If you pass that mate you will be invited to a assessment day, I had to go to the one in Leeds. This is what happened for the assessment day ;
Arrived 12.45pm
All of us then sat in one room while two HR workers collected our documents we were told to take. Like your passport, driving licence ect.
We was then shown a 10 minute video about British Gas and how they see us all saving money in the future in regards to smart meters.
After this we were split in to two groups of 6. This is when the main assessment starts.
My group were told to stay in the main room and were given a group task. Each of us were handed some information about the task. It basically said we were going to fit a smart meter at a ladies house but on the phone said was asking about how to save some money and also raised the issue that her house felt draughty.
Included in the information was a list energy saving methods we could offer her while there. All of these had the price it would cost her and how much she would save per year by doing it. We all had 10 minutes to sit and read through this before the task started.
As a group we had to openly discuss what we would say to the customer about saving energy, what ways she could go about saying energy, the benefit of each option and how much she would save. While you are doing this task, you have two HR people sitting behind marking you down on what you say or don't say. Luckily the 6 lads I were with were really good and no one took the lead or talked over one another, we each had a good amount to say.
I personally found this task not to bad but you have 15 minutes to do the task and it felt a little to long as we had all said what was needed in about 10 minutes.
Once that was done we were taking to a holding room, with the other 6 and this is quite good as you get to talk about what they have done and what to expect.
Next for me was a colour blind test, very easy this. You look though a book and just say what numbers you see. This lasted less than a minute. You also then sign a couple of consent forms after.
After another 10 minutes in the holding room I was sent for my interview. In the interview room was a British Gas manager and a note taker. This lasted around 30 odd minutes and was pretty relaxed. As for the questions, this is what he asked ;
Tell me when you have been in a situation with a customer who has been very angry. Why was they angry? How did you calm the situation? What was the outcome?Tell me a time when you have been a perfectionist in a role? Why did you feel the need to be a perfectionist in that role? Did this cause you any problems, if so why?When have you ever taken anything apart? Why did you do this? How did you find doing it? Did you have to follow a diagram? He then just asked a couple of quick questions regarding if I have ever used tools before, how I like to plan a day out and if I had any questions.
Other people were asked this question ;
Tell me what a normal day would involve being a smart meter engineer for British Gas?Once again, I was then placed back in the holding room to wait to be called for the last part of the assessment. Which is the practical task.
You go in to a room, there was 3 of us at time doing this, you go to a desk where you have a meter board with a henley block and two earth blocks which look like this ;
http://www.rselectricalsupplies.co.uk/images/webupload/products/earth-block-8-way_5523_1_small.jpghttp://www.wt-henley.com/images/product-insulated_connector_box_1.pngAlso on the table are the tools you need to complete the task, including wire cutters, which are a pain to use. Also you have some cable on the table, blue wire, brown and two sizes of earth cable. You will be given a very simple diagram and have to follow it within the 30 minutes given to do the task. All you have to do is a have two bits of blue cable going from the henley block down to the earth blocks. Then some more blue cable and the two earth cable going from earth block to the other.
Just make sure you follow the diagram as you have to screw the cable in to the right hole on each block as there are 8 holes on each side. They are more bothered that you follow the diagram and use the right cable then trying to hurry to finish in time.
So that is basically it, we finished at just after 5pm, so it was quite a long day and I was happy to get back in my car! None of the tasks were hard but having to spend 4 hours being assessed and for me personally, being uncomfortable wearing a suit for that amount of time!