20 Warehouse Associate Interview Questions & Answers
Below is a list of our Warehouse Associate interview questions. Click on any interview question to view our answer advice and answer examples. You may view 5 answer examples before our paywall loads. Afterwards, you'll be asked to upgrade to view the rest of our answers.
Discovery
1. Do you have experience driving a forklift?
How to Answer
Most likely this is not a requirement for the job, be sure to review the job description to be sure. Interviewers want to get extra knowledge about yourself and any previous forklift driving experience will be a bonus.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"No, I have never operated a forklift but would love to be trained in operating one."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Discovery
2. Tell me about your experience being cross-trained on multiple duties in various departments.
How to Answer
A warehouse associate is commonly asked to perform a variety of duties during their shift or their work week. Being able to adapt as a warehouse worker, is critical to performing the job well. To answer this question well, and other similar questions, be sure to rehearse all of the various job duties you performed at your last position so you can easily recall them during the interview.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"Yes, at my last position, I would routinely be called upon to do various jobs around the warehouse. The most common of them is operating the industrial truck. Other days I would be picking items and processing them."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Discovery
3. Our warehouse operates on three shifts, which shift would you prefer?
How to Answer
An interviewer would ask this question to see if there is any shift you are opposed to working. If so, be honest and upfront with the interviewer and hope that it isn't a dealbreaker. If it was a requirement, most likely it would be in the job description.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"I can only work the midnight shift due to my family's schedule. My wife works during the day and I need to be home with the kids."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Discovery
4. If I called your previous or current manager, what would they describe as your most insufficient quality?
How to Answer
This is a curveball question to get you to open up about your weaknesses. For all interviews you should come prepared to answer a question about a weakness you may have and with that you should have two examples ready to go. Give an answer that isn't a deal breaker. Be sure to state how you are working on improving in that skill.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"My previous manager would have plenty of great things to say about my work ethic and reliability but if they were to describe a weakness of mine, it is my inability to drive a sidewinder forklift. I know with practice I would be capable, but in the brief moments that I tried, it was very challenging."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Discovery
5. How many days of work did you miss last year?
How to Answer
This is a casual question meant to test whether or not you would admit to skipping work. Saying you missed two-plus weeks of work would almost be a dealbreaker. Therefore, state any days you had to miss due to sickness or family emergencies.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"I believe I missed four days of work last year due to a stomach flu and one day of work when my youngest had to be taken into the emergency room for a broken arm."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Discovery
6. What interests you the most about working in a warehouse environment?
How to Answer
Working in a warehouse may not sound like the most glamorous job but there is definitely a lot to learn. Take the time to research the industry, the products, and any information about the facility's operations. There are many different areas of working in a warehouse such as shipping, receiving, and quality control, as well as buying and purchasing. So think long and hard about the things you enjoy about the work you do along with things you want to learn.
Written by Brittanie Young on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"I enjoy working in a warehouse environment because I'm a very hands-on person and enjoy being on the move. I also love learning how different products are manufactured and distributed to customers. Working in a warehouse gives me a front-row seat to supply chain management which is something I've always wanted to learn more about."
Written by Brittanie Young on November 11th, 2022
Discovery
7. Where do you see yourself in three years?
How to Answer
Most interviewers will ask this question to make sure you don't have a planned departure in a few months. The interviewers are not looking for you to say you expect a managerial role in three years, they simply want to know that if all goes well, you'll still be working for them.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"I hope to be working at this warehouse in three years. I applied for this job because I have great respect for your company. I can't imagine wanting to work elsewhere."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Discovery
8. What is your greatest strength?
How to Answer
Being asked what is your greatest strength is pretty common. There are many easy answers, consider the following: your endurance (being able to stand for long hours), being able to handle a labor-intensive job, determination to perform your job well, dedication, and following instructions.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"My greatest strength is my ability to work long hours while standing and performing labor intensive duties. I also have a strong passion for doing the job right and quickly."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Discovery
9. How often did you miss work at your last position?
How to Answer
If you have missed work in the past, this interview question will be tough to answer. Whereas, if you had a great attendance record at your last position, say so and move on. Again, if you've missed work in your previous position, I'd recommend being truthful and starting your new career off on the right foot. Let the interviewer know you missed more days than you should have, recognize that fact, and take ownership of it. Tell them you know it's unacceptable to miss work and you are determined to do things right.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"Yes, I missed a few days of work at my last position. As I mentioned earlier, I was let go from this position. I understand that I can't afford to fail twice and I am determined to be successful in my career. and that starts with showing up to work early and not missing days."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Discovery
10. Tell me about yourself.
How to Answer
The key to answering 'Tell me about yourself.' is to get to the point with your career-related background. Do this by mentioning your previous job and your training and how that has led you to warehouse work.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"Gladly, I came from Lowes where I worked three years on the warehouse floor. I operated two types of forklifts and became excellent at both. I applied to this position for the increase in responsibility and potential to become a warehouse manager in 4 years."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Discovery
11. What is your greatest weakness?
How to Answer
Interviewers love to ask this difficult interview question. Answer the question correctly by telling the interviewer a real weakness that you are trying to improve upon. The key is to pick a weakness that is not devasting for this career. For a warehouse worker, the weakness could be that you are an introvert who prefers working alone. Or, you enjoy being active and moving around on the job thus your weakness is doing paperwork but you're improving in this area because you've learned how to make paperwork more engaging.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Avoid This
Try to avoid weaknesses that would disqualify you from a warehouse job. Such weaknesses could be that you are unable to lift moderately heavy items, do not enjoy working on your feet, lack focus, or not good at paying attention to details. Any of those weaknesses may be too big of a turn off for the interviewer and could potentially place you out of the job.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"One weakness that I have is cubicle work. I do not mind paperwork but one reason why I enjoy working in the warehouse is being active and on my feet. I am working on improving my office skills by doing paperwork in 30-minute segments. This has really helped me in breaking up my day and re-energizing myself when I need to get back on the floor."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Diversity
12. We have a diverse workforce here. Tell me about your experience working with a diverse group of people.
How to Answer
This is most certainly a job requirement; being able to work with diverse co-workers. State that you have done this in the past and enjoy working with folks from different backgrounds.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"Sure, in my last position, we had the most diverse workforce that I've ever been a part of. It was fun working with new people and becoming friends."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Operational
13. If you saw a forklift driver operating his machine in an unsafe way, what would you do?
How to Answer
This is a question from the interviewers meant to test your common sense. Forklifts can be dangerous and even deadly. Interviewers must know you would alert the manager in any situation like this.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"I would alert my supervisor if I saw a forklift operator carelessly performing their duty. I do not want to work in unsafe and haphazard conditions so I would not put up with this type of careless behavior."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Operational
14. How did you fill your downtime at your last position?
How to Answer
The hiring company wants to be sure you are proactive during downtimes. State the miscellaneous tasks you would focus on when you had downtime.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"At my last company, I would help oil the conveyor belts when I had time available. We had over 20 miles of conveyor belts so this was the main task that I would focus on."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Operational
15. How do you stay focused handling packages for hours at a time?
How to Answer
This is a real dilemma for warehouse workers. You need to be able to complete mundane tasks without losing focus. By asking this question, your interviewers will test your experience. If you have no experience moving boxes for hours at a time, you'll be a higher risk of turnover.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"While I do not have direct experience handling packages for hours at a time when I worked at Home Depot, each shift involved restocking shelves which I consider to be pretty similar to the job requirements for this position. When doing this, I would never focus on how many boxes I had left but would focus on each box individually and exactly where it needed to be placed. This allowed me never to be overwhelmed by the work that was ahead of me."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Operational
16. How do you ensure safety when working on the warehouse floor?
How to Answer
The warehouse environment can come with many hazards and dangers. So you would use this time to go into greater detail about wearing personal protective equipment, steering clear of falling objects, etc.
Written by Brittanie Young on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"I always make sure I'm wearing my safety vest, safety goggles, and proper footwear. I also make sure that I attend all safety training and remove any obstacles on the warehouse floor that could be a safety hazard."
Written by Brittanie Young on November 11th, 2022
Operational
17. If the warehouse was behind on schedule and your supervisor asked you to start immediately on your machine without conducting safety checks, what would you do?
How to Answer
This scenario question tests your safety awareness. The only correct answer is to ignore your supervisor's instructions and perform your safety tests before beginning work.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"I would ignore the supervisor and do my routine safety checks. Safety checks typically take a few minutes and I don't believe that is worth the price of an injury."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Operational
18. How do you ensure that you are meeting all of your production targets?
How to Answer
Depending on which part of a warehouse you are working in, many facilities have production goals that each person has to meet before the end of each shift. The warehouse environment is often very fast past and you may be required to have a certain number of boxes shipped or a certain number of products scanned before the end of your shift. This would be the time to highlight your time management and organizational skills.
Written by Brittanie Young on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"Once I know what my production goals are, I make sure that all of the equipment that I will need to meet production are working properly. I also make sure that I always keep an open line of communication between my supervisor and my team members."
Written by Brittanie Young on November 11th, 2022
Situational
19. If you saw a co-worker stealing, what would you do?
How to Answer
Likely if you are being asked this question, the interviewer is asking you a dated question. The obvious, canned response, is 'I would alert my supervisor immediately'. It's great to say that, but try to go above and beyond by telling the interviewer about a specific time when this has happened. Try to stay humble as you retell your story.
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"Yes, as a matter of fact at my last job at Lowes. I worked the midnight shift stocking inventory. One employee I witnessed take a DeWalt cordless drill into their locker room. I alerted the supervisor, and I believe he was fired immediately."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 11th, 2022
Situational
20. Tell me about a time where a team member was not pulling their weight. How did you handle it?
How to Answer
Meeting production goals in a warehouse setting is often a team effort. If one person doesn't do their job, it can impact the production goals of the whole team. So to answer this question, think about instances where you have had to help a teammate meet production goals or vice versa.
Written by Brittanie Young on November 11th, 2022
Answer Example
"While working for a large distribution plant that manufactured and distributed medical products, one of my teammates was not packing shipments quickly enough which was slowing down production goals. It turns out that they had a higher volume of shipments than most so we discussed a solution with our team lead who also pitched in. As a result, production goals were met for the night and my teammate was very appreciative for my support."
Written by Brittanie Young on November 11th, 2022