I applied online. The process took 1 week. I interviewed at Chipotle (Pittsburgh, PA) in Dec 2013
Interview
I applied online on 12/2. Got an email on 12/3 for an interview on 12/7. I assumed it was a group interview because I did previous research on Chipotle interviews and it seems that's how they always start out. I dressed in jeans and a nice jacket, I just made sure my appearance was neat and fresh.They're were about 9 of us so a manager took us in groups of 3.
They really like enthusiastic happy people so do your best to show how much you want it and stand out with out being overexcited.For us the first interview was like a screening to see who had the 13 characteristics Chipotle looks for.They told us they would call us later that day for a second interview.
When I didnt get a call that day I waited until the afternoon the next day (as to not annoy anyone if they had not had a chance to call yet) and decided to personally ask the manager if only the interviewees that are receiving a second interview were getting a call. I was greeted by a different manager than who had originally interviewed me and she said no calls were given because it had been so busy but then asked me to come for a second interview the next day regardless!
My second interview started out with me being questioned by two employees, after they told the manager I was employee approved I was offered the job!
Tips
-Be original when answering question in the group interview, show what makes you unique
-Research the company ie) food with integrity, 13 characteristics
-They don't want people who "just need a job" they really want employees with great attitudes who will better the business
-When they ask if you have questions, ask a question. Make sure its something new they didnt mention before, they will love that you are interested enough to ask something.
-They also want to see that you can handle working without being under supervision, show you can be a leader
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
No difficult questions. Very straight forward.
They did ask "why chipotle", "can you handle the 'revolving door' restaurant style", "How do you handle confrontation"
I applied online. The process took 1 week. I interviewed at Chipotle in Oct 2013
Interview
Submitted application online, received a call a few days later (I missed it and there was no message left, I found that kind of unprofessional). Went in for a one on one interview and talked to a manager. Said I'd receive an email within the next week about another interview, but never did.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Can you recall a specific time you received great customer service?
I applied online. The process took 1 week. I interviewed at Chipotle in Dec 2013
Interview
I first applied online through the website. Got an email a few days later to attend a "job fair," in which they just gathered prospective applicants like myself in the specific location we applied for. (Not sure if this is how it works at other Chipotle job fairs. This was just my experience.) It was basically a big group interview. Here's a few tips to stand out:
-Don't show up late! Sounds obvious, but almost half the people got there late. You will not get as much of a chance to talk and ask questions, plus it just doesn't bode well to the managers.
-Always try to be one of the first people to answer their questions. They're more likely to remember you.
-Try to not copy other people's answers to the same question. For example, leading with "Like this person said, I have excellent customer service skills..." does not really show them your uniqueness. Why should they pick you over that other person if you both have the same skillset?
-Actually research the company. Know what "Food With Integrity" means, what their "no experience preferred" approach to hiring employees is all about, and what their overall company mission is. They will know you did your homework!
Immediately after the interview (literally, as everyone else was leaving), I was asked to come back the next day for the 2nd interview. I was only interviewing with one other applicant. I interviewed with the restaurateur 1 on 1. He asked me what I knew about Chipotle and what made me want to apply. He also asked how Chipotle can help me. (In other words, what am I looking to get out of the job.) Afterwards, the other applicant and I sat down and got interviewed by some of the crew.
The manager asked us to come back the next day for a "3rd interview." By then we basically had the job, so it wasn't really an interview. We just met the rest of the crew, got asked a couple easy questions, and got a tour of the back kitchen. Afterwards, they gave us the job offer, we accepted, and that's pretty much it!
Interview questions [2]
Question 1
How can Chipotle help you? What do you want to get out of this job?