The short answer: for hourly store roles (cashier, stocker, sales floor, online pickup and delivery), Walmart’s process is an online application (no resume required), sometimes an assessment, then a short interview focused on customer service, teamwork, reliability and your availability. Prepare a few short, true stories: helping a customer, handling a busy moment, working with a team, and fixing a mistake. Connect them to what Walmart says it values: respect the individual, act with integrity, serve our customers and members, and strive for excellence.
Sample answers are illustrations, not quotes from real candidates. Processes vary by role and location.
How Walmart hires
Walmart explains its process on its careers site. Here is what it says:
- Apply online. A resume isn’t required, but you’ll enter your job history; you can add a resume or LinkedIn profile if you want. Walmart says a first application takes 20 to 25 minutes on average, and later ones are quicker because your details are saved. For hourly roles in the Walmart Online Hiring Center, you can save a draft and finish later on the same device.
- Complete any assessments. Walmart notes that some positions require assessments before you’re considered, which takes extra time.
- Try a job simulation (optional). Walmart offers interactive job simulations so you can preview a role and see if it fits.
- Hear back. Walmart says it tries to respond within a week, though some applications take longer, and that you’ll be told if you aren’t selected for an interview.
- Interview. Expect a conversation about your experience, how you handle customers and teammates, and when you can work.
If you’re not selected: Walmart says applications for hourly roles stay in its system for 60 days, and you can update your preferences to include other positions during that time. You can also ask for reasonable accommodations during the process.
What Walmart is looking for
Walmart describes its purpose as helping people “save money and live better,” and lists four values: respect the individual, act with integrity, serve our customers and members, and strive for excellence. In practice, for store roles that means:
- Customer focus: friendly, patient, helpful, even when it’s busy.
- Reliability: showing up on time and for your scheduled shifts.
- Teamwork: helping wherever you’re needed.
- Integrity: honesty with money, merchandise and people.
- Getting it done well: speed and accuracy, whether you’re scanning, stocking or picking online orders.
The 10 questions, and how to answer them
1. “Why do you want to work at Walmart?”
“I shop at this store every week, and I like that it’s somewhere people come to stretch their budget. Helping customers find what they need quickly and save money feels worthwhile. I’m also looking for a job with flexible shifts and room to grow.” Be specific and honest; avoid “I just need a job.”
2. “Tell me about yourself.”
Keep it to about a minute: what you do now, the experience that matters for this job (customer service, physical work, cash handling, teamwork), and why this role is a good next step. See how to answer “Tell me about yourself”.
3. “Tell me about a time you gave great customer service.”
“At my last job at a hardware store, an older customer couldn’t find a replacement part and was frustrated. I took the old part, walked him to the right aisle, matched it, and checked we had two in stock in case one was faulty. He came back the next week to thank me. I try to treat every customer like that, even when the store is busy.”
4. “How would you handle an upset customer?”
Listen without interrupting, apologize for the experience, find out what they need, fix what you can, and get a lead or manager when it’s beyond what you can do. Give a real example if you have one. See how to answer the difficult customer question.
5. “What would you do if you saw a coworker stealing?”
This tests integrity. “I wouldn’t confront them in a way that creates a scene. I’d report what I saw to a manager or through the company’s reporting process, honestly and only with facts. Taking merchandise hurts everyone, including the team.”
6. “How do you handle a busy shift?”
Show that you stay calm, prioritize, and keep customers moving: greet people in line so they know they’re seen, focus on accuracy, and ask for help or help others when lines build up.
7. “Tell me about a time you worked as part of a team.”
Choose a story where you helped others or covered a task beyond your own, and say what the result was.
8. “Tell me about a mistake you made at work.”
Pick a real but small mistake, say how you fixed it and what you do differently now. Honesty here supports the integrity value. See how to answer “Tell me about a time you failed”.
9. “What’s your availability?”
Be clear and honest about the days, hours and weekends you can work, and mention flexibility if you have it. Availability matters a lot for store scheduling.
10. “Do you have any questions for us?”
Always ask one or two (see below).
Other questions you might get
- “How would you help a customer who can’t find an item?”
- “Have you handled cash before? How do you make sure your drawer is accurate?”
- “Are you comfortable lifting, standing and working on your feet for long periods?”
- “How do you stay safe and keep others safe at work?”
- “What would you do if you finished your tasks early?”
- “How do you prioritize when a manager gives you several tasks?”
If you’re interviewing for team lead or coach
Leadership roles add questions on:
- Leading a team: “How would you motivate associates during a tough holiday season?”
- Performance: “How do you handle an associate who keeps arriving late?” Talk privately, understand the cause, set clear expectations and follow the company’s process.
- Results: “Tell me about a time you improved a process or a department’s results.” Use numbers: sales, shrink, on-shelf availability, pickup times.
- Scheduling and priorities: “How would you cover the floor when two associates call out?”
See our leadership interview questions and operations manager interview questions.
Tips that make the difference
- Know the store: visit before your interview, notice the departments and how busy it gets.
- Use short, true stories with a clear result; the STAR method keeps them focused.
- Dress neat and practical: clean, simple clothes, one step smarter than the job’s everyday wear.
- Arrive early and bring your ID and your availability.
- Show your attitude: smile, make eye contact and be friendly with everyone you meet.
Questions to ask the interviewer
- “What does a typical shift look like in this role?”
- “What do the best associates in this department do well?”
- “What training is provided in the first few weeks?”
- “What are the opportunities to grow into a team lead role?”
Related guides: Target interview questions, Starbucks interview questions, McDonald’s interview questions and Amazon leadership principles.
Frequently asked questions
What questions does Walmart ask in an interview?
How long does the Walmart hiring process take?
Do I need a resume to apply to Walmart?
Does Walmart have an assessment?
How should I answer "Why do you want to work at Walmart?"
Sources
- Walmart Careers, How we hire: applying, assessments, timing, the 60-day window and accommodations. Read on 2 October 2026.
- Walmart, Working at Walmart: purpose and values. Read on 2 October 2026.
Walmart is a trademark of Walmart Inc. Huru is not affiliated with or endorsed by Walmart.
