Are you looking to apply for a job at Waitrose but are unsure of what the Waitrose Group Assessment Centres and interviews may involve? Then read on to see our guidance, example questions and top tips to prepare yourself.
Waitrose Group Assessment Guidance and Practice
The selection process for the John Lewis Partnership (JLP) can see candidates participating in number of different types of interview. These can include telephone interviews, video interviews, face to face interviews and assessment centres.
In this blog we will be largely focussing on the Waitrose Group Assessment, however we will provide a brief overview of the other potential stages along the way to get an idea of the process as a whole.
Where Do I Begin?
All of the Waitrose vacancies can be found online. You can browse through them and sort by area, hours and type of vacancy. There are various roles available at most times, including graduate roles.
How Do I Apply?
As all vacancies are listed online you can apply directly through the website. This then allows you to track your applications’ progress. In addition to this, you may have to take some online tests as part of the process. For this reason it will be useful if you are already registered on their website.
The JLP state that their interviews are competency based, meaning that candidates will be expected to demonstrate certain skills to the interviewer.
Telephone interviews will be at the beginning of the process. They will take place after an application has been submitted online. They tend to last for around 15 to 20 minutes.
The STAR method – situation, task, action and result is commonly used here.
Video interviews are not as commonly used however they have increased in popularity recently. For the JLP video interviews you are required to answer a number of pre-recorded video questions. You will use a webcam to record your answers. You will be given an allotted time to answer and will have one chance to record an answer.
Waitrose Group Assessments
Group assessments will likely come in the middle of the process with a face to face interview afterwards. Note that it can vary from person to person. Some candidates will have a face to face interview at an assessment stage and others beforehand.
Getting to the group assessment stage means that you have passed an initial interview or online application process. For this reason, you already know that you are on the right track.
The assessment centres will vary in their approach and tasks depending on the type of role you have applied for. We have listed some potential tasks below.
Waitrose Group Assessments: Potential Tasks
In-store tasks: You may be asked to complete a job within the store you are at relevant to a certain department.
Selling: You may be asked to sell or promote an item to a member of staff who is interviewing you.
Group activities: Most likely there will be a group discussion at a Waitrose Assessment Centre. The recruitment staff will want to test how you work in a team. They want to test this since it is likely to be a big part of a lot of roles. You may be put into a team and given a brief which you have to collaboratively work on with others.
Statements and Values: Tasks where you are judged on how you react in certain situations and what kind of values you hold are becoming increasingly common. You may be asked to rank certain values on what you think are the least and most important, for example.
Face to face interviews: If you are going to secure a position at Waitrose it is very likely you will have a face to face interview at some point during the process.
As mentioned before, often a face to face interview will take place at an assessment centre, although this is not always the case.
You may also be asked to prepare a short presentation at an assessment centre or face to face interview. You will be given time to do this beforehand if this is the case.
Waitrose Group Assessments: example questions
Some common questions asked at these kind of interviews are things like:
- What do you know about the company?
- What can you bring to the role?
- What are your weaknesses?
- Why do you want to work for Waitrose?
- Who are our main competitors?
Waitrose Group Assessment: How do I prepare?
To get through the Waitrose Group Assessment, we recommend a few things:
- Rehearse answers to commonly asked interview questions, such as those listed above. Most likely some of them will come up, so you will not be thrown off on the day.
- Make sure you have done your research on the company.
- Ensure you know the core values of the company and that they align with your own. Make sure you can show this.
- Practice selling items to friends or family and ask for honest feedback from them.
- Visit the store you are looking to work at or have your assessment at. This will give you an idea of how it is laid out and how to get there.
- Practice the STAR method in response to common interview questions that utilise it.
- Think of some questions about the company that you would like to know the answers to. You will likely be given an opportunity to do this at the end of an interview/assessment centre. Doing so demonstrates a genuine interest in the company.
If you want even more advice, check out our page on UK Supermarket Assessment Tests.
As you can see, the best advice is to be prepared for whatever may come your way. We wish you the best of luck with your application!
