How To Get A Job: Do you want to work in Costco? Costco is an international membership-based retail wholesale company that sells a variety of products and services, from food, clothing, electronics, automotive parts, and furniture to optical and pharmacy services.
What Are the Types of Jobs at Costco?
The average Costco is like a miniature city, and it takes a lot of people to keep everything running. Each store employs people in more than a dozen different jobs. Some positions, like cashier and membership assistant, are suitable for people who like working with the public.
If you prefer a more behind-the-scenes role, working in the or meat counter might be a better fit. Costco hires people to decorate cakes, wrap and weigh baked goods and cut and wrap meat.
Each store also has positions including stockers, assistants, forklift drivers, and receiving clerks, as well as employees working in office jobs doing things like payroll and HR.
If your Costco also does tire sales and has a pharmacy and/or optician, those departments have their employees as well. And each Costco has several managers who oversee operations.
Costco Wholesale is the largest wholesale club operator in the country, with an impressive 590 membership warehouse stores serving more than 64 million cardholders in 40 states and international destinations, such as Australia, Japan, Mexico, and , just to name a few.
But Costco offers more than deep discounts and bulk packaging for its customer the company offers its employees plenty of plusses, too: Costco’s been named one of the best places to work for the last two year and eight years total—and receives a 4.0 overall rating from current and past employees, 82 percent of which would recommend working at Costco to friends.
If you’d like to work at Costco, here’s everything you need to do to land a job at the wholesaler.
Requirements to Work at Costco
Costco employees must be 18 or older and must pass a drug test to be hired. Other jobs have specific requirements; for example, to drive a forklift you’ll need to be certified.
Any Benefits of Working at Costco?
Many Costco employees say they love working for the chain. The pay is competitive for retail. Hourly employees can earn more than $20 per hour after they’ve been on the job for a few years, and entry-level pay starts at around $13. Employees who work on Sundays earn time-and-a-half pay. (Most stores close by 6 p.m. on weekends.)
Full-time hourly employees are eligible for health insurance after 90 days or 450 hours worked, whichever comes first, and part-time employees are eligible after 180 days or 600 hours. Salaried employees are eligible for benefits on the first of the month after they’re hired.
Employees may get discounts on in-store pharmacy and optical services, although they don’t get an employee discount on other store merchandise. Other perks include a 401(k)-matching program, paid holidays, and paid time off.
Do you Know How the Process Works?
In-person interview:
The Costco hiring process typically begins with a phone call to schedule a face-to-face job interview, which may include a question and answer session with one or more managers. Hiring personnel may dismiss candidates at any time during the interview process.
Second round interview:
Successful applicants typically make it through at least one round of interviews and into the second phase of hiring. Job seekers may meet with the same managers in consecutive interviews, even on different days, and especially if third and fourth interviews prove necessary.
Group interviews:
Costco job interviews generally take place with a mix of supervisors and managers. Any interview past the first or second phase almost exclusively features a 1:1 format. Group interviews and panel interviews most commonly occur in the early stages of the hiring process.
The department store chain may also utilize human resources to screen job hopefuls. Interviews take place on-site at the desired store location.
In some instances, a brief tour may occur; however, the retail chain generally limits exposing applicants to the actual culture of the job until formal hiring and training begin.
Resume & Cover Letter Tips for Costco
According to Costco’s , the wholesaler values three main qualities in its employees:
A commitment to quality. Costco carries a lot of products. But “by carefully choosing products based on quality, price, brand, and features, the company can offer the best value to members.” It wants team members who value giving customers quality products and services and much more.
An entrepreneurial spirit. Costco says that an entrepreneurial drive for excellence is what defines its staff at any level and that drive is what they’ll be looking for in any new additions.
A cultural fit. Costco explains that offers “fair wages and top-notch benefits,” which has “created a workplace culture that attracts positive, high-energy, talented employees,” it says. In its new hires, Costco will be looking to see if you can fit into the positive, high-energy culture.
A resume and cover letter that stand out to Costco will show that you possess these qualities.
Costco Interview Questions
Depending on the role for which you’re applying, you can expect to receive different questions. For example, if you’re applying for a customer-facing role, you can expect to be asked how you would handle difficult customers or solve an in-store problem but if you’re working behind the scenes, you might be asked questions that give you a chance to show your initiative or skills.
That said, here are some common questions you might be asked in an interview in Costco:
Interviewer: Please describe your job title and primary duties.
Costco Employee: I worked in the deli. I usually was the closer, so I would come in and just kind of clean up, m
ake sure everything was put away and sanitized. I was also the chicken skewerer for the rotisserie chicken machine, so I probably skewered 150, 200 chickens a day. That was usually what I was doing.
Interviewer: What was the work environment like?
Costco Employee: Clean. Super clean. Everyone followed all the rules and whatnot. I had to wear a beard net and hairnet all the time and a big, white lab coat. Very clean.
Interviewer: What was your favorite part about working there?
Costco Employee: There was good pay to start off, so that’s definitely a positive.
Interviewer: Did you earn any benefits or other job perks?
Costco Employee: Yeah, they had, like I said, good pay. They had insurance after six months. I got a membership there, which was cool. I ended up buying a lot of stuff in bulk.
Interviewer: How would you describe the application and interview process?
Costco Employee: The application was online. You go on their website, and there was a list of jobs in your area. They matched up a store with where you’re at. Different entry-level positions.
And then the interview they called me in probably two or three weeks after I submitted it. There was the first interview, and he just asked me some questions about my previous job history. And then for the second interview, I came in, more in-depth… they gave me a drug test and hired me.
Interviewer: What questions did the interviewer ask during the job interview?
Costco Employee: I remember him asking me about my previous job history, like I said, if I was a hard worker. He asked me, why should I hire you? So, it was important to be able to sell yourself.
Interviewer: What other advice would you give to a job seeker looking to gain employment?
Costco Employee: Definitely, go for it, because it’s a cool job. Just try to sell yourself to the guy interviewing you.
Important Reads:
Salary Negotiation at Costco
According to salary data, 7,511 Costco employees have shared their salaries, which range from minimum-wage rates to more than $30 per hour, depending on the specific position. And a current employee wrote, “The pay and benefits are top tiers, even for part-time employees.”
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for negotiation. To negotiate your salary, make sure you build a case: Know what you’re worth by reviewing what other people are paid in your potential position, both at Costco and other similar retailers in the same location.
You should also remain firm but flexible in your negotiations. Be willing to compromise if the hiring manager offers you a higher salary that is reasonable, but less than what you asked for.
Do not miss your chance, start writing that application ASAP! Share this article with your friends too if it helped.
StudentsandScholarship Team.
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