Cotton On Job Application & Careers | Hiring Process + Tips Inside |
The Cotton On Group is Australia’s largest global retailer of clothes and stationery materials. The merchandising company has seven brands with over 1,500 stores in 18 countries. So, if you are interested in working for a retail brand where you can gain experience and grow, Cotton On is an excellent place to start.
We have researched important factors this company considers when choosing its full-time and part-time employees. We will discuss the proper procedure to apply online at Cotton On and the hiring process in this guide. We will also share important tips to help you get selected among several job seekers.
Company Overview
Founded: 1991
Founder: Nigel Austin
Industry: Department, Clothing & Shoe Stores
Website: cottonon.com
Headquarters: 14 Shepherd Ct, North Geelong VIC 3215, Australia
Phone Number: +61 3 5277 7000
Company Size: 10,000+ Employees
When applying for a job, the first thing to do is find out about the company you will be applying to. Good knowledge of the company will allow you to connect the brand values with your values. This will help you know upfront if the company is the right place for you. Also, you will easily breeze through interview questions.
The Cotton On Group is a privately owned Australian company. It has seven key brands, some of which are Cotton On Kids, Cotton On Foundation, Cotton On Body, Factorie, Typo, and Rubi. The brand mostly sells clothing, decorative arts, sportswear, and stationeries.
Applying For A Job With CottonOn
Like every other company, Cotton On has its peculiar application process. Therefore, if you are interested in working at the Cotton On Group, you must be familiar with this process.
— Visit The Cotton On Careers Page
When you open the company’s careers website, there’s a “join our team” icon. After you click on it, it opens up to different locations with vacancies. So, for instance, if you want to work in a U.S. branch, click on the third icon for the United States. The roles are already listed with the exact state.
— Search For Open Positions
There’s an icon up for you to find job openings in your choice of location. This makes it easier if you already know what you are looking for.
However, if you are unsure of the role you want to take up, you can easily browse the listed jobs and click on one. Each job has eligibility requirements and a role description. While there’s a lot of seemingly fluff content in the job description, it’s best to go through them carefully to determine if the job suits you.
The website also lists the qualifications required and the perks and benefits of each role.
— Create Account & Complete Application Form
At the end of the job description for each role, you can click on apply now. Unlike most companies, you don’t need to have a Cotton On account to apply. Once you provide your email, a profile will be created for you. You can either choose to apply with LinkedIn or Indeed. However, you can also directly fill out the online application form.
You will be required to fill in your basic information and answer some questions. You will also be required to upload your cover letter and resume and enter an e-signature verifying all your information.
Cotton On Roles & Salaries
Cotton On had various open roles for its different storefronts, but Cotton On and Cotton On Kids, and Cotton On Typo have the most popular roles. Here are a few popular roles you can apply for:
— Sales Assistant
A Sales Assistant’s work may involve fixing the clothes on the sales floor, handling cash, doing stock and new floor sets from time to time, and helping customers in dressing rooms. Essentially, an associate interacts with customers and shares promotions and styles to help them have a seamless shopping experience.
The salary is fixed per hour at an average of AUS$19. A store assistant typically gets 50% off or more on select items.
— Warehouse Worker
A warehouse worker prepares, delivers, and picks up orders. They are responsible for restocking, accepting orders coming in, and packing orders for delivery to stores. They also write reports on stock and inventory and input data into the software system.
The average salary for this job opportunity is $40,182 per year.
— Assistant Store Manager
An assistant store manager works with the store manager to set and understand priorities per timeline. They also assist in assigning tasks to Key Holders and Sales Associates, and they ensure all staff members are complying with the company’s policies.
An Associate Store Manager gets an average salary of $52,021 per year. This sits right in the middle of the national average for the role.
According to Comparably, the highest paid job is the Group Product Manager at $226,687, while the lowest is the C.S. Rep at $46,318 annually.
The general perks of the company include wellness support, mental, dental, and vision insurance, 50% team members discount on select items, paid time off, a retirement plan, and a bi-yearly bonus.
Cotton On Interview Process
The Cotton On interview process is generally deemed casual. After submitting your application, you have a one-on-one on the phone before inviting you for a formal interview. You can be asked questions like, “why should we hire you?”, “if a customer wants to buy a shirt in some size we don’t have at the store, what do you do?” You may be given an item and asked to describe it to a customer. Employees say the interview process is simple, engaging, and fun.
Sometimes, there are group interviews or phone call screenings. Certain roles require you to do problem-solving exercises, but these are generally easy. On Glassdoor, the Cotton On interview process is rated 71%, which is an A grade among similar-sized companies.
You can expect to hear back in 2 weeks; however, there are situations where some employees reported that they only heard back after one month.
Cotton On Work Environment & Company Culture
The work environment at Cotton is described as friendly but fast-paced. Many employees say that it is a good place for a starting role, as long as you can keep up with the traffic, especially during seasonal sales. In addition, many employees on Indeed say the environment is inclusive, enabling them to meet their personal goals.
The company has good retention and a good management team. However, while colleagues generally enjoy each other’s company at company dinners and spirit week, the lower management varies from store to store, affecting the culture.
However, you should note that you may come in contact with different kinds of customers, and some may be rude. In this case, you are most likely expected to remain professional and deescalate the situation. Also, employees say there are not many training opportunities for entry-level staff, and the perks and compensation are not very impressive. Generally, many people enjoy working at Cotton On because the job is easy, and the brand has a clear direction and a good retention rate.
The Bottom Line
Getting a job at Cotton On is easy. Cotton On is a great place to start a career in the retail industry. With the company’s experience and established structure, you can enjoy a stable work environment and focus on your job and personal growth.
First, identify a role you are interested in, register to get job alerts, and ensure you are satisfied with the salary and perks you see before applying. Then, you need to fill out the company’s job application form and prepare for interview questions.
Make sure you also ask some questions at the end of the interview to clarify details and leave a good impression. Also, dress appropriately for the interview. If you have not been called after your interview, take the initiative to call first.
Following this process thoroughly will help you have an edge over all other applicants. Then, in no time, you will land the position you want.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Cotton On pay per hour in Australia?
The pay per hour at Cotton On largely depends on your job. Also, the pay slightly differs from store to store. Here, we will be looking at the average pay per hour for some jobs. According to PayScale, the average pay per hour across all employees is AU$22.28, with hourly wages ranging between AU$18.43 to AU$28.18.
A Stock Clerk gets about $21 per hour while a Sales Assistant gets about AU$19 per hour in Australia. A Retail Sales Assistant gets about $21 per hour, while a Nanny gets about $30 per hour.
We found that Casual Sales Assistants and Retail Sales Assistants get about $21 per hour on average. On the other hand, Forklift Drivers and Training Managers in Australia get paid $25 per hour.
However, for more seasonal jobs that 16 years olds typically take, the salary is a bit lower. For example, a Christmas Casual gets paid about $20. These hourly wages are significantly higher in U.S. stores.
A survey on Comparably shows that about 55% of employees think they are being paid fairly, while others think they are being paid at the lowest point of people with similar jobs.
What is the percentage of Cotton On employees in the U.S.?
There are no precise statistics on the percentage of Cotton On employees in the U.S. However, Cotton On USA Inc. in La Mirada, California, has about 400+ employees. In Orlando, Florida, the company reportedly has about 90+ employees.
This shows that most of its core operations are in Australia, but it only has branches across different parts of the U.S. and other countries. For example, while the company has more than 1,500 stores in 18 countries, it only has 154 stores in the U.S. About half of the 1,500 stores are in Australia alone.
The company continues to expand in the U.S. too, and consequently, the percentage of job vacancies in the U.S. has significantly risen in the past few years. The U.S. employees also get higher hourly wages compared to the Australian wages.
Does Cotton On hire at 14?
No, you cannot work at Cotton On at 14. This is because the minimum age to work at Cotton On is 16. However, this age can differ depending on the employment legislation in the country where a particular Cotton On is situated.
However, many of the company’s employees on Indeed stated that despite the official age of 16, the company typically hires from 17+ on. Most companies avoid hiring under 16 because some regions have special regulations to guide underage labor.
For example, Cotton On stated that the Fair Work Commission regulates the Australian branch on its Customer Care Page. To avoid falling short and getting prosecuted for going against labor laws, they prefer hiring 16 and above. So, it all depends on the job location.
Some, however, say that one can get hired at 14 years and nine months in certain regions. If you don’t qualify, you can check out this page for jobs for 15-year-olds.
What should you not put on a job application?
Several things don’t have a place on a job application.
One, anything that’s remotely untrue shouldn’t be on your application. Your application will remain part of your employee file if you get hired at the company, and it can be pulled out at any time to fish out information about you. This can bring down your career long after you have forgotten about it.
Another important thing you should avoid putting on your application is a list of tasks. When asked about your job responsibilities, it’s best to tie this to accomplishments in the position you occupied in your former workplace rather than robotically inputting the job details.
Also, avoid writing negative things about your former employer as your reason for leaving a job. For example, don’t talk about your horrible bosses or poor management; instead, talk about quitting because you need a well-structured environment with a progressive work culture. In essence, find a way to make this section personal and tie it to why you are applying at Cotton On instead.
