Lowe’s is an American retail company that mainly deals with home improvement. It has its headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina, and several stores in the United States and Canada. This article will look at some of the questions that you should expect in a Lowe’s interview.
1. Tell Us About Yourself
This is a common question that you should expect in interviews. The interviewer wants you to shed more light on who you are by talking briefly about your hobbies and interests. You can also give any related work experience that makes you better than other candidates.
Sample Answer
I am Brian White, an experienced cashier, and a diligent bookkeeper. I have over 20 years of experience in this field, having worked in several establishments. I am interested in sales, marketing, and finance, which form the central part of my career. I have an array of skills and abilities that make me suitable for any cashier role.
2. What Do You Know about Lowe’s
Did you research extensively about the organization and find out some information that may help you answer this question? There are lots of things that you can talk about, ranging from the products Lowe’s offers to their entry into Canada.
Sample Answer
Lowe’s is a retail company that operates in both the United States and Canada. It was started in 1946 and mainly deals in home improvement products. ( You can also mention that Lowe’s first entered Canada in 2007, launched its first website in 1996, and has its headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina)
3. Who are Our Main Customers?
Do you know Lowe’s target audience? This is another chance to tell the interviewer just how much you know about the company. You should know that this giant retailer serves two customers, generalized as a pro and retail customers. Explain your answer and convince the interviewer that you did your homework well.
Sample Answer
Lowe’s serves pro and retail customers. Pro customers support their business activities and makeup to 25% of their total sales. These usually consist of construction trades and maintenance, repair, and operations groups. Retail customers are homeowners and renters who carry out personal projects.
4. Why Do You Want to Work for Us?
Expect the interviewer to ask you why you want to work at Lowe’s. This is a chance to mention some of the good things about the company that you find praiseworthy. You can talk about some of their services that you have used, their work culture or environment, or anything that you find worthy.
Sample Answer
I enjoy doing home improvement projects, given my love for Do It Yourself projects. I believe that I can learn a great deal of intimation at Lowe’s. I also enjoy working with people and will therefore fit in well here at Lowe’s. ( You can also identify a specific thing about Lowe’s and build on it. All in all, make sure that your reasons are sufficient to warrant you the job)
5. Tell Us About Your Work History
Employers love experienced candidates since they save them the cost of training and additional requirements. You can tell the interviewer any experience in the home improvement industry, customer service, or handling money. Ensure that you dwell more on relevant experiences as they will help you land the job.
Sample Answer
I love DIY projects and therefore have a great deal of experience in home improvement, which is your leading service. I have done a great deal of modification in my home, and some of my friends’ establishments, which I believe makes me good at the craft. Most of the jobs I have held have also relied on customer service and cash handling, which I am pretty good at.
6. What is Your Greatest Strength?
Most of the time, you will not walk out of the interview room without being asked this question. The interviewer is giving you a chance to explain why you believe that you are the best candidate for the particular role. Remember to mention the strength, provide proof of, and state it’s relevant to the job.
Sample Answer
I know how to interact with people. I have lots of people’s skills which have greatly helped me in my career. During my former role, these skills helped me interact well with customers and offer satisfactory assistance. This strength will come in handy in this role since you highly value your customers and how employees interact with them.
7. What is Your Biggest Weakness?
This is a follow-up question that you should expect. No one is perfect, and even though the interviewer wants someone who can excel in a given job, he/she also understands that you have your weaknesses. However, make sure that whatever you mention does not make you incapable of performing. Also, settle on a weakness you can easily solve to convince the interviewer that it will not take much of your time and effort.
Sample Answer
I am used to working independently, given the nature of my former workplaces. I, therefore, have a problem asking for help, especially when the issue seems solvable. I may work too hard and take extra hours to solve a problem instead of asking for help. However, I am constantly working on this trait and even joined a group of other capable experts to ask for help.
8. How Would You Handle an Upset Customer?
Every retailer values its customers, including Lowe’s. You must therefore put customer satisfaction ahead of everything else. Always have in mind that the customer is ever right, and your job is to help them regardless of whether they are wrong or right. Convince the interviewer that you will professionally handle an upset customer and help them find solutions.
Sample Answer
I have dealt with several upset customers before. I usually find out whatever is wrong with them while questioning them calmly and in an understanding manner. If they cannot trace an item, I would help them locate it. However, if they are unhappy with a given item, I would check Lowe’s return policies and guidelines.
9. What Hours Can You Work?
The interviewer wants to know about your availability. What hours will you be able to report to work? Ensure that you are honest to avoid future disappointments. Also, remember that being flexible greatly increases your chances of landing the job since every employer needs someone available. You can mention some of your engagements to inform the interviewer why you won’t be available during such times.
Sample Answer
I am pretty flexible. I can work morning and evening shifts, except on Tuesdays and Thursdays when I have other engagements. I usually give my all during my shifts. I can also work overtime if notified early enough.
10. Why Should We Hire You?
This is a chance to sell yourself and convince the interviewer that you deserve the job. You should look at the job description and identify the skills and experiences that will help you do your job well. Reassure the hiring manager that you have the right skills and attributes to do your job well and deliver excellent results. The interviewer should establish that you are the needed solution for their problem and the best person for the given role.
Sample Answer
This is my fifteenth year in home improvement. It started as a hobby till someone saw how good I was and urged me to try making money out of it. I have managed to do more than one thousand projects. I believe that this gives me an edge over other competitors since I understand just what you need. I also have lots of people’s skills needed for excellent customer service.
11. How Do You Normally Keep Yourself Motivated at Work?
Most of your roles at Lowe’s will involve tedious work. The hiring manager must therefore ensure that you can work independently and respond well to monotonous roles. Mention where you draw your motivation from. Also, avoid giving material reasons such as money that will make the interviewer view you as materialistic. You do not want to lose the job because of such a flimsy reason.
Sample Answer
My motivation comes from the knowledge that my coworkers and supervisors are relying on me to deliver. I cannot let my team down. Therefore, I usually give my all to ensure that everything is in order. I also think about past successes whenever I feel like giving up, which gives me a reason to work harder.
12. What Do You Understand by Excellent Customer Service?
The interviewer wants you to define excellent customer service. It is imperative since Lowe’s values its customers and ensures excellent customer service to all its clients. Therefore, you must portray great customer service potential right from the interview if you intend to get the position you are interviewing for.
Sample Answer
Excellent customer service leaves the customer fulfilled, be it from your interaction with them or the assistance you offered. Any positive customer experience qualifies as excellent customer service. It ensures that customers leave the store fulfilled, knowing that they made the best purchase decision. ( Your decision of customer service must be customer-oriented if you want to answer this question well)
13. How Would You Handle a Difficult Customer?
You must have realized that most of the questions in this article focus on the quality of customer service you can give to the clients. Always keep in mind that Lowe’s values its home improvement customers and is, therefore, willing to do everything possible to make them satisfied. You should expect difficult customers in your line of work. Convince the interviewer that you will remain calm and handle them professionally.
Sample Answer
The best way of dealing with a difficult customer is to maintain a problem-solving and professional attitude throughout the interaction. The main reason why people usually end up angry is because of misunderstanding. I would therefore focus more on solving the customer’s problem and less on their anger. I have had customers apologize later after attending to them.
14. How Would You Help a Customer Who needs Something but Does not Know the Specific Name?
You should expect customers to walk up to you and ask for advice on a particular item when working at Lowe’s. Therefore, ensure that you have a perfect understanding of the store’s inventory to help such customers. Know how you can also help people who do not know what they are looking for if you want to get a job at Lowe’s.
Sample Answer
If a customer walks up to me looking for an item they cannot identify by name, I first ask them about anything they know about the product to ease identification. Such information may include the home area involved and the intended project. If I cannot still figure out the item, I will direct them to the supervisor.
15. How Would You React if a Supervisor Asks You To Complete an Unsafe Task?
Lowe’s deals with home improvement, a craft that can predispose you to danger. One of the most significant risks that can befall you as an employee is sustaining injuries due to unsafe work. This question can be quite challenging because, as much as you need to keep yourself safe, you must also respect your supervisor. Be tactful in your approach.
Sample Answer
When faced with an unsafe task, I would first ask the interviewer to clarify to ensure that I have correctly understood the job. If it is too risky, I would communicate my feelings to the supervisor and suggest other ways of handling the task.
16. Do You Know Point of Sales Systems?
The interviewer wants to know if you are familiar with POS systems, which is particularly important if you are interviewing for a cashier position in the organization. Make sure that you are honest. Lowe’s trains its employees and won’t hesitate to train you once it has determined that you are qualified for the role.
Sample Answer
Yes. I have vast experience in this field which has exposed me to POS systems. During my former role, I had to use the Point of Sale system daily.
17. Who are Our Competitors?
The interviewer wants to know just how familiar you are with the market demographics. Lowe’s has several competitors offering similar services, which is one of the reasons why we advise our readers to research extensively about an organization before appearing for the interview. Ensure that you mention only worthy competitors. You can list as many as you what since the interviewer has not demanded a particular number.
Sample Answer
Your main competitors are Walmart, The Home Depot, and Target. Another one that comes to mind is Costco, even though it is not as ferocious as the rest.
18. Why Did You Quit Your Last Job?
Employers will always want to know why you left your last position. We understand that you may feel intimidated talking about your departure from your former job position, but it is essential as it helps the interview know the type of person you are. Be honest since the hiring manager can quickly obtain the answer to this question from your last workplace.
Sample Answer
I had the best time of my career in my last workplace. However, after serving as a cashier for seven years, I found a change of work setting and exposure to new challenges inevitable. I put up a month’s notice and left the company on good terms.
19. What’s Your Experience with DIY Projects?
You should have realized that Lowe’s main clients are those undertaking home improvement DIY projects. You will therefore be asked if you have any experience doing anything like that before. Even though such experience is not mandatory for a job at Lowe’s, it greatly increases your chances of landing the job.
Sample Answer
I love being self-sufficient, which dictates doing things for myself. I have redone my floors in the past and achieved impressive results. I have also redone my walls several times and even built a kennel for my dog. I have lots of fun doing DIY projects.
20. Have You Ever Made a Customer Service Mistake? Tell Us
Lowe’s expects you to value its customers. Therefore, they will try to find out some of the lessons you have learned that will help you do an excellent job while working at them. Tell the interviewer about your past customer mistakes and how you have improved since then.
Sample Answer
While working as a cashier in my former workplace, a client was unnecessarily rude to me when her card was declined. I lost it and may have talked to her with an attitude. This experience taught me always to stay calm and professional when dealing with clients, however annoying or difficult they may be.
Conclusion
These are some of the questions you should prepare for before stepping into an interview room at Lowe’s. I hope that this article helps you in your quest to secure a position in this institution.
