How Old Do You Have to be to Work at Rue21?

Generally speaking, to get a job at Rue21 as a sales associate or stock associate, you must be at least 16 years old. If you are interested in becoming a store safety specialist, you must have a high school diploma or GED.

Rue21 is looking to hire people with a passion for fashion. They have an empowering culture that promotes innovative thinking, and they hire individuals with diverse backgrounds and work experience. Rue21 believes in changing things up, encouraging creativity, and thinking outside-of-the-box.

Teen Jobs at Rue21 and Age Requirements

Sales Associate (Hourly)

A Sales Associate at Rue21 assists the management team with the day-to-day operations. Responsibilities of the position are as follows:

• Provide and promote exceptional customer service and offer positive resolutions to challenges and complaints from customers
• Generate sales through customer interaction, fitting room assistance, and suggestive selling
• Prevent asset loss through proper zoning and floor awareness
• Effectively perform associate register transactions without errors or shortages
• Adhere to store visual directives, maintenance standards, and cleanliness standards
• Consistently exemplify a teamwork attitude with management and coworkers to improve personal and store performance
• Communicate effectively with management and coworkers concerning business issues and  opportunities
• Comply with all company policies and procedures, and follow all safety standards to ensure a safe work and shopping environment
• Support the Store Management Team in driving and maximizing store sales, controlling and minimizing shrink to achieve store goals
• Complete all other duties as assigned

You must be at least 16 years old to work as a sales associate at Rue21.

Stock Associate (Hourly)

A Stock Associate at Rue21 is responsible for the timely processing of shipments and maintaining organization in the back room. This enables associates on the sales floor to properly zone and service customers, while completing other tasks necessary to meet the needs of the business.

Responsibilities of the position include:

Stockroom Organization

• Maintain organization, cleanliness, and best practice standards for the stockroom.
• Establish and maintain organization of backstock apparel and accessories.
• Replenish the sales floor from back stock.

Shipment Processing

• Prepare all shipment to be hung/folded (i.e. remove paper and packaging).
• Process all hanging merchandise as a first priority. Folded merchandise may be processed as a second priority.  This includes applying sensors to all hanging merchandise (and folded merchandise as time allows).
• Perform all job duties in compliance with company productivity standards and visual standards.
• Notify the Store Manager in advance of supplies needed (hangers, sensors, and pins).
• With Manager’s guidance, open, sort, and prioritize all incoming shipment.
• With Manager’s guidance, place new receipts on the sales floor.

Sales Floor/Cash Wrap Organization/Cleanliness

• Assist with cash wrap organization to include replenishing bags, removing hangers/sensors, and removing trash.
• Assist with sales floor maintenance as time permits (i.e. change lights, vacuum, cleaning).

You must be at least 16 years old to work at Rue21 as a stock associate.

Store Safety Specialist  (Hourly)

A Store Safety Specialist at Rue21 is responsible for maintaining the highest level of customer service and ensuring safe store environment for both customers and employees. The SSS will accomplish this by providing a visible presence at store entrances, greeting customers, and partnering with the store staff throughout each shift.

The SSS will continuously observe, identify, and react to conditions or incidents that negatively impact the store environment. The SSS will partner with the store staff to ensure the appropriate level of service is maintained at all times. The SSS also participates in other functions as assigned by the Store Manager or Field Leadership Team.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintain a customer-facing and visible presence at the front entrance of the store to increase the visibility and availability of store staff to all customers.
• Greet all customers entering and exiting the store.
• Observe areas of the sales floor at all times to identify and resolve conditions that may negatively impact customer service or safety  
• Work with store management to deescalate theft and safety incidents.
• Perform figure 8’s on the sales floor.
• Perform fitting room checks every 30 minutes during busy periods, once per hour otherwise.
• Minimize theft and safety concerns through the highest levels of customer service.
• Monitor store entrances, exits, and sales floor for actual or potential theft by identifying suspicious activity and behaviors and alerting store management.
• Communicate with store management and RLPM concerning all theft issues.
• Maintain Rue21 policies and procedures to minimize or deter negative theft and safety incidents.
• Complete written and electronic logs as directed by store management
• Conduct appropriate bag and coat checks on departing Associates and Managers.
• Conduct EAS sensor sweeps once per shift.
• Respond to EAS alarm activations as per company policy.
• Partner with law enforcement when appropriate
• Partner with neighboring retailers to stay connected to any incidents within the center.
• Partner with Regional Loss Prevention Manager.

To work as a store safety specialist at Rue21, you must be at least 16 years old and have a high school diploma or GED.

Can a 15 Year Old Work at rue21?

Because the minimum age to work at Rue21 is 16, 15-year-olds can’t work there, but we have a page on our website specifically for 15-year-olds that you can view instead.

Can a 16 Year Old Work at rue21?

The minimum age to work at Rue21 is 16, so 16-year-olds can work there. We also have a page on our website specifically for 16-year-olds that you can view for other options.

How Much Does Rue21 Pay Part-Time Workers?

The hourly earnings for employees at Rue21 vary because of state and city minimum wage laws. However, we can give you a general idea of what the hourly pay is for each position.

Sales Associate (Hourly)

As a sales associate at Rue21, you will be making somewhere between minimum wage and $11 per hour. If you are coming in at entry-level without any prior experience, then you will most likely start at minimum wage.

The average hourly rate for a Rue21 sales associate is $8.

Stock Associate (Hourly)

The rate of pay for stock associates  is between minimum wage and $10 an hour. You will most likely start at the lower end of the range, but if you have some previous experience you might be able to negotiate a higher starting wage.

The average hourly wage for stock associates at Rue21 is $9.

Store Safety Specialist  (Hourly)

The pay range for store safety specialists at Rue21 is between $9 and $16 an hour.  At some stores, you can negotiate a salary for this position instead of an hourly rate.

The average hourly rate for a store safety specialist is $11 an hour.

How Much Experience Do You Need to Work at rue21?

Rue21 is an entry-level, friendly company, so you can apply for a position without any experience and get hired as a sales associate or stock associate. However, they do prefer that you have some prior experience for the store safety specialist position, and that can help you negotiate a higher rate of pay.

What Should You Wear to a Job Interview at rue21?

Rue21 is a trendy clothing store, so when you show up for your interview, you will want to be dressed in fashionable business casual attire.  Consider something like a buttoned-down shirt with nice slacks and dress shoes. You do not want to show up too casual in a t-shirt and jeans.

Rue21 Interview Questions

The possible questions in a job interview are endless, and it always depends on the interviewer. At the same time, there are some common questions that have been known to ask most applicants.

What would you do if you caught an employee stealing?

Why are they asking?  

If an interviewer asks you this question, be careful because it’s a trick question. People tend to answer by going on and on about taking charge of the situation by either confronting the employee or calling the police. That isn’t what the interviewer wants to hear.

What’s the ideal answer?

The best thing to say is that you would bring it to your supervisor’s attention or call an HR hotline to report it. Companies want a situation like this one to go through the proper channels. They also want to make sure that you would handle this by following company policy instead of taking the matter into your own hands.

Why do you want to work at Rue21?

Why are they asking?  

Retail clothing stores rely on entry-level teen workers. They make an excellent first job for young people to get work experience, and there are a lot in the market to choose from. If they ask you this question, they want to know what makes Rue21 stand out over other options like Old Navy, Hollister, or Hot Topic.

What’s the ideal answer?

There is no wrong answer to this question. Whatever your reason is for applying at Rue21, tell them! Maybe you have a friend that works there, you love their clothes, or the location is close to home. Whatever your reason is for applying at Rue21, just be specific and honest with your answer.

Why should we hire you?

Why are they asking?  

If a manager asks you this question, they are trying to get you to sell yourself. A big part of your job at Rue21 is to give excellent customer service and to be able to drive sales with excellent communication and product knowledge.

They are wanting to find out how well you can communicate while being positive and professional. If you can sell yourself, you can sell their merchandise.

What’s the ideal answer?

Know your strengths. If you get asked this question, tell them how you will benefit their business. They want to hear that you are creative, have above average verbal communication skills, have a friendly and upbeat demeanor, and can successfully sell merchandise.

Tell them that you are a reliable worker who will show up to work on time for every scheduled shift. If you have a passion for fashion and want a career in the industry, definitely let them know because there are opportunities for advancement.

Benefits of Working at Rue21

Everyone who works at Rue21 gets a 40 percent merchandise discount.  However, the benefits they offer are for full-time workers only.

Benefits include:

• Paid time off, paid holidays, and paid sick days
• Vacation
• 401K and retirement plan
• Health and Dental Insurance

What it’s Like to Work at Rue21

How to Apply at Rue21