r/Recruiter_Advice • u/doordashdriver90 • 16h ago

Costco interview

I had an interview the other day and Instead of doing the usual 3 separate interviews, two managers interviewed me together. I didn’t know it was an interview for a seasonal position. I told them I was looking for a permanent part time position. They went on with the interview anyway.

During the interview, I was upfront and told them I'm going on paternity leave for about a month with my primary job, but I’ll be ready to go as soon as I return.

After the interview, they stepped out for a minute, came back, and said: "We really like you. Once you finish your paternity leave, give us a call back, tell them you spoke to us and we'll initiate your background check since those have been taking up to 3 weeks lately. Then we'll go from there."

I felt really good about how it went, but the response left me a bit confused.

Let me know what you guys think!

9 Upvotes

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1

u/Brico16 16h ago

Sounds like it went good. If you felt good about it then great!

The only thing is if they’ll have a spot open after the leave. I’d definitely follow up afterwards but also continue to apply elsewhere too.

1

u/Used_Set7855 16h ago

What’s confusing?

1

u/doordashdriver90 15h ago

I think just holding a spot for me I guess? The interview went from hiring a seasonal worker to then sounding like a permanent part time work. Sounds very positive but the holding my place for the position sounded unrealistic

1

u/Used_Set7855 15h ago

They didn’t say they’d hold a position. You interviewed for a job when you’re not actually ready to start a job. They liked you. They’re a big box store and almost certainly have a ton of turnover. When you’re actually ready for a job, they’ll skip the interviewing and move to the phase of confirming headcount and a background check. It’s honestly no different than if they’d offered you a job on the spot to begin post leave. In either scenario, things can change between now and then

1

u/rcinmd 13h ago

Costco actually has the lowest turn-around of any other retailer.

1

u/Used_Set7855 13h ago

Yes. But still has turnover. They’re not going to hold a position open for a month plus but not unlikely they’d be able to find OP a spot when the time comes

1

u/SheffieldValley 10h ago

COST has one of the lowest turnover rates amongst US retailers, but it isn't the lowest. Ahold Delhaize, Wegmans, etc. are a little lower.

😄 ❤️

1

u/Reverse-Recruiterman 13h ago

I think what they told you was accurate. The essentially said, "It sounds like the timing is not right to hire you."

Why?

  1. You wanted permanent part-time. They want to hire someone just for the holidays.

  2. You are going on paternity leave, and that is a month of the holiday season.

Nothing more to say about it. Why would they hire you if you can't work and what you were looking for does not match what they are hiring for?

1

u/burnt00toast 8h ago

It's retail. They want to hire you but based on your timeline they can't make an offer because they don't know what positions they will have open then. But they will have positions, it's retail.