Last summer I applied for over 60 jobs. In that economy, the one I got was at a supermarket so I'd say easy.
Though that was in the states so things may be different.
Though that was in the states so things may be different.
Right now? Not easy at all. Not because the job has high requirements... exactly the opposite. It has none. Unemployment is high. There will be 50... 100... even more applicants per available position.
"But my cv is great!" you may think... but no... you have to watch out here too. If you're over-qualified, or have above average school grades, they'll assume you won't stay long before moving on to bigger and better things. If they're after long term staff, they're not going to hire someone who might get a better offer at any time.
In short: it used to be easy, but in an economy saturated with job-seekers, it's a bit more complicated.
"But my cv is great!" you may think... but no... you have to watch out here too. If you're over-qualified, or have above average school grades, they'll assume you won't stay long before moving on to bigger and better things. If they're after long term staff, they're not going to hire someone who might get a better offer at any time.
In short: it used to be easy, but in an economy saturated with job-seekers, it's a bit more complicated.
It can be surprisingly difficult. I used to work at a big supermarket and they would get literally hundereds of applications a month so due to the sheer number of people applying it can be hard to get in.
I also agree with cooko that it can be an unpleasant job. Working on a quiet department doing student hours (i.e. 10 - 20 a week) can be ok, but I worked there full-time for a year and the customer abuse, repetitiveness of shelf stacking and constant pressure from managers to work faster really wears you down. By the end I truly despised working there and am so glad I don;t work there now.
I also agree with cooko that it can be an unpleasant job. Working on a quiet department doing student hours (i.e. 10 - 20 a week) can be ok, but I worked there full-time for a year and the customer abuse, repetitiveness of shelf stacking and constant pressure from managers to work faster really wears you down. By the end I truly despised working there and am so glad I don;t work there now.
It's quite hard to get into a supermarket job. I'm working in a Tesco Extra store on my gap year and they've recently cut a lot of hours and asked people to take unpaid leave until March. Also, they usually bring new part-time staff in on temporary contracts so they can fiddle with your hours and let you go if they have to. I'm permanent and safe though, so it doesn't apply to everybody - mainly Christmas staff, students and those on hardly any hours are given a temporary contract.
I know that they're not hiring again until March and after that the next big intake will be September. There are hardly ever any positions available in between those months, but if there is then they are normally advertised internally. Supermarkets always get a huge amount of applications and you stand a better chance of getting an interview if you know somebody else who works there. There's a section on the application form asking for the employee ID of somebody you know who works in the store. I honestly think that was what got me in.
Supermarket work is not as bad as everybody says, however, the customers and the constant pressure from managers is something I can relate to. Although, I do work on stock control doing computer work/counting so I never have to stack shelves or work on tills. I think I have it easier than a lot of other people in the store. Also OP, the money is good! You can't complain with £10 an hour on Sundays.
I know that they're not hiring again until March and after that the next big intake will be September. There are hardly ever any positions available in between those months, but if there is then they are normally advertised internally. Supermarkets always get a huge amount of applications and you stand a better chance of getting an interview if you know somebody else who works there. There's a section on the application form asking for the employee ID of somebody you know who works in the store. I honestly think that was what got me in.
Supermarket work is not as bad as everybody says, however, the customers and the constant pressure from managers is something I can relate to. Although, I do work on stock control doing computer work/counting so I never have to stack shelves or work on tills. I think I have it easier than a lot of other people in the store. Also OP, the money is good! You can't complain with £10 an hour on Sundays.
It's finding the vacancy as opposed to getting the job that is difficult. Supermarkets have labour budgets which are relative to the sales - so in this climate where sales are generally down, supermarkets aren't employing new people, even if staff leave they often cannot be replaced. It's a ridiculous scheme but it's just how it works (in Sainsbury's anyway)
Working in a supermarket isn't all that bad, you just have to have a life outside of it, and make friends with your collegues quickly. Without that, you won't enjoy it at all, and despise every moment.
Where I work a lot of staff employed recently had family who work for the store which gave them an unfair advantage over other applicants.
Alternatively have you considered fast-food joints like Burger King or McDonald's? I worked in a McD's and they paid well and had great benefits - ok the work wasn't great but the moeny overrides that in my opinion. If you can stand the stigma of working at somewhere like that, they are all employing at the moment, having done well financially in the recession.
Working in a supermarket isn't all that bad, you just have to have a life outside of it, and make friends with your collegues quickly. Without that, you won't enjoy it at all, and despise every moment.
Where I work a lot of staff employed recently had family who work for the store which gave them an unfair advantage over other applicants.
Alternatively have you considered fast-food joints like Burger King or McDonald's? I worked in a McD's and they paid well and had great benefits - ok the work wasn't great but the moeny overrides that in my opinion. If you can stand the stigma of working at somewhere like that, they are all employing at the moment, having done well financially in the recession.
Bhumbauze
Right now? Not easy at all. Not because the job has high requirements... exactly the opposite. It has none. Unemployment is high. There will be 50... 100... even more applicants per available position.
"But my cv is great!" you may think... but no... you have to watch out here too. If you're over-qualified, or have above average school grades, they'll assume you won't stay long before moving on to bigger and better things. If they're after long term staff, they're not going to hire someone who might get a better offer at any time.
In short: it used to be easy, but in an economy saturated with job-seekers, it's a bit more complicated.
"But my cv is great!" you may think... but no... you have to watch out here too. If you're over-qualified, or have above average school grades, they'll assume you won't stay long before moving on to bigger and better things. If they're after long term staff, they're not going to hire someone who might get a better offer at any time.
In short: it used to be easy, but in an economy saturated with job-seekers, it's a bit more complicated.
Exactly this. In my experience, the majority of my friends that work in supermarkets etc aren't particularly clever and aren't planning on doing anything in terms of a career soon. I'd like to think I'm more intellectual than them and that my C.V reads better, but, I mention that I'm going to university next year (on a gap year at the moment, would just like something to do) and almost immediately I'm taken out of the frame because there are multiple applicants that supermarkets or any form of retailer can employ in the knowledge that the applicant won't be leaving for at least a year.
Basically, try to dumb yourself down a little bit, show as little hope for the future as possible and you should be considered for more jobs in retail.
CrookedLegs
Exactly this. In my experience, the majority of my friends that work in supermarkets etc aren't particularly clever and aren't planning on doing anything in terms of a career soon. I'd like to think I'm more intellectual than them and that my C.V reads better, but, I mention that I'm going to university next year (on a gap year at the moment, would just like something to do) and almost immediately I'm taken out of the frame because there are multiple applicants that supermarkets or any form of retailer can employ in the knowledge that the applicant won't be leaving for at least a year.
Basically, try to dumb yourself down a little bit, show as little hope for the future as possible and you should be considered for more jobs in retail.
Basically, try to dumb yourself down a little bit, show as little hope for the future as possible and you should be considered for more jobs in retail.
Christ, I bet you don't even have a real job!
I work in a supermarket, I'm on my gap year, i'm doing it in order to raise money and gain experience for my CV which is infinetly valuable - and you're trying to tell me that you are more intellectual and your CV reads better. You are naive and ignorant, and bitter because you can't get a job. Supermarkets do not turn down overqualified people, they just like to employ people who will do the job well and bring something to the company. If you leave for university, it's not a big deal as you become a vac student, and work during the holidays - their busiest times.
You really have no idea.
spasmos
Christ, I bet you don't even have a real job!
I work in a supermarket, I'm on my gap year, i'm doing it in order to raise money and gain experience for my CV which is infinetly valuable - and you're trying to tell me that you are more intellectual and your CV reads better. You are naive and ignorant, and bitter because you can't get a job. Supermarkets do not turn down overqualified people, they just like to employ people who will do the job well and bring something to the company. If you leave for university, it's not a big deal as you become a vac student, and work during the holidays - their busiest times.
You really have no idea.
I work in a supermarket, I'm on my gap year, i'm doing it in order to raise money and gain experience for my CV which is infinetly valuable - and you're trying to tell me that you are more intellectual and your CV reads better. You are naive and ignorant, and bitter because you can't get a job. Supermarkets do not turn down overqualified people, they just like to employ people who will do the job well and bring something to the company. If you leave for university, it's not a big deal as you become a vac student, and work during the holidays - their busiest times.
You really have no idea.
As I said, in my experience, friends of mine who have much lower qualifications have jobs in supermarkets and I've applied and haven't got one. I'm not bitter about it at all, I was just echoeing the thoughts of another contributor to this thread.
Sorry, did you think that I meant I'm more intellectual than anyone in a that works in a supermarket? If you did then I'm genuinely sorry that you got the wrong end of the stick, I was merely pointing towards personal experiences that I've had. I'm looking for a job for the same reasons as you because I understand how important it is to have experience before looking for a career job.
As for your comment about leaving for university, I can also understand that some employers will understand that certain applicants will be going to university and will therefore be only be able to work for certain times of the year, but once again, in my personal experience mentioning that you are at university can be a hinderence (case of point - I recently applied to a hotel and got a lovely letter back saying that they were looking for somebody that could commit to long term work and that my recognition of going to university in 8 months time was a stumbling block. It's also common sense that people that do not have anything planned for the upcoming years are a more attractive prospect [not intellectually or for the good of the company etc] than someone that is going to university because they can commit to a prolonged amount of time and will have more potential to climb up the ladder in any particular establishment/company.)
CrookedLegs
As I said, in my experience, friends of mine who have much lower qualifications have jobs in supermarkets and I've applied and haven't got one. I'm not bitter about it at all, I was just echoeing the thoughts of another contributor to this thread.
Sorry, did you think that I meant I'm more intellectual than anyone in a that works in a supermarket? If you did then I'm genuinely sorry that you got the wrong end of the stick, I was merely pointing towards personal experiences that I've had. I'm looking for a job for the same reasons as you because I understand how important it is to have experience before looking for a career job.
As for your comment about leaving for university, I can also understand that some employers will understand that certain applicants will be going to university and will therefore be only be able to work for certain times of the year, but once again, in my personal experience mentioning that you are at university can be a hinderence (case of point - I recently applied to a hotel and got a lovely letter back saying that they were looking for somebody that could commit to long term work and that my recognition of going to university in 8 months time was a stumbling block. It's also common sense that people that do not have anything planned for the upcoming years are a more attractive prospect [not intellectually or for the good of the company etc] than someone that is going to university because they can commit to a prolonged amount of time and will have more potential to climb up the ladder in any particular establishment/company.)
Sorry, did you think that I meant I'm more intellectual than anyone in a that works in a supermarket? If you did then I'm genuinely sorry that you got the wrong end of the stick, I was merely pointing towards personal experiences that I've had. I'm looking for a job for the same reasons as you because I understand how important it is to have experience before looking for a career job.
As for your comment about leaving for university, I can also understand that some employers will understand that certain applicants will be going to university and will therefore be only be able to work for certain times of the year, but once again, in my personal experience mentioning that you are at university can be a hinderence (case of point - I recently applied to a hotel and got a lovely letter back saying that they were looking for somebody that could commit to long term work and that my recognition of going to university in 8 months time was a stumbling block. It's also common sense that people that do not have anything planned for the upcoming years are a more attractive prospect [not intellectually or for the good of the company etc] than someone that is going to university because they can commit to a prolonged amount of time and will have more potential to climb up the ladder in any particular establishment/company.)
Ok, obviously I did get the wrong end of the stick completely! Just I get some people who come into where I work and treat me as if I'm stupid, it winds me up!!
Sorry for ranting at you though!
Good luck finding a job, if you find that telling them you are going to university is holding you back, don't tell them? Strictly speaking it's not dishonesty... just holding back some facts. When people asked me specifically (e.g. where do you see yourself in a years time?) I would jsut be quite vague i.e. "Well I might go to uni, or defer my entry, at the moment I've applied just to see what I come up with, but if a better offer came along..."
Again, sorry for the rant
I must have been in a bad mood.
I found it pretty difficult to get my job at Sainsbury's. Mainly due to their stupid online application system and the like. But now I work there it's brilliant. I work nights whilst I'm on my gap year, I work 24 hours and get the same pay as if I worked full time hours. Managers like me and don't put any pressure on me to do overtime, work faster whatever. I love my department, my managers and team leaders are lovely and the people I work with are very friendly and I even met my current significant other there.
TL;DR The only hard thing about getting the job was finding a vacancy.
TL;DR The only hard thing about getting the job was finding a vacancy.
a112
does anyone know how long after u have applied u will get a response from the supermarket?
I received a response from one of the major supermarket chains today(e-mail) . I must have applied about 3 months ago.
Original post by Mazzia
The only hard thing about getting the job was finding a vacancy.
I found this website which I thought was quite useful when I was looking for a job in a supermarket http://www.application-form.org/uk/category/supermarket/
It has all the major supermarkets in one place with downloadable application forms where available (like Morrisons or Co-op). It also has store locations and job listings.
Original post by Bhumbauze
Right now? Not easy at all. Not because the job has high requirements... exactly the opposite. It has none. Unemployment is high. There will be 50... 100... even more applicants per available position.
"But my cv is great!" you may think... but no... you have to watch out here too. If you're over-qualified, or have above average school grades, they'll assume you won't stay long before moving on to bigger and better things. If they're after long term staff, they're not going to hire someone who might get a better offer at any time.
In short: it used to be easy, but in an economy saturated with job-seekers, it's a bit more complicated.
"But my cv is great!" you may think... but no... you have to watch out here too. If you're over-qualified, or have above average school grades, they'll assume you won't stay long before moving on to bigger and better things. If they're after long term staff, they're not going to hire someone who might get a better offer at any time.
In short: it used to be easy, but in an economy saturated with job-seekers, it's a bit more complicated.
I agree.
I've never worked in a supermarket. I just remember finding it really hard to get a job in retail. Then one day this guy I knew put on Facebook his work place was hiring, I gave in my cv and he let the store manager know he knew me. In the end I got the job but it did really help to know someone within the company.
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