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John Lewis interview
I have an interview with John Lewis. I need to book a group assessment day however I get “Unfortunately there are currently no interview slots available. Please continue to check this page to see if any interview slots become available.†message all the time. Just wondered if anyone else has experienced this.
I don’t know how long I will wait for an interview slot to become available for me 🙁
Thanks
John Lewis is an upmarket department store selling clothing, accessories, cosmetics, electricals and home ware. As they appeal to a specific market sector, they look for staff that fit in to that. This means that they are not necessarily looking for particular skills, but personality, at least for the roles in branches anyway.
This means that you need to be yourself and make sure that your personality comes over. You need to prepare for the questions they ask though. These are usually very typical interview questions such as why do you want to work for the company, what skills can you bring, what experienced do you have, where do you see yourself in ten years. You may already have answers to these questions, but make sure that you practice them and orientate them towards John Lewis specifically.
You may get asked to sell items so you need to be prepared for that. You may also be put in groups and have to complete tasks. These can be hard to prepare for but make sure that you have something to add, even if you agree or disagree with someone else. Try to put forward some new ideas. You may have to present in front of all of the applicants so be prepared for that as well. Try to be confident and not too nervous if you can.
It will be useful to find out a bit about the company and their history. Perhaps find about the branch too and what they sell there. If you are applying or a specific department, even though they tend not to be so concerned with knowledge in that area, it would put you at an advantage if you had some. If they have two interviewees with similar personalities, then some extra knowledge could put you ahead. Therefore make sure that you at least know the basics.
Make sure that you are enthusiastic about the company and working for them and answer the questions. It might sound obvious, but with a group interview, like these tend to be, it can be easy to get nervous and waffle without really getting to the point. This is not the best way to sell yourself.
Hi There,
With a high street store they are going to be looking for someone who is capable of serving the public in a friendly and helpful manner, whilst looking smart and presentable. A combination of a smart skirt or trousers, with a smart shirt or fashion top would look smart.
Group interviews should be approached from a team focussed point of view, rather than seeing people as competition. Usually in these types of interviews you will be expected to answer a range of questions about working in customer facing environments and assisting customers, as well as answering questions about any previous similar roles you have undertaken, so think in advance of examples you can give of good service given or how you have relatable experience. They will also usually ask you to complete tasks in groups so that they can observe how you work with others. These usually consist of games such as ‘who can build the highest tower’, and you should try and ensure that you show in the excersise that you can both direct and take direction, and just ensure that you keep conferring with your colleagues and checking they are doing ok.
When questioned individually just remember to keep calm in the interview and listen to what you are being asked. Be honest, and if you are struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for a few minutes to think. Be sure to have some questions of your own lined up to ask your interviewer, and remember, if you don’t get the job don’t see it as rejection- you wouldn’t want a job that wasn’t suited to you, so it’s important to be honest.
Good luck!
Well done for securing yourself this opportunity. I am sorry to hear you are having difficulty booking onto an assessment day. Check out the forum thread link posted in the comment above, and it may help for you to make a call to the hiring manager at the branch you were accepted to.
Should you manage to book a place, don’t forget to dress smartly, behave modestly, answer honestly, and act friendly as part of the team. I wish you every success in securing the job for which you have applied!
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