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Boots Christmas Temp Interview

How do I prepare for a Christmas temp phone interview?
I applied recently and I heard back today that they were pleased with my application and may call me to discuss my avaliability, experience, etc.

All the info I could find online is about in-person interviews, also I don't remember completing the online assessment (it is possible I did it and don't remember but I applied to a lot of jobs that day).

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Original post by grown-up-breathe
How do I prepare for a Christmas temp phone interview?
I applied recently and I heard back today that they were pleased with my application and may call me to discuss my avaliability, experience, etc.
All the info I could find online is about in-person interviews, also I don't remember completing the online assessment (it is possible I did it and don't remember but I applied to a lot of jobs that day).

The phone call Interview is similar to a face to face interview.

You must have filled out a online assignment after applying for a job with boots, you wouldn't have done it if you previously applied but was unsuccessful as they use your previous assessment for upto a certain time before you have to resubmit a new one.

They just won't call you to discuss your availability etc.
They will do a proper interview asking you why you applied for a job with boots, what previous experience have you got in a retail setting ( not necessarily require as you will be shown what you do if you get offered a job, yeah they might ask you what days and hours are you available ( although you might have ticked what hours etc you can do as part of your online application - they ask for alternative days and hours incase they can't offer you what you applied for ok ).

Remember that although you applied for a temporary Christmas position you could be offered a permanent position if you show how good you are, good timekeeping, not taking any sick days of, working as part of a team when special promotion is on in store.


Good luck with your interview.


Boots employee.
Original post by Littleemma98
The phone call Interview is similar to a face to face interview.
You must have filled out a online assignment after applying for a job with boots, you wouldn't have done it if you previously applied but was unsuccessful as they use your previous assessment for upto a certain time before you have to resubmit a new one.
They just won't call you to discuss your availability etc.
They will do a proper interview asking you why you applied for a job with boots, what previous experience have you got in a retail setting ( not necessarily require as you will be shown what you do if you get offered a job, yeah they might ask you what days and hours are you available ( although you might have ticked what hours etc you can do as part of your online application - they ask for alternative days and hours incase they can't offer you what you applied for ok ).
Remember that although you applied for a temporary Christmas position you could be offered a permanent position if you show how good you are, good timekeeping, not taking any sick days of, working as part of a team when special promotion is on in store.
Good luck with your interview.
Boots employee.

Thank you for replying. Are the questions that they ask difficult to respond to?

I'm autistic and didn't disclose it in my initial application as often when I do, I do not hear back. For me, phone calls to people I do not know are very stressful. I had an interview for a job last week and because they worded it differently than I had expected I ended up stuttering and coming across as super nervous as well as unprepared (even though I knew the information).

I've started researching for the role as they didn't specify when they would call me. I also started researching potential questions they could ask but the possibilities are endless.

Sorry, this message is super scattered but do you have any additional advice?
Original post by grown-up-breathe
Thank you for replying. Are the questions that they ask difficult to respond to?
I'm autistic and didn't disclose it in my initial application as often when I do, I do not hear back. For me, phone calls to people I do not know are very stressful. I had an interview for a job last week and because they worded it differently than I had expected I ended up stuttering and coming across as super nervous as well as unprepared (even though I knew the information).
I've started researching for the role as they didn't specify when they would call me. I also started researching potential questions they could ask but the possibilities are endless.
Sorry, this message is super scattered but do you have any additional advice?

You are welcome 🤗 🤗 🤗

Oh you should have declared that you have a disability ( autistic) as part of your application because they would have accommodated you better during your interview.


Yes that's the problem you don't know really what questions you are going to be asked.

All you can do is prepare the best way you can do and try not to be nervous during your interview.

They usually tell you a date and time for when they are going to phone you.

Don't worry about how you written your message okay, I can understand you have a problem writing it in the correct order but just remember as long as you understand what you write that's what counts. Then it up to others to understand what you put down ok.




They are basically easy to answer - you put your answer over the best way possible ok.

Some basic questions you might be asked -
1) why you want to work with boots
2) any previous experience ( don't worry about that as training is given)
3) how would you deal with a angry customer

Are you flexing about when you can work as this will be useful for you if it means getting offered a job with boots rather than not just because you have a set day/ hours you want to do. Try to be flexible if possible. You might be offered overtime.

Just a little information - if the store you applied to happen to open say boxing day, New year day then it is possible you have to work it unfortunately.
Thank you for responding again and for being nice.

In the email I got it said they were sending my details to the relevant hiring manager and if they wanted to proceed with my application, then they would call me. On the Boots career website, it does say that my application status is at 'interview' but I haven't got any more information.

I'm not sure what my availability is yet because I'm currently waiting for my GCSE results and I am not sure what my college schedule will be. But I do know that I am available on weekends (and possibly one weekday but not 100% sure).

In the interviews, are the Hiring managers typically impressed by when you know additional info about the company (e.g. who founded it, companies they work with) or do they not think much of it?

I've done a bit of research and am putting it in a Google doc to look at before the call, but I don't really get how to integrate it into the questions they could ask (e.g. if they asked, "Why do you want to work there?" how would I involve the research I did without sounding fake).

sorry if this is too many questions
Original post by grown-up-breathe
Thank you for responding again and for being nice.
In the email I got it said they were sending my details to the relevant hiring manager and if they wanted to proceed with my application, then they would call me. On the Boots career website, it does say that my application status is at 'interview' but I haven't got any more information.
I'm not sure what my availability is yet because I'm currently waiting for my GCSE results and I am not sure what my college schedule will be. But I do know that I am available on weekends (and possibly one weekday but not 100% sure).
In the interviews, are the Hiring managers typically impressed by when you know additional info about the company (e.g. who founded it, companies they work with) or do they not think much of it?
I've done a bit of research and am putting it in a Google doc to look at before the call, but I don't really get how to integrate it into the questions they could ask (e.g. if they asked, "Why do you want to work there?" how would I involve the research I did without sounding fake).
sorry if this is too many questions

You are welcome 🤗 🤗 🤗
Thanks for your kind words about being " so nice".
I'm a nice person and it's just being nice to someone costs nothing ( being polite as a boots employee show the customer that they care for them).

I only work part-time in boots as been with them since I was 15 years old. ( I'm currently a pharmacy advisor dispenser - making the prescriptions up etc ).

My full-time permanent job is a NHS adult nurse. I have dealt with patient's with all different types of disabilities.

If you were doing a face to face interview with boots then your online profile would have had a email for you to confirm a date and time for your interview - it is normally last for about a hour for in-store interviews. Interview stage means you are awaiting to have your interview and then they will decide what next afterwards ok.
Maybe because they are going to do a phone call interview with you they haven't put anything up for you on your online profile.

I would suggest if you are successful with getting a job with boots then just do weekends work and when you have any holidays from college then you can ask to work more hours and that's leaves you free during the week for any college work you need to do.
Tell them you are willing to do weekly for now and see what happens with college schedule. They will be fine with it ( I don't know what time the store you applied to closes as I know there's a few stores stay open until about 10pm which if possible you maybe able to work a few nights after finishing college during the week. )

If you researched about how boots came into business and they happen to ask you a question on that you'll know.
That's the thing you never know what you will be asked at a interview.

When I applied to boots you were able to walk in to the store and ask about vacancy's and were given a application form and told to attend xx and they went through your application form when they were interviewing you and sometimes you were offered a job before you left the interview. Complete different today when you have to do a online profile, fill out your application form, await to do a online assessment, and then get invited to a interview and wait until they notify you about best successful or not.


Don't worry about them asking you about why do you want to work with boots - just be honest that you always found the staff polite and helpful anytime you have been in any boots stores. ( You are not sounding fake).
Hi, sorry for the late response! Also thank you for answering my questions.

I got another email from them on Saturday afternoon that gave me the details for an in-person interview tomorrow at around 11 am.
I just re-read the job description again it says that the role is just packaging and sorting out online orders as well as restocking shelves. Does this mean that I likely won't have to do the practical part of the interview or do you think it will be slightly altered?

Do you think they will still give me questions aimed at customer service or more towards the actual role?
Original post by grown-up-breathe
Hi, sorry for the late response! Also thank you for answering my questions.
I got another email from them on Saturday afternoon that gave me the details for an in-person interview tomorrow at around 11 am.
I just re-read the job description again it says that the role is just packaging and sorting out online orders as well as restocking shelves. Does this mean that I likely won't have to do the practical part of the interview or do you think it will be slightly altered?
Do you think they will still give me questions aimed at customer service or more towards the actual role?

Hi

Don't worry about late response back okay as it is fine ☺️ ☺️ ☺️.
I'll try to answer your points as best as possible.


Congratulations in getting a chance to do a in-store interview tomorrow as it will probably be better for you than doing a phone call one.

I would suggest you go along bit earlier than the schedule time you were given and have a look round the store incase you were asked about finding something.

Although the role of the job description is saying packaging and sorting out online orders, you can be asked to do work on the shop floor like restocking shelves and clearing the shelves and cleaning them and then putting the stock back ( you have to check the dates on every item and rotate the oldest items to the front of shelves with newer stuff to the back so that people buys them.

You might have to still do the practical part unfortunately as it's up to the manager what they do.


I can't say for sure what questions you will be asked ok, it might be mixture of questions.


Be early, be dressed casually but smart. Avoid wearing high heels shoes 👟.
How does the interview work? I mean as in like how do they decide they want to hire someone, is it a point-based system sort of thing, or just if they impress them?
Original post by grown-up-breathe
How does the interview work? I mean as in like how do they decide they want to hire someone, is it a point-based system sort of thing, or just if they impress them?

Answers there questions the best you can..... Don't take forever to reply back.
They will hire you if they think you are suitable for the roles you apply for.

They take your online assignment into account as well as your application.

They take notes down during interviewing you and then if you are asked to do a task on the shop floor they'll take that into account in how well you have done.
Okay, thank you for all of your help.😁
I'll let you know how the interview goes tomorrow and the result (whenever I get it).
Original post by grown-up-breathe
Okay, thank you for all of your help.😁
I'll let you know how the interview goes tomorrow and the result (whenever I get it).

Hope everything went well with your boots interview.

You'll not get told straight away unless they are happy enough to offer you anything there and then.
Normally you'll know between a day - up to about ten days after your interview.

Keep your fingers crossed 🤞 🤞 🤞
Hiya,
I realised that my interview isn't till NEXT Tuesday moments before I was about to go into the store. I think I originally just read the email, saw the word Tuesday and thought it was for this week.

I woke up early this morning, accidentally and severely burned the trousers I was gonna wear with the iron so I had to find a new pair, got the bus there, and was a half hour early so I sat on a nearby bench for ages while I read over my notes. I only realised that it wasn't today because just before I was going to walk into the store, I went to double-check my email again so I could know who to ask for when I went in. At least I'm prepared early though! 😂

I will give you my next update after my interview next week though.
Original post by grown-up-breathe
Hiya,
I realised that my interview isn't till NEXT Tuesday moments before I was about to go into the store. I think I originally just read the email, saw the word Tuesday and thought it was for this week.
I woke up early this morning, accidentally and severely burned the trousers I was gonna wear with the iron so I had to find a new pair, got the bus there, and was a half hour early so I sat on a nearby bench for ages while I read over my notes. I only realised that it wasn't today because just before I was going to walk into the store, I went to double-check my email again so I could know who to ask for when I went in. At least I'm prepared early though! 😂
I will give you my next update after my interview next week though.

Hiya

It could have been worse for you, you could have went into the store and told them you were here for a interview with manager and then be told it is not until next week but there was a possibility that they might have just took you if they had a space available.

You must have felt absolutely terrible realising that you wasted your time sitting outside reading over your notes etc and then realised you didn't have any interview today.
Don't worry about it as I wonder how many people accidentally done the same thing as yourself.

Just make sure you are early next week and have a wee look round the store to see where things are so you have a idea when you might be asked to get a certain item as part of your interview.

Awe at least you showing how dedicated you were today by going to the store thinking you had it today 💖 💖 💖.

At least you will have some more time to rehearse your interview questions etc.
Hey,
I’ve just had my interview not and I’m not really sure how it went but I think it was okay.

I got really stressed beforehand because I was sitting on a bench before my interview and an old man came and joined me. i guess he was trying to make small talk with me (not in a creepy way) but I wasnt really sure how to respond to him as I am not good at small talk. So when he was leaving he said “sorry to bother you” and I said “mhmm” because I thought he was going to ask me a question or something, so I was confirming that I was listening and then he got up and left and I felt so bad. I tried to save it by saying that it was nice to meet him but I feel like I’d ready came across badly.

Anyway, then I went into the interview and the lady was quite nice. On the first question I did stutter a bit but I calmed down after that and was able to answer properly. The only other bad thing I can think of was on the last question, she said she was going to put me on the spot and then she asked me a question along the lines of “why should I hire you” and as I didnt want to repeat my previous points from other questions all I ended up saying was how I have good problem-solving skills that I had developed from another job. Then she asked if I had any questions and I asked her a couple. She said that if I had any more questions, that I could email her so I don’t know if that means I did well or not.

Long story short, she said she aims to get back to everyone on/by Monday so I’ll give you another update once I get it.
hi, i also have a boots interview soon, i was wondering if anyone could give me any advice as i dont have any past experience in retail. also the interview location they gave me is not at a boots store so im a bit confused.
Original post by grown-up-breathe
Hey,
I’ve just had my interview not and I’m not really sure how it went but I think it was okay.
I got really stressed beforehand because I was sitting on a bench before my interview and an old man came and joined me. i guess he was trying to make small talk with me (not in a creepy way) but I wasnt really sure how to respond to him as I am not good at small talk. So when he was leaving he said “sorry to bother you” and I said “mhmm” because I thought he was going to ask me a question or something, so I was confirming that I was listening and then he got up and left and I felt so bad. I tried to save it by saying that it was nice to meet him but I feel like I’d ready came across badly.
Anyway, then I went into the interview and the lady was quite nice. On the first question I did stutter a bit but I calmed down after that and was able to answer properly. The only other bad thing I can think of was on the last question, she said she was going to put me on the spot and then she asked me a question along the lines of “why should I hire you” and as I didnt want to repeat my previous points from other questions all I ended up saying was how I have good problem-solving skills that I had developed from another job. Then she asked if I had any questions and I asked her a couple. She said that if I had any more questions, that I could email her so I don’t know if that means I did well or not.
Long story short, she said she aims to get back to everyone on/by Monday so I’ll give you another update once I get it.

Hi

Well done you for getting through your interview with boots today 😊 😊 😊
At the end of the day you can only do your very best at a interview and you will learn from this one and take it into any future interviews you might have but hopefully boots will offer you a job and then after the temporary period is up be offered a permanent job with them. Keep your fingers crossed 🤞 🤞 🤞 for good news within the coming days.

That's good that you were treated nicely with the lady who interviewed you today. They understand that people will be nervous about doing interviews so don't worry to much about you stuttering a bit. Yeah that's the thing about interviews you don't know what questions you are going to be asked reasons why I couldn't give you any precise questions as only some examples.
You do need lots of skills working with boots because you will be asked anything by a customer and you have to know what to answer and if unsure you get someone else to assist you 😞. Normally you don't reply with a email anymore questions if you have any questions that you want to ask them but you don't know you might get a response back from her.

I like the part about the old man asking you if it's okay to join you on the bench, sometimes you think it is a creepy thing but other times they are just bored looking for someone to talk with for a while, you'll certainly find that one out if you are successful with boots job.


Hope everything is good 👍 👍 👍 look forward to a update once you know outcome.

If possible you should apply for other positions with boots while you await your interview response as if you are successful with another interview with them and you do get offered a job in the coming days then all you do is cancel your other interview asap to allow another person to get it.

X
Original post by sweetsalt007
hi, i also have a boots interview soon, i was wondering if anyone could give me any advice as i dont have any past experience in retail. also the interview location they gave me is not at a boots store so im a bit confused.

Hi

Com in getting a job interview with boots.

Don't worry about not having any previous experience in retailing as if successful you'll be shown what to do okay, ( if you had experience it would be useful but not necessarily). I never had any previous experience working in retailing when I got a job in boots ( I was only 15 at the time+ been there for about 11 years just passed).

Now I am confused as well with you saying that your interview is not within a boots store - I would only suggest that if possible contact them and ask them about the location as you are unsure about it and see what they tell you okay. Do that asap so you know where you are going for the interview.
Original post by Littleemma98
Hi
Com in getting a job interview with boots.
Don't worry about not having any previous experience in retailing as if successful you'll be shown what to do okay, ( if you had experience it would be useful but not necessarily). I never had any previous experience working in retailing when I got a job in boots ( I was only 15 at the time+ been there for about 11 years just passed).
Now I am confused as well with you saying that your interview is not within a boots store - I would only suggest that if possible contact them and ask them about the location as you are unsure about it and see what they tell you okay. Do that asap so you know where you are going for the interview.

Thank you for your advice. I have sent an email and tried calling however i was not actually able to speak to anyone as the call directed me to select my type of query and then told me to call customer service which proceeded to do the same thing.
Original post by sweetsalt007
Thank you for your advice. I have sent an email and tried calling however i was not actually able to speak to anyone as the call directed me to select my type of query and then told me to call customer service which proceeded to do the same thing.

ok update i called in and asked and they have told me the correct address of the store 😁

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