It was a 30 minute interview with a director and manager in which they had a packet of questions and scenarios that were presented to you and you had a bit of time to think about your answer and tell a story about how you would work through the situation. The best way to prepare for this is to look on the internet for situational interview questions. They were relatively specific questions or scenarios that were clearly looking for a specific type of answer. Many of the questions were in a format of, give us a situation where (blank), how you reacted to it, and how you solved the issue.

I heard about an entry level opportunity at Safeway through a family friend. I was contacted by a hiring manger via email about setting up a phone interview to tell me about the Promotion Specialist position and ask me questions. I talked with the hiring manger on the phone a few days later and was asked basic questions about my previous jobs and my analytical skills. I was given more specific information about the position, but was then told that the position was not currently open. The hiring manager told me to fill out an application online because the position opens up "all the time."

The interview process is rigorous at Safeway corporate. Situational interviews are conducted by 2 to 4 panelists, generally including a HR representative. You must answer following the STAR method; Come prepared with plenty of DETAILED, SPECIFIC examples in your arsenal, and any hard evidence to support your cause. Best of luck! I am thankful I do not have to repeat that interview again!