Lowe’s employs upwards of 300,000 people. Lowe’s has a lot of different jobs for people with a range of skills, such as sales associates, stockers, and delivery drivers. Should you be looking for a new job, Lowe’s might have a position for you. But first, you have to do well in an interview.
Getting used to answering common interview questions is one of the best ways to get ready for one. This article has a lot of questions and answers to help you do that.
Getting hired as an assistant manager at Lowe’s Home Improvement can be a great way to advance your retail management career. But first, you need to ace the interview
In this article we look at the 25 most common interview questions for Lowe’s Home Improvement assistant manager roles, along with sample answers to help you impress hiring managers.
1. Why do you want to work at Lowe’s?
The interviewer wants to gauge your passion for the company. Emphasize how Lowe’s commitment to empowering employees and serving home improvement customers resonates with you.
Sample Answer: I’m excited about growing my career in retail management at Lowe’s because of the company’s reputation for valuing employees and commitment to excellent customer service. Lowe’s focus on empowering workers with training and opportunities for advancement is very appealing to me. I also appreciate the company’s dedication to supporting both DIY and pro customers with all their home improvement needs.
2. What makes you a strong fit for this assistant manager role?
Demonstrate how your skills and experience align with the key requirements for success in the position
Sample Answer: I believe I am well-prepared for this role because of my 5 years of retail supervisory experience driving sales growth, managing teams, and delivering excellent customer service. I’m highly organized, able to juggle multiple priorities, and skilled at resolving issues that arise. My strengths in training, mentoring, and motivating team members will enable me to help my department succeed.
3. How would you respond if an angry customer complained to you?
Show you can calmly and diplomatically handle dissatisfied customers.
Sample Answer: I would listen carefully without interrupting to understand the situation from the customer’s perspective. I’d then apologize sincerely for their experience, and focus on finding a fair solution or compromise. If needed, I would involve my manager or the right specialists to resolve the matter. Follow-up after the issue is fixed is also important to me.
4. This role requires managing conflicting priorities. Share an example of when you did this successfully.
Prove you can multitask and shift gears adeptly as demands change.
Sample Answer: In my last role, I would often have to balance completing my own tasks with unexpected needs like covering a sick coworker’s shift or responding to a customer complaint. When this happened, I would re-prioritize based on urgency and importance. For instance, I would hand off my tasks to other team members to ensure the customer issue was resolved quickly, while informing my manager of the changes. This flexibility enabled me to keep operations running smoothly despite competing priorities.
5. Describe your experience with hiring, training, and developing staff.
Showcase your ability to build productive, cohesive teams.
Sample Answer: As a department supervisor for 3 years, I oversaw the full employee lifecycle from sourcing and onboarding new hires to coaching team members and supporting their professional growth. I really enjoy mentoring junior staff. For example, I trained new cashiers on point-of-sale systems and customer service skills which helped them get up to speed more quickly. I also identified high-potential employees for advancement opportunities within the company to nurture talent.
6. How would you promote collaboration in your department?
Share approaches to foster teamwork and engagement.
Sample Answer: I would promote collaboration in several ways. First, I would implement regular team huddles and meetings to improve communication and idea sharing. I also believe in leading by example – pitching in to help stock shelves or assist customers when needed. Finally, I would recognize those who support their colleagues and the broader store with peer-to-peer recognition programs. My goal is to build an environment of trust where employees work together towards shared objectives.
7. This role requires driving sales performance. What approach would you take?
Demonstrate your sales management skills and business acumen.
Sample Answer: I would drive sales performance by first thoroughly analyzing metrics like traffic trends, customer profiles, and purchasing behaviors. This would inform sales strategies targeted to our unique customer base. I would ensure the team has proper training on product knowledge and consultative selling techniques to boost conversion rates. Merchandising and promotions would be optimized based on demand. With regular coaching and feedback, I would motivate staff to achieve individual and department goals.
8. How would you respond if a team member came to you about a problem with their manager?
Show you can handle this sensitive situation diplomatically.
Sample Answer: If approached with a complaint about their direct manager, I would first listen to the team member without judgment. I would then follow company protocols – potentially involving HR – to address the situation through the proper channels. It’s important to me to make the team member feel heard and understood while also being fair and ethical in handling the issue. My goal would be addressing the problem objectively while preserving trust and morale within the team.
9. Tell me about a time you coached an employee to improve their performance.
Share a positive story demonstrating your mentoring abilities.
Sample Answer: There was a customer service associate who was struggling with long checkout times. I monitored his interactions and saw he often made small talk but didn’t initiate upsells. I worked closely with him on how to balance friendliness with efficiency, simplify the checkout process, and casually suggest relevant offers to customers. With regular feedback and practice, his customer satisfaction and conversion rates improved significantly, which was a big confidence boost.
10. How would you respond if a customer questioned the price of an item?
Prove you can stand by company policies while satisfying customers.
Sample Answer: If a customer challenged an item price, I would first politely verify the price in our point-of-sale system. If they remained unsatisfied, I would explain pricing is set at the corporate level and adhere to company guidelines. However, I would do my best to resolve their concern by checking for any applicable promotions or offering an alternative, cost-friendly solution. My aim would be upholding policies while ensuring the customer feels valued.
11. Tell me about a time you had to adapt to a change quickly at work.
Discuss a example showcasing your flexibility and ability to adjust on the fly.
Sample Answer: Recently, our store began a trial of new handheld inventory scanners. The day they rolled out, several employees approached me with questions and concerns about the change. I gathered the team to walkthrough the new technology and uses cases, assuring them I was there to support the transition. Within a few days, the team acclimated to the new process. This demonstrated my ability to embrace changes proactively, while supporting my team through uncertainty.
12. Describe a time you had to solve a complex problem on the job. What was your process?
Share how you apply critical thinking and analysis to resolve workplace challenges.
Sample Answer: When our department was struggling to meet sales targets, I conducted root cause analysis to identify issues. After speaking to the team and reviewing reports, I found conversion rates were lagging in some categories. I matched slower-moving products to purchase trends and adjusted our inventory levels and merchandising. This improved the customer experience and boosted conversions by 10% over 6 months.
13. Why are you looking to leave your current job?
Be honest but positive about why the change is right for your career growth.
Sample Answer: I’ve enjoyed my time in my current role, but I’m ready to take on more responsibility and leadership challenges. This assistant manager role offers that next step while allowing me to leverage my skills in a larger, growing company. I believe in keeping my career progressing forward by taking on new opportunities for learning and development.
14. How do you stay up-to-date on the retail industry and competitors?
Demonstrate your business savvy and strategic mindset.
Sample Answer: I avidly read retail publications and blogs which provide valuable insights into sector trends, new technologies, and best practices. I also conduct regular store visits to competitors in my area to analyze their product assortment, pricing, promotions, services, etc. This helps me identify potential opportunities to implement in my own store. I’m committed to continually expanding my retail knowledge.
15. Where do you see your career in the next 3-5 years?
Share goals aligned with growing your leadership skills and advancing within Lowe’s.
Sample Answer: In the next few years, I hope to master my role as an assistant store manager and take on additional responsibilities to broaden my experience. I aim to deliver strong results that earn opportunities to join a management training program for advancement to a general manager position. I see myself growing as a leader within Lowe’s for many years to come.
16. How would you build strong morale and engagement on your team?
Emphasize your ability to cultivate an inclusive, positive environment.
Sample Answer: I believe engagement starts with building an environment of mutual trust and respect. I have an open door policy so staff feel comfortable coming to me with questions or feedback. I also prioritize recognizing employees’ hard work and celebrating wins which boosts morale. Getting to know team members personally and understanding motivators are also important – that drives my coaching approach. My goal is for everyone to enjoy being part of the team and feel valued for their contributions.
17. What qualities do you believe are important in a good manager
Example Answers And Common Interview Questions At Lowe’s
- Tell Me About Yourself. The goal of an interview is to learn more about a strong candidate. Someone will ask you to give a general description of yourself in order to do this. To give a good answer, you will need to talk about your personal and professional experiences. Answer: “I was born and raised in California and have worked in retail sales since I graduated from high school.” I like sales because I get to help people figure out what they want to buy all day. Outside of work, I spend my time doing long-distance swimming. ” .
- Question: “What Can You Tell Me About Lowe’s?” is a test question used by interviewers to see how much you know about the company. You’ll look more prepared when asked this question if you’ve already done research on the Lowe’s brand. The answer is “Lowe’s is an American and Canadian company that sells home improvement items like paint and kitchenware.” Since its start in 1946, it has stuck to its values of teamwork, respect, and helping customers. ” .
- How do you stay motivated while doing work tasks? As an associate at a big company like Lowe’s, you might have to do boring work from time to time. A hiring manager will ask you questions like these to find out how well you can work alone and complete routine tasks. Answer: “Knowing that my boss and coworkers depend on me is what drives me to do both big and small tasks at work.” I don’t want to let my coworkers down, even when I have to do boring work. ” .
- What Relevant Work Experience Do You Have? A Lowe’s interviewer has probably read your resume and seen the bullet points about your experience, but they’ll want to hear more about you in person. Question: “I’ve never worked at a Lowe’s before, but I have experience taking care of customers’ needs.” I’ve worked at a grocery store and a restaurant. Both roles heavily depended on providing great customer service. I’ve also worked on home improvement projects before, which makes me a good person to ask for advice when people are looking to buy supplies. ” .
- People who are interviewing will ask, “Why do you want to work at Lowe’s?” to see how much the candidate knows about the company and the job. A candidate who gives good reasons for wanting the job will impress a recruiter with how much they know. That’s right, Lowe’s helps people improve and comfort their homes. This mission is important to me because a person’s home affects their health. As part of my plan to improve my home, I want to work as a salesperson at Lowe’s. ” .
- What Does “Great Customer Service” Mean? A big part of Lowe’s brand is giving people who are remodeling their homes great customer service. So, during the interview process, they look for people who show they can provide great customer service. I believe that great customer service is shown by how the customer feels after the interaction. If the customer leaves happy and sure that they made the right choice, then the customer service was good. A positive customer experience means great service. ” .
- Tell me about a time when you worked to solve a problem. As for the types of people that Lowe’s hires, they want people who can solve problems. The person interviewing you will ask you about a time when you solved a problem. This is done to see how good you are at this. Answer: “I used to be the manager of a fancy restaurant with a lot of employees.” We were having trouble making money during the slow season, so I suggested that we start catering to small events during those months. They went with the idea, and during normally slow times of the year, we saw huge increases in profits. ” .
- Who Would You Talk To If They Were Being Rude? If you’ve ever worked in customer service, you know that sometimes you have to deal with rude customers. Recruiters will ask you hypothetical questions about difficult customers to see how you would deal with them on the job. Answer “Anger often comes from a place of misunderstanding. So, I believe the best way to deal with a difficult customer is to be professional and willing to find a solution. Paying less attention to how mad or crazy the customer is and more to what I can do to help them and make their experience better ” .
- Is it possible to tell what a customer wants if they don’t know the name of an item? People often go into stores like Lowe’s and read descriptions of items to find out more about them. There are people who might not even know what they want. You will likely be asked a question or two about how you will deal with customers who are confused. Answer: “If a customer needed help finding something they didn’t know the name of, I’d first ask them what they know about it.” For instance, what part of the house it affects and what the project they want to do With this information, I should be able to figure out where we should begin our search. I would ask a supervisor for help if I couldn’t figure out what the thing was. ” .
- Why do you think you’re the best? Employers want to know how you see yourself and your strengths. Good luck with your answer! Remember to keep the quality related to something that will help you do well on the job. The best thing about me is that I can stay calm in a tough situation. This makes me a better customer service rep because I always act professionally, even when things get tough. ” .
- What would you do if your boss told you to do something dangerous? Home improvement stores like Lowe’s are full of places where danger can happen. Companies face a big risk when workers get hurt at work because it’s not safe. This kind of situational questioning helps interviewers figure out how you’ll act as an employee. Answer: “If my boss told me to do something dangerous, I would ask them to explain it to me so I understand the job right.” If I thought the task was unsafe after talking about it with my boss, I would let him or her know and try to come up with other ways to do it. ” .
- Tell me about a time when you and a coworker had a disagreement. Every employee has to deal with conflict to some degree. An employer wants to know how you would handle this situation if they hired you to work for Lowe’s. They do this by asking you about how you’ve dealt with it in the past. The person I worked with before was always late, and I had to do my work before them. They often worked right after me, so I stayed late to make up for their being late. I made an appointment to talk to the coworker alone and told them how their punctuality was messing up my schedule. They fully understood, said sorry, and promised to behave better in the future. ” .
- What times are you available? If you want to work at Lowe’s, you need to be able to be flexible with your schedule, especially during the busy season. You should still be honest with yourself about how much and when you can work, though. Answer “I am available to work full-time, any shifts Monday-Friday. I’d be happy to work holiday shifts too, but I can’t do weekends. ” .
- Do You Know How to Use Point of Sale (POS) Systems? If you’re interviewing for a job as a cashier, knowing how to use POS systems can be very important to your success on the job. If you’re honest, Lowe’s might be willing to train the right person for this job. Answer “Yes, I am familiar with POS systems. Every day at my job at a grocery store, I had to use a Point Of Sale system. ” .
- Who Are Lowe’s Competitors? An interviewer may ask you who Lowe’s competitors are to see how well you know their target market. Walmart, The Home Depot, and Target are some of Lowe’s competitors. ” .
- Why Did You Leave Your Last Job? It can be scary to talk about leaving a job, but giving a strong answer will help you get the job. You want to talk about leaving your last job in a smart and honest way, since the hiring manager can call your old job to find out more. Answer: “I was a cashier at my last job for three years.” That time taught me a lot, but it was time to move on to something new with more room for growth. After giving two weeks’ notice, I quit on good terms. ” .
- Do you have experience with “do-it-yourself” projects? Lowe’s sells tools and materials for home improvement projects that you do yourself, so they’ll ask you if you’ve done something similar before. You won’t need experience with these types of projects to get a job at Lowe’s, but it will likely make you a stronger candidate. Answer “I do have some experience with DIY projects. Specifically, I’ve redone the floors in my parent’s old home. The project went on for a month and was very long, but it was worth it. Plus, it was a fun experience. ” .
- What makes you think we should hire you to work at Lowe’s? This is a question that most companies will ask job applicants. The purpose of the question is to see how self-aware, confident, and good at pitching themselves the applicant is. Answer: “Lowe’s should hire me as a sales associate because I know how to give customers the best experience possible.” I’ve worked in customer service a few times and have always been able to solve problems. As an employee, I’m positive, fun to work with, and good at making sales. I believe these traits would make me a good employee at Lowe’s. ” .
- What’s the worst mistake you’ve ever made in customer service? At Lowe’s, it’s all about the customers. The person interviewing you will ask about mistakes you’ve made in customer service in the past to see how much you’ve changed since then. “I used to work as a cashier for a clothing store,” was the answer. It was rude of a woman to tell me that her card was being declined. I made a mistake by being rude to her, which makes me look bad as an employee. It taught me how to deal with angry customers in a calm and professional way. ” .
- At the end of almost every interview, the hiring manager will ask if you have any questions about the job or the company. Make the most of this chance to clear up any questions you still have about the job. Some questions to ask at the end of a Lowe’s interview are: What is Lowe’s company culture like? Can you tell me more about the daily duties of this position? Who would I be reporting to in this position? What are the most important soft skills for this role? How have previous employees done in this position at Lowe’s? Do you think I’m qualified to do the duties of this role? What does a typical day look like for this position? What does success in this role look like to you? What is the hardest thing about this job? What is Lowe’s biggest challenge? How could the person in this role help solve it? What makes someone successful at Lowe’s? What do you like best and worst about working at Lowe’s?
Lowes Interview Questions with Answer Examples
FAQ
What does an ASM do at Lowes?
Why are you a good fit for assistant manager?
How many rounds of interview does Lowes have?
