At Cotton On we encourage our customers to create their own style. How would you describe your personal style?

"I would describe my personal style as 'sloppy chic' because I love large cable knit sweaters paired with leather leggings and a pair of great booties. My personal style is important to me because it's an expression of my mood on a day to day basis. It's how I can best express myself."

Having your own personal style is very important in fashion. Talk to the interviewer about how you define your style and what it means to you.

"I think it's important for everyone to have their own personal style and wear what they feel most comfortable in. If I could describe my personal style I would say it's ladylike with a touch of bohemian. My style icons include Kate Middleton and the Olsens."

In your opinion, which designer has been the biggest fashion trailblazer in the past decade?

"I feel that the biggest fashion trailblazer in the past decade is Vera Wang. She is everywhere and her style speaks to people of all walk and budgets. I love that she can design clothes, wedding dresses, couture, and even home goods - proving that fashion isn't limited and is truly an art."

The interviewer would like to know that you have a true interest in fashion and the ability to have an intellectual opinion on the happenings in the fashion world. Give your personal opinion on your favourite fashion trailblazer and back up your reasoning.

"The fascinating thing about the fashion industry is that there is no real one trailblazer anymore. Designers can make a huge impact when they are barely known, and sometimes the designers who are household names, have an 'off' year. At this moment in time, I feel that Tom Ford is the best known trailblazer because his style has remained distinct and consistent throughout the years."

Your current employer has a strong reputation in the fashion industry. Why do you want to work for Cotton On?

"I have worked with Company ABC for the past 5 years and because they are a smaller organization there is no longer room for me to grow unless I were to relocate. This is why I am seeking a new opportunity. Working for Cotton On would allow me to grow into bigger opportunities while remaining local."

Discuss with the hiring manager the ways in which you feel that working for Cotton On will provide you with the aspects you are currently missing in your position.

"I have had my eye on openings with Cotton On for quite some time. I have heard excellent things about working here which is why I am so excited about the opportunity to join your team. My reason for seeking a new opportunity is not out of dissatisfaction for my current company but more so for continued growth and career advancement."

When did you realize that you wanted a career in fashion?

"I have had an interest in fashion ever since I was a child. I would create outfits for my dolls and do fashion shows with my friends. My passion for the industry has been present from the beginning."

The interviewer would like to know what led you to a career in fashion. Talk about your passion for the industry and where it all started. You can draw on some personal points but try to keep your answer brief and to the point.

"I realized in my teens that fashion was so much more than just the clothes you wear. In 9th grade I did a presentation on the evolution of fashion. The research I conducted really opened my eyes to the statements that designers make through their collections. I was hooked!"

"I have had an interest in fashion ever since I was a kid. I would start to draw dresses and clothes and was thinking about being a fashion designer."

At Cotton On we have thousands of applicants per year. Why should we choose you for this position?

"You should hire me for this position because I can guarantee you that nobody else has followed your brand as closely as I have. I am passionate about fashion and see this as much more than just a job. Working for Cotton On would change my path and I plan to make a positive impact immediately."

What makes you a stand-out candidate for this opportunity? Why should the interviewer give you the position over another candidate? Make your answer unique and memorable. Show confidence and don't be afraid to brag about yourself!

"In addition to my recently acquired degree in Fashion Design, I also have a background in film. I am a world traveler as well. These 3 factors combined, make me an incredibly well-rounded candidate who will offer you a perspective and insight that others cannot."

Who is your favorite fashion designer and why?

"My favourite fashion designer is Ted Baker. The designs are classic yet bold and unique. I love the use of pattern. When someone is wearing a Ted Baker piece - you know!"

Display to the interviewer that you follow fashion design by discussing your favourite designer. The more you can assure the interviewer that you know what you're talking about, the better your chances of landing the position.

"I am most attracted to the classic labels like Hermes and Balenciaga. They are true luxury brands that have remained relevant yet stand the test of time and tradition."

At Cotton On we aim to be a step ahead of our competitors. In your opinion, what do you think will be the biggest fashion trend for next spring?

"The fact that Cotton On is always a step ahead of competitors is one of the many reasons why I want to work for you. I love to keep up to date on new trends and think that this spring the trend will continue to be platform loafers, oversized trenches, and chokers."

Assure the interviewer that you keep up with the latest trends in fashion and that you have a personal opinion when it comes to forecasting trends.

"I admire that Cotton On is always a step ahead of the trends. One account that I follow regularly, to get a beat on what is coming up, is Nasty Gal. They are always a few steps ahead and at the moment I am seeing a lot of embroidery, cut-outs, and glitter accents."

Do you have any post-secondary education related to the fashion industry?

"I have a Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design from U of V. This Degree has helped me immensely in the understanding of fashion trends, design, and style."

Walk the interviewer through your post-secondary experience. How has your education assisted you in your fashion-related career? You can keep your answer brief and to the point.

"Although I do not yet have a completed post-secondary degree, I have a completed certificate in Social Media Marketing. This knowledge is transferable to any industry, including fashion. I look forward to utilizing my knowledge in this area at Cotton On"

Our industry is fast-paced, competitive, and stressful. How do you cope with high levels of pressure?

"I have been working in fast-paced, stressful environments for the past 10 years. When I am under pressure, my performance is the best. It's like a runners high for me. My current references will attest to my strong ability to perform under pressure."

Assure the interviewer that you are capable of handling the stressful and fast-paced world of fashion. Share how you cope with high levels of pressure and be sure to comment on your ability to handle stress in previous positions. You can also draw on your references.

"I handle stress very well and when you call my references, they will attest to this fact. When I am under pressure on the job, I focus on the task at hand and make sure to not get distracted. Staying on deadline is very helpful and I will delegate when necessary to alleviate some stress."

At Cotton On we offer many areas of opportunity and growth. Where would you like to see your career in the next 3-5 years?

"Over the next few years I would like to grow into a management function with Cotton On. I am willing to prove myself and do what it takes to get there."

Everyone wants to see growth and opportunity in their career. Share with the interviewer the ways that you want to grow with Cotton On over the next few years. Assure the hiring manager that you are willing to work hard for growth opportunities.

"Ideally, 5 years from now, I would love to see myself growing into a more prominent leadership role within your organization. My career interests align very nicely with your company's goals which helps me to see a great long term fit here."

"Ideally, I would love to see myself grow into a promising leadership role within Cotton On, and I'm willing to push myself and do what it takes to get there over the coming years."

How do you stay on top of trends in the fashion industry?

"I stay on top of trends through reading high fashion magazines and browsing sites like Pinterest and Instagram. I also follow a few design houses and fashion bloggers on a variety of social media platforms."

Fashion is always changing and trends change faster than any other industry. Talk to the interviewer about the ways in which you stay in tune with new and top trends.

"My favorite place to stay on top of fashion trends is Instagram. I follow a multitude of trend setters, designers, and stylists. I find it easy and fast to scroll through the feed and see what others are wearing, and talking about."

The fashion industry is fast paced and unpredictable. Your work schedule may reflect that unpredictability. Are you flexible in your schedule?

"I am happy to make myself available for work most times, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. I do have an evening course for the next 8 weeks on Thursdays; however, that is the only restriction currently on my schedule."

Assure the interviewer that you are capable of working an unpredictable schedule. If you have any restrictions in your schedule, this is a good time to talk to the interviewer about it.

"I have a few restrictions in my schedule; however, I am happy to accommodate most days. I am unavailable to work on weekends but from my research I believe you are closed on weekends anyways. Could you share with me the hours expectations for this position?"

Do you consider yourself to be more creative or analytical minded?

"I lean more towards being creative minded; however, I am very capable of being analytically minded as well. I feel this greatly helps me with my management skills as I am a creative yet well organized leader."

Whether you consider yourself creative, or analytical - assure the interviewer that you are capable of providing both to the employer, if hired.

"I am more analytically minded; however, I do have a creative flair as well. The factors that make me analytically minded are my desire to get to the bottom of things. I am curious about process, and motives. I like to dig deeper than the surface of things."

Tell me about your greatest work related accomplishment.

"The greatest accomplishment in my career was graduating University as an honors student while still working full time in a related field. I was top of my class, and working full time. This showed me that I am able to dedicate myself to my career, and reach the goals that I set for myself. It felt great to accomplish so much and be recognized for my dedication."

Talking about your greatest accomplishment will give the interviewer a strong idea of where you place your values. It will also show the interviewer more about your personality, how you like to be motivated, and how to coach you in the future. It is okay to brag a little bit when answering this question. Show that you are proud of yourself and your career accomplishments!

"I have many accomplishments that I am very proud of. Overall, I would say that my greatest work accomplishment is the positive reputation that I have in this industry."

If you were hired today, what would you accomplish first?

"When we were speaking earlier, about sales targets in this position, you mentioned that most new sales professionals hit their KPI's after 120 days. If I were hired today, my goal would be to exceed my KPI's after the first 90 days. I plan to make a positive impact very quickly."

When you start a new position it is important to set a goal on how you will make a positive impact quickly after being hired. Tell the interviewer what your impact goal is, should you be the successful candidate.

"If I were hired today I would place my focus where you have the greatest need. In my opinion, the biggest impact I can make is through being a dedicated employee."

When have you had to adapt to change?

"In my current role there is a lot of turnover when it comes to our management team. I have had to adapt to 3 new managers in the past 4 years. It is not the ideal situation but I am able to adjust for the good of the team."

Being able to adapt to change in the workplace is a very important skill to possess. Talk to the interviewer about a time when you have had to adjust to changes on the job. How did you handle the change? Was it a positive reaction?

"Last year our company was sold to a competitor and a lot of our management team changed hands. It was a lot of change to handle in a short time."

"In my last role, I had to adapt to 3 new managers within one year. It was a lot of change in such a short period of time but I adapted and learned from the different ways I was taught."

Tell me about a time when you made a suggestion requesting change in an organization.

"Last year when I was managing dispatch for my company I noticed a pretty solid opportunity for us to save on overtime hours. I created a presentation and gave it to my manager who took it to upper management. The changes were implemented and I was very proud of the suggestion that I made."

In addition to being able to handle change, can you also recognize when change is required and be confident enough to present that to your organization? Talk to the interviewer about a time when you were able to make a suggestion for change in the workplace.

"Our company did not have a strong policy when it came to workplace harassment and bullying. I was able to work with the leadership team to create a new program which has been readily welcomed by our staff."

Think about a difficult boss, professor or other person. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?

"I once worked at a locally owned shop where the owner was very demanding. When the owner would walk into the store, employees would announce over their headset system that the owner was in the building, so that everyone could be prepared for his entrance into their department. The owner had great intentions; however, his people skills were a little rough. I could see that he meant well, and I recognized that he wanted to do a lot of good things. When we interacted, I always took his feedback with the understanding that he didn't mean things as harshly as he might say them."

Show the interviewer that you work well with most personalities even though you recognize there are some folks out there who are quite difficult to please. Think about that one person at work who is seen as hard to please. Perhaps there is someone at work who tries to intimidate others. Talk to the interviewer about what made this person challenging and what their relationship was to you. Avoid speaking poorly of anyone and be sure to end your response on a positive note.

"I once worked with a peer who was very difficult in meetings and with interacting in groups of others. I took it upon myself to help this person interact better with others. When she would bark orders, I would reiterate what she was trying to say to the group in a more professional manner. It took some time, but she learned to behave in a way that made people want to work with her."

What career path interests you the most in this company?

"What interests me most about your company is that there are so many options when it comes to career growth. Ideally, I would like to earn my way into a Territory Sales role, then a Regional Manager position. Eventually, a Director of Sales or Marketing position would be ideal. Of course, I understand that this will take many years of dedication and hard work."

This is where it is really important to have completed some research on the interviewing company. Be sure to envision where you can see yourself fitting, and growing, with the organization prior to your interview. Do some research on what a career path could look like with this particular company.

"I am interested in a variety of paths with your company. I could absolutely see myself working in your sales and marketing department as I further my knowledge on your product and collections."

Would your former or current boss describe you as a worker who gladly goes the extra mile to complete their tasks?

"My former boss would definitely describe me as an employee who goes the extra mile. In my most recent position, I was always available on my email and many of my service clients had my cell phone number just in case of an after-hours emergency. When you call my reference he will be happy to expand on that for you, I am sure."

You can absolutely say that you will go the extra mile but it's best to give a real life example to the interviewer about a time when you did just that. Offer up your references as well and discuss with the interviewer what you feel your most recent employer would say about you.

"I go the extra mile whenever possible because that's what great employees do! I have received very positive feedback from all of my previous employers."

Tell me about yourself.

"I am an avid marathon runner and have traveled to 10 countries in the last 8 years to compete in a variety of races. I am a competitive individual and enjoy keeping fit."

The interviewer would like to get to know you apart from what is written on your resume. You are certainly not obligated to discuss personal matters such as your kids, or relationship status, for instance. Stick with a couple of fun facts to show the interviewer that you are a real person, too. Your answer should be unique so that you are a memorable candidate! Focus on special non-work related skills or hobbies. For example, you might share that you enjoy beat-boxing or making origami swans. Be prepared for the interviewer to stop you and ask you to perform your skill on the spot when it's possible! (This will make you unforgettable!)

"I am motivated and excited about this new opportunity because it will challenge me to grow in my (X) skills. I love soccer and enjoy spending time with my teammates. I am interested in continuing my education by studying (Y) to further my career."

Rate your communication skills from 1-10 with proper examples backing your given rating.

"I rate my communication skills as a 9/10 as I will, on occasion, have times when I am not as clear as I would like to be. My supervisor and co-workers will attest to my clear and concise communication skills. Because I am an open leader, my team will let me know if I need to clarify anything."

On a scale of 1-10, how skilled are you in communication? Why did you choose that particular rating for yourself?

"I will rate myself an 8.5 because I consider myself a strong communicator. It is the foundation of all success in business. I am always striving to be a better communicator so I leave the rest of the scale as an aspirational measure."

What do you know about our company culture?

"I have researched your company through your social media channels, and on glassdoor.com. Your employees have really great things to say and overall it seems that you have fun while you work. I am looking forward to joining an organization, like yours, that is upbeat and thoughtful with an eye on helping the community at the same time."

Company culture and fit is a very important factor when considering a career move. Assure the interviewer that you have put thought, research, and consideration into how the company culture will work for you.

"I know by reading your website that your company focus' on developing your employees for continued growth in the industry. You pride yourselves on being open, communicative, and friendly. I am really excited to work for Cotton On and find out more!"

When have you worked amongst a diverse group of people?

"I have worked with diverse groups of people most of my career, including my time in University. I am most comfortable, and happy, in this type of environment because it offers a great learning opportunity."

Are you accustomed to working with a very large or diverse team of individuals? Assure the interviewer that you are able to handle an environment that offers diversity.

"For my entire career, I have worked with diverse groups of people. I fully believe that diversity is not only important, but it should be mandatory. When we work with people different from us, we can learn so much!"

How do you manage a large workload?

"When I have a large workload on my plate, I do not stress over the tasks that are in front of me. Rather, I make a simple plan of which tasks are a high priority and which tasks are a low priority. The higher priority tasks, I complete first. Through this system, I am able to focus on my tasks individually, rather than stress out by the multitude of tasks ahead of me."

Start off your answer by clarifying you never let a large workload stress you out. Each morning you review your tasks using a task manager application (if you do not have one I suggest google searching 'task manager application' and giving one a try). Continue to discuss how you complete each task by priority level and, before you know it, your large workload is completed.

"I work best when I have a large workload because it keeps me active, keen, and attentive on the project at hand. I also use Trello to keep my team and I on task."

What are your salary expectations?

"Currently, I earn a base salary of $45,000 per year plus a potential 20% annual bonus. Last year my earnings were $52,000 and I would like to stay in the same range or slightly higher."

The best way to discuss your salary expectations are to use your current earnings as an example. Be open, and honest. Transparency is the best choice when salary based questions arise.

"I am currently making $100,000 per year with two bonus opportunities. I am looking for compensation that is aligned with the role and provides opportunity for growth."

How do you feel about performance incentives?

"I feel that performance incentives are a great idea. They keep an employee motivated to do a great job and ensure that they are on top of their KPI's. The majority of people are very enthused about being rewarded for their successes."

Performance incentives can be very motivating. Talk to the interviewer about your feelings re: performance incentives.

"I think performance incentives are important for driving people to get results. For me, personally, they give me some skin in the game and get my team engaged in making an impact towards the results."

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Cotton On Interview Questions

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1. At Cotton On we encourage our customers to create their own style. How would you describe your personal style?
2. In your opinion, which designer has been the biggest fashion trailblazer in the past decade?
3. Your current employer has a strong reputation in the fashion industry. Why do you want to work for Cotton On?
4. When did you realize that you wanted a career in fashion?
5. At Cotton On we have thousands of applicants per year. Why should we choose you for this position?
6. Who is your favorite fashion designer and why?
7. At Cotton On we aim to be a step ahead of our competitors. In your opinion, what do you think will be the biggest fashion trend for next spring?
8. Do you have any post-secondary education related to the fashion industry?
9. Our industry is fast-paced, competitive, and stressful. How do you cope with high levels of pressure?
10. At Cotton On we offer many areas of opportunity and growth. Where would you like to see your career in the next 3-5 years?
11. How do you stay on top of trends in the fashion industry?
12. The fashion industry is fast paced and unpredictable. Your work schedule may reflect that unpredictability. Are you flexible in your schedule?
13. Do you consider yourself to be more creative or analytical minded?
14. Tell me about your greatest work related accomplishment.
15. If you were hired today, what would you accomplish first?
16. When have you had to adapt to change?
17. Tell me about a time when you made a suggestion requesting change in an organization.
18. Think about a difficult boss, professor or other person. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?
19. What career path interests you the most in this company?
20. Would your former or current boss describe you as a worker who gladly goes the extra mile to complete their tasks?
21. Tell me about yourself.
22. Rate your communication skills from 1-10 with proper examples backing your given rating.
23. What do you know about our company culture?
24. When have you worked amongst a diverse group of people?
25. How do you manage a large workload?
26. What are your salary expectations?
27. How do you feel about performance incentives?

Cotton On Interview Questions

1. At Cotton On we encourage our customers to create their own style. How would you describe your personal style?

2. In your opinion, which designer has been the biggest fashion trailblazer in the past decade?

3. Your current employer has a strong reputation in the fashion industry. Why do you want to work for Cotton On?

4. When did you realize that you wanted a career in fashion?

5. At Cotton On we have thousands of applicants per year. Why should we choose you for this position?

6. Who is your favorite fashion designer and why?

7. At Cotton On we aim to be a step ahead of our competitors. In your opinion, what do you think will be the biggest fashion trend for next spring?

8. Do you have any post-secondary education related to the fashion industry?

9. Our industry is fast-paced, competitive, and stressful. How do you cope with high levels of pressure?

10. At Cotton On we offer many areas of opportunity and growth. Where would you like to see your career in the next 3-5 years?

11. How do you stay on top of trends in the fashion industry?

12. The fashion industry is fast paced and unpredictable. Your work schedule may reflect that unpredictability. Are you flexible in your schedule?

13. Do you consider yourself to be more creative or analytical minded?

14. Tell me about your greatest work related accomplishment.

15. If you were hired today, what would you accomplish first?

16. When have you had to adapt to change?

17. Tell me about a time when you made a suggestion requesting change in an organization.

18. Think about a difficult boss, professor or other person. What made him or her difficult? How did you successfully interact with this person?

19. What career path interests you the most in this company?

20. Would your former or current boss describe you as a worker who gladly goes the extra mile to complete their tasks?

21. Tell me about yourself.

22. Rate your communication skills from 1-10 with proper examples backing your given rating.

23. What do you know about our company culture?

24. When have you worked amongst a diverse group of people?

25. How do you manage a large workload?

26. What are your salary expectations?

27. How do you feel about performance incentives?