[BexTait]

Hey guys, it appears that I have managed to get through to the phone interview stage with Royal Mail for their Graduate Operations Scheme (not entirely sure how, I was convinced I'd messed up the online tests). Now I've not set a time/date for it yet (gonna phone tomorrow), but was just wondering if anybody has had one before, and what it was like/what was asked?

It's only a 15 minute one, but I'm expecting the usual 'why do you want to work for us', 'what can you bring to the job' type questions, I was just looking for any other pointers really. Not too keen on the phone interview thing, much rather do it face to face where I can get an idea as to how I'm doing from body language etc. but hey-ho.

Thanks.

[conn85]

Hello

I too have got a Royal Mail phone interview next week and was wondering how did your one go? They are saying it will last half an hour - sounds pretty intense.

Any tips or pointers?

Cheers

[MontyisGod]

Helloooo

which scheme did you apply for? i just had the interview for finance graduate scheme will post some info on that if you like

[Hillyland]

(Original post by MontyisGod)
Helloooo

which scheme did you apply for? i just had the interview for finance graduate scheme will post some info on that if you like

helooo,

I also have a phone interview for Royal Mail - for the graduate Operations scheme. apparantly it is 30mins but not sure of what questions they will ask? I assume most of it would be like the finance? how did yours go??

[conn85]

Hello MontyisGod, ha, I guess that is a cricket reference?

Its for the graduate operations scheme but as Hillyland says I'm sure it will cover some stuff from the finance scheme.

Any help would be great. It's tomorrow!!!

Cheeers

[bcbg83]

I was told in my phone interview there aren't even spots left, they are putting people on a waiting list. Does anyone know how often people actually make it off the waiting list?

[UnemployedGrad]

Hello People

I was wondering if anyone can give me some more informatin on the online tests. Is i run by SHL, where is the practive test because I couldnt find no information on the tests anywhere.

[kdoer]

Hi Folks,


Former member of the RM Grad scheme (operations).

The phone interview is nothing to worry about, mine lasted about 15 mins (said it would be 30) and all they really asked was why I applied, what I thought the job would involve etc etc - just a few very general questions where the usual bog standard reply seems to suffice!

The online practice test was on a screen before you take the real test if I remember correctly?!

After phone interview you will get invited to an assessment centre - I expected giving presentations, more tests like the online ones, that kind of thing. But it was completely different - in groups we had to paint a picture! Was all about how you interacted with each other - can be quite difficult to stand out without looking like a kn*b!!!

Beyond yet there is an interview in your local area. For me this was more of a 'welcome' interview however I have heard since of people getting through assessment centre but failing final interview.

WORD OF WARNING...
Think really carefully about going for this job (particularly operations) - your first 6 weeks are fantastic at the national training centre - great facilities, great food, great banter and good standard of teaching - after that you are thrown out and basically told to get on with it. If you work in a mail centre you will be well supported due to the people around you, however when you go to a delivery office be prepared to be cast off. All of a sudden it is a lot difficult to get help - believe me you will need it daily. Also, most of the managers have no idea about what the grad scheme is meant to be. What is advertised on RM website is a long long long way from reallity - despite them being told this by grads for last 3 years they have not changed 1 single thing on it! In ops if you go to a delivery office be prepared to be going out deliv3ering mail yourself - this is VERY common practice for RM managers, note its not mentioned on the website! A 40hour week will quickly become 55, 60+ hours as when you are out delivering mail (which you will have to do - leaving it till next day is not an option (well in some areas anyway)) no one else is picking up your work in the office, cue that not being done = from above (oh and the fact you were out in the rain/snow/wind soaked to the bone at 4:30pm on a freezing Saturday afternoon aint an excuse!). You will also be promised regular 1-2-1's etc and this normally wont happpen. In the training they will go over SMART targets - be prepared just to throw those notes out as you will be given ridiculous targets, some of which you won't have any control over!

Don't get me wrong the money is OK, particularly in Ops you have your shift allowance on top, and I'm sure you will each make your own judgement of the scheme if you are succesful, but what i've written is a reallity of the scheme. For those applying to Ops take note of what I am saying regarding delivering mail - you will be doing this regularly, particularly if you are in a city.

When I started there were already 6 Ops grads in my area, within 7 months all 6 of them had left for other jobs. I stayed 2 years - i enjoyed my first 6 - 8 months but from then on I was looking/waiting for something/anything else! During my time another 6 grads joined my area, since ive left 4 of them have followed! Kind of speaks volumes...

Hope this helps!

[g2da3]

That is very interesting I was thinking about of applying for this Grad Scheme

[Raja1988]

(Original post by kdoer)
Hi Folks,


Former member of the RM Grad scheme (operations).

The phone interview is nothing to worry about, mine lasted about 15 mins (said it would be 30) and all they really asked was why I applied, what I thought the job would involve etc etc - just a few very general questions where the usual bog standard reply seems to suffice!

The online practice test was on a screen before you take the real test if I remember correctly?!

After phone interview you will get invited to an assessment centre - I expected giving presentations, more tests like the online ones, that kind of thing. But it was completely different - in groups we had to paint a picture! Was all about how you interacted with each other - can be quite difficult to stand out without looking like a kn*b!!!

Beyond yet there is an interview in your local area. For me this was more of a 'welcome' interview however I have heard since of people getting through assessment centre but failing final interview.

WORD OF WARNING...
Think really carefully about going for this job (particularly operations) - your first 6 weeks are fantastic at the national training centre - great facilities, great food, great banter and good standard of teaching - after that you are thrown out and basically told to get on with it. If you work in a mail centre you will be well supported due to the people around you, however when you go to a delivery office be prepared to be cast off. All of a sudden it is a lot difficult to get help - believe me you will need it daily. Also, most of the managers have no idea about what the grad scheme is meant to be. What is advertised on RM website is a long long long way from reallity - despite them being told this by grads for last 3 years they have not changed 1 single thing on it! In ops if you go to a delivery office be prepared to be going out deliv3ering mail yourself - this is VERY common practice for RM managers, note its not mentioned on the website! A 40hour week will quickly become 55, 60+ hours as when you are out delivering mail (which you will have to do - leaving it till next day is not an option (well in some areas anyway)) no one else is picking up your work in the office, cue that not being done = from above (oh and the fact you were out in the rain/snow/wind soaked to the bone at 4:30pm on a freezing Saturday afternoon aint an excuse!). You will also be promised regular 1-2-1's etc and this normally wont happpen. In the training they will go over SMART targets - be prepared just to throw those notes out as you will be given ridiculous targets, some of which you won't have any control over!

Don't get me wrong the money is OK, particularly in Ops you have your shift allowance on top, and I'm sure you will each make your own judgement of the scheme if you are succesful, but what i've written is a reallity of the scheme. For those applying to Ops take note of what I am saying regarding delivering mail - you will be doing this regularly, particularly if you are in a city.

When I started there were already 6 Ops grads in my area, within 7 months all 6 of them had left for other jobs. I stayed 2 years - i enjoyed my first 6 - 8 months but from then on I was looking/waiting for something/anything else! During my time another 6 grads joined my area, since ive left 4 of them have followed! Kind of speaks volumes...

Hope this helps!

HI Kdoer

thanks for the headsup. i have the interview on Monday, just wanted to ask you something. They sent me an email with a list of competencies that they are supposedly going to ask, did they do the same with you, and was there any reference to these during your interview?

I have been looking around for info on this scheme and have found very little.

thanks

[sherbit33]

thanks for the info, really inetresting to get the inside view. can you shed any light on the HR world, i have an assessment centre for it this week.

[sally_hutch]

sherbit - just wondered when you found out about your assessment centre. i passed the HR phone interview about a month ago now, but they said i would have to wait for a while to find out whether i get an ac or not. is that what happened to you too? thanks.

[sherbit33]

well i passed the telephone interview early december and they said they would be in contact by 8 jan to let me know if and when the assessment centre would be. i assumed this meant that they already had some ac's on the go and only if spaces remained available would i get an invite.

so literally the day before xmas i got the invite to choose my dates.

[Raja1988]

sherbit, sally,

how were your telephone interviews?

[sherbit33]

just the typical...tell me a time when competency questions, nothing out of the norm. unilever on the other hand...words cannot describe

[sally_hutch]

pretty much just competency questions, it wasn't too difficult, tho i must be on the pile of maybes because they also told me they' let me know by the 8th but have since extended it to 18th.

sherbit - what do you mean about Unilever? I have a phone interview with them in the next few weeks, what kind of stuff was it about?

[Raja1988]

did they stick to the competencies that they sent in the email

[sherbit33]

unilever was just really tough, same format as all the others but really probed all my examples. unilever is by far the toughest i think.

[Bravery]

(Original post by sherbit33)
unilever was just really tough, same format as all the others but really probed all my examples. unilever is by far the toughest i think.

Can I ask how long your phone interview lasted? Was it not all competency based?

[fumsam]

i people have just booked my interview for february for the operations scheme,can any one give me the sort of questions they ask?they said it will be for 40 mins