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Tesco graduate programme

Hi guys, my names craig! I've just signed up to this great site. I was just wondering has anybody had a telephone interview for Tescos graduate scheme? ..

As tonight at 6pm i had my first ever telephone interview. It last 42 minutes. The lady in question asked various questions about the company. My career aspirations. Which were focused on the BUYING aspect of tesco's.

I mentioned that within the seven months of working for tescos as a part time employee i earned a values award, which she said 'very good' ... i know nothing major but??

What tescos five key strengths were. In reply to this question i mentioned, PRICE, EMPLOYEE'S, CLUBCARD SCHEME, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, and i couldn't think of the last strength? Which i apologised for stating my mind had gone blank?

At the end of the interview clare mentioned, don't worry you did well! And you will hear back once we have passed the information onto your manager in Tesco.

What signs could i pick up that the interview was a success?

Would like any feedback on this subject.

:smile:
(edited 13 years ago)

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Reply 1
Bump !!
If you want ppl to answer this change the question title to Tesco lol

Original post by Casumner
Hi guys, my names craig! I've just signed up to this great site. I was just wondering has anybody had a telephone interview for Tescos graduate scheme? ..

As tonight at 6pm i had my first ever telephone interview. It last 42 minutes. The lady in question asked various questions about the company. My career aspirations. Which were focused on the BUYING aspect of tesco's.

I mentioned that within the seven months of working for tescos as a part time employee i earned a values award, which she said 'very good' ... i know nothing major but??

What tescos five key strengths were. In reply to this question i mentioned, PRICE, EMPLOYEE'S, CLUBCARD SCHEME, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, and i couldn't think of the last strength? Which i apologised for stating my mind had gone blank?

At the end of the interview clare mentioned, don't worry you did well! And you will hear back once we have passed the information onto your manager in Tesco.

What signs could i pick up that the interview was a success?

Would like any feedback on this subject.

:smile:
Reply 2
Boom done!
Reply 3
Original post by Casumner
Hi guys, my names craig! I've just signed up to this great site. I was just wondering has anybody had a telephone interview for Tescos graduate scheme? ..

As tonight at 6pm i had my first ever telephone interview. It last 42 minutes. The lady in question asked various questions about the company. My career aspirations. Which were focused on the BUYING aspect of tesco's.

I mentioned that within the seven months of working for tescos as a part time employee i earned a values award, which she said 'very good' ... i know nothing major but??

What tescos five key strengths were. In reply to this question i mentioned, PRICE, EMPLOYEE'S, CLUBCARD SCHEME, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, and i couldn't think of the last strength? Which i apologised for stating my mind had gone blank?

At the end of the interview clare mentioned, don't worry you did well! And you will hear back once we have passed the information onto your manager in Tesco.

What signs could i pick up that the interview was a success?

Would like any feedback on this subject.

:smile:


Hi!

It sounds like you did well..though I have no idea what the outcome will be..espcially because I don't work at Tesco..but good luck! What degree do you have?
Reply 4
Cheers Lee, even if i don't get through to the next stage of the scheme its a positive way forward for my development in telephone interviews?! I'm currently studying retail marketing management! At present tackling a 4,000 word essay in by monday lol Done all the research however need to start typing now.

Are you in uni?
Reply 5
Is this for the "Store Management" scheme?
Reply 6
Good luck with it. I applied for the store management scheme, had my telephone interview in December, passed and have an instore work sample soon. You should have a very good chance if you already work for Tesco! Keep us updated and good luck!!
Reply 7
Did anyone try to sign up to this recently but couldnt edit/submit their application?! I emailed them and it came back from M&S, i was fuming..!
Reply 8
Original post by mrsgmq
Good luck with it. I applied for the store management scheme, had my telephone interview in December, passed and have an instore work sample soon. You should have a very good chance if you already work for Tesco! Keep us updated and good luck!!


I havent heard back from the telephone interview as of yet. I did the online application but was unsuccessful? But like i said i haven't heard anything from the telephone interview. So i'm at a loss? how is everyone else with there applications?
Reply 9
Hi got an email today for a work sample appointment in 2 weeks time at a local store 8.30am till 5pm. Should be fun!
Reply 10
Has anyone completed the psychometric test? I can't seem to find the link on the personal communications centre
Original post by mrsgmq
Hi got an email today for a work sample appointment in 2 weeks time at a local store 8.30am till 5pm. Should be fun!


I got this email as well and my sample is on the 25th January. I'm not really sure what to expect. Quite nervous.

Has anybody been on a work sample before? Any tips?

Thanks
Reply 12
Mine is on the 25th too!! Good luck with yours, we will have to let each other know how it went. I am wondering if we will be on our own or there will be more than one graduate scheme applicants as there wasnt that many dates and times to choose from?
I was thinking that too but it sounds as if we will be the only ones. I hope so anyway. Im quite nervous but im looking forward to it as well but ive never done a whole day interview/assessment before so i hope it isnt too scary. Have you only applied for Tesco?
Reply 14
I applied for a few, but this is the one I really want as they progress your career really quickly. Spoke to the store manager of where im having the work sample, they sound very nice and said it should be fun. They also told me that the will be a few of us applicants in at the same time, so at least we will not be alone!
Original post by princessXkerry

Original post by princessXkerry
I got this email as well and my sample is on the 25th January. I'm not really sure what to expect. Quite nervous.

Has anybody been on a work sample before? Any tips?

Thanks


Hi there! Ive got my TESCO work sample in a few days and noticed you have already had yours! Have you got any tips on what to expect? Would be great for some info as I am clueless to what i'm expected to do on the day! Thanks! Jenny
Reply 16
Hi - I've got my work sample in 11 days

I was told that you'd be basically following the manager, speaking to staff, critiquing departments, sitting in on meetings and assisting with the day to day runnings of a store! Sounds exciting!

Hows everyone else getting on?! :smile:
Reply 17
Original post by Casumner
I havent heard back from the telephone interview as of yet. I did the online application but was unsuccessful? But like i said i haven't heard anything from the telephone interview. So i'm at a loss? how is everyone else with there applications?


They take ages to get back to you so I wouldn't worry!
Reply 18
Original post by jimbo19-19
Hi - I've got my work sample in 11 days

I was told that you'd be basically following the manager, speaking to staff, critiquing departments, sitting in on meetings and assisting with the day to day runnings of a store! Sounds exciting!

Hows everyone else getting on?! :smile:


Hi, Good luck with your work sample. Mine was fun. Got to speak with staff and previous graduates, followed manager and helped out on shop floor (rumble) between 4 and 5pm to get ready for the evening service. They make you feel very welcome. Passed the work sample and I am just waiting for a date for the assessment centre. Good luck and have fun!
Reply 19
Hi,

I had a work sample with Tesco last week.
I have to say I was not impressed with the manner in which it was carried out.
The work itself was fine but I found that the managers who I was paired with, didn't even know why I was there and as such didn't really care.

I was left waiting half an hour when I first arrived until a manager came down to greet me which I did find a bit surprising since Tesco are always talking about time management and things like this on their graduate site. But this was fine I know unexpected problems can arise and have to be dealt with.

Then I was placed with the one of the non-food managers. Seemed nice enough guy. But left me just standing in his section of the store saying he would be 5mins, returned over 30mins later. I had only just arrived in the store and was given no instructions as to what to do. I ended up just talking to different staff members and asking them questions.

Manager finally returned without an apology. But I just accepted that. Rest of morning was pretty smooth, just working on the floor and helping out were needed. Except the manager did keep leaving me with other people, which was a bit pointless as I was there to shadow him.

Then lunch time came. Same manager decided to leave work early to go and fix the tyre on his car, didn't tell me this and made no effort to pair me up with another manager for the remainder of the afternoon.
So I ended up arranging it for myself and shadowed the online manager for about half and hour. Then the counters manager for a while.

Also beware Tesco can randomly stop and search possessions of any person in the store who isn't a customer. Managers have a certain quota to reach a week and have to do so in pairs of one male one female. I was with managers carrying out this task. So I had to empty pockets and have locker check. While there was no real problem and I understand the necessity of such procedures I did find it slighlly off-putting. After all I was a potential employee and some people might take offence to being made to feel like a thief on their first direct contact with a potential employer.

Again I just accepted it. Final thing that day is a brief interview with personnel manager and store manager. The store manager was on holiday on my work sample so the deputy store manager sat in.
This was the first time I had spoken to either apart from maybe 2 mins with the Deputy earlier that afternoon. Only lasted a few mins, which I was very surprised about as it was these 2 that are going to be making the decision.

Overall I have to say that I found the store I did my work sample with quite disorganised and unprofessional given they would have been well aware that graduates would be visiting the store. In fact it quite put me off the idea of working for Tesco. Think I might try one of their competitors instead.

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