Mission: The company’s philosophy is to bring their customers the best food and beverage values; provide them with information to help make informed buying decisions and to create stores filled with fun, friendliness and genuine care for customers.
It all started in the 50s... Would you believe we started out as a small chain of convenience stores? It’s true. Way back in 1958. We were called Pronto Markets. In ‘67, our founder, the original Trader Joe, changed our name (yes, to Trader Joe’s) and the way we do business.
We made the stores bigger (if you can imagine), decked the walls with cedar planks and donned our crew in cool Hawaiian shirts. Most importantly, we started packaging innovative, hard-to-find, great-tasting foods under the “Trader Joe’s” name. That cut our costs and saved you money. Still does. And that’s important, because “Value” is a concept we take very seriously. And by ‘Value,’ we mean great everyday prices on all of our great products — no sales, no gimmicks, no clubs to join, no special cards to swipe...
It’s not complicated. We just focus on what matters — great food + great prices = Value.
At Trader Joe’s, we create an outstanding customer experience around the discovery and enjoyment of amazing food and beverages. It’s what we do, and our Crew is our bread and butter, alongside the Trader Joe’s Bread and Butter.
It’s what we do – in every store, every day – that makes us Trader Joe’s.
We are looking for hard-working, fun people—people with a passion for food, learning, and creating delight for others. We take our job seriously, wear ourselves lightly, and are always looking to improve our Crew.
We treat our Crew like our bread and butter. Because we know quality benefits play a vital role in promoting the health and well-being of our Crew Members and their families, we offer:
The Crew is Trader Joe’s heart and soul. As a member of the Crew, you do a little of everything—and handle a lot. So does everyone along with you. Working the cash registers, receiving and unloading deliveries, stocking shelves, building displays, cleaning the floor, answering questions about Trader Joe’s products, and just generally making sure that every customer has a fun, friendly and informative shopping experience—that’s a little of everything. That’s a lot.
Merchants are exclusively promoted from Trader Joe’s Crew Members. Having demonstrated a deep commitment to their community, Merchants are tasked to do it all, like the Crew, and to set the example. From working the cash registers and receiving and unloading deliveries to answering questions about products, and making sure that every customer has a fun, friendly and informative shopping experience—Merchants get it done and always quest for ways to do it better.
Mates are store leaders. Promoted from Crew Members who excel in their roles, as well as qualified external candidates, Mates do it all and provide direction and training to the Crew. From working the cash registers and stocking shelves to building displays, and making sure that every customer has a fun, friendly and informative shopping experience—Mates work side by side with and develop the Crew to ensure that the work is executed with excellence and efficiency.
The Captain (always promoted from within—a Mate that has exemplified unwavering integrity and commitment) is the leader of the store. With the assistance of a team of Mates, the Captain directs the strategy and develops the Crew. They do it all on the floor of the store (there are no offices). From working the cash registers to making sure that every customer has a fun, friendly and informative shopping experience—the Captain works with and leads the Crew to continuously optimize every process.
Helpful (11)
I worked at Trader Joe's full-time
Pros
Company cares about its employees.
Cons
Can't really think of any.
Helpful (83)
Application
I applied through an employee referral. I interviewed at Trader Joe's.
Interview
Very casual, asked general interview questions. They are mostly looking for someone who loves to work in a team-oriented environment, who is excited to come to work, and wants to represent the company in the best way.
Interview Questions
