Cato Job Application Online
Cato Corporation has built a vibrant team of individuals passionate about fashion and accessories. The company offers the latest styles for affordable prices. Options for any occasion from the company can be found under the brands “Cato”, “Versona”, “It’s Fashion”, and “It’s Fashion Metro”. Interested applicants can apply for open roles via the Cato Application that can be found on the employment opportunities page of the website.
In 1922, founder Wayland Henry Cato began his career in retail. In 1946, he started the company with sons Wayland Henry Cato, Jr. and Edgar Thomas. The business still remains in the Cato family three generations later with John P. Derham Cato now presiding as Chief Executive Officer and President.
By January 2015, the corporation has grown to 1,346 specialty stores in 32 states with plans to open 42 more. 2014 proved to be the third best year in the company’s history in terms of revenue with a net income increase of 11%. The company holds over $260 million in cash and remains debt free.
Not only is this fashion retailer a fun place to work, it offers a wide variety of benefits and multiple career path options. Don’t worry about what you’ll wear to work! Cato offers new fashions every week at affordable prices. Ready to join the team? Download the online application form from the Cato site to begin your new career.
Cato Careers
The company is looking for the right candidate to fill open spots for Sales Associate positions right now. Other retail could include: Assistant Manager, Store Manager, Training Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Vice President, and Territorial Vice President. Submit your direct application for a store-level position by using the printable application form and take it to your preferred location.
Corporate positions are also listed on the Cato careers page. These roles include Human Resources, E-Commerce, Merchandising, Store Operations, Loss Prevention, and more. To apply for a corporate position, save the downloadable application form and submit via e-mail. You will find the Cato applications and job opportunities in the career section of the website.
How old do you have to be to work at Cato?
You must be at least 18 years old to apply for all positions. If you meet this requirement and love fashion, apply for Cato jobs. The direct link to the Cato jobs online site can be found below. Be sure to review the instructions on how to apply online for available opportunities.
In addition to competitive pay in the industry, Cato offers all employees a 20% merchandise discount, vision discount plan, life insurance for associates & dependents, short-term disability, 401K plan, employee stock ownership plan, and employee stock purchase plan. Full-time employees enjoy a health insurance, dental insurance, prescription drug program, long-term disability, flex spending accounts, and paid time off. Part-time employees can take advantage of medical, dental, and prescription discount plans.
Most locations are open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm. Sunday hours are from 1 pm to 6 pm. Stores may be closed on major holidays. Be sure to call your local store to verify normal and holiday business hours as they could vary in some cases.
Cato Job Descriptions
Sales Associate – A sales associate’s primary responsibility is to address customer needs. This includes providing customers with information as needed, assisting with selection, and completing financial transactions. Providing a high level of customer service is essential. Hours may vary and can include weekends and holidays. As an entry-level position, pay usually starts around minimum wage with a median annual salary around $21,000.
Assistant Manager – Managing the daily operations of the store is the primary responsibility of the assistant manager. Other responsibilities could include supervising hourly employees, overseeing shift-changes and financial transactions, and merchandise organization. This is the first step for those on a management career track. Median salary for the position is around $37,000 annually.
Store Manager – As a Store Manager, you will be responsible for the financial goals of the store and quality of service provided by both hourly and assistant management staff. You will participate in recruiting staff in addition to improving staff performance. Median salary for the position is approximately $105,000 per year.
Expense Control & Field Organization Coordinator – This is a store operations position that oversees both the personnel information and financial performance of field management staff. From reviewing store-level P&L reports to coordinating voicemail setup, in this role you would be highly involved at multiple levels of the business. Median salary for this role is approximately $46,000 annually.
Planning Coordinator – This is a corporate position in the Merchandise Planning & Allocation department. In this role, you would evaluate and analyze buying decisions to determine risk and financial outcome. You must be able to collaborate internally and externally in this job. Median salary for the position is approximately $61,000 per year.
Systems Administrator – As a key member of the Information Technology department, a systems administrator will conduct installation of new software and upgrades, problem-solve systems failures, maintain overall system health, as well as monitoring data integrity. Five years or more experience is necessary and Bachelor’s degree preferred. Median annual salary is approximately $73,000.
Cato Interview Questions
What is your greatest weakness? This is a great opportunity to flip a negative into a positive, but don’t be cliché with your answer. Everyone has an area on which they can improve. Show your intrinsic motivational abilities by telling the interviewer the ways you have improved in your weak areas. Be sure your weakness is not a key element necessary to performing the job.
How do you handle working with difficult personalities? In retail, you will interact with many different kinds of people. Keep your answer upbeat and positive. This question can reveal whether you have potential to be a difficult personality. Try to relate your coping skills in these situations to key skills necessary to successfully do the job.
How did you prepare for this interview? How much effort you put in to preparing for an interview can tell the interviewer a lot about your interest level in the position. Take your time to research the company as thoroughly as possible. Use this as an opportunity to match up what is important at Cato to the strengths you would bring to the team.
What challenges might you face in this position? Use the research you’ve done to identify an area or two that might present challenges for you. Now game plan a potential coping mechanism or solution. Even if your solution is not realistic, it will show that you’ve critically thought about the problem.
Tell me about a time you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree and how you handled it. If you have problems with authority, this is where it will show. Give a specific example and don’t forget to relay the outcome. This is your opportunity to show that you can think dimensionally in a difficult situation.
Advice For Application Process
Punctuality is important. If you’re not 15 minutes early, you’re late. Showing up past your designated interview time shows a lack of respect for the time the company is spending to talk to you. It can also raise questions about your reliability. Give yourself plenty of time to arrive before your designated meeting time.
Be sure to make eye contact in the interview and remember to smile. A smile will raise your confidence level and the level of confidence others will have in you. Be aware of fidgeting including drumming fingers or shaking a foot. These can be distracting to both you and the interviewer. Don’t get caught with a throat tickle – take water if it is offered or bring your own.
Use a critical eye to review your printable application for Cato before submitting. This is the company’s first impression of you – make it a good one. Review for punctuation errors, grammar mistakes, and spelling mistakes. Be sure all information is correct and everything asked for is provided. Bring multiple copies of your resume and be sure it has been fully reviewed for errors. A free application of editing never hurts.
Come prepared with questions for your interviewer, including one about the next steps in the process. Keep in mind, the hiring process can often take longer than anyone expects. This is perfectly normal. A follow-up note thanking the interviewer for their time is standard. Wait until after the timeline has expired for the next step before following up again.