The Student Room Group

rejected by john lewis after odd interview.

Ok guys, so alittle disappointed after my rejection email from john lewis.

First of, the interview. walked into a room with 30 other people, split across tables, there are 6 assessors from all walks of management staring at everyone and writing notes as soon as they walk in.
One assesor was assigned to each table of five candidates. The first task was to talk a little about yourselves. Noone wanted to go first, so I volunteered with basics such as age, studies, hobbies etc. And as always, those that go after can listen and refine their talk.

Next task (which was shockingly bad). new assessor, this time a headmaster type, lady with glasses on the tip of nose, snooty looking. This task was to design a poster to advertise their new department. The information on the sheet was so limited and the task was so generic that it made no sence. Were we to stick to the brief or use subjective analysis and make something up? the information given was to advertise their new beauty and gift department, which has no completion date in the local newspaper.

What is the point of advertising a development that has not been completed and has no due date. It is not a product that can build hype, it is a developmemt, makes no sense. What is this? is it meant to determine team work? objective resoning? creativity? marketing skills? company awareness? I am fairly certain it is team assessment (determine people that can work in teams), so why does it stiffle all creativity by being such a rational and non specific task that does not make sense? My group was stumped, conversation was sporadic, ideas lacking, Assessor staring. Someone in the group suggested "coming soon..". So we went with this. Noone wanted to do the poster design. My handwriting and spelling are shocking but since noone wanted to do, I again took initiative and decided to do all the actual lettering. I came up with the idea of a christmas theme, another lady on my team came up with the idea of drawing a smiling john lewis worker on the poster. The rest of the team, including me thought this was a bad idea. My mental resoning was due to the fact that a smiling worker signifies an ideal, upper class, cheesy and crude way of advertising. My verbal resoning (that I actually said to the team) was that it would be difficult draw and suggested that she could draw it if she wanted (so as to not look authoritative). Poster finished, time to present, who to?....the staring assessor at the table who has already seen everything. I kept my mouth shut during the presentation as I was still trying to figure out the purpose. Why present to the same person that has just seen and sat through every aspect the presentation, no one else. It is repeating yourself. I said nothing. At the end of the "presentation", the assessor said that the lady should have pushed through with her idea and gone with the smiling worker.... I still think its poor idea. Their usual adverts are qirky not cheesy archaic smiling workers that undermind their companies image.

Next task, different assessor a nicer chap. Had to sell a product. I got given a chocolate bar.... again my analysing mind went haywire. Why would you pressure sell a chocolate? why would you try and pressure sell at all? after all john lewis prides itself on customer service, offer guidance, offer information but a selling task? seems contradictory and the whole task again did not make sense, we just sat through a presentation regarding how great john lewis is and how great the customer service is and now a selling task...

Final task was a one on one interview,first in, went ok, she asked me the exact same questions as were on the applications etc. She said my customer service example was good but this was the norm in john lewis (so as to undermine the company I work for and brag). I try to keep my answers short and not look too cocky). She asked the obvious (why work here etc), I answered the obvious.

I get a rejection email the day after for a job I didnt apply for and another 30 mins later apologising for the confusion and it said (exact qoute) "Apologies for the admin error regretting you for a position in catering. You have been regretted for a xmas temp selling position in various departments" those are the exact words. Doesnt make sence, just like their recruitment process.
Another piece of annoyance was the fact that during chosing the intrview date, I could have chose the week after. So effectively they still have more people to interview and therefore have more vacancies despite rejecting people already before even seeing the entire batch of interviewees. Unless they are time travellers, they have no idea that the next batch of candidates will be any better than those that have been rejected.

I know that I am incredibly good and analysing situations (its what I study and enjoy) and this gives me good people skills as I adapt to these situations. I therefore thought that I would be perfect for a role in one of uks best customer orientated companies. But this has left me confused as I just dont understand how they achieve it with such a recruitment process.
Reply 1
Haha I feel you mehn. I just received my 'unsuccessful' email today. I'm thinking of asking for a feedback, but I think I will just leave it.Will apply again to the next selling assistant vacancy. It just sad that I had to wait six days to get a reply back after the interview. That is really long from what I have read online for John Lewis interviews. It sad also that their last interview date for that role is tomorrow. So I thought at least they will send me an email tomorrow after their last interview, but noooo. It's my birthday tomorrow too:cry:. Oh well,, I'm just glad I got an interview, It's my first interview since I started applying for jobs.:grin:

Ours was introduction, prioritizing different values and qualities in a customer assistant role and designing a new John Lewis shop in an airport in Timbuktu. I thought it went well, just that one person in my group said all the points so there wasn't much for the rest to talk about.

There is always next time. Cheer up:smile:
They are very very picky with their employees because they invest so much time and training on you. I worked at John Lewis and also Waitrose - your interview doesn't sound strange, it's the same set up they always use in group interviews. The assessors on every table are to watch your team work etc.

Also - you do sound very arrogant. I doubt that your interviewer was bragging in your one on one. JL training is very customer service heavy and you seem to think you know it all...perhaps that's how you came across. They do want you to sell to customers, not pressure them, but emphasise other products and try to up sell. That's part of good customer service. They also want you to smile and greet as many customers as possible.

Next time maybe sound more enthusiastic and don't sound so arrogant? Maybe it's just how you worded the post but having helped with JL and Waitrose recruitment days myself I know that's really not what they go for...
Reply 3
What is all this rubbish just to recruit a shop assistant?

In my day you just used to go into the staff room and the boss would ask you a few hackneyed questions, you'd give your hackneyed answers and then they'd pick a CV essentially at random.

God only knows why the "assessors" would go to all that trouble, what a criminal waste of time and money.
Reply 4
Original post by infairverona
They are very very picky with their employees because they invest so much time and training on you. I worked at John Lewis and also Waitrose - your interview doesn't sound strange, it's the same set up they always use in group interviews. The assessors on every table are to watch your team work etc.

Also - you do sound very arrogant. I doubt that your interviewer was bragging in your one on one. JL training is very customer service heavy and you seem to think you know it all...perhaps that's how you came across. They do want you to sell to customers, not pressure them, but emphasise other products and try to up sell. That's part of good customer service. They also want you to smile and greet as many customers as possible.

Next time maybe sound more enthusiastic and don't sound so arrogant? Maybe it's just how you worded the post but having helped with JL and Waitrose recruitment days myself I know that's really not what they go for...


I am conscious about this, during the interview I tried not to sound arrogant as I am aware this is not what they are looking for. I am very analytical, so I sometimes over analyse basic situations. I tend to be quite a reserved person so put it on myself to counter this and this may be perceived to be arrogance.

I agree that they should be picky, but with soasonal temps?
Reply 5
Original post by andy1992uk


I agree that they should be picky, but with soasonal temps?


I got offered jobs at both waitrose and john lewis, having had similarly structured interviews.
All I did was some background reading about their history and current offers etc, smiled, joked, be happy and enthusiastic. They just want genuinely friendly people.
The partners represent the business as a whole.
People get really aggy and impatient over the Christmas period, so really they would need good people who can handle the stress. Plus when the temps are good, I heard they keep your details for 3 months for when there may be a job available.

I'm sorry to hear about the rejection, maybe next time if you just relax and be yourself you'll be fine!
Original post by andy1992uk
I am conscious about this, during the interview I tried not to sound arrogant as I am aware this is not what they are looking for. I am very analytical, so I sometimes over analyse basic situations. I tend to be quite a reserved person so put it on myself to counter this and this may be perceived to be arrogance.

I agree that they should be picky, but with soasonal temps?


Yeah tbh like they are picky but they also want friendly, smiley people who are happy to approach customers, ask if there's anything else you can get them, say they're buying a laptop you can up sell things like headphones, cases, software...also bear in mind even for seasonal temps they get a ridiculous amount of applications. JL is an amazing company to work for because you get the bonus and the discount, they can afford to be extremely picky!
Reply 7
You shouldn't have sent your mind in to overdrive like that... if you thought too much about the tasks I can almost guarantee you weren't showing enthusiasm and instead looked puzzled...
If I'm honest, I can sort of see why they didn't employ you.

I currently work at Waitrose and this isn't different to any other interview. The problem is you completely over analysed the situation and failed to grasp the "point" of the task, which is to test your people skills. Talking first about yourself was probably good, but you may have not done enough eye contact or been friendly.

On the presentation task, the fact you DIDN'T present would have cost you big time, JL want employees who are confident but not arrogant. By not presenting you made it look like you weren't approachable or confident and from your apparent lack of interest in the task would probably back this up (remember you weren't applying for a marketing role, so the task given wasn't what they were testing, and although you say you're the master of deduction and analysis, you failed to grasp that ((sorry if I'm being blunt)).

The chocolate bar task wasn't about pressure selling but customer interaction. Whilst JL DO like to you to sell directly to customers, they also like good customer interaction, they wanted you to sell the product without being forceful and with lots of positive customer interaction.

Not too sure how the 1 to 1 interview went, but the fact you came in trying to play the game would suggest that you weren't really correct for the job or didn't act in a manner befitting the role applied.

Ask for feedback and that way you'll know what to do next time
Reply 9
Original post by leinad2012
If I'm honest, I can sort of see why they didn't employ you.

I currently work at Waitrose and this isn't different to any other interview. The problem is you completely over analysed the situation and failed to grasp the "point" of the task, which is to test your people skills. Talking first about yourself was probably good, but you may have not done enough eye contact or been friendly.

On the presentation task, the fact you DIDN'T present would have cost you big time, JL want employees who are confident but not arrogant. By not presenting you made it look like you weren't approachable or confident and from your apparent lack of interest in the task would probably back this up (remember you weren't applying for a marketing role, so the task given wasn't what they were testing, and although you say you're the master of deduction and analysis, you failed to grasp that ((sorry if I'm being blunt)).

The chocolate bar task wasn't about pressure selling but customer interaction. Whilst JL DO like to you to sell directly to customers, they also like good customer interaction, they wanted you to sell the product without being forceful and with lots of positive customer interaction.

Not too sure how the 1 to 1 interview went, but the fact you came in trying to play the game would suggest that you weren't really correct for the job or didn't act in a manner befitting the role applied.

Ask for feedback and that way you'll know what to do next time


Your points are good, I think all aspects apart from the presenting task went ok. The reason I didn't say anything was a) there was nothing less to say and b) we presented to the same person who saw the entire team planning (including my input). I don't know, but a teamwork task shouldn't be so rational and objective. I honestly think that they tried to create a task which relates to something that is going on right now in their store but it doesn't make much sense. Heck, a person on my team also a greed that the task wasn't well thought through.

Another aspect that I think went against me was the lack or blazer to the suit I was wearing. I noticed this as they started taking notes as soon as we walked in. I also mentioned this during the one to one interview and she laughed and nodded, but suggested what I was wearing was fine. Another apect that worked against me I think was the availability. I was under the impression that Christmas temps were for.....Christmas but I don't think they were too happy when I said I wasn't available until mid December. But I thought this was on the application?

John Lewis are a great company to work for, so I am dissapointed, but I don't fell as cheated as the schuh interview I went for. In which I came up for almost every idea in the group, the jingle, the poster, the item and still got rejected for guess what?...lack of experience.....when I have 3 years experience in selling shoes.
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 10
Original post by andy1992uk
Your points are good, I think all aspects apart from the presenting task went ok. The reason I didn't say anything was a) there was nothing less to say and b) we presented to the same person who saw the entire team planning (including my input). I don't know, but a teamwork task shouldn't be so rational and objective. I honestly think that they tried to create a task which relates to something that is going on right now in their store but it doesn't make much sense. Heck, a person on my team also a greed that the task wasn't well thought through.

Another aspect that I think went against me was the lack or blazer to the suit I was wearing. I noticed this as they started taking notes as soon as we walked in. I also mentioned this during the one to one interview and she laughed and nodded, but suggested what I was wearing was fine. Another apect that worked against me I think was the availability. I was under the impression that Christmas temps were for.....Christmas but I don't think they were too happy when I said I wasn't available until mid December. But I thought this was on the application?

John Lewis are a great company to work for, so I am dissapointed, but I don't fell as cheated as the schuh interview I went for. In which I came up for almost every idea in the group, the jingle, the poster, the item and still got rejected for guess what?...lack of experience.....when I have 3 years experience in selling shoes.


Your attitude is extremely irritating... you seem far too arrogant for a start (exactly what they're NOT looking for.) They asked you to do tasks to test your personal skills, not for you to evaluate what it should and should not be.

Plus, Christmas temps are usually working from November till January perhaps even earlier. You're losing out on a whole month - they could easily employ someone who could start tomorrow if they asked.
Reply 11
Original post by kmcg97
Your attitude is extremely irritating... you seem far too arrogant for a start (exactly what they're NOT looking for.) They asked you to do tasks to test your personal skills, not for you to evaluate what it should and should not be.

Plus, Christmas temps are usually working from November till January perhaps even earlier. You're losing out on a whole month - they could easily employ someone who could start tomorrow if they asked.


I don't know how to reply to this, but I don't think you understand the point I am trying to make. If I had, during the team task, made up information to make it more of a team task, they could have said that I am not sticking to the brief. From prior research, I know that they give partners "projects" and expect them to be done. They might of also said that I do not know the company enough and that they would never design a poster like that.

Success in life, is acting and being perceived a certain way in certain situations. There is no such thing as being yourself. Is your real self how you act infront of your friends on a night out or how you behave infront Of your boss and customers. I didn't act the way they were looking and as you say, I come across arrogant (which is helpful), so I shall try and counter this next time.

I have asked for feedback, but they are busy and will have to wait.
Original post by andy1992uk
Your points are good, I think all aspects apart from the presenting task went ok. The reason I didn't say anything was a) there was nothing less to say and b) we presented to the same person who saw the entire team planning (including my input). I don't know, but a teamwork task shouldn't be so rational and objective. I honestly think that they tried to create a task which relates to something that is going on right now in their store but it doesn't make much sense. Heck, a person on my team also a greed that the task wasn't well thought through.

Another aspect that I think went against me was the lack or blazer to the suit I was wearing. I noticed this as they started taking notes as soon as we walked in. I also mentioned this during the one to one interview and she laughed and nodded, but suggested what I was wearing was fine. Another apect that worked against me I think was the availability. I was under the impression that Christmas temps were for.....Christmas but I don't think they were too happy when I said I wasn't available until mid December. But I thought this was on the application?

John Lewis are a great company to work for, so I am dissapointed, but I don't fell as cheated as the schuh interview I went for. In which I came up for almost every idea in the group, the jingle, the poster, the item and still got rejected for guess what?...lack of experience.....when I have 3 years experience in selling shoes.


That does kind of suck, but you still seem to be missing the point of the task. They had to find something that was somewhat relevant to the store to test your teamwork and leadership skills. At my interview the task was even less relevant, we were put into teams, given jelly babies and uncooked spaghetti to build and told to try to build the bigger tower in teams! Luckily I'd done similar things before and do Product Design, so I knew the best method to use and led the team and helped work in a team, which showed that I could work well with others AS WELL as on my own, which is what they were looking for in the task, they just needed a medium to do it.

Whilst generating ideas sounds good, if you didn't present then you probably looked too shy, which isn't what they want in a salesman/woman.

I doubt the lack of a suit affected your chances, my interview had girls who turned up in leggings and a dress, not formal at all, and got the job and have been working at Waitrose for the last year.

The availability was probably the last nail in the coffin I'm afraid, my older brother worked in the JL Christmas temp position last year and I think he started in November at the latest, so that definitely cost you it, as I think they only look for Nov-Jan in Christmas temps.

Like I say, I'd just ask for feedback because it would put you mind at rest and help you at your next interview, one of my friends got rejected by one JL store, got feedback and found out what he did wrong, and on the next interview at a different branch he got the job, so its definately worthwhile :smile:
Reply 13
Original post by andy1992uk
Your points are good, I think all aspects apart from the presenting task went ok. The reason I didn't say anything was a) there was nothing less to say and b) we presented to the same person who saw the entire team planning (including my input). I don't know, but a teamwork task shouldn't be so rational and objective. I honestly think that they tried to create a task which relates to something that is going on right now in their store but it doesn't make much sense. Heck, a person on my team also a greed that the task wasn't well thought through.

Another aspect that I think went against me was the lack or blazer to the suit I was wearing. I noticed this as they started taking notes as soon as we walked in. I also mentioned this during the one to one interview and she laughed and nodded, but suggested what I was wearing was fine. Another apect that worked against me I think was the availability. I was under the impression that Christmas temps were for.....Christmas but I don't think they were too happy when I said I wasn't available until mid December. But I thought this was on the application?

John Lewis are a great company to work for, so I am dissapointed, but I don't fell as cheated as the schuh interview I went for. In which I came up for almost every idea in the group, the jingle, the poster, the item and still got rejected for guess what?...lack of experience.....when I have 3 years experience in selling shoes.


It doesn't matter if the assessor saw all of the points being made prior to your presentation, because saying all the information during planning and presenting the information in an appropriate manner are two very different things. During the planning, the assessor was probably looking at how you worked as a team or came up with ideas, but when the actual presentation happened she would have been judging your presentation skills, for which you would have got zero.
My interview for John Lewis consisted entirely of questions such as;
"If you were a fruit, what fruit would you be?"
"If you were an animal, what animal would you be?"

These were literally the ONLY type of questions they asked.
I don’t think you sound arrogant https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/member.php?u=298104
I went through the same feeling during my interview with Waitrose I am 43 and have never been to any interview as unfriendly as that one I mean it’s a super market at the end of the day
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 16
John Lewis likes to control people. Humiliation is the key when interviewing for staff. They create these silly tests that bear no relation to real life.I went to an assessment day and I was put in a room with 20 people and a whiteboard. We had to answer various mathematical questions and puzzles, taking turns to show our calculations on the whiteboard. However, it became a free-for-all. Everyone was pushing and shoving each other to get themselves noticed and at one stage I was actually pushed to the ground and other candidates were treading on me. Everyone then started shouting over everyone else and a near riot situation evolved. I kid you not! The examiners were laughing out loud and clearly enjoyed watching everyone humiliate themselves. Working at John lewis is good, but it ain't that good. I decided to leave. I now never shop at John lewis and I hear they are in financial difficulties...Good! I can't wait to see the smug, supercilious former John Lewis HR people queuing up for their benefits.
I mean if you go your whole life basing things around one bad interaction then you will constantly be holding grudges and constantly be resentful of people which isn't the way to live. What you all say is quite stupid in my opinion, claiming you 'know' how john lewis are just because you've had ONE interaction with ONE store. Cmon, be adults now...
Hi has anyone applied for an buying assistant role at JLP and gone through the application process?

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