The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at Nordstrom (San Francisco, CA) in Mar 2011
Interview
I applied online. A week later, I got an email to set up a phone interview. The following week, Nordstorm called me. They asked about 4 questions. "why do you want this job?" "what does customer service mean to you?" "what is a challenge you have experienced in customer service?" . Then, I was passed along to the department manager. She called me a week later and asked me to come in the same day. Which, I felt was a little inconsiderate, but I made it work. The interview had very similar questions. The manager was very nice and made me really want to work there. She told me they would contact me the following week to set up another interview.
So easy, I went to a job fair and was hired on the spot. They need people in the kids department, that's the easiest section to get into. They just ask about your personality and who you are.
Was inside Barton creek mall, hiring manager was prompt and clear with questions ranging from how I would handle difficult customers, to my personal experiences that could apply to the job.