As the receptionist at the Whole Foods Market® Global Support offices, I’m here to help set the record straight on questions that I receive daily from interested investors, customers and potential Team Members. Here are a few I’ve answered recently:

Q: “I would like to follow up on a job application I submitted. Who should I contact?”

A: A great advantage to our company being decentralized is that each store and facility conducts their own hiring. This allows individual departments in each store to hire candidates that best fit the needs of their team. If you applied for a job at a store, you can call that store directly. (You’ll find store contact info on our website.) When calling the store, ask for the specific team you applied for and they should be able to update you on where they are in the hiring process. There are instances where the departments will enlist the help of our payroll and benefits specialists at each location during the hiring process. It’s possible that they can look into the status of your application as well. If you applied for a regional or Global position, you’ll want to reach out to each of those facilities.

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As the receptionist at the Whole Foods Market Global Support offices, I’m here to help set the record straight on recurring questions that I receive daily from interested investors, customers and potential new Team Members. Here are a few I’ve answered recently:

Q:  “How can I ask Whole Foods Market to donate to my organization?”

A: The decentralized structure of our company has advantages, especially when it comes to community giving. We provide donations and sponsorships on three levels — local, regional or national — depending on your organization’s needs and how they match with our donation budgets and our goals for community involvement. If your organization is local, or for an event taking place in one city or state, you should contact your local store. For an organization or event with a larger footprint, contact the regional office that serves the state in which your organization is based. They might be able to offer assistance. For national or global partnerships, we work with partners who are aligned with our Core Values and who offer visibility to our brand. You’ll need to submit your proposal online. Due to the quantity of requests we receive, we do not respond to every request. You’ll receive a response if there is interest in the partnership. If you have additional questions regarding national sponsorships, email global.sponsorships@wholefoods.com.

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As the receptionist at the Whole Foods Market Global Support offices, I’m here to help set the record straight on recurring questions that I receive daily from interested investors, customers and potential new Team Members. Here are a few I’ve answered recently:

Q: “I’m so excited there is a Whole Foods Market headed to my area, how do I find out when they will be opening? Also, how do I apply for a job at the new store?”

A: We’re excited one of our stores is headed to your area as well! First, check out our list of Stores in Development to verify the information you’ve heard is correct and that we do have a store coming to your area.  Once that’s confirmed, the regional office overseeing that store opening will have the most accurate information on opening dates. (The regional office page shows a breakdown of the states that each regional office oversees.) If you are interested in working with us, the regional office can also let you know when they will start the application process. Typically, each region posts the open positions once they are ready to begin the hiring process. Keep in mind, though, that all of our dates are tentative. We hope that each store opening will be a seamless process but sometimes, just like in life, there are bumps along the way!

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As a concierge team member in the Whole Foods Market flagship store in Austin, Texas, for five years, I thought I had been asked every question under the sun. But after a recent move upstairs to become our Global Support office’s receptionist, I quickly realized that I was mistaken. Sure, I still get calls from customers, but their questions can be different. And I also get calls from possible new vendors, potential new Team Members, interested investors and lots more. One of the perks of my job is that if I don’t know the answer to their various questions, I have a surplus of knowledgeable team members who do. As an ongoing series, I’ve decided to take a handful of the frequently asked questions I receive and demystify them.

Q: “I want to work for Whole Foods, how do I apply?”

A: We accept applications for individual stores, regional offices and global support via our Careers page. You can search through each state and even look for a specific location. The application process can take between 30-45 minutes so it’s a good idea to create a login and password so you can fill out the application at your own pace. Check out the Careers page for helpful links regarding benefits, hiring processes and why people work here. Various stores accept paper applications but check with your local store beforehand. If you want to follow up on an application, make sure to contact the specific location where you applied; we empower our locations to hire for their needs instead of having a centralized hiring process.

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