Without question, the interview conducted by an existing BBB DM, was singularly THE most pathetic excuse of a professional interview for a management position I have ever witnessed. He asked a grand total of 2, count them, 2 questions of a man with 20+ years of field management experience.......and they were insultingly small-ball questions that would be usually be asked of a high school kid applying for a part-time stock position.
Worse still, the Regional Human Resources Manager was on site also doing 1-on-1 interviews, and was either completely ignorant of the DM's pathetic interviewing skills, or she knew his skills and was willing to accept the reputation for the company that might result from such lack of professional inquiry, or, perhaps she was okay with such technique and the interview was indicative of what BBB does under the auspices of a professional interview for management.
Apparently, BBB has never considered a basic interview template, any basic interview guidelines, or any method at all of professional standards of interviewing experienced field management candidates.
The ads on Monster.com and other jobsites are essentially a bait & switch tactic in my estimation, so Buyer Beware!!!. Here is the typical first sentence of one of BBB's ads for experienced field management candidates..........."If you are currently a District or Regional Manager in a multi-unit environment AND have strong merchandising and analytical skills, you may have what it takes. While maintaining our strong promote-from-within culture, you will be guided and mentored through store assignments, reaching the DM level with us as quickly as your performance demands via our 100% 'promote from within' program." Bull!
Unless you are so desperate for a job, that you will drop down from a Regional or District position to a Dept Manager and work for $35K/yr for some undefined length of time, you will have wasted your time and energy interviewing with BBB. I'm sure if they can occasionally snag a Regional or District for such paltry salaries and have them as a Dept Manager with NO actual mentoring program nor performance standards for achieving the RM or DM level with them, they'll take you.
Verifying my experience with BBB is quite simple.......you need only ask a basic question of payscale for training, and then request they describe in their own words the BBB program and approach for 'guiding and mentoring' through store assignments. No matter what salary requirement you need, they will tell you in the interview 'we can cover that' (but it's not going to happen). When was the last time as a Regional or a District you had an undefined, un-scaled trainee budget on your P&L??? But, if that doesn't set off alarm bells, hear the mentoring program answer, which is all verbal and undefined......no SOP, no standards, nothing on paper, nothing track-able, zero commitment on their part............'well, you work thru the depts. determining your own training, and the store General Manager will let us know when you're ready.' Really??? When was the last time as a Regional, or a District, you had a training/mentoring program for a high-end field manager ever so open-ended, un-directed, undefined, un-scripted, no deadlines, and completely amorphous???
Unless you are 25 years old and trying to break-in to the bottom rung of retail management, or your personal situation is of such desperation you are forced to take just anything, don't waste your time with BBB.
Their recruiter sought me out, not the other way around. And they are going to make an informed, intelligent decision based on 2, yes 2, small-ball questions.
I was so insulted at the waste of my time, BBB has also lost me as a customer.
