Why this matters:
Store managers are responsible for tracking progress and driving growth for a store. Along with developing growth strategies and goals, they must effectively measure the success of those initiatives and apply that knowledge to future decision-making. Evaluating a candidate’s ability to predict and measure sales growth, inventory, and team progress will help you to assess their readiness to manage a store.
What to listen for:
- Clear steps for forecasting growth expectations and measuring progress
- Strong examples of success indicators such as sales, customer experience, and working conditions
- Understanding of various types of success, including profit, customer satisfaction, staff morale, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness
Why this matters:
Store managers facilitate schedules and budgets for the stores that they run, which requires bookkeeping experience, analytical skills, and time-management expertise. The best store managers find ways to reduce overhead costs while maintaining a high level of customer service and product quality. This question asks candidates to get specific about their management experience.
What to listen for:
- Detailed examples of project management processes
- Experience budgeting, scheduling, and using accounting software and tools
- Successful examples of time- and money-saving strategies
Why this matters:
Hiring, onboarding, and training staff are key responsibilities for a store manager. The best store managers have experience in welcoming, training, and integrating new hires into teams. Ideal candidates will embrace an onboarding methodology that celebrates and prepares new staff without overwhelming or exhausting them.
What to listen for:
- Experience in hiring and training employees
- Description of processes that make onboarding more efficient
- Ability to measure one’s own success in the hiring process
Why this matters:
Store conflict generally stops at a store manager, as customers and staff look to leadership to mediate disagreements. Store managers should use negotiation skills that encourage resolution, collaboration, and a healthy exchange of ideas. The best store managers are positive and persuasive with a strong ability to cultivate cooperative work environments.
What to listen for:
- Effective strategies for determining the cause of a conflict
- Experience working with different types of personalities
- Ability to empathize and actively listen without judgment
Why this matters:
Store managers make many decisions to fulfill an organization’s goals and interests. These include hiring, firing, determining salaries, and promoting employees. When faced with challenges such as layoffs, requests for wage increases, or changing benefit processes, effective store managers will shine as leaders who demonstrate professionalism and discernment.
What to listen for:
- Emphasis on consultation and collaboration in decision-making
- Specific example of a challenge that the candidate has overcome
- Confidence in their leadership skills and problem-solving capabilities
Why this matters:
Store managers are responsible for determining and implementing the best processes for a store’s team. This means setting priorities and communicating clear expectations to staff. Successful candidates will possess strong organizational and multitasking skills, as well as the ability to thrive under the pressure of simultaneous projects.
What to listen for:
- Ability to prioritize resources while considering team schedules, budget demands, and training needs
- Leadership experience with an emphasis on collaboration and team building
- An organized approach to strategy, goal setting, task delegation, and gathering feedback
Why this matters:
A store’s success depends on the organizational capabilities of its manager. A goal-oriented and organized store manager whose systems are aligned with the store’s overall workflows is in an optimal position to help generate staff productivity and store profit. This question examines a candidate’s professional mindset and ability to stay organized and motivated at work.
What to listen for:
- A thoughtful organizational system with checks and balances for tracking progress
- Emphasis on the value of staying organized and motivated
- Organizational practices that are compatible with the structure and goals of your business
Why this matters:
Leadership style has a significant impact on working conditions and customer experiences. For this reason, it’s important to understand a candidate’s management techniques and communication style. Whether a manager leads with an approach that is relational, visionary, operational, or otherwise, this question will help you to understand how their values compare to your organization’s.
What to listen for:
- An honest assessment of their leadership strengths and weaknesses
- An open-minded approach to feedback from team members
- How their leadership style fits with your organization’s goals and values
Why this matters:
The most successful stores are busy growing teams and revenue. With that in mind, exceptional store managers are hardworking and dedicated leaders who prioritize collaboration. Candidates may highlight many aspects of a favorable store environment, such as the value of a strong team or sufficient opportunities to take on challenges. Regardless, their work ethic should shine through in their responses.
What to listen for:
- A strong work ethic and passion for collaboration
- Problem-solving skills and a persistent growth mindset
- Accountability in leadership and working toward an organization’s goals
Contact a sales consultant.