Nordstrom hires by online application: you apply to a specific job on careers.nordstrom.com, the hiring manager or recruiting team reviews it, you interview, and you get an offer if you're selected. Nordstrom also runs walk-in hiring days with on-the-spot offers for most roles, and a more structured process for its summer internship.
Everything below about the process comes from Nordstrom's careers site and job postings, checked in October 2026 and listed in the sources. Where Nordstrom doesn't say something, we say so rather than guess. The interview questions further down are ones to prepare for, built from what Nordstrom says it looks for.
The Nordstrom hiring process at a glance
| Stage | What happens | What Nordstrom says |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Find a job | Search by location, category and regular or seasonal | Categories include Stores, Restaurant & Specialty Coffee, Operations, Corporate and Supply Chain |
| 2. Apply | Apply to the specific job on the careers site | Emailed resumes aren't accepted; store postings take applications on an ongoing basis |
| 3. Interview | Meet the hiring manager or recruiting team | Format and number of rounds aren't published for store roles |
| 4. Offer | Nordstrom offers you the role | At hiring day events, most roles get on-the-spot offers |
| 5. Checks | Background check, where it applies | Postings say Los Angeles and San Francisco background checks come after a conditional offer |
What is the Nordstrom hiring process?
You apply online for a specific job, interview, and receive an offer if you're selected. Nordstrom's careers FAQ asks you to apply to the specific job you want through its Career website and says it doesn't accept emailed resumes.
The site has a chat assistant, Nora, that can answer questions and help with applications. Nordstrom says "all hiring decisions are made by our amazing hiring managers and recruiting teams", so a person decides, not the chatbot.
Current employees apply through Workday: Careers, then Find Jobs.
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How do you apply for a job at Nordstrom?
Search careers.nordstrom.com/jobs by location and category, open the posting and use its apply link. You can filter for regular or seasonal roles.
Read the posting before you apply. The store postings we checked set out the duties, what Nordstrom is looking for and the physical side of the job, including "continuous movement for 6-8 hours per shift" and lifting up to 25 pounds occasionally. They also ask for a flexible schedule; the commission sales posting names evenings, weekends and peak periods.
If you need an accommodation to apply, the postings say to contact your nearest Nordstrom location.
What is the Nordstrom interview process?
For store roles, Nordstrom doesn't publish an interview format, length or number of rounds. Expect to meet the hiring manager or someone from the recruiting team. The person who invites you can tell you who you'll meet and how long to allow.
Nordstrom's careers FAQ says candidates are "prohibited from using any external sources – including AI tools or search engines" during interviews and assessments, unless Nordstrom permits them, and that using them can lead to disqualification. Answer from your own experience.
What happens at a Nordstrom hiring day?
Nordstrom runs hiring events where you can walk in for an interview. The National Hiring Day posting for Thursday 5 November 2026 (11am to 5pm, at stores including Tacoma, Spokane and Salt Lake City's City Creek Center) says:
- there's "no need to schedule in advance";
- allow about an hour for the interview process;
- on-the-spot job offers will be made for most roles;
- a resume is optional;
- roles are seasonal and regular, across departments.
You can also apply through the hiring day posting if you can't attend, and your application will still be considered.
How does the Nordstrom internship process work?
Nordstrom's summer internship is a 10-week paid programme at its Seattle headquarters for college students with one summer left before graduation. Its careers page lists five steps:
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Application | Apply through the careers site; a resume is required |
| 2. Initial review | A recruiter reviews all applications |
| 3. Initial assessment | Selected candidates complete an on-demand assessment about their experience and interests |
| 4. Virtual interviews | Top candidates interview with members of the business group, typically in October |
| 5. Offers | Final decisions and offers by early November |
Nordstrom says internship roles are typically posted around 1 September. For Summer 2027 it listed Finance, Fashion Design, Merchandising and Supply Chain.
Does Nordstrom have an assessment test?
For internships, yes: an on-demand assessment that Nordstrom says is designed to understand your experience and interests. It doesn't publish what it contains, how long it takes or how it's scored. None of the store postings we checked mentions a pre-hire test.
If your assessment asks what you would do in workplace scenarios, it's a situational judgement format; our guide to situational judgement tests explains how that format works in general.
What does Nordstrom look for?
Nordstrom's careers page says it is "looking for people who are curious, kind, service-minded, driven, and ready to grow". Its values are:
- Customer Obsessed: "We strive to know our customers better than anyone else."
- Owners at Heart: using good judgement and owning your decisions.
- Curious and Ever Changing: approaching problems with curiosity.
- Here to Win: "We win as a team by supporting and challenging one another to be better every day."
- We Extend Ourselves: treating each other with respect and kindness.
The store postings add a "passion for fashion", a positive, energetic attitude, handling several tasks at a fast pace, and comfort with technology.
Nordstrom interview questions to prepare for
Nordstrom doesn't publish its interview questions. These are the questions to prepare for, based on the values and duties Nordstrom describes. For "tell me about a time" questions, structure your answer with the STAR method (situation, task, action, result).
1. Why do you want to work at Nordstrom?
Tie your answer to something Nordstrom says about itself. Its purpose is to help customers "feel good and look their best", and its careers page quotes Erik Nordstrom: "Customer service is not one big thing, it's a million little things." Say which part of that matters to you, and mention a department you'd like to work in.
2. Tell me about a time you gave a customer exceptional service.
This is the "Customer Obsessed" value. Pick an example where you noticed what the customer needed, went a step further and they came back or thanked you. Small, specific details work better than a dramatic rescue.
3. How would you help a customer who isn't sure what they want?
The postings ask you to listen to customers and share fashion knowledge to help them decide. Describe the questions you'd ask (the occasion, their style, what they already own) before you suggest anything.
4. What fashion trends or brands are you following right now?
Postings ask for a "passion for fashion" and staying current on trends and products. Name one or two things you've noticed recently, ideally ones Nordstrom sells in the department you're applying to.
5. How would you build a client base in commission sales?
The commission sales posting asks you to build a personal customer base and follow up using the 2-2-2 Method: two days, two weeks and two months after a purchase. Say how you'd keep notes on customers' preferences and contact them with something relevant, not just a sales pitch.
6. Tell me about a goal or target you hit.
The commission sales posting asks for "a track record of hitting targets". Use a STAR story with a clear goal, what you did differently and the result. If you haven't worked in sales, a school, sports or volunteering goal works.
7. Tell me about a time you helped a teammate.
This is "Here to Win" and the posting's "team-first mindset". Describe a time you covered a task, shared what you knew or stepped in during a rush, and what it meant for the team.
8. Tell me about a decision you made on your own.
"Owners at Heart" is about using good judgement and owning your decisions. Choose an example where you didn't wait to be told, explain your reasoning, and be honest if it didn't fully work out and what you learned.
9. What would you do if a customer wanted to return an item and was upset?
The cashier posting covers returns and other transactions. Say you would stay calm, listen, follow the return policy and get a manager if the request was outside what you can approve. Show that the customer leaves feeling respected either way.
10. How do you handle several tasks at once in a busy store?
The postings ask you to "prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment", from checkout to restocking to order pick-up. Explain how you'd decide what comes first: customers waiting before tidying, for example.
11. Tell me about something new you learned recently.
This is "Curious and Ever Changing", and the postings mention interest in learning new applications. Talk about a skill or tool you picked up and how you went about learning it.
12. What is your availability?
Postings ask for a flexible schedule based on business needs, including evenings, weekends and peak periods. Give honest days and hours, and make sure they match what you put on your application.
13. Do you have any questions for us?
Have two ready. Good options: how new hires are trained, what the best salespeople in the department do differently, and how scheduling works in peak periods.
For more practice, see our list of behavioural interview questions.
How to prepare for a Nordstrom interview
- Read the posting closely, including the duties, physical requirements and schedule.
- Learn Nordstrom's five values and prepare one STAR story for each.
- Visit the store or department you applied to, and notice how staff greet and help customers.
- Know the products. Be ready to talk about a trend or brand Nordstrom carries.
- Know your availability, including evenings, weekends and peak periods.
- Practise your answers out loud, ideally in a mock interview, without notes or tools, since Nordstrom bans outside help during interviews.
- For internships, set aside quiet time for the on-demand assessment and prepare for a virtual interview with the business group.
Practising realistic work tasks
Interviews reward prepared stories. Retail work rewards judgement with real customers, and that improves with practice on realistic tasks. Cohesyve, which publishes this guide, runs free practice job simulations for job seekers. It isn't affiliated with Nordstrom and doesn't use Nordstrom's questions.
FAQs
How long does the Nordstrom hiring process take?
Nordstrom doesn't publish a timeline for store roles. At its hiring day events, most roles get on-the-spot offers after an interview process of about an hour. For internships, offers come by early November.
Do you need a resume to apply at Nordstrom?
For internships, yes. At hiring day events a resume is optional. Nordstrom doesn't accept resumes by email; apply through the careers site.
Does Nordstrom do background checks?
The store postings we checked say that for applicants in Los Angeles and San Francisco, background checks happen after a conditional offer. Nordstrom doesn't publish its policy for other locations.
Does Nordstrom hire seasonal workers?
Yes. Its careers site lists seasonal roles alongside regular ones, and its hiring day covers both.
Can I use AI tools in a Nordstrom interview?
No, unless Nordstrom permits it. Its careers FAQ prohibits external sources, including AI tools and search engines, during interviews and assessments.
Does Nordstrom have programmes for future managers?
Yes. Nordstrom lists career development programmes including Retail Leadership Training, which leads to an Assistant Department Manager role on successful completion.
Sources
Nordstrom's careers site, checked 27 October 2026: