I applied online. The process took 1 day. I interviewed at Nordstrom (Honolulu, HI) in Jul 2008
Interview
I applied online for a position in the juniors department, and about two weeks later I received a call from the assistant manager of the department. We talked briefly for 5 minutes just about myself and then set a date for a one-on-one interview at the store. The interview itself was quite relaxed and the asst manager was very friendly. There were a series of questions about my skills as well as my strengths/weaknesses. There were also a couple of questions about how I would react to a certain scenario, and she also asked for past examples of leadership/teamwork. The interview itself was pretty quick -- about 15 minutes, I believe. A week later I got a call saying I got the job!
So easy, I went to a job fair and was hired on the spot. They need people in the kids department, that's the easiest section to get into. They just ask about your personality and who you are.
Was inside Barton creek mall, hiring manager was prompt and clear with questions ranging from how I would handle difficult customers, to my personal experiences that could apply to the job.