I applied through an employee referral. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at REI
Interview
If you are being referred by a friend, DO NOT apply until they send you an email invitation to apply or you wont' be considered a referral. Being a referral is good for you and them, so follow the invitation to apply email, and don't get in REI's database first. You'll be contacted by phone and invited to a group interview. The group interviews have lots of applicants (maybe 30) and lots of interviewers (maybe 10). They're fun and silly, and REI is looking to see your personality and communication style. Dress in clean, well maintained casual or outdoorsy clothing.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
"If you were a piece of outdoor gear, what would you be and why?"
OR "Sell me this pencil."
Asked written responses in the application. Application was followed up with by automated recording interview questions. Questions were very similar to application questions. Didn’t receive any interview with a hiring manager.
not bad. 2 rounds of interviews. simple questions and online. questions about retail experience and how to work with others. it was only with one person who was their HR lead. Only have 2 HR people working at store.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
how did you deal with a difficult situation? STAR.
I applied online. The process took 1+ week. I interviewed at REI (San Luis Obispo, CA) in July 2025
Interview
The first stage was completely online. I took the online interview which asked questions and you had 3 minutes to record your answer and submit it; three attempts could be taken. Withdrew application after a few days, so I don't know how the rest of the process is.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Why do you want to work at REI and how would you contribute to our team?