History of Nordstrom

Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States that was started by John W. Nordstrom. Mr. Nordstrom initially started out as a shoe store retailer but today the company has advanced into selling clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, and fragrances and in some locations home furnishings.

The main headquarters is located in downtown Seattle, Washington.   John W. Nordstrom was originally from a little village in Northern Sweden and immigrated to the United States when he was only 16 years old in 1887. John Nordstrom first worked in Michigan but was able to save enough money to buy a potato farm in Arlington, Washington which is close to Seattle. He/She eventually joined the Klondike Gold Rush in Canada’s Yukon Territory leaving the Seattle area for about two years prospecting for gold. He/She finally struck gold; however, since his claim was in a dispute he sold it for $13,000 and returned to Seattle. He/She married Hilda Carlson and while still looking for a good business venture he opened up a shore store.   He/She eventually added more things to his business until what is known today as the Nordstrom, Inc. department stores.

Hours of Operation:   Mon-Sat: 9:30am-9:00pm; Sun: 11:00am-7:00pm

Minimum Age to Work Here:   16 years old

Positions Available:   Cashier, Customer Service Representative, Stock Team Member, Retail Sales Associate, Accessories Sales Associate, Massage Therapist, Fitting Room Attendant, Kid’s Shoes Sales Associate, Women’s Apparel Sales Associate, Men’s Sportswear Sales Associate, Cosmetics and Fragrances Sales Associate, Shoe Shiner, Taylor, Jewelry and Watches Sales Associate, Cleaning Specialist, Wedding Stylist, Loss Prevention Associate, Customer Service Specialist, Department Supervisor, Assistant Manager, Store Manager, Administrative Assistant, Maintenance Technician, Merchandise Handler, Sales Counter Manager

Background Check Required?  Yes

Negotiation:   There is no room for negotiation.

Job description/ Average wage

Sales Associate: The sales associate usually works in one of the departments that are located inside of Nordstrom, Inc. department stores helping customers find the products that they are trying to find. They should be friendly and courteous to all the customers. Whenever a customer has located the right product they take it to the sales associate behind the counter to make their payment. The sales associate processes the sales by taking the customers cash, credit card or debit card.   The average wage for a sales associate is $11.97 an hour.

Sales Associate-Monthly: The sales associate who works on the monthly salary does the same jobs as the hourly sales associate except they are responsible for inventory, scheduling, and processing credit for the customers. Many of the monthly sales associates go to the meetings the company has to relay information to the rest of the sales associate. They are responsible to handle any customers who may have a problem and they are also there to help the sales associate who might have a problem with the company, another associate or a customer. The average monthly wage for a sales associate is $2,136.

Intern Hourly: The intern normally works under the direction of the monthly sales associate being trained to perform many of the duties of that particular department requirement. The intern usually is in training for the hourly position or for the salaried monthly position.   Whichever position that they are training for they must complete the required training before getting their assignment. The normal wage for an intern is $ $9.97 an hour.

Benefits

Employees of Nordstrom are paid a competitive wage for the area in which they work.

They are entitled to health benefits when they complete their internship.

They are also entitled to many other benefits that are explained in the employee hand book which is not made available for online reference.

Atmosphere and Perks

The with kind of team you will expect working with the company, you will surely find Nordstrom as the best company to work with. The perks are indeed extensive even for those who apply for the entry level positions. The benefits include the paid training, generous and competitive pay schemes, and flexible workweek. For those who are already eligible employees they can receive future financial planning benefits like 401K plan, health and wellness, paid time offs and product discounts. The company also provides professional growth and advancement to qualified employees.

Interview Questions

What kind of person are you?

What made you apply in this company?

What are your strength and weaknesses?

Can you do multitasking?

Why should the company hire you?

How do you describe high quality customer service?

What will you most likely do if you notice that your co-employees are making wrong decisions?

How will you encourage repeat purchases?

How flexible is your time?

Can you work even during weekends?

Interview Tips

If you are called for an interview, make sure you have already prepared yourself for a series of questions that will likely be asked during a one-on-one or panel interview. This will likely happen after 2 weeks of complying all the requirements for the employment screening process.

It is advised that you need to come on time. Preferably, come 15 minutes before the scheduled interview. Be in your professional attire and bring with you the resume. Questions during the interview will include personal questions that will gauge your personality and ability to deal with people, your knowledge about customer service and your previous work experiences.

How to apply

Please feel free to apply for these positions and/ or many of the other positions by visiting their website http://www.nordstrom.com/careers.

Also you can pay the local department store a visit and ask for the open positions available and apply.