The Nordstrom interview process for store jobs is short: an online application, a brief phone call to schedule, then one interview of about 30 minutes with a department or store manager. Questions are behavioral, about helping customers, working on a team and handling pressure, and many candidates are asked to sell a product to the interviewer as a role-play. Hiring Day events let you walk in, interview for about an hour and often leave with an offer.
Nordstrom Rack follows the same steps on the same careers site. Corporate and tech roles in Seattle run a phone screen and a loop of about four interviews covering coding, system design and behavioral questions.
Nordstrom interview process
- Online applicationcareers.nordstrom.com, store and department of your choice
- Phone screenShort call or email from HR or a manager
- Manager interviewAbout 30 minutes in store, or a few minutes per manager at a hiring event
- Role-play salePart of the interview for many selling roles
- OfferSame day to about two weeks
| Stage | Format | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| Online application | careers.nordstrom.com, store and department of your choice | Availability, past retail or service work |
| Phone screen | Short call or email from HR or a manager | Availability, interest, sometimes one or two questions |
| Manager interview | About 30 minutes in store, or a few minutes per manager at a hiring event | Behavioral stories, selling, fit with the department |
| Role-play sale | Part of the interview for many selling roles | Approaching a customer, recommending product, closing |
| Offer | Same day to about two weeks | Background check for some roles |
Glassdoor’s breakdown of 1,366 Sales Associate reports lists the most common stages as a one-on-one interview (30%), a phone interview (26%) and a background check (11%). Personality tests (8%) and group panel interviews (5%) are less common. Candidates rate difficulty 2.4 out of 5.
Nordstrom hiring process step by step
- Apply online. Store, Rack, supply chain and corporate jobs are all listed on careers.nordstrom.com. Selling roles are titled by department, for example “Seasonal & Regular Commission Sales - Women’s Apparel - Southcenter” or “Beauty Sales - Chanel - SouthPark”.
- Phone screen or scheduling call. Older Rack reports describe a phone interview about availability and work experience before the store visit. A 2026 Retail Sales Associate was offered the job after a phone interview with two questions.
- Manager interview. Usually one sit-down with the department manager. A September 2026 Charlotte candidate met a manager in the store, then got a tour of the floor and the department. An August 2026 candidate was interviewed in the store cafe by a manager from another department because the original manager was out.
- Role-play. An October 2026 candidate was asked to attempt a sale with a fake customer, and an August 2026 candidate’s 30-minute interview ended with selling a product to the interviewer under specific circumstances.
- Offer. Often within days. Glassdoor lists an average of 11 days to hire for Sales Associates.
Nordstrom Hiring Day and open interviews
Nordstrom runs walk-in hiring events, often called National Hiring Day. The June 11, 2026 event at Nordstrom Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook, Illinois ran from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no need to schedule, interviews of about one hour and on-the-spot job offers for most roles. Sales roles were Women’s Apparel, Men’s Apparel, Lingerie, Kidswear and Active and Shoes; support roles were Fulfillment, Retail Cashier and Sales Floor Support. A resume was welcome but not required.
Candidates describe the format two ways. A 2026 Austin candidate had two interviewers who were timed and had a line of applicants, and an October 2026 candidate described a round table with several departments and candidates, after which you are placed in the department that fits you best. A July 2026 Los Angeles candidate advised asking to interview for more than one department to raise your chances.
What to wear to a Nordstrom interview
Nordstrom does not publish an interview dress code. Dress like a polished version of the department you want: one 2026 candidate said that if you want a specific department, you should match that department’s customer profile. For Kids, Active or Rack support roles, neat business casual is enough.
Nordstrom Rack interview questions
Nordstrom Rack jobs sit on the same careers site, with titles such as “Seasonal Customer Service & Sales - University Commons Rack” in Boca Raton, Florida. Rack roles mix selling, cashiering, stock and online order fulfillment. The Boca Raton posting lists continuous movement for 6-8 hours per shift with bending, squatting and reaching, and asks for a flexible schedule.
Most Glassdoor reports tagged Sales Associate- Rack are older (2015-2016), so treat the details as a guide rather than current policy. They describe a phone interview, then an in-store interview with a department manager and sometimes the store manager on the same day, or a group session where supervisors introduce the company before interviewing. Questions they report:
- Why do you want to work here? What is your availability? (Los Angeles)
- Describe a situation when you went above and beyond in your work. (Columbus, Ohio)
- Why do you want to work at the Rack? (Chicago, hired with no sales experience)
Expect the same customer and teamwork questions as the full-line store, plus questions about keeping up with a fast floor, recovering fitting rooms and handling markdowns or shipments.
Nordstrom store interview questions with sample answers
Q: Why do you want to work at Nordstrom?
Tie your answer to the job you applied for. Example: “I like helping people put an outfit together, and Nordstrom is known for service, so this is where I would rather do that work. I applied to Women’s Apparel because I already shop the brands in that department and can talk about fit. I also like that commission rewards you for building repeat customers.”
Q: Tell me about a time you made a customer happy.
Pick one specific customer and finish with what happened next. Example: “A customer needed a dress for a wedding that weekend and her size was gone. I checked two other stores, had it held, and texted her a photo. She bought shoes with it when she picked it up and asked for me on her next visit.” Nordstrom’s job postings ask selling staff to follow up and build a personal customer base, so mention the follow-up.
Q: What would you do to drive sales when there is low customer traffic?
An August 2026 candidate was asked this. Give concrete actions: reach out to past customers with new arrivals, prepare outfits on the floor, learn new product so you can talk about it, and help stock or recover the department so it is ready for the next rush. Showing you keep busy without a customer in front of you is the point.
Q: Sell me this product (role-play).
Do not start with the price. Greet, ask two or three questions about what they need and when they will use it, then recommend one item and say why it fits them, offer something to go with it, and ask for the sale. Nordstrom postings list a 5-Point Selling Standard: Say Hello, Small Talk, Be Helpful and Sell, Fashion Authority, Follow-up. Walking through those five steps in the role-play shows you read the posting.
Q: Tell me about a time you completed a task under pressure.
A Roseville, California candidate was asked this. Use a short STAR answer from retail, food service or school: the deadline, what you did first, and the result. Example: “On a holiday weekend our fitting rooms backed up and two people called out. I took the fitting room, kept a running list of holds, and we cleared the line in 20 minutes.”
Q: How do you keep up with fashion trends?
Name real sources and one current trend in the department you want, such as brand launches, social accounts you follow, or what customers are asking for. Keep it short and honest. A 2022 New York candidate who was hired reported this question from a department manager.
Q: Tell me about a time you worked on a team, or managed multiple deadlines.
A September 2026 Lynnwood, Washington candidate got both. Choose stories where you helped someone else succeed, for example covering a coworker’s register during a rush, or splitting a stock delivery so the floor stayed covered.
Q: Have you won a competition or reached a notable goal at a previous job?
An August 2026 commission sales candidate was asked this. Give a number if you have one: a sales goal, a top-seller week, a customer rating, or an employee recognition. If you have no sales history, use a school or sports result and say what you did to get there.
Nordstrom corporate and software engineer interviews
Most tech hiring is in Seattle. Glassdoor rates the Software Engineer process 2.7 out of 5 for difficulty with 50% positive experiences and an average of 21 days to hire. Reported loops:
- February 2026, Seattle (no offer): phone screen, then four interviews: an architecture panel, two behavioral rounds and a coding round with two LeetCode-style questions, one built on a sorting algorithm.
- June 2025, US (no offer): four 45-minute interviews: behavioral, a round the candidate called “trendsetter” that turned into system design, coding (a LeetCode medium) and system design. One question was “tell me about a product you deployed”.
- May 2025, Seattle (no offer): system design, behavioral, a bar raiser and coding.
- November 2023, Seattle (no offer): one technical round, then a loop with two coding rounds, a technical design round and a behavioral round; one problem was coding the 2048 game.
Prepare LeetCode medium problems, one system design for a retail flow such as inventory or order status, and behavioral stories about shipping a product to customers.
How to prepare for a Nordstrom interview
For store roles, a few evenings is enough:
- Read the posting for your department. Note the 5-Point Selling Standard and the pay and commission lines so you can ask informed questions.
- Write three stories: a customer you helped beyond the ask, a time you worked under pressure or with a team, and a goal you hit. Keep each under a minute.
- Practice one role-play sale out loud with a friend using an item from the department you want: greet, ask questions, recommend, add on, ask for the sale, offer to follow up.
- Know your availability. Several candidates were asked about it directly, and seasonal hiring favors open weekends and holidays.
- For a Hiring Day, arrive early, bring a resume if you have one, and ask to interview for a second department.
Nordstrom pay and commission
Pay ranges on Nordstrom postings are set by location and are listed under “Pay Range Details”:
| Posting (2026) | Location | Base pay |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal & Regular Commission Sales - Women’s Apparel | Southcenter, Tukwila, WA | $21.90 an hour |
| Seasonal Customer Service & Sales - University Commons Rack | Boca Raton, FL | $17.70-$18.40 an hour |
On selling roles Nordstrom states that commission “varies based on the merchandise they sell”: apparel, shoes and accessories typically range from 3% to 14.5%, and Beauty and Men’s Fragrance roles typically receive 3%. The postings list medical, vision, dental, retirement, paid time away and a merchandise discount, and the Oakbrook hiring event listing gave a 20% employee discount.
Frequently asked questions about Nordstrom interviews
What is the Nordstrom interview process for sales associates?
Most candidates apply online, get a short phone call or email, then have one interview of about 30 minutes with a department or store manager, in the store or at a hiring event. The questions are behavioral (a time you helped a customer, worked on a team, handled pressure), and several 2026 candidates were also asked to sell a product to the interviewer as a role-play. Glassdoor lists an average of 11 days to hire for Sales Associates.
What are common interview questions for Nordstrom?
Reported questions include: why do you want to work here, tell me about a time you made a customer happy, tell me about a time you worked on a team, tell me about a time you completed a task under pressure, what would you do to drive sales when there is low customer traffic, how do you keep up with fashion trends, and sell me this product. Commission sales candidates have also been asked to pick an outfit for a pretend customer and explain the choices.
What are Nordstrom Rack interview questions like?
Nordstrom Rack hires through the same careers site and the questions are close to the full-line store: why do you want to work here, what is your availability, and describe a time you went above and beyond. Rack support roles stress pace and physical work, since a 2026 Boca Raton Rack posting lists continuous movement for 6-8 hours per shift, so expect questions about multitasking, stock and flexible schedules.
Does Nordstrom hire on the spot at hiring events?
Often, yes. Nordstrom’s National Hiring Day on June 11, 2026 ran from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at stores such as Oakbrook Center in Illinois, with no appointment needed, interviews of about an hour and on-the-spot offers for most roles. A resume was welcome but optional. A May 2026 Thousand Oaks candidate and an April 2026 Boca Raton candidate both report being hired at the event.
How much does Nordstrom pay sales associates?
Pay is set by store. A 2026 Seasonal and Regular Commission Sales posting at Southcenter in Tukwila, Washington lists $21.90 an hour, and a 2026 Seasonal Customer Service and Sales posting at the University Commons Rack in Boca Raton, Florida lists $17.70-$18.40 an hour. On selling roles Nordstrom says commission typically ranges from 3% to 14.5% for apparel, shoes and accessories, and 3% for beauty and men’s fragrance.
How long does it take to hear back from Nordstrom?
Usually days to two weeks. Glassdoor lists an average of 11 days to hire for Sales Associates and 14 days across Nordstrom. Hiring event candidates often get an answer the same day, and a 2023 Seattle commission sales candidate heard back the day of the interview.
What is the Nordstrom software engineer interview process?
Seattle candidates in 2025-26 describe a phone screen followed by a loop of about four 45-minute interviews: coding at LeetCode medium level, system design or an architecture panel, and one or two behavioral rounds, one of which candidates called a bar raiser or trendsetter round. Glassdoor lists an average of 21 days to hire for Software Engineers.
Sources
- Nordstrom careers: careers.nordstrom.com, Seasonal & Regular Commission Sales - Women’s Apparel - Southcenter, Seasonal Customer Service & Sales - University Commons Rack, Seasonal Commission Sales - Shoes - Menlo Park
- Illinois workNet: Nordstrom Oakbrook Hiring Event, June 11, 2026
- Glassdoor interview reports: Sales Associate, Retail Sales Associate, Commissioned Sales Associate, Sales Associate- Rack, Software Engineer