By Mike Simpson

UPDATED 6/23/2022

Across the globe, Walmart employs a stunning 2.3 million associates. To put that in perspective, there are only 1.2 million active duty members in the entire U.S. military. Crazy, right?

With employment numbers that high, you might assume that jobs at Walmart are hard to come by. In reality, the retail behemoth is perpetually augmenting its customer service-oriented army. From cashiers to loss prevention and from door greeters to managers, opportunities generally abound, particularly for those who can nail the Walmart interview questions.

Do you want to join Walmart’s ranks? You can, if you prepare. So, let’s get into the trenches and see what it takes to stand toe-to-toe with Walmart interview questions.

How to Answer Walmart Interview Questions

While Walmart brings on new associates essentially every day, that doesn’t mean the competition for the jobs isn’t fierce. As Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said, “Our people make the difference,” so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the retail giant strives to find the best candidate for every role.

What does that mean for you? To put it simply, it means you shouldn’t assume you can just walk in and snag a Walmart job. If you don’t shine when you answer Walmart interview questions, you’re going to wash out.

Now, that doesn’t mean you should panic. How can you make sure you keep your cool? With a little interview basic training, that’s how.

What’s your first step? Research. You need to gobble up information like newly-minted soldiers scarf down their favorite meals after living off chow hall food for months. Devour details from the job description and consume information from Walmart’s website and social media pages with a ravenous passion.

To put it simply, research lets you anticipate what you’ll face. Walmart interview questions vary depending on the exact job, so you need to review the job description to find out what’s important for the precise role. For example, if you keep seeing the same skills and qualities listed over and over again, you can bet that the hiring manager thinks those are important. Knowing what you bring to the table in those areas is critical because you’re going to be asked about them.

But you don’t want to stop there. Walmart’s mission and values statements, social media posts, and recent innovations all give you hints about the company’s priorities. Customer service is something Walmart prides itself on, so you need to be able to highlight your abilities to make customers happy. Being able to deal with demanding customers is also a must, so work in details that demonstrate your ability to stay calm under pressure, think critically, and maintain the utmost patience in the face of a nightmare shopper.

So, now you know how to figure out what you should talk about, and that’s a great start. But what about how to create a great answer? Don’t worry; we’ve got your back.

Traditional interview questions are fairly straightforward. For example, if you are trying to land a Walmart cashier job, there’s a good chance the hiring manager will ask if you’ve used a cash register or point-of-sale system before or to describe your cashiering and money-handling experience. All you need to do is specify the systems you’ve used and when you’ve used them. Simple, right?

Usually, interviews only get tricky when behavioral interview questions enter the mix. Here, you have to dig deeper to craft a compelling response. Typically, you want to combine the STAR method and the Tailoring Method.

The first lets you structure your response in the most engaging way possible. With the second, you focus on details that are highly relevant to Walmart and the hiring manager, allowing you to draw down on your target and nail the bullseye.

In fact we wanted to let you know that we created an amazing free cheat sheet that will give you word-for-word answers for some of the toughest interview questions you are going to face in your upcoming interview. After all, hiring managers will often ask you more generalized interview questions along with their Walmart specific questions!Click below to get your free PDF now:

Walmart Virtual Meet and Greet

Walmart uses a slightly different interview approach when compared to other retailers. The retailer doesn’t conduct in-person interviews in most cases. Instead, it uses the virtual meet and greet.

In the most basic sense, a Walmart virtual meet and greet is a phone or video interview. You’ll connect with a hiring manager to discuss your qualifications and determine if you’re a fit for the role.

Generally speaking, preparing for a Walmart virtual meet and greet is the same as getting ready for a regular in-person meeting. You’ll practice answers to common Walmart interview questions to make sure you come across as an exceptional candidate.

However, you’ll also want to take a few extra steps to make sure your tech is ready for the meeting. Precisely what you need to do depends on whether it’s a phone call or video call. With phone calls, charging your phone, choosing a spot with a good signal, and making sure the area is quiet and distraction-free is often enough.

For video, having a reliable internet connection and a good-quality camera and microphone is essential. Similarly, checking your lighting, choosing a private location without extraneous noise, and ensuring your background isn’t distracting is a must.

Otherwise, as long as you handle that, your virtual meet and greet should go forward without a hitch. Plus, it may lead to a job offer.

Top 3 Walmart Interview Questions

Now that you understand what interview basic training involves, it’s time to dig into the specifics. By looking at example Walmart interview questions and answers, you can make sure your responses are on target.

If you are ready to put all of those tips to work, here’s a look at the top three Walmart interview questions you may face and how to tackle them.

1. What does “excellent customer service” mean to you?

This question is designed to get an idea of your general mindset about customer service. Technically, there isn’t a right or wrong answer. However, you’re better off if you show enthusiasm for doing what it takes to ensure customer satisfaction in your reply.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“In my opinion, ‘excellent customer service’ means always being willing to go the extra mile for a customer. Whether it’s finding an answer to a question, digging through back rooms for extra stock, or assisting them with placing an online order for an item not carried in store, it’s about being that single point of contact that can make it happen.

Additionally, excellent customer service is also an attitude. Working quickly to solve the problem and remaining polite and professional are critical parts of the equation, ensuring the experience is as positive as possible for the customer.”

2. Tell me about a time when you helped someone else achieve success.

With this question, the hiring manager is assessing your mindset and your teamwork skills. Ideally, you want to portray a positive attitude and demonstrate a clear willingness to lend a hand to ensure the team’s success using a clear example from your past.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“In my last job, a new cashier was hired to replace an incredibly diligent worker who moved. While they were doing their best to learn the role quickly, it took time to learn the ins and outs of the system, and they weren’t fully up to speed when the store experienced an unexpected rush.

Soon, a line was forming at the tills. As the only cashier, you could see their stress building. I was placing newly received products on the floor at the time, but realized my coworker needed help. I set my task aside and headed to the register, which I knew how to use.

Instead of taking over, I stood with them and guided them through transactions. I praised their efforts and gently coached them through missteps. While it would have been faster to do it on my own, this approach was reasonably quick, let them learn, and helped them discover that they could overcome their stress. In the end, they got caught up, and ultimately became a great cashier.”

3. If you were originally hired to stock, but your manager wanted to train you on the register, what would you do?

Walmart values flexibility in its workforce, so it often favors candidates that are willing to adapt to changing needs. This question gauges your willingness to pivot into other roles.

However, it’s also a chance to talk up skills that could help you stand out. Consider what you bring to the table that works in the second role (in this cash, cashiering), and make sure to showcase them.

EXAMPLE ANSWER:

“While I applied for a stocking role because that aligns with my past experience, I would be open to training on the register, too. I understand that a company’s needs can shift, and I’m more than happy to adapt if that occurs. Plus, I’m a strong communicator, have solid math skills, and believe in providing great customer service, which I think would make me a strong fit for a cashiering position.

37 More Walmart Interview Questions

Here are 37 more Walmart interview questions the hiring manager might ask:

1. 1. Why do you want to work for Walmart?
   2. How would you define customer service?
   3. Can you tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer? What did you do?
   4. Are you comfortable working on your feet all day?
   5. Can you work evenings, weekends, and holidays?
   6. Tell me about your proudest customer service moment.
   7. If you have a disagreement with a colleague, how do you address it?
   8. How would you approach a frustrated or angry customer?
   9. What would you do if a customer became hostile?
   10. Are there any aspects of the job that you think would be challenging?
   11. Describe a time when you had to meet a tight deadline. How did you ensure the project’s success?
   12. If a product rang up at the wrong price, what would you do?
   13. What would you do if you spotted a damaged product on the shelf? What about products that appear to be tampered with?
   14. Tell me about a time when you had to be professional, polite, and courteous and found that challenging. How did you handle the situation?
   15. If given two priority assignments, how do you choose which one to do first?
   16. Tell me about a time when you followed a rule even when it was hard to do. Why did you find it difficult? Why did you follow it anyway?
   17. If a customer accused you of not addressing their needs, what would you do?
   18. Which of your traits do you think will bring the most value to the team?
   19. Do you prefer working as part of a team or independently?
   20. If a manager asked you to switch up how you are doing a task, but you knew you were using the right procedure, what would you do?
   21. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your communication skills? Why would you give it that score?
   22. If a customer approached you while you are in the middle of a high-priority task, what you do?
   23. If you were told that you need to work as quickly as possible, how do you make sure that the quality of your work doesn’t suffer?
   24. Can you describe a time you went above and beyond in the name of customer service?
   25. What would you do if you saw a coworker steal a quarter from the cash register?
   26. Where do you see yourself in five years?
   27. What’s something unique that you can bring to the team?
   28. How do you stay motivated when a task gets repetitive?
   29. Which of your strengths makes you particularly well-suited to this job?
   30. If you saw a coworker struggling with a task, what would you do?
   31. How would you react to an aggressive customer on Black Friday?
   32. Describe your preferred management style.
   33. Are you comfortable working with limited direct oversight?
   34. Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a coworker. What happened?
   35. Who do you think is our biggest local competitor? How does Walmart set itself apart from that retailer?
   36. How do you manage stress on the job?
   37. How did you learn about this position?

5 Good Questions to Ask at the End of a Walmart Interview

At the end of your Walmart interview, you’ll usually get a chance to flip the script and ask the hiring manager a few questions. It’s critical that you at least have a few things to ask. If you don’t, you might come off as disinterested, and that won’t help you land the job.

If you have no idea what you should ask, here are five questions that work for nearly any Walmart position:

1. 1. Can you describe what a typical day in this position looks like?
   2. What skills or traits do your most successful [position] employees have in common?
   3. If you could give one piece of advice to every [position] associate, what would you share?
   4. When you started with Walmart, was there anything about working for the company that surprised you?
   5. What is the biggest challenge Walmart faces today, and how will this position help solve it?

Putting It All Together

Ultimately, any interview – including one at Walmart – is daunting. It isn’t easy to sit across from a hiring manager and assert that you aren’t just a great candidate, but the perfect person for the job.

Luckily, you have a secret weapon, all of the advice above. By following it, you’ll know what to expect and can demonstrate your value with ease. So, what are you waiting for? Take your new knowledge and hit the ground running. You’ve got what it takes to thrive at Walmart, so move forward with confidence.

—

—

Mike Simpson( Co-Founder and CEO )

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan, Penn State, Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page.