Store Manager interview questions and answers
This Store Manager interview profile brings together a snapshot of what to look for in candidates with a balanced sample of suitable retail interview questions.
Are you a candidate?
Crush your interview with our guide
Make sure that you are interviewing the best store manager candidates. Sign up for Workable's 15-day free trial to hire better, faster.
Store Manager Interview Questions
From a high level, promising Store Managers should have done their research on your company. They should know how many stores you have, where you’re headquartered and who your customers are. They should be aware of your competitors and able to talk about what your company can do to get ahead. They should also be able to list the range of factors that impact sales in your store. Consider asking specific interview questions for managers.
At the day-to-day level they should be strategic, persuasive, communicative and have good stamina to work long hours on their feet. They should know how to build and train teams. For example, they should be comfortable with walking you through how they’d train someone to set up a cash register, manage inventory, or close the store. They should also be able to discuss strategies for motivating their colleagues to reach sales goals and deliver outstanding customer service.
The Store Manager you hire will either have previous store management experience or will be someone you promote in your own store. If you’re considering candidates for an internal promotion, you’ll be turning a peer into a boss. Address that when you interview them. Your Store Manager should be able to maintain professional relationships with retail associates. This person should be a leader that their team trusts to make the right call at all times—even in difficult situations, such as reprimanding and firing employees.
Operational and Situational questions
- Who are our main competitors?
- What tasks, when executed incorrectly, directly impact sales?
- A product is selling well at our competitors’ stores but not at our store. Why do you think this is?
- Describe the inventory process at your previous store. What are the necessary steps?
- How would you address shrink in your store?
- What’s the most important decision you make every day as a store manager?
- How would you teach a colleague how to close the register?
- What is your opinion on being friends with your coworkers?
- Describe a time you resolved a conflict between your colleagues.
- How do you think your colleagues would describe you as a manager?
- How many people have you fired at your last job? Why did you fire them?
- What would you do if you had an employee who was frequently late?
- What would you do if you had an employee who refused to follow a new policy?
- What strategies do you prefer for motivating employees?