ralphs Stocker: I was kind of a stocker – I’m not sure if it’s called stocker – but I stocked shelves, hung things up, made sure the general floor was clear for customers and stuff.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Ralphs Stocker: It was good. I mean, I did interact with customers but not as frequently as other associates. Yeah, I mean, it’s not demanding either.
Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Ralphs Stocker: Right. I would go in to of course check in and clock in. Then, usually there’s a cart of some sort or some employee who needed a pile of clothes or shoes or something that needed to be restocked, so I would do that. Maybe I would look in the back and see if there was anything to be put on the shelves or hung up.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Ralphs Stocker: I applied online actually, and they called me in. We had an interview, as well, at the location. There was a back office. They asked me basic questions: have I worked for Ralphs before, have I worked for any other retail companies, what kind of experience do I have, if I ever worked as a group, leadership experience, things like that.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Ralphs Stocker: I think that also, again, it might just been the fact that I was a little outgoing, willing to just put out answers. I did have leadership experience and stuff.
Ralphs Courtesy Clerk Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Ralphs Employee: My job title was a courtesy clerk, and I was kind of a bagger. I would go outside and maybe do some carts, go sometimes restock or front the items. Basically, you go in front of beverages sometimes, and a lot of people take whenever they’re purchasing it, the drinks and stuff are back or the bread might be back, so you just pull it forward, make it all nice and neat. Sometimes, you’d go around and if you see customers who might be looking for things they can’t seem to find, you go ask them if they need any help. Managers would sometimes come around asking you to do little tasks, maybe go clean something. You do restroom checks, you’d go make sure the carts are full, clean, make sure there’s none in the parking lot that are straying, and just basic duties.
Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Ralphs Employee: You start off just bagging and do that for a couple of hours, and then everybody would take their turns as courtesy clerks. For an hour, you’d go outside and do carts. You come back in and just sign off, and then each hour, you take turns, as well, to go check the restrooms. You make sure there’s toilet paper, there’s nothing on the floor, you clean it, then you check off the restroom. Go back and bag and just basically alternate depending on where you are in the hour on the list.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Ralphs Employee: I did an online application. It takes about 45 minutes. They ask you questions about you, your background, security check. They ask you about your personality and how you would respond to certain situations, and then if they like that, they call you and you come in for an interview, set up a time. Then, the manager or the store director would interview you, and then after that, they do an actual background check, make sure you’re not… clear a drug test. Then after that, if they like everything, then you get the job. It’s pretty fast. You go to a different store location to get trained, so then you go back when you’re ready to take on the actual tasks.
Interviewer: What set you apart from other candidates?
Ralphs Employee: I think it’s more of my personality, the way I respond to people. I make sure that I’m fair and stuff, and I’m always going to listen to what they have to say. I kind of showed that in the interview with them, and he really liked that.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Ralphs Employee: I’d make sure to tell them to be personable and ready to take on anything. Make sure that you create a safe environment, and they know that you’re ready for that.
Ralphs Cashier Interview Video
Video Transcript
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Ralphs Cashier: I was a cashier and bagger. I rung people up and I bagged their groceries.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Ralphs Cashier: Sometimes, on the holidays, chaotic. Regular Ralphs, a little stress free, nice.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Ralphs Cashier: I went online, did an application, and got an interview; got interviewed twice.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Ralphs Cashier: It was pretty much all customer service questions.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Ralphs Cashier: I would tell them to make an impression that you are going to work hard and stuff.
Laneer says:
I went in for an interview this past Monday and was only asked 2 questions. what is my availability like, and how well do I interact with others? He checked my score on the application and said I passed. I was hired right then. I took a saliva drug test and the manager told me to call back in a week after the test results were back