How Old Do You Have to Be to Work at H and M?

H&M is a Swedish multinational retailer that are known for their range of cost-effective clothing for men, women, teenagers, and children.

They were founded in Stockholm in 1947 and are still based there. At present, they employ over 125,000 staff worldwide. They have some interesting company policies, one of which is recycling clothes. You can drop off clothing made by any brand at any H&M outlet. It will be assessed by staff in-store as to whether it can be sold as second hand.

If not then, they will take it anyway and recycle the materials to make other items. Customers dropping off clothing get a 15% discount on their next purchase from H&M.

It is a company noted for treating its staff well. But How Old Do You Have to Be to Work at H and M?

Let’s find out…

Plenty Of Opportunities

They are a recognized High Street Brand and one of the largest fashion retailers in the world. As such, there are plenty of career paths that are open to employees. They are one of those companies that take their staff development very seriously.

Opportunities for new employees are, some might say, limited. But the company likes to put you into a role where they can learn about you. The Career paths open up after that initial period.

Company Policy

There are set values and operating standards that are required from all staff. There can be no grey areas with this as they are written down in a company handbook. This deals mainly with how staff should conduct themselves while at work. And of course how they interact with the customers.

Before we start, let’s clear up a couple of questions that seem to be asked more than others.

Can 15-year-olds work at H&M?

A very quick and simple answer to that is No. To get a job at H&M, you must be over 18 years.

Can 16-year-olds work at H&M?

Again, obviously, the answer is the same. You need to be at least 18 years old. In general, to work as a sales advisor, department supervisor, or stockroom assistant, you need to be at least 18 years old.

The Work Opportunities

Sales Advisor – Hourly Paid

One of the most important positions at H&M is a Sales Advisor. The company is very conscious that this is often the only member of staff the customer will come into contact with. Therefore they want it to be a good experience.

H&M has this belief that the clothes don’t need selling; they will sell themselves. That view is enforced by the sales turnover which is high compared to similar outlets. Quality clothing at cost-effective prices is their secret of success.

Advising The Customers

The role of the sales advisor is therefore not necessarily to ‘sell’ the product but to ‘advise’ the customer. Show interest in what they want and make suggestions. This could be in color or style. Sales Advisors then need a happy, helpful personality with plenty of patience.

Whether it is advising the customer or just showing them to a fitting room, customer satisfaction is the most important thing. But it’s not just direct contact with the customer. The Sales Advisor needs to ensure that the company’s five basic goals with each customer are met as outlined in the Employee handbook.

The Days Will be Busy

Dealing with phone inquiries is another area you will have input. And ensuring the clothes rails and other display areas are clean, clothes folded and hung, and replenish stock that is getting low.

Make sure that the overall look of the display area is attractive and appealing. Handle any transactions if required, including issuing receipts and packing merchandise.

Six months of active experience…

You need to ensure that products affected by price reductions are so marked. And that the amounts are recorded at the payment area. Also, you will be working with other advisors to make sure all areas, including fitting rooms, are clean and well-presented.

As I said earlier, you will need to be at least 18 to be a Sales Advisor. But you will also need a high school diploma and about six months of active experience in a retail outlet.

Stockroom Associates – Hourly Paid

Stockroom Assistants at H&M fulfill an important function. It is them that ensure that the stockroom is kept organized. And that merchandise is transferred to the sales floor at the right times.

This can be quite hectic at times at busy periods because it is not only clothes that are held in the stockroom. Stockroom assistants also help out on the sales floor at busy times. And also around fitting rooms and the cash points when needed. This will only occur when duties in the stockroom are completed.

Unloading Deliveries

Part of the function of the stockroom assistant will be helping to unload the delivery trucks. And then opening and labeling the merchandise with the necessary security tags etc. There will also be an element of paperwork involved.

Working With The Stock

The Stockroom assistant must be familiar with each garment, including guidance on displays. They will assist the ‘Visual team’ in setting up in-store displays, promotions, and sales campaigns.

This includes making sure the stockroom is maintained in an orderly manner. Stock can therefore be dispatched to the sales area efficiently. As per company policy, you must be over 18 to work as a Stockroom Assistant.

Department Supervisor – Hourly Paid

A position of some responsibility. The Department Supervisor, as you might guess, is responsible for a particular sales area. This will include all operational functions, presentations, and maximizing sales opportunities. In some stores, this will include opening and closing up at the end of the day.

They will ensure customers are leaving the store with a good impression. And also, make sure stock is placed on the floor at the appropriate times. They will manage store campaigns and promotions in line with store management directives.

Loss and Safety

One of the issues that you will have to deal with is any losses that occur in your department. You will also have responsibility for all safety issues and work management to resolve any actual or potential situations. In the absence of another employee or senior manager, you may be placed in control of the store.

Departmental Management

This will include delegating where necessary as well as making schedules and checking timekeeping. You may have to use any sales information available to decide on in-store actions to increase profitability. Be responsible for the supervision of staff daily and assist in training staff where necessary.

You will need to be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma. And be required to have at least one year of similar retail experience.

Part-Time Opportunities

There are occasions when H&M needs to recruit part-time staff. These may be Sales advisors or Stockroom Associates. The same requirements are made of part-time staff regarding age and experience.

What Can You Expect To Be Paid?

H&M hourly rates are a little higher on average than other retail outlets. But this is because they require some experience as against employing school leavers with none. The rate of pay will apply to both full and part-time workers. However, part-time can expect to be at the lower end of the scale.

Sales Advisor – Hourly Paid

Sales advisors at H&M will usually be paid between $9-16 per hour. That figure might fluctuate slightly in relation to the size of the site and its location. It will also be influenced by the amount and the level of experience you bring with you.

Those with less experience will start at the lower end. At present, the average rate of pay for a Sales Advisor is just over $11 per hour.

Stockroom Associate – Hourly Paid

The same situations apply as they do for Sales Advisors. The rate of pay for Stockroom Associates is between $8 and 12 per hour. This is subject to the amount of stockroom experience you bring with you. Stockroom associates, on average, earn around $10 per hour.

Department Supervisor – Hourly Paid

The hourly rates for Department Supervisors will be somewhat higher due to the level of responsibility entailed in the job. The hourly rate will be between $12 to 24 per hour.

I consider the higher end of that scale to be a decent hourly rate when they just want a high school diploma for a qualification. You need to bring experience with you, of course. But if you were to also have some form of fashion qualification, the hourly rate will rise. The average hourly rate for a Department Supervisor is $16 per hour.

What Are The Benefits Of Working At H&M?

Most companies these days are obligated to offer some sort of benefits package. At H&M, though, the benefits only extend to Full-time and not Part-Time workers.

H&M is recognized as offering one of the best benefits packages in the retail trade. You can expect to receive:

Do You Need Experience Before Applying To H and M?

The company will require you to have some retail experience and a High School Diploma. As you will have gathered by now, H&M is not what is known as an ‘entry-level’ company. Therefore they do not take school leavers with no experience.

Experience-wise, for a Sales Advisor or a Stockroom Associate, you will need at least six months of experience in a retail environment. For the Department Supervisor job, you will need at least one year in a similar role in retail.

At The Interview

This is a company that considers itself fashion-conscious for the ‘everyday’ person. You will therefore need to ensure you look smart but casual. Jeans, t-shirts, and trainers are certainly not going to impress them.

Smart Trousers and a nice shirt with some casual but smart shoes will do the trick. First appearances mean a lot at interviews. Even though you need the experience to work at H&M, this could still be your first formal interview.

Taking a look at My first interview.: Keys to getting that first job will definitely come in useful, as will wearing a nice shirt, such as this Dockers Men’s Long Sleeve Signature Comfort Flex Shirt.

Further Fashion Opportunities

Our website boasts countless fashion applications, everything from the Ralph Lauren Application, Neiman Marcus Application, and Saks Fifth Avenue Application, as well as the Barneys New York Application, DressBarn Application, New York and Company Application, and Zara Application just to get started!

We’ve also put together top selections with interview guides such as the Guess Application and Guess Jeans Interview Questions, or the Levis Application and Levis Strauss Interview Questions, the Forever 21 Application, and Forever 21 Interview Questions, and finally the Five Below Application, and Five Below Interview Questions in 2023.

Being a sales advisor takes experience, so why not take a look at the Every Job Is a Sales Job: How to Use the Art of Selling to Win at Work, or the Objections: The Ultimate Guide for Mastering the Art and Science of Getting past No, and How To Get A Sales Job, the Sales Secrets: The World’s Top Salespeople Share Their Secrets to Success, and lastly The Sales Development Framework: How to Build and Scale a Highly Productive Sales Development Program to start working on how to improve and get ahead!

If you’re working remotely as well, try reading up on the LinkedIn Riches: How To Use LinkedIn For Business, Sales and Marketing! also available online today.

Final Thoughts

Make sure you have everything they will need from you. That is a High school diploma if you need one, and evidence of the right amount of experience. Also, remember the minimum age requirement is 18 years for all positions.

This is a company with high standards that work hard. All they expect is that you are the same.

All the very best with a Career at H&M!