How Old Do You Have to Be to Work at TJ Maxx? – Discovering Employment Paths and Travel Experiences (2024)

Have you ever found yourself searching for a designer item on a budget, some new candles for your home, or perhaps a suitcase for your next trip?

You can always find some real gems by rummaging through the never-ending stock at TJ Maxx (if you have the patience, that is)! But would you like to be on the other side of the cash desk and enjoy all those things with an employee discount?

TJ Maxx is a reputable company in the United States with more than 1000 stores located around America. This makes TJ Maxx one of the biggest retailers in the states.

But how old do you have to be to work at TJ Maxx?

Luckily for youngsters on the job search, you can apply for a retail job at 16! Great news if you have left school and are looking to make some extra money and gain experience in the retail environment.

If you are looking at a supervisor or managerial role at TJ Maxx, they usually look for older candidates 18 years and above. Do not let this put you off. Starting at 16 means that you will gain two years of experience in retail before applying for managerial roles.

Teen Jobs at TJ Maxx

TJ Maxx is known to be an inclusive company that prides itself on its high ethical standards. They believe in treating their employees with dignity and respect. The company relies on its staff to revive business and view integrity, fairness, and care as top priorities.

Retail Associate

A retail associate is responsible for working on the shop floor and interacting with customers. They should be knowledgeable about the stock location and be able to handle multiple tasks at once. Retail associates will be trained in various departments as well as dealing with customer purchases and returns.

Staff should be able to work well in a team and possess strong communication and customer service skills.

Merchandise Associate

Working in merchandise requires the employee to have excellent attention to detail and a flair for store setup that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Merchandise associates should be flexible to work different hours and schedule changes. In this role, you will be responsible for processing and preparing merchandise for the sales and the overall tidy up of the store.

Retail Stockroom Associate

This role is suited to people who are comfortable standing for long periods and don’t mind heavy lifting. Associates are expected to maneuver stock from vans to the correct places in the stockroom and prepare it to be distributed to the shop floor. Staff should be prepared to work various shifts, have excellent organizational skills, and keep the stockroom tidy.

Retail Store Cleaning Associate

Physical stamina is a requirement in a cleaning job, and associates are responsible for keeping the shop floor clean, responding to cleaning calls promptly, and having strong attention to detail. They should be organized and are responsible for the general cleanliness of the store, staffroom, and stockroom.

Loss Prevention Detective

Loss prevention detectives’ primary role is to prevent or detect theft and reduce losses for retail outlets. This job requires you to be on the ball at all times and encounter demanding customers. Working both on the shop floor and security offices, you will stand for long periods and interact with customers throughout the store.

How Much Are Part-Time Workers Paid At TJ Maxx?

Depending on your state laws and store location, the minimum wage varies. The average salary of a part-time store assistant is $11 per hour. For a merchandise coordinator, the average salary is $13 per hour. It all depends on the role you apply for and your experience.

Can 16-Year-Olds Work At TJ Maxx?

You are in luck if you have just left school and are looking for a job! TJ Maxx employs 16 year-olds. If this is not the type of retail job you are looking for, other jobs are available for your age group.

How Much Experience Do You Need To Work At TJ Maxx?

TJ Maxx is an entry-level friendly company that employs young teens, so therefore you do not need any experience to gain employment. Although, having experience is a benefit.

If you have past retail experience, inform the company of your application. You may be guided towards other roles and work your way up to supervisor and management roles more quickly.

What Should You Wear To An Interview?

TJ Maxx is a well-known retail store for providing both clothing and homeware for customers. How you dress is important, and you should consider business casual attire, perhaps a clean button-up shirt, black trousers or a skirt and dress shoes.

Interview Questions

So, you’ve landed an interview with TJ Maxx and wondered what they might ask? Interview questions can vary depending on your interviewer and the position you have applied for. Here are some examples of interview questions you may be asked:

Why do you want to work here?

What are they asking?

The interviewee wants to know why you would like to work with their company and in the retail environment. It would be good to throw in a few pieces of knowledge regarding the company here.

Response:

Explain that you would love experience in a reputable company like TJ Maxx. You could also talk about how many stores it has and the company’s opportunity for growth and development. Employee benefits are a bonus too and also the store’s ethics.

What past retail experience do you have?

What are they asking?

They want to know about your experience in both retail and dealing with customers. If you do not have any experience, don’t worry! You should be honest and explain that you haven’t worked in retail before but list why you would be great at the job and what you know to expect. Talk about a previous experience, if you have it, and some challenges you came across.

Response:

If you have experience, talk about your previous employment and perhaps your strengths working in retail and why you enjoy it. If you have worked in multiple places, remember to talk about them all and explain your roles and responsibilities.

What would you do if you caught someone stealing?

What are they asking?

This question can be tricky as most people want to sound confident that they can deal with difficult situations. However, it is important to keep yourself safe and not go above and beyond what you have been trained to do. The interviewer wants to understand how you would react to witnessing or being informed of a potential shoplifter.

Response:

The best answer would be that you would inform management or your supervisor. They can contact the loss prevention team, HR, or a store manager to deal with the customer. The company also holds high ethical standards and would not want to put its employees in danger without the proper training.

What Is It Like To Work At TJ Maxx?

Want to know from an actual employee what it’s like to work at TJ Maxx and the experience you can expect to have? Then check out this awesome video which documents her first five days and what she had to go through for training! Talk about great insight!

Benefits Of Working At TJ Maxx

Working at TJ Maxx comes with some great benefits. Of course, it also includes merchandise discounts! For full-time workers you can look forward to:

How To Apply?

The easiest way to see the job options at TJ Maxx and availability is directly through the company’s website. You can enter your location and specific job role to see any openings in your area. Jobs are advertised through typical job sites, too but will direct you to the company website.

You can also go into the store you wish to apply to and speak with a manager about the application process.

Read more: TJ Maxx Dress Code

Improve Your Retail Sales And Reach Your Targets!

Let’s start with what a sales job entails; take a look at my Sales Associate Job Description and Sales Associate Interview Questions and why not my Sales And Marketing Manager Job Description as well in 2023.

Perhaps you’re still job-hunting; try reading How To Get A Sales Job for some guidance.

Next, to reach those sales targets, we found the Sales Secrets: The World’s Top Salespeople Share Their Secrets to Success, the LinkedIn Riches: How To Use LinkedIn For Business, Sales and Marketing!, or how about The Sales Development Framework: How to Build and Scale a Highly Productive Sales Development Program and Every Job Is a Sales Job: How to Use the Art of Selling to Win at Work, and finally Objections: The Ultimate Guide for Mastering the Art and Science of Getting past No all available online today.

But, it’s not just about the sales, keeping the customers happy is also key! So, check out my Customer Service Representative Job Description, Customer Service Manager Job Description, and Call Center Representative Job Description.

Otherwise, you can always read up on Customer Service & Its Significance: Learn And Grow, the Powerful Phrases for Effective Customer Service, Customer Service Training 101, or perhaps Surviving Customer Service: Avoid Burnout, Develop Valuable Career Skills, Customer Service Skills for Success, and the ManageFirst: Customer Service w/ Answer Sheet for an interactive approach.

If you land up in a call center role dealing with customers, then check out the Call Center Fundamentals, the Call Center Rocket Science: 110 Tips to Creating a World Class Customer Service Organization, or The Call Center Handbook, Advice from a Call Center Geek, and especially Mastering the Irate Caller also available online today.

Final Thoughts

Working at TJ Maxx is possible for teens aged 16 and above. It is an excellent start to any retail career, and gaining experience in the field is invaluable for the future regardless of which road you want to take.

Working from a young age shows you are committed and have a drive that will stand out on your resume for future employers!

Make a great impression at the interview by wearing a piece from TJ Maxx; it’ll be a great way to break the ice.

All the very best getting a job at TJ Maxx!