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While dozens of fad diets have come and gone, Weight Watchers has consistently stuck to its protocol of tracking points, not calories, to help members lose weight since 1963. A key element to the 53-year-old program is also its support groups, where weight loss success can also translate into jobs. Every employee outside of the corporate headquarters — from meeting leaders to online chat support — is a successful Weight Watchers graduate.
"By recruiting from our membership, we know they'll not only inspire belief by showing that the program works, they'll also have empathy for the members they support and an intimate understanding of what they are going through," says Allison Pinter, Weight Watchers director of human resources.
The global company — with approximately 2.5 million members worldwide — has been a favorite of celebrities from pitchwomen Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Hudson to Oprah Winfrey. In October, Oprah joined the Weight Watchers board of directors and now owns 10 percent of the company.
To keep up with its constant growth, Weight Watchers is hiring every week, primarily in technology roles. Pinter discusses what she's looking for in new candidates.
What qualities do you look for in every candidate?
The two things I look for are enthusiasm and inquisitiveness. I love it when people come in and are ready to hit the ground running, but also question why we do things. I don't want someone who comes in and just says "yes." Challenge us, question us, or suggest better ways to get things done. Our company mantra is "think differently, get things done, and win together," so if a candidate can demonstrate in an interview how they would do these things then I am sold.
Where are your jobs located?
We have about 500 employees in our corporate offices in New York City, and we have additional offices in San Francisco, Kansas City, and Jericho, New York. About 13,000 full- and part-time employees work in our meeting rooms, by phone, and by chat to coach our members.
Our coaches are located throughout the country and interact directly with our members every day in meetings, by phone in personal coaching sessions, and online through 24/7 chat. Globally, we have about 20,000 employees, primarily in member-facing roles.
How often do you hire new people?
We hire people every week. Last year, we hired around 100 people to join our corporate offices and 900 employees joined in the field to work directly with members.
What areas of the company are growing fastest right now?
Like most companies, we know that technology is a critical foundation for our future. We've had an online program since 2001 and a mobile app since 2009, but now more than ever we're focused on innovating how we support members using technology. Today, the most popular fitness monitors sync with our program. Our San Francisco employees are focused on technology and product development. This office is growing by the day so we are definitely looking for strong West Coast talent. We're currently hiring engineers, software developers, content strategists and other tech experts.
What do you expect candidates to know about Weight Watchers before an interview?
I do hope they come in with knowledge about who we are, what we do, and why we do it. I hope that when people apply to work at Weight Watchers, they understand the impact they can have not only in our organization but also in the world.
Where do you recruit candidates?
For corporate positions, applications come from a variety of channels — from online career sites [such as Glassdoor and Indeed] to our own Weight Watchers career site. We also have a great employee referral program where we incentivize our employees to recommend people they know for open positions.
Our field employees come straight from our meeting rooms. Recruiting for our member-facing roles — including leading meetings, personal coaching, and 24/7 chat associates — begins when a member who meets their goal decides they want to join our team. Applicants apply online and answer qualifying questions, such as whether they are currently a Weight Watchers member.
Being a member is step one, but there are many other attributes we look for, including familiarity with our platforms (apps, meeting room, online experiences), and their motivation to join our team. Our coaches are the face of our brand and our program, so we put a lot of heart and soul into making sure they're just the right fit.
How can candidates interact with you on social media to stand out?
I have yet to be contacted by a candidate via social media for a career opportunity, but that would be awesome. To stand out, the tweet or post would need to convey the candidate's dedication for the job and a passion to work for the brand, which can be a tall order for 140 characters. But if you're feeling up to the challenge, feel free to tweet me @ap719 [Or follow @WeightWatchers.
What types of jobs are available for recent graduates?
We've hired recent grads into our social media team, ad sales team, and our corporate sales team.
Do any positions require specific training?
Our most rigorous training is for those employees who are member-facing. They go through both in-person as well as online training that covers technical requirements about our new product offerings, and how to successfully facilitate a meeting or coaching session.
Do you have an internship program?
Our internship program employed more than 30 paid interns last summer. All of our interns must either be currently enrolled in an undergrad or graduate program, or have recently graduated. Interns do anything from writing for our magazine to creatively contributing to a presentation seen by more than 100 employees at a national meeting. The interns have weekly lunch-and-learns with our top executives, including our CEO, head of marketing, and head of consumer insights.
Do you regularly hire interns into full-time roles?
Last summer, we hired one of our interns into a full-time position. Most of our other interns went back to complete their degrees but we do have our eye on some of the interns who graduate in May in hopes they will join us upon graduation.
Do most full-time positions require a specific degree?
The skill sets we are looking for are so diverse — from technology to science, licensing to supply chain, marketing to member support — that we know we are going to get candidates from all walks of life. We are more interested in understanding their background and work experience than we are in their chosen school and degree program.
Do you have a management-training program or tend to frequently promote from within?
Promoting from within is usually our go-to. We have such great internal talent that we always want to leverage.
What types of questions do you typically ask in an interview?
We typically ask questions about what the individual likes about their current role to make sure the role they are interviewing for will be a good fit. We like to ask our standout candidates what they want out of their next job so that we can help get that person into their ideal job at Weight Watchers or on the path to their ideal job.
What questions should candidates always ask you in an interview?
As someone who has worked at Weight Watchers for three years and really loves it here, I think asking the interviewer what they like about their current job and the company goes a long way. It becomes a really insightful conversation between interviewer and interviewee about what is deemed important in their work world. If candidates ask me what they will learn from us, I'm impressed.
Is it OK to bring up salary?
The salary question is almost always vetted prior to the interview. The last thing anyone wants is their time to be wasted, so we are likely to come to an understanding of the role and compensation early in the process.
What's a mistake people make in interviews all the time and don't know it?
We are an evolving brand and when people don't know the different ways one can do the Weight Watchers program, such as meetings, personal coaching, or online, it makes me think they did not spend the time to understand our brand and product. I always like when someone takes the initiative to go to a Weight Watchers meeting or download the app prior to the interview.
Do you want people to talk about their nontraditional experience, such as volunteer work, extracurricular activities and hobbies? Why is this valuable?
Non-traditional experiences add depth to a candidate as a person and as an employee. We often find people with the right skills, but finding the right culture fit can be harder.
What is the interview dress code?
The dress code for the interview is casual but presentable. We know people may be rushing to our office from their actual day job and wouldn't want anyone to feel uncomfortable at their current job or give that they-must-be-interviewing vibe.
Do thank-you cards or emails matter to you? Is not sending a thank you a deal breaker?
Sending a thank you is not a deal breaker for me, but when I don't receive some sort of follow-up, I do question why that person would not take the opportunity to stand out among other applicants and wonder how much they really want to join our team.
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Weight Watchers has 800,000 members worldwide. The correct number is 2.5 million.
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