I applied in-person. The process took 6 days. I interviewed at Trader Joe's (Denver, CO) in Jan 2014
Interview
Attended Company hiring event in Hotel meeting room in Denver, Co. Submitted resume, cover letter, and completed TJ application. Was pre-screened by a veteran Mate and process was friendly and conversational. Next day, received an invitation for an interview. I prepared by reviewing Glassdoor interview notes, visiting Company website, and researched other web based articles. Needless to say, I was well prepared.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Why do you want to work for Trader Joe's? What do you like about Trader Joe's? What team building skills do you possess?
Applied online and had one in person interview with the captain. It lasted maybe 10 minutes. Got a call a week or so later that I got the job. Very fast process.
It's two to three interviews, the final with the Captain (or highest manager) of the store. The interviews are largely to get to know your personality and how well you would do at customer service.
The interview process was absolutely wonderful! I didn't feel stressed or nervous and it felt like I was just chatting with a friend! Trader Joes is a great company and the interview was great.