[A Career at The Container Store
Frequently Asked Questions
We hope the following will answer any questions you may have about employment opportunities.
CAREERS back to top
How do you find new employees?
The primary means of recruiting new employees to The Container Store is through employee networking and referrals.
Our most enthusiastic customers often inquire about opportunities and become our best employees. We post positions on our Web site and on job boards such as CareerBuilder.com or Craigslist.org. We rarely use newspaper or other print advertising for our hiring needs. We seldom find it necessary to use executive search firms.
Why do you advise people to apply for a store position?
Most employees begin their careers in our stores - since they are the lifeblood of our business - and many employees build long careers in our stores. Our store positions offer the best introduction to our products, service standards and company values. We offer both full- and part-time store positions. Regardless of how many hours our store employees work, all are valued, respected and empowered to make decisions in the best interest of the company.
What is the process after an application is received?
Our goal is for all employment applications to be reviewed by a manager within a week.
Every applicant receives a reply by email or phone. For most positions, we begin the interviewing process with a phone interview, which may be followed by a group interview and then one or more personal interviews.
What should I wear to an interview?
Our stores and Home Office have "business casual" attire. While it’s perfectly fine to do so, there is no need to wear a business suit to an interview; a shirt and slacks or blouse and skirt would be appropriate.
What are the opportunities for career advancement?
No two employees have the same career path at The Container Store. Employees help to guide their own careers and are trained and supported to take on many responsibilities. We promote from within whenever possible. When we offer a new opportunity to an employee, we carefully match that employee's company perspective, experience, leadership and talents with the needs of our business.
Your Careers page shows openings, but I was told there are no open positions at this time.
We handle the links on our Careers page a little differently than most companies. Some companies only post a link when there is an immediate opening; however, we keep a link open on our Careers page for all of our locations. This allows an applicant to apply online at any time. Each area of business handles its hiring needs individually. Our managers review every application for current as well as future employment opportunities.
How do I apply to a specific department at your Home Office?
We keep an open link to our Home Office on our Career site. We encourage you to submit an application and tell us of your areas of interest. We read every application and keep the online applications in our searchable database for future employment opportunities.
Do you offer an internship or co-op program?
Although we do not offer a traditional internship program, we are committed to introducing students to our unique business environment. We offer customized internships based on the needs of our business in a variety of areas in our Home Office and Distribution Center.
What is the minimum age requirement to work at The Container Store?
We can consider candidates who are of legal working age, which varies by state. There are some positions in our stores that are limited to those 18 and older because of safety requirements.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The Container Store strongly believes in fair practices and consideration for others. Our company does not tolerate unlawful discrimination of any kind for any reason. The Container Store provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, pregnancy related disability leave, status as a U.S. military veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
SALES back to top
Do store employees earn commission?
No, our employees do not work on commission. We offer wages and salaries that are 50% higher than the retail industry average. Salaries are individualized and take into account each employee's unique background, contribution and potential impact on our company's growth. We encourage team-based selling to ensure that our customers benefit from our creative approach to solving their storage challenges.
What are your employee recognition programs?
Unlike conventional, formalized employee recognition programs, The Container Store strives to creatively celebrate employees in a variety of ways. Our company culture fosters teamwork and a positive environment. The unique spirit of our culture is most evident in the supportive and spontaneous way in which employees take the time to recognize the efforts and contributions of their co-workers. This may include a quick congratulatory email from our President or CEO, inclusion in our weekly company communication or even an award created by a fellow employee to recognize someone else’s contribution. We also host our Colorado Getaway, a very special program that recognizes employees whose contribution and commitment make our company a great place to work. Twelve employees, nominated by their co-workers, vacation with the owners of our company at a Colorado ranch. We also recognize employees at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service through our very special tenure program.
What are your employee incentive programs?
From time to time we host fun companywide sales contests that are designed to create a little friendly competition and enhance camaraderie. Additionally, some stores create their own incentive programs to motivate and inspire employees. We enhance our hiring efforts by paying a networking bonus to current employees who refer new employees to our company.
TRAINING back to top
What type of training do you offer your employees?
Each new employee receives a week of intensive Foundation Training. This training includes information on our company history, Foundation Principles, safety, selling, merchandising and much more. In their first year, full-time employees receive 241 hours of training. And, our training is never-ending. We provide product, selling and operations training to all employees – both full- and part-time – on an ongoing basis!
Do you have a management training program?
Yes. In addition to Foundation Training, a new manager completes four additional weeks of training to cover topics such as Leadership, People, Operations and Running the Business.
LOCATION back to top
Where are your stores located?
We have stores located from coast to coast. Please reference our Store Locations page to find the store nearest you.
Where is your Home Office and Distribution Center located?
Our Home Office and Distribution Center are located in a 1,000,000 sq. ft. building in Coppell, TX. This single facility in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex supports all of our stores.
What is your relocation policy?
If we select an employee from within our company to relocate to another area, we create an individualized moving package to suit the employee's needs. We do not typically consider applicants from markets other than those where we have our stores or Home Office and Distribution Center, so we rarely relocate new employees.
How do I apply for a store location that has not yet opened?
We announce our new stores on the Store Locations page on our Web site –check back often for the most current information. We begin reviewing applications for a new store about three months prior to its grand opening date and use the same online application and interview process as existing stores.
How can I pursue my interest in employment with The Container Store if there isn't a store in my area?
Generally we consider applicants who already live in an area near one of our stores, rather than relocating new employees. If you ever find yourself living near one of our locations, we'd be happy to talk with you about employment opportunities in that area. All of our store locations are listed on our Web site, and we announce new store locations there as well. Additionally, we send emails to registered users of our Web site to alert them to new store openings.
What are your expansion plans?
We are committed to selecting exceptional, A+ real estate sites. We generally open new locations in areas dense with busy, time-starved customers. Please see our Store Locations section for upcoming store openings.
APPLYING ONLINE back to top
How do I submit an application?
From the Careers page of our Web site, choose "View Positions" and find the area of our business you are interested in applying to. You can choose a state to find a specific store location. When you have completed the online application successfully, you will receive an email confirmation.
I don’t have an email address – what should I enter on the application?
We stay in touch with applicants primarily by email throughout the interview process. If you do not have an email address you can use a service like Yahoo!Mail, Hotmail or Gmail to quickly sign up for a free Web-based email account.
Do I have to complete the application all at one time?
After beginning an application, choose "Save as Draft" if you would like to return at a later time to complete it. Once you have completed the required fields and are ready to submit it, choose "Save." A confirmation page lets you know your application was saved to our database. You will also receive a confirmation email.
I tried to save my completed application but received error
Please know that there are some required fields (designated by bold type) on the application that must be completed so that the application can be saved to our database. If any of the required fields are missing, you will be prompted to complete them. You may need to adjust your information to complete the required fields. For example, if you are currently employed but are looking for a part-time position, you will not have an end date in your Employment History. You should instead enter the current date and note in the text box that you are "currently employed with plans to remain with that employer while working part-time at The Container Store."
Can I apply to more than one position or location?
Our online process is designed so that you must choose one location to submit your initial application. Once you have completed the application and submitted it, you can submit it to other locations. Simply choose a location or position and enter as a Returning User. The application you originally created will automatically be submitted to that location for consideration.
Can I revise my online application?
You can add, change or delete information at any time by returning to the Careers page of our Web site, clicking "Career Center" and choosing "View/Edit My Resume Profile." Enter as a Returning User and you will see your current information. Make and save your changes. The next time anyone views your application, they will see only the updated version.
When I update my application, is it submitted again automatically?
Only the most recently updated application is viewed by us, but if you want to submit to another location or resubmit to the same location after 90 days, you will take an extra step in our "Career Center." Click "Submit a Resume", choose a location and enter as a Returning User. The application will automatically be submitted to that location for consideration.
Can I attach a formatted resume or other document?
We prefer to read your information on the application itself. If you wish to add a resume, you may copy and paste it into the unlimited text box titled "More About You" at the end of the application. You may also submit your application and then return to the Career Center and choose "My Resume Attachments" to add the attachment separately.
I created an employment application and tried to log in, but the system says my password is invalid.
Your login for online shopping at The Container Store is not associated with the login for our Career Center. Please be sure you are returning to the Careers page to log in. Passwords are case-sensitive.
Can I change my username and password?
You are not be able to change your username or password. If you have forgotten your password, you can click the "Forgot Password' link and your password will be emailed to the email address you supplied in your application. If you have forgotten your username, you will need to register as a New User and submit a new application. Please know that if you submit a new application, the email address must be unique and cannot be a duplicate of the address you originally used.
My computer crashed while I was working on the application. Do I need to start over?
You can login to your profile to check on your status. Go to the Careers page of our Web site, click "Career Center" then "View/Edit My Resume Profile." Enter as a Returning User and you will see whether you have successfully submitted your application. If you get a message saying that your login or password is invalid, you will need to create a new application. You can also check your Resume Submission History on the Career Center by entering as a Returning User.
SUMMARY OF RIGHTS FOR CALIFORNIA back to top
What is the Summary of Rights for California Consumer Reporting Agencies Act?
Summary of Rights for
California Consumer Reporting Agencies Act
California Civil Code Section 1786.22
Please know that you have a right under California law to inspect files maintained on you by an investigative consumer reporting agency pursuant to any of the following procedures, during normal business hours and on reasonable notice:
You may personally inspect the files if you provide proper identification (e.g., valid driver's license, social security account number, military identification card, credit cards), and may receive a copy of the file for the actual cost of duplication services provided.
You may make a written request, by certified mail and with proper identification, as described above, for copies to be sent to a specified addressee.
You may make a written request, with proper identification as described above, for telephone disclosure of a summary of information contained in your files, if any toll charge is prepaid by or charged directly to you.
If you are unable to provide "proper identification" through the types of cards or numbers listed above, the agency may require additional information concerning your employment and personal or family history in order to verify your identity.
The agency must provide trained personnel to explain to you any information that the agency is required to furnish to you from your file. The agency also must provide you with a written explanation of any coded information contained in your files at the time inspection of your files is permitted. You are permitted by law to be accompanied by one other person of your choosing when inspecting your files. That person must furnish reasonable identification. The agency may require you to provide the agency with a written statement granting permission to the agency to discuss your file in such person's presence. The agency also is not required by law to make available to you the sources of information in your files, although such information would be obtainable through proper discovery procedures in any court action brought under Title 1.6A of the Civil Code pertaining to Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies.
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