I applied in-person. The process took 3 days. I interviewed at Trader Joe's (Los Angeles, CA) in Oct 2012
Interview
Turned in application and got a brief interview from a mate. He approved of me and set up a meeting the next day. I met with another mate that morning and we talked sitting on a bench outside of target, which was fairly awkward, as homeless guys also like to sit there and shout. I thought they could have put more effort into finding a more suitable location for the interview. But despite that it went well and he requested I meet with the captain later on that same day, which I was willing to do. A few hours later, I spoke with the store captain at a table outside a sandwich place, which was slightly better than the Target bench, but still awkward. Things went well, and it seemed more of a final vetting than an exploratory interview, like he kept saying things like, "You're going to be doing such and such. Are you ok with that?" implying that I already had the job. I got called just two days later and offered the job. It was a very fast, largely pleasant experience, excepting the poor locations.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
The captain quizzed me a bit on the history of Trader Joe's. Luckily, I had read the info on their website and answered them all correctly, which I think seriously impressed him, so definitely do your homework before going in.
The process took 3 days. I interviewed at Trader Joe's (Sterling, VA) in Aug 2024
Interview
I was not hired! It was a new store so it was a very competitive position. I was emailed the day after my application, but denied shortly after the call. I am under the assumption that this location prefers experienced people.
I applied in-person. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Trader Joe's (Cleveland, OH) in July 2018
Interview
Submitted an application in person. The manager who accepted the application asked me about favorite Trader Joe's products. Later received a call asking if would like to interview. Was interviewed by two managers, fairly low key but professional.
I applied in-person. I interviewed at Trader Joe's (New York, NY) in Dec 2017
Interview
Rigorous process. 2 separate interviews first with a manager and the final with the store captain. Overall the process took about 2 weeks. But also took a little bit to hear back from when I dropped off my resume.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
How did you handle a past disagreement with a co worker?