Hi, I recently had an interview at John Lewis for a seasonal part time job with a group assessment and a 1 to 1 interview. There were about 15 other applicants with much more experience than me so, while I appreciated being invited for an interview and thought it went quite well, I didn't expect to get the job. They sent me an email saying that I had passed the assessment process but the job did not match my availability so I was basically unsuccessful however they did say that they would keep my details and would be in touch as soon as a job become available. I just wanted to know if anyone had any experience with this interview outcome. Are they actually going to invite me for another interview for another position in the future? Or is this reply just a way of letting me down gently? Thanks in advance for any replies
Hi there, I have my group interview on thursday, do you have any tips for me? I'm quite unsure of what to wear, and how to be prepared for it?
Hi! Well done on getting an interview Well when I went I dressed smartly (black dress, blazer, smart shoes etc.) A couple of people dressed quite casually (as in jeans and t shirt) but most were dressed quite smartly and you don't want to stand out for the wrong reasons.Also if you're wearing the same as others you'll feel more relaxed If you're a guy I'd probably say white shirt, tie and smart trousers, you could wear a blazer if you wanted but the guys I saw in full suits seemed too overdressed and if you're a student it'll probably make you look younger like you're trying too hard.
In terms of the actual interview process, it was quite relaxed tbh. Your email should say to arrive at least 15 mins early but I'd put that up to at least 20 so you're not rushing. When I got there, I went up to the receptionist all smiles lol and said I was there for an interview. I was directed to this small room with chairs and soon the other candidates started arriving. We were told to introduce ourselves and everyone was really friendly. I'm not sure how this ties into the whole interview process as there wasn't anyone else there other than us but a lot of people seemed to be on their toes (acting really confident, chatty etc.) as if we were already being graded on our performance, I doubt it but just try to remain as confident and friendly as possible just in case! Anyway after that we went to this big room with tables and chairs and were introduced to the people who'd be interviewing us and then went to REALLY small rooms to be interviewed. The interview had really standard questions, I've had interviews where they asked weird Qs like 'if you were a brand, what brand would you be???' but the guy basically just asked why I wanted to work there, examples of when I've challenged a way of working, when I've overcome difficulties etc. so don't worry too much. Just relax, try to not hesitate too much-if I could do it again I'd probably have taken a few moments to think of what I was going to say instead of just blurting out my answers lol. When I returned to the big room with the others, we had to wait a few minutes before starting the actual assessment (use this time again to talk with the other people at your table) the group assessment included working with the group to work out solutions to 2 different situations. Just use your common sense and try to find the balance between being too quiet and being too domineering. That was basically the whole process for me but from looking at other forums for JL group assessments, some have played games, built towers out of paper etc. so don't plan your approach around my experience, it's probably different for every store
Key Points: Dress Smartly Be confident (good posture, eye contact, friendly) Get to know the other candidates (they'll probably be really nice) Think carefully about answers and try not to hesitate too much Contribute to discussions but don't try to control them and encourage others to contribute too And to make sure you show you're responsible and reliable make sure you have all your documents, photocopies and remember to be punctual
Hope this helps and good luck with your interview!