Macy's Executive Development Program Interview Questions & Reviews

Interview Details – Met at college recruiting fair. Interviewed at college with 2 interviewers (one behavioral questions, one project you must answer). Flew me to Cincinnati for final round interviews over two days. Met with other candidates, went to dinner, toured headquarters and flagship store. Second day was intense round of several individual and group interviews.

Interview Details – The interview process was very organized and efficient. They were very generous during the second interview also. The experience is a lot of work for an interview but I suppose they are attempting to see how hard of a worker you are. Overall, it was a fine experience. It is worth it to go through the process even if you don't get an offer.

Interview Details – They give you a coaching exercise where they give you 10 minutes to brainstorm a way to coach an employee. You have the option to pick between about 6 employees and you speak on behalf of one of them. I would be sure to describe all of them in short detail because I only focused on one. You then go into another room and they ask you a series of basic interview questions like "why Macy's?" and "when is a time you had to make a quick decision?"

Interview Details – Got recruited through campus. Had multiple information sessions. Interviews were held on-campus. Got asked back to the on-site interview which was 2 days. The first day was informative and the second day was intense with a whole schedule. You were put with the same people in each setting, and your group had to go through a whole day's worth of activities.

Interview Details – Applied through my school's career website and was selected for an on-campus interview at my school's career center. The night before the interview we were invited to join the Macy's recruiters and interviewers for some informal networking and appetizers on campus. You get a chance to meet the two people who will interview you the next day. The first-round interview consists of 2 behavioral interviews that each lasted 30 minutes long. One was with a Buyer and one with Planner. It was a fairly straight forward interivew. Make sure you know Macy's big initiatives and have read some recent press releases. There is also an assessment (math exam) that ask you to take online before the on campus interview.

After that, I got an email inviting me (about 2 weeks later) to interview on-site. They pay for your flight (they allowed me to come for the weekend before to see family in NYC...I interviewed on a Monday and Tuesday). Before the interview I had a number of assessments to complete. They weren't too difficult. The first day of the interview was extremely informative and relaxed. It involved a tour of the offices, Macy's on 34th street, and dinner. We also had a Vice President come speak to us about the company. The second day started at 8 am and was more or less a traditional super day. It involved 2 behavioral interviews. One with a Buyer/Planner and another with a recruiter. There was also an hour-long math test that was basic calculations from a formula sheet. There is lunch and then a case interview in the afternoon. You have the chance to ask questions to a panel of buyers/planners and then they give you a case. You're divided up into groups and one person from the panel is assigned to your group. You have to informally present as well.

I got an offer 2 days after completing the on-site interview.

Negotiation Details – Salaried position and small signing bonus. Non-negotiable

Interview Details – They make the interview process as comfortable as possible for you. The interviewer I had at my on campus interview was really nice and laid back. Just be yourself and be social and you'll be good.

For the second round interview process, they go out of their way to make sure you don't feel pressured and always remind you that it is as much about them finding the right candidate as it is about you finding the right company. There aren't any really difficult questions. Thankfully they don't go near the strengths or weaknesses questions. It's all about leadership.

Interview Details – Interviewed on campus after meeting and speaking with a recruiter at Career Fair.

Invited to second round in Cincinnati, OH. Two day event. First day: Introduction to event, and interviewers, with a dinner to end the day. Treat every part as an interview. Second day: Interviews all day: each group moves around in a different order. Interviews include behavioral, and business exercises, similar to on campus interview.

Amazing individuals, very thorough.

Interview Details – I found out about the Macy's Store Management EDP from working in the store and communicating with a recruiter the end of my junior year. I started the process end of August-beginning of September. Since they did not visit my school, I had a phone interview which was behavioral based questions. I also had to complete a timed retail math test. It took about a month before I was able to even set up my second interview, which was another behavioral based interview via webcam. In both cases, they are looking for examples in which you have demonstrated leadership, considering this is for a position in which you will be leading a team.

After that interview, it was another month before I got any feedback indicating whether or not I was moving on to the on-site interviewing. I work for Macy's, and they had apparently notified my HRM to tell me the good news, which to my knowledge never happend.
Once you're invited to the on-sites, you have to complete a series of online questionnaires, one of which I took over 3 years ago. They're pretty simple. One is to see how you behave in certain situations, how you would fit with their culture.

As everyone has mentioned before, they really take great care of the candidates for the on-sites. I stayed at a great hotel, they took us out to dinner and provided breakfast and lunch on the last day. If you go to the on-sites, make sure you keep your receipts because they reimburse costs associated with the trip.

So the on-sites...the first day is all about seeing how you interact with the other candidates and making yourself standout. You learn more about Macy's and have a few guest speakers talk about their experience and there is a Q&A. The second day is when all the real interviewing and group work happens. Candidates are put into teams to go through the activites of the day. You will complete two more 1:1 interviews, this will vary depending on what interviews you have completed prior to the on-sites. I had an interview based on the results of the personality test that we had to take, which just is to see what you say in comparision to what you said online. This I struggled with a little bit because in the past 3 years or so, some of my opinions have changed, therefore; I may have not been consistent with every answer. The other 1:1 was a case in which you select an associate to coach based on a department's scorecard results. Since I had worked with Macy's for over 3 years, I found this to be easy because I was very familiar with their process of coaching and MAGIC selling.

We also did two group activities. One was to review a store's scorecard and select three departments in which you would focus on that week in order to improve sales. Everyone presents their choices and then there is a short Q&A with the executives that are evaluating you. The second activity was to make your claim as to why the department you manage, should have a full-time position added. You get time to prepare, present to the group then come together to make collectively decide the best option for the store. In this activity, it's not about making sure your department is the one chosen, necessarily. You have to decide as a group what is the best thing to do for the store. Also, this is another major point where they look at your personality and leadership skills. This is one of the best times to try to demonstrate that and impress them.

There is also a program overview which just goes over what to expect and the different steps in the program. They get back to you in two weeks to let you know if they want you to join the Magic of Macy's.

I did not get an offer and when I asked for feedback, I was told I would get it, yet I'm still waiting on that. Hopefully I get it, I have a feeling I will not.

I think they do a great job with the interviewing process and if you are interested in a retail career or leadership opportunity, this is a fantastic program. Although I will not be staying with Macy's , I have learned so much about retail, sales and leadership and am excited to use my knowledge in another opportunity. Good luck to anyone interviewing!

Interview Details – Applied through my school, was asked to take a really long assessment test. After completing the assessment test, I received word that I got an interview at my school's career site. At this interview, there were two interviewers, one was a case study (list of names and personal attributes associated with the names.. had to explain who I would choose to mentor and WHY*. why is key), and the other was behavioral (tell me about a time when things didn't go as planned, how did you deal with this, etc.).

Both were pleasant and after that, about a week later the recruiter emailed me and told me they would like for me to come to LA for their main interviewing process. (Not before ANOTHER assessment test, mind you). They FLEW us out, paid for our hotel and food. Day 1: we arrived, went to our rooms, got ready for the day. Started at 1pm. Sat in a big room with about 30 other people, each from 3 various schools. This was mostly informational, where they showed us videos about the EDP program, had Q&A, and invited three people doing the EDP program to talk about their experience. It might look good to ask questions, but merely looking engaged is fine; it ultimately did not matter too much that I did not ask a single question. After that, we got to "freshen up" in our rooms and met downstairs at 6pm for dinner. We all walked in a huge group to a restaurant, and during this experience, various HR representatives and important people at Macy's came and sat next to us for dinner. Of course, I had to sit right next to VP or HR and had to talk to her the entire time, making interesting conversation, making her laugh, etc. etc. - so exhausting. After this, we retreated back to our rooms for the night to "prepare" for the morning.

The next day- promptly at 8 am, we met in the lobby and are driven in a shuttle to the Flagship store nearby. Here, we get out and go into this large room and have a buffet-style breakfast inside of Macy's. As we are finishing, all the recruiters and interviewers come out (there are about 10-15 of them) and sit with us, and we go around the room and introduce ourselves. After that, we break into our 4 groups (each group with about 6-8 people in them, mine somehow had only 5) and do a series of rotational events. My group did the info session first, where we just learn about Macy's culture and the EDP program. This was pointless, in my opinion, but apparently necessary. Second was the scariest and I thought I blew it during this one. We go into a room with two important people (VP of Sales and VP of college relations) and my group is sitting, single file, facing them. We are given descriptions of departments with Sales per volume, year, etc. and other demographic information and are asked to choose three departments we would like to be in charge of and why. This was grueling, as you had to make a conscious effort not to COPY your counterparts, as well as be innovative and creative in your responses (and well-articulated). AFTER you tell them your opinions, they basically tell you their thoughts on the departments, usually not the ones you picked. They stare at you - expressionless - the entire time.
Next was the group activity, where we go into a room with two more people. My group is each given a department in the store with various information about that department (Women's Lingerie - has all old employees who dont like to do that much work. Fine Jewelry lost two employees and has been low-staffed, etc.) You basically have to barter with your group to select the advantage of getting the one new employee. I had this one rude and uncompromising girl in my group who eventually made herself look bad with lack of collaborating skills. We *have* to come to a consensus about who gets the new hire. At the end, the interviewers (who I thought were flirting with each other the whole time) talk about strength and weaknesses of our thoughts and let us go on our way.
There were two more interviews after that grueling process, a behavioral one where they GO OVER your assessment test results.. they ask you questions from it and see if you answered similarly on the assessment test, etc. The second was an evaluative interview, talking about leadership, why you chose this company, your strengths, weaknesses, etc. Those were the best for me, and I think because I thrived in those, I ended up getting the job. After that we pack up and leave and go to the airport.

Two weeks later they call you and let you know if you got it or not.

Great, tiring experience but it prepared me to succeed in future interviews afterward.

Negotiation Details – No negotiation. You get a solid salary.