PetSmart's hiring process is an online application, a short first conversation, then one or more longer interviews with the team. PetSmart says the application takes about 10 to 15 minutes and that it aims to give feedback within a week of the interview.
Everything about the process below comes from PetSmart's own careers FAQ and about page. Where PetSmart doesn't publish something, we say so. The interview questions are ones to prepare for, built on PetSmart's published values. PetSmart doesn't publish its question list.
PetSmart hiring process at a glance
| Step | What happens | What PetSmart says about timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Application | Apply at careers.petsmart.com with a resume, or fill in your work history for store and distribution centre roles. You get a confirmation email. | About 10 to 15 minutes |
| 2. Review | Store leadership reviews store applications. A distribution centre team reviews DC applications. Corporate and call centre roles have an assigned recruiter. | Not published |
| 3. First conversation | A chat about the role and your background, by phone or in person depending on the role. | Usually 15 to 30 minutes |
| 4. Interviews | In-depth conversations with team members about your experience, skills and how you'd fit. | Usually 30 to 90 minutes each |
| 5. Decision | PetSmart tells you whether you're moving forward. For many roles this is by email. | Aims for feedback within a week |
| 6. Background check | PetSmart runs background checks on all associates. Distribution centre hires must pass one before onboarding. | Not published |
What is the PetSmart hiring process?
You apply online, the store, distribution centre or recruiter reviews your application, and if it's a match you're invited to interview. PetSmart describes its hiring as structured: standardised interview questions, diverse interview panels and hiring teams trained on inclusive practices.
The application
- Resume or work history. For store and distribution centre roles you can skip the resume and fill in your work history. If you upload one, PetSmart suggests one to two pages, as a PDF or Word file.
- Cover letter optional. PetSmart says it's a good place to explain why you fit the role.
- What it asks for: work history, education and contact details. Some roles add questions about your experience and interests.
- About 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
- More than one role is fine. PetSmart asks you to check you meet the qualifications for each one first.
- Some fields lock after you submit. To add information later, contact the location you applied to.
PetSmart's careers site groups jobs into retail stores, salons, PetsHotels, distribution centres, the call centre, technology and its home offices in Phoenix and Canada.
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Does PetSmart have an assessment?
No, for the application. PetSmart's FAQ says it "does not currently require assessments as part of the application process". The only assessments it mentions come after hiring: call centre associates complete a knowledge check at the end of each week of their four-week paid training.
If you've seen a "PetSmart assessment test" described elsewhere, check the date and source. PetSmart's own careers pages don't describe one.
What is the PetSmart interview like?
It starts with a short chat, then moves to longer conversations with the people you'd work with. PetSmart says interviews cover your experience, your skills, how you solve problems, and how your values and work style fit its culture.
The format depends on where you'd work:
| Area | Interview format PetSmart describes |
|---|---|
| Stores | Store leadership contacts you. Next steps may be phone and/or in-person interviews. |
| Distribution centres | The DC team contacts you. Next steps may be phone and/or in-person interviews. |
| Phoenix home office | A recruiter call, then a phone or video interview with the hiring manager, then a video or on-campus interview with cross-functional partners (generally around four). |
| Call centre | A one-way recorded video interview, then a live video interview. |
PetSmart's advice for the interview itself:
- Prepare for behavioural questions and answer them with the STAR method (situation, task, action, result). Its own example is "Tell me about a time you faced a tough challenge."
- Dress business casual unless the role suggests otherwise.
- For a video interview, find a quiet spot and check your internet, camera and microphone first.
- Ask your questions. PetSmart says the interview is your time to ask them too.
If you need to reschedule, contact your recruiter or the person who arranged the interview.
How long does the PetSmart hiring process take?
PetSmart doesn't publish an end-to-end timeline. It says it aims to give feedback within a week of the interview, though that varies with the role and how many candidates there are. If you haven't heard by then, it suggests contacting your recruiter.
To check your application status before an interview, PetSmart says the best way is to contact the location you applied to directly. For many roles you'll get an email whether or not you're selected. For evergreen store and distribution centre postings, communication can be less consistent.
What happens after the PetSmart interview?
If you're selected, you go through a background check. PetSmart runs one on all associates, and says a prior conviction won't stop you being considered for a role you're a good match for. It doesn't drug test as part of its pre-employment checks.
Once hired, store associates complete a safety certification and on-the-job training. Salon bathers and stylists go through PetSmart's Splash Training Program, and stylists progress through a four-stage paid training programme that includes the Grooming Academy.
What PetSmart looks for: its values
PetSmart's vision is to "be the favorite pet retailer", and its mission is to "help everyone experience more joy with pets". It lists six values on its about page:
| Value | What it covers, in PetSmart's words |
|---|---|
| Passion for Pets | Care, expertise, love, joy |
| Customer First | Customer focus, a compelling experience, being responsive and proactive |
| Responsible Leadership | Own it, bias for action, empower, develop, communicate |
| Excellence in All We Do | Be the best, commit, make a difference, growth mindset, be curious and learn |
| Do What's Right | Integrity, courage, trust, judgement |
| Team PetSmart | Belonging, teamwork, grow together, collaborate, challenge ourselves |
PetSmart says its interview questions are designed to let you show how your background aligns with its values. Build your answers around these six.
PetSmart interview questions and how to answer them
These are questions to prepare for. Each answer guide ties back to what PetSmart publishes about its values and its work.
1. Why do you want to work at PetSmart?
Connect your answer to its mission, helping everyone experience more joy with pets, and to something specific: the salon, PetsHotel, or the store near you. Then say what you'd enjoy about the day-to-day work of the role.
2. Tell me about your experience with pets.
This is Passion for Pets. Talk about the animals you've cared for, what you learned about their needs and behaviour, and how you'd use that to help a pet parent. If your experience is limited, say so and explain how you'd learn: PetSmart trains associates with its own pet care guides.
3. Tell me about a time you faced a tough challenge.
PetSmart gives this as its own example question. Use STAR, pick a real challenge from work, school or volunteering, and spend most of the answer on what you did and what happened.
4. Tell me about a time you helped a customer who didn't know what they needed.
This is Customer First. Show that you asked questions, listened, and recommended something that fitted their situation. A pet-related example works best, such as helping someone choose food or supplies for a new pet.
5. What would you do if you noticed a pet in the store looked unwell?
PetSmart says every associate is expected to report any situation where a pet's health concern isn't being addressed. Say you'd act straight away: tell a leader or the person responsible for that pet's care, and follow the store's process. This is Do What's Right.
6. A customer wants to buy a pet, but you're not sure they're prepared for it. What do you do?
PetSmart says associates can refuse the sale of a pet where its health and safety may be at risk, and should make sure a new pet parent leaves with everything the pet needs. Explain how you'd talk to the customer about the pet's care, habitat and food, and when you'd involve a leader.
7. Tell me about a mistake you made at work and what you did about it.
This is Responsible Leadership's "own it". Pick a real mistake, say clearly that it was yours, explain how you fixed it and what you now do differently.
8. Tell me about a time you worked as part of a team to get something done.
This is Team PetSmart. Stores, salons and distribution centres all depend on shared work. Show how you helped others, shared the load when it was busy, and what the team achieved.
9. Tell me about a time you had to learn something new quickly.
This is the growth mindset in Excellence in All We Do. Every new associate goes through training, so show you learn fast: what you had to learn, how you went about it, and how soon you were doing it well.
10. What would you do if a pet seemed stressed during grooming or boarding?
For salon and PetsHotel roles. PetSmart says its salon safety rests on hands-on pet assessment and watching for signs of stress. Say you'd stop, keep the pet and yourself safe, and get help from a more experienced colleague or leader before carrying on.
11. How would you handle an upset pet parent?
Show you'd stay calm, listen to the whole complaint, apologise for their experience, and either fix the problem or bring in a leader who can. Customer First is about being responsive, so say how you'd follow up.
12. What's your availability?
PetSmart stores offer early morning, evening and weekend shifts, and the PetsHotel and salon often open at 7 a.m. Distribution centres can run first, second and third shifts. Give an honest answer and make sure it matches your application.
13. Do you have any questions for us?
Have two ready. Ask about training for the role, what a typical shift looks like, or what the team's busiest times are.
For more practice, our list of behavioural interview questions and our situational interview questions cover the same formats.
How to prepare for a PetSmart interview
- Read the job description and match your experience to it. PetSmart asks you to tailor your resume to the role.
- Learn the six values and have one example for each of the most relevant: Passion for Pets, Customer First and Do What's Right.
- Prepare four or five STAR stories. Our STAR method guide shows how to structure them.
- Know your availability and keep it consistent with your application.
- Visit a store if you're applying for a store, salon or PetsHotel role, and notice how associates help customers.
- Practise out loud, ideally in a mock interview with someone who'll give you honest feedback.
- Test your setup before a video interview, and for call centre roles, practise answering into a camera for the one-way recorded stage.
Practising realistic work tasks
Interviews reward prepared stories, and those improve with practice on realistic tasks. Cohesyve, which publishes this guide, runs practice job simulations for your role, with a scored report on where you lost marks. It isn't affiliated with PetSmart and doesn't use PetSmart's interview questions.
FAQs
Do you need a resume to apply at PetSmart?
Not for store and distribution centre roles. You can fill in your work history instead. For other roles, PetSmart suggests a one to two page resume.
How old do you have to be to work at PetSmart?
Over 18 in the US and Canada, except in Montana or where the law requires otherwise. The same rule applies to distribution centres.
Does PetSmart drug test?
No. PetSmart says it's a drug-free workplace but doesn't drug test as part of its pre-employment checks.
Does PetSmart do background checks?
Yes, on all associates. PetSmart says a prior conviction won't stop you being considered for a role you're a good match for.
How do I check my PetSmart application status?
Contact the location you applied to. Corporate candidates have an assigned recruiter who sends updates.
Will PetSmart tell me if I'm not selected?
For many roles, yes, by email. For evergreen store and distribution centre postings, PetSmart says communication may vary with hiring needs.
Does PetSmart have remote jobs?
Most aren't fully remote, PetSmart says. Roles are in person or hybrid, and most corporate roles are based at the Phoenix home office with at least four days a week in the office. The call centre has hired remotely in some states; check the job posting.
Sources
PetSmart's own careers pages, checked 27 October 2026:
- careers.petsmart.com: Frequently asked questions
- careers.petsmart.com: About us, values, vision and mission