35 Store In-Charge Interview Questions And Answers

Updated 3 July 2023

The retail sector offers many career options, including the store in-charge role. A store-in-charge oversees daily accounting, manages cash registers, manages registers and offers general administration for retail outlets. If you have an interest in a career in the retail sector, it is helpful to understand the type of questions a recruiter asks in an interview for the store in-charge position. In this article, we look at 35 store in-charge interview questions and answers, including general questions, questions about background and experience and in-depth questions and share five example answers to help you prepare yours:

10 General Store In-Charge Interview Questions

Asking general store in-charge interview questions helps prospective employers learn more about your attitude and professional values and whether they match the company requirements. Your answer may offer suggestions on how you approach work independently or as part of a team. Following are such 10 questions:

What about this role appeals to you?
Describe your key qualities.
How effective are you under time constraints?
What has been your longest workday?
Have you ever had a bad job experience?
What do your colleagues say about you?
What extracurricular activities do you enjoy doing?
Do you take constructive criticism well?
What growth do you expect in your professional development?
If employed, how can you contribute to this company?

10 Questions About Background And Experience

The employer may ask about your background and experience in shopkeeping after general enquiries. They might ask about your qualifications, the companies where you have worked and your accomplishments in those roles. Here are a few such questions:

What led you to leave your current position?
Have you ever held a retail position?
What do you like best about running a store?
Describe your most recent position.
Have you ever been in charge of a store or performed general storekeeping?
What qualifications do you have for this position?
Have you ever had previous experience running a store?
What characteristics distinguish a great store manager?
Are your credentials sufficient for this position?
How comfortable are you managing several customers in a store?

10 In-Depth Questions

Asking detailed questions can help the employer better understand how you might approach the key job tasks. They may ask questions about how you may respond to certain situations and problems that might arise at your work. Here are 10 such in-depth questions you may expect:

How do you describe your everyday routine?
Which strategies do you utilise to keep yourself motivated?
How do you quantify the store-in-charge success?
By what methods do you manage disputes?
How do you assist struggling employees?
How do if a staff unexpectedly gets sick during peak hours?
Please elaborate on your methods for making business decisions.
In this role, how do you monitor diminishing sales?
If you encounter a sales challenge, what do you do?
Are you familiar with welcoming customers into a store?

5 Store In-Charge Interview Questions And Answers

Here are five store in-charge interview questions and answers to assist you in preparing your responses:

1. Talk about a time you assisted a customer in choosing the right product.

This question assesses your customer service abilities as a store in-charge. The interviewer may ask about your interactions with clients to assess how well you understand the products at your store. Explain to your employer each step to highlight your product knowledge and communication skill.

Example answer: "I once had a question from a client about the drain cleaner for their house. I asked them about their plumbing requirements, including the type of tubes they have and their cleaning frequency. They seemed a little unsure, so I clarified their requirements by asking them about any previous pipe cleaning methods they may have used. I then talked about four pipe cleaning products, described how they may function and helped limit their selections.

Once they had decided on a purchase, I assisted them with checking out and offered useful tips, such as how long they ought to wait before cleaning the pipe with hot water."

2. How do you manage inventory requirements, including when to place orders for additional items?

Hiring managers use such questions to test your capacity to manage the stock properly. Based on the locations you have previously worked at, your responses may change. It is beneficial to provide a specific instance of stock order, along with the actions you undertook to fulfil a store's requirements and any stocking issues.

Example answer: "I often look at the most recent order and determine the duration an item takes to exhaust while evaluating shop inventories. For instance, I calculate the daily requirement by dividing the quantity of the original item by the number of days the shop was open. Then I consider additional elements, such as the season, to determine if we require more or fewer products, so we have sufficient supplies for the coming season.

For example, at my last job, I always order more swimsuits in the late spring and I stock up on more crackers in the last weeks of the year to ensure product availability."

3. What techniques do you apply to resolve staff schedule conflicts?

Effective scheduling help ensures that you have adequate staff for the job and that everyone on your team receives the holiday time. When creating a timetable for a large team or when many employees ask for time off at once, conflicts can arise. The hiring manager may feel more confident in your ability to organise your time and make tough decisions if you describe how you resolve such issues.

Example answer: "To make a schedule that accommodates the preferences of as many individuals as possible, I first compare an employee's daily work requirements to those of other employees. When there is an issue, I look at the schedule more closely to see if I can rearrange employee shifts. I also ask my staff if anyone is ready to work an additional shift to assist if the schedule does not provide a rational solution.

Whenever required, I ask some staff if I can change their shift and provide a justification. Most staff like it when I am transparent with them about their schedule planning."

4. Have you ever had to let an employee go?

Terminating employees can be difficult in many leadership roles. It is critical to demonstrate your professionalism in managing delicate circumstances. Describe the circumstance, the events leading up to it and how you conducted the meeting if you have fired an employee. You may talk about the important aspect to consider while firing an employee if you have not done so already.

Example answer: "In my previous job, one employee was having trouble managing the workload and difficulty in meeting the expected performance levels, so we had to let them go. At the start of the day, I made a one-on-one session with this person and guided them through the problem, outlining all the specifics of their case. We discussed corrective actions and a thorough justification for the company's decision to terminate them. I patiently responded to their enquiries, thanked them for their work with us, pointed out accomplishments and informed them they may consider us as references for their future jobs."

5. Tell me about an instance when you made an error.

Explaining your past mistakes often benefits you if you work on them accordingly. The goal is to be upfront and explain your mistake without blaming others. Then, describe what you learnt from it and what steps you took to ensure it does not happen again. Employers are ultimately seeking people who are self-aware, able to accept criticism and motivated to improve.

Example answer: "Earlier in my profession, I once failed to meet a deadline, which cost the organisation a significant account. There were many variables that went into this, but in the end, I was the person responsible for the loss. I returned after that incident and identified where I can improve to ensure not repeating the mistake. I realised it was important for me to work on my organisational skills. After sitting down with my manager and seeking advice on improving my organisational abilities, I secured a larger account for the division a few months later."