Toys R Us Interview Questions & Tips

How to Get a Job at Toys R Us

As physical storefronts reopen, Toys R Us encourages interested individuals to apply online for positions at the new locations. The company uses scheduled hiring events to recruit new staff members, giving preference to past employees. Before stores closed in 2017, people described their interview experience as organized, friendly, and fun.

The Interview Process at Toys R Us

While former employees have first choice, the franchise plans to hire more workers with the launch of additional locations. Management positions involve a few rounds of interviews. Those applying for a part-time or entry-level job attend group interviews with other potential workers.

Hiring Events and Group Sessions

During Toys R Us job interviews, hopefuls participate in group exercises and meet as individuals with a hiring manager. Team building tasks show how an applicant works with others, their interpersonal skills and ability to conduct a sale. The most common assignment is selecting a toy or creating one out of building blocks and pretending to sell it to a fellow candidate.

Interviewing One-On-One

After the group session, managers interview potential employees one-to-one. This follows a more traditional structure with questions about one’s interests, hobbies, and outside commitments. They also ask about the applicant’s availability, experience, and why they think the company should hire them.

How to Dress for a Toys R Us Job Interview

What to Wear

When going to a Toys R Us job interview, applicants should wear business appropriate clothing. Although the company hosts a fun atmosphere, managers expect professionalism out of each employee. A nice pair of slacks, button down or collared shirt, dress shoes and formal skirt are a few acceptable clothing ideas for men and women.

Preparing for a Toys R Us Interview

A Job for the Kid at Heart

Today’s stores are smaller and include interactive displays with lots of opportunity for kids to play. The ideal candidate for working at the new Toys R Us has an updated knowledge on current trends in toys and children’s entertainment. Before an interview, prospects should research relative information about popular kid’s merchandising.

Common Interview Questions

When preparing for an interview with Toys R Us, a few tips can help improve your experience and better your chances at a job offer. The franchise looks to hire energetic people are who enthusiastic about work. Prospective workers should practice a list of common questions to reduce their stress. Some of the most popular questions asked in a Toys R Us job interview are:

• How would you handle an upset customer?
• How skilled are you at dealing with people and loud children?
• Do you work well under pressure?
• How would you convince a customer to buy a specific toy?
• Why did you apply to this job?
• What is your favorite toy and why?

Getting Hired at Toys R Us

Candidates may receive a job offer immediately after a successful interview or through a phone call later in the week. Managers often ask new employees to start a week after meeting with them. This depends on how soon the store needs the position filled as well as the completion of a background check.

Interview Tips from a Toys R Us Hiring Manager

Video Transcript

Interviewer: What qualities do you look for in an applicant?
Toys R Us Hiring Manager: I’m going to first look for personality. Then, I’m going to look for the availability of their schedule. For that type of business, you need to make sure they have an open availability because it changes with the season, and it changes with the day-to-day. That’s what I’m going to look for first. Not being the actual manager who had the final say, I only got to put a little bit of input.

Interviewer: What kind of answers do you look for in an interview?
Toys R Us Hiring Manager: Just that they’re willing to be there every day and on time. If it’s a young person coming out of high school, I’ll ask them about their attendance record. How many times were they late coming to school? How many days of school did you miss? I mean, I can’t pre-judge – because when you’re an adult, it’s a little bit different – but still I want to know a little bit about what you did in high school. That way, I can judge what type of person and get a feel for you at that point.

Interviewer: How can an interviewee tell if the interview went well?
Toys R Us Hiring Manager: You can generally. It’s more of just a feel. They’ll ask if they answer the questions fully. The clue-in is if they say, “I have to talk to my manager, and I will be calling you back for a second interview.” And usually, when they say they’re going to call back for a second interview, generally, you have that job on the second interview because they’ve already made their decision from the first interview.

Interviewer: What should an applicant do to prepare for an interview?
Toys R Us Hiring Manager: Be familiar with the company. Know their product, know what they’re selling, know just how to walk into the store on a regular day and see what it’s like. Make sure you’ve been there before, so you can almost anticipate some of the questions they’re going to ask you.

Interviewer: What should an applicant do after leaving the interview?
Toys R Us Hiring Manager: What should they do? Make sure you thank them for their time, and if it’s been maybe a couple of days and you haven’t heard back from them, call and follow up on the interview. Tell them that: “Hey, I wanted to thank you for your time and for interviewing me. I was wondering if you guys had made a decision on the position yet.” Follow through. You put in the application, just follow through with it. Then, they know you really want to work there. Maybe that could be the deciding factor of whether or not they want to hire you.

Toys R Us Manager Interview Video

Video Transcript

Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Toys R Us Manager: My primary duties with Toys R Us… I started out as a sales associate during the seasonal period, which is generally where they start getting their permanent employees. I worked my way up to a customer service representative for them.

Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Toys R Us Manager: It was fun because it was during the holidays. Yes, it was busy, but we had a lot of fun. It was open for 24 hours at that point in time, and third shift, believe it or not, does get busy. It’s actually fun.

Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
Toys R Us Manager: The third shift duties. I was one of the few that actually like doing third shift. That’s where I started, and that’s one of the few things I enjoyed there.

Interviewer: Please describe a typical day as an employee.
Toys R Us Manager: A typical day for a normal day shift employee was – obviously, you would come in, clock in. They would assign you a particular area of the store, and that was the area that you helped customers. You kept it clean, put stuff back on shelves. If they got busy, they would call you up to do the registers at that point. That was pretty much the typical.

Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Toys R Us Manager: The application and interview process with them is a little more detailed because they will do a psychological test, they will do a math test, then they will do a credit background check for whatever godly reason that is, and they will put you through that. You’ll do the first interview with the math test and one manager. Then, they’ll call you back for the second interview, where they’ll do the psychological test and then they’ll offer you the job at that point. Then, they’ll do the credit score after you are hired for the job, conditionally based on that.

Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Toys R Us Manager: At first, obviously, they wanted to know your name, where you live, what kind of background you have, if you have any experience with it. The big thing in Ohio is if you’ve ever been convicted of any felony or any theft charge – they want to know that upfront. They don’t necessarily not hire you based on that, but depending on how long ago it was, they could bar you from that. They want to know if you’re willing to work weekends, holidays, night shifts, if they can call you in, would they be in seasonal because that’s where they pull everyone that they hire. They want to make sure you’re willing to stay throughout the season because come January eleventh, when they start dong inventory, is the decision if you get to stay. And, if you’re going to do what they ask you, you’re going to become a permanent employee at that point in time.

Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Toys R Us Manager: The big thing is the customer service representatives will look over your application first before they pass it on. Do not come in there dressed in shorts, t-shirts, tank tops. Do not ask them to borrow a pen. Take your own with you because that will be a first sign. I’ve had managers ask, “Well, did they bring their own pen?”, and right in the trash. “How did they look?”, their personality, “Did they look high?” The managers will get a feel from you, what your thoughts are before they even look at that application.

More Toys R Us Interview Videos:

Related Links:
Toy R Us Application
Toy R Us Seasonal Associate
Toy R Us Sales Associate
Toy R Us Cashier
Toy R Us Assembler
Toy R Us En Espanol