Sephora Interview Questions

There is no doubt that preparing for your interview is always a good idea. During your preparation, gathering information on the hiring process of the company is crucial. It has been observed that Sephora likes to pick candidates who are curious & enthusiastic to learn and grow in their career.

Going through the preparatory guide and sample interview questions can help a candidate build up confidence. It also helps them structure their answers well beforehand.

Interview Questionnaire To Prepare You Well

Below are some of the frequently asked Sephora interview questions. These will help you be prepared for an interview at one of the multinational beauty retail.

Q1. Tell us about yourself?

Ans. This is the question where the interviewer focuses on learning your mindset about yourself. It is essential that you structure the answer to explain your interests and work experience that proves your worth for the role you are applying for. Keep in mind that you must keep a positive approach while answering this question.

Q2. Who founded Sephora?

Ans. Sephora, presently owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton was founded by  Dominique Mandonnaud in 1970.

Q3. Why do you want to work for Sephora?

Ans. This is where you get to talk about the impressive business model of the company. Here, you can start talking about their working model at stores like one on one customer approach or the assisted self-service sales model. You can also point out how impressive it is that they allow customers to try the product before buying, and the fact, that they pioneered this concept. While at it, you can also share the positive experience you have has as a customer of Sephora & its dynamic customer service approach.

Q4. Why are you leaving your current job?

Ans. Sephora rarely hires anyone without previous experience. So, if you are interviewing for Sephora, you must already be working somewhere else or have left your job recently. Regardless, you should be ready with an explanation.

While answering this question, make sure that you avoid any negative remarks about your previous colleagues or former bosses.

For instance, one of the good responses to this question is that you did not fit well with the previous environment or you found more interest in the beauty industry (if you are working in some other industry), etc.

Q5. Tell us more about your retail experience?

Ans. This is the right time to focus on your customer management skills. Here, you can openly define any situation where you went all out for a customer. In case, you don’t have any such story to share, you can focus on how in the previous job your focus was on customer management.

Make sure that you do not sound tired or bitter about the former job. This may imply that you are bored of the retail job.

Q6. Imagine that your customer, just after paying her bill drops the bottle of expensive perfume she bought. How will you handle this situation?

Ans. Make sure that refunding is not an option at Sephora. After all, it is a business and the main goal of any business is to make profits. Yes, customer service is a very important aspect at Sephora, still business is business. Considering all this does not mean that you need to let go of it either.

There is no way that you let the customer walk away upset. To make sure of that, you can offer the maximum discount you are allowed to offer if she decides to buy the perfume again or you can offer her a gift card. Either way, it is an important role of your job to make sure that every customer leaves the store with a smile on their face.

Q7. What is the significance of beauty products in your life?

Ans. Considering that you are applying for a job with a beauty line, your appearance must speak of beauty in all ways. Make sure that you are all dressed up. Right from the best clothes, full makeup face, to well-polished nails, everything matters. The moment you enter the store, you should reflect on how active you are in the beauty industry.

This is where you can also name your favorite brands and explain more about them to demonstrate your knowledge of the industry.

Q8. This job demands a lot and even long hours sometimes. How will you be able to manage your motivation?

Ans. There are many ways in which you can answer this question. The best approach, however, is to show your proactive nature. You can also mention that shifts are long only if there is nothing to do and sit around. If you have ample work, time flies.

Till the time customers are in store, one can keep busy talking, approaching, advising them and at times when there are no customers, there are lots of secondary duties in hand like checking inventory, stacking the products, looking after the administrative work, etc.

Q9. Tell us about Sephora in brief

Ans. This is the time when you talk about the brand and everything you know about it.

Q10. How many brands does Sephora sell?

Ans. There are approximately 300 beauty brands associated with Sephora today.

Q11. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Ans. This question is where the interviewer tries to figure out your long-term career goals. To answer this question, you need to research a bit about the positions at Sephora and figure out the best fit for you in the near future. This way you would ensure that you plan to grow at Sephora.

Q12. Name some of the Sephora’s Competitors

Ans. There are many competitors of Sephora today including Bath and Body Works, The Body Shop, and Lush. These are just a few. There are many more of them.

Here are some other questions that you might face during an interview with Sephora.

These are some general and readily asked questions in an interview.

Physical Appearance In an Interview

As the phrase goes “The first impression is the last impression”, you should always be well-dressed when appearing for an interview. The way you look determines your attitude and personality. This is the reason why your physical appearance matters in an interview. But as you are applying for a job with Sephora, a well-renowned beauty retail brand, appearance matters even more.

In simple words, to convince people to buy, first, you need to look better. So, make sure that you are dressed well when you go to an interview with Sephora as this will impress the interviewer.

Interview Process at Sephora

Sephora follows a three-step interview process. The first round of interviews is telephonic, the second is an in-store interview with the current manager, and the third and final interview is with the store director. This is the complete interview process that Sephora follows. Make sure you are aware of the interview process and prepare in advance. This will give you an advantage over other applicants and you can get the job easily.

A Little Bit About Sephora

As mentioned earlier Sephora is a French company that initiated back in 1970 in Limoges. This multinational beauty retail was founded by Dominique Mandonnaud. This retailer holds nearly 3000 beauty brands along with the private label – Sephora Collection. There are various cosmetics, skincare, body, fragrance, nail care, hair care, beauty tools, and body lotions. Since 1997, Sephora has been owned by luxury conglomerate LVMH. This is the brief history of the company that you must know about before appearing for the interview.

Key Points

Conclusion

These in-store interviews are not very difficult to crack. As the questions remain predictable, it is easier for you to prepare for them. Sephora is a company that has 90 is to 10 women to men employee ratio. Considering the opportunity, the competition for each position is quite high. This is why it becomes essential to prepare for the interview. We hope that this piece of article helps you prepare for your interview. All the best and shine.