I applied online. The process took 3 days. I interviewed at Sephora (Waldorf, MD) in Oct 2013
Interview
I applied online, but did not hear back for about two months. I followed up by calling JCP, and was invited in for an interview in two days. No interview questions were asked over the phone. I discovered when I arrived that it was a group interview (wasn't told that on the phone). There were 10 of us total being interviewed by a JCP HR Manager while a Sephora makeup artist (not sure her exact title) quietly took notes off to the side.
We were taken through two stages for the interview. During the first, we were given two scenarios to choose from and had 5 mins to prep a 1 minute presentation to the group on which scenario would drive the most business in a given assigned area of the store. Two people were eliminated during this round (they were turned down in front of the group, but the HR Manager was EXTREMELY tactful and respectful about it).
For the second stage, we were taken down in small groups of 2 or 3 to the Sephora sales floor. We were given 10-15 mins to browse the store's layout and products, and then the HR Manager and Sephora makeup artist role-played customers that we had to help. My role-play involved the HR Manager acting as a mother looking for new products for her 13-year-old daughter. I had to listen to her needs and offer suggestions. This role-play took about 5 minutes. I was offered the job on the spot (contingent upon the results of my bg check, which should take 3-5 days)! No personal questions about my work history, interest in Sephora/JCP, etc. were asked at any point during the interview process.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Choose between two scenarios, and present a case for why your chosen scenario would bring the most business to a given area (they assign your area during the interview) of the store.
I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Sephora (Hemet, CA) in July 2018
Interview
I applied online, followed up and called the store; they called me back and set up a group interview,
I went to my group interview. There was about 5 other girls. We sat around a table and there was blocks. We had to build something within the picture they gave us. It was pretty much an ice breaker to meet the girls there and work as a team.
No interview questions were asked. They told us by the end of the day they will call the selected candidate. Thought it was weird that they didn't ask us anything.
Hmmm
I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Sephora (Orlando, FL) in July 2017
Interview
Interview was fine, interviewer was the rudest woman I've ever met. The interview started with a "talent tryout" where I was given time to look around the store, then the interviewer pretended to be a customer who needed help finding things. I believe she purposely made this extra difficult because she never said what she wanted she just expected me to show her things, and realistically customers will at least have an idea of what they want. The actual interview was pretty standard questions like "what would you do in this situation," "tell me about a time when....," and things along those lines. Even though my resume was right in front of her she made me give a verbal resume which was a little odd. At the end of the interview she told me she still had other applicants to interview, and she would let me know a final decision within 2 weeks. This was over a month ago and I never heard back. I immediately knew I didn't get the job but it's incredibly unprofessional to no actually inform me of it.
I applied in-person. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Sephora
Interview
A large group interview, followed by a ten minute individual interview. A very long interview process, but you are given the chance to get comfortable and be yourself through team-building exercises.