I have an assessment day tomorrow for a job as a customer adviser in B&Q does anyone know exactly what this might entail and what sort of things you would probably be asked? also even though I currently work in retail and have a lot of experience working in customer service, I don't have a great deal of knowledge when it comes to DIY ... I expect i'd be trained because most jobs do now but would not knowing about that kind of thing hinder my chances?
Assessment Day
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*Awaits the 'Make sure you wear a suit' replies*
Bitter?
Beats wearing a t-shirt and jeans.
does indeed.
Beats wearing a t-shirt and jeans.
Is there a reason to be?
unless the application criteria specified that you know about it then they will not ask you at all about DIY
infact at a different big companys assessment day recently i was asked ''do you know about xxxxxxxxxxxx ?" then told ''well that doesn't matter because you all start off even here''
the assessment day is about finding out what type of person you are , dont be afraid to get involved but dont be too overpowering either.
infact at a different big companys assessment day recently i was asked ''do you know about xxxxxxxxxxxx ?" then told ''well that doesn't matter because you all start off even here''
the assessment day is about finding out what type of person you are , dont be afraid to get involved but dont be too overpowering either.
You'll have a few tasks, probably in a group to do. This could be anything from having to do a sales pitch, to coming up with ways to improve something and things like that. Make sure you get involved in the conversation and put forward your ideas. You'll then need to present, offer to be the spokesperson but allow others to come in and speak also. They'll also ask who wants to go first, make sure you offer straight away.
It's all about seeing how you deal with people and what kind of person you are, there'll be handful of people walking around marking you so make sure they know you're chatty.
You'll probably also have a one to one interview and a tour of the store.
It's all about seeing how you deal with people and what kind of person you are, there'll be handful of people walking around marking you so make sure they know you're chatty.
You'll probably also have a one to one interview and a tour of the store.
As above, more than likely have some group exercises which you definitely need to get involved in. They might give you a list of items and ask you to pick 2 to take with you to a desert island and give reasons why (I mention this as I've had it in 3 separate interviews/assessment days by different companies).
Also, you might be given numerical and literacy tests to complete, normally straight forward but their way of checking you're not a total ****.
Also, you might be given numerical and literacy tests to complete, normally straight forward but their way of checking you're not a total ****.
Man of Honour
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To expand slightly on this. Definitely get involved in such situations but don't be the person who always has to push their ideas solely and tries to impose their will on the group, taking the lead can be appropriate but normally they're looking to find out if you can work in a team as well so try to involve others. It may sound slightly counter-productive if you're giving other people a chance but it shows a level of maturity and that you can work constructively with others which is often more valuable for the company than finding an autocratic leader type.
It's also usually worth preparing a few examples of times when you've showed evidence of planning/made a difficult decision/worked as a team to improve XX/dealt with a difficult customer/whatever sort of generic questions may come up at an interview. It won't always be like that but you might be surprised how many companies will throw in questions along similar lines so having thought about it a little can pay off rather than always trying to come up with it off the cuff as it were.
Good advice, that's why I said to offer to let others speak and say things like "John, do you have anything further to add?" "Have I covered everything we discussed Tony?", things like that.
They'll generally ask you when you gave excellent customer service, or went beyond your duty. My new stock answer for that is something along the lines of "no, I can not *slight pause* as I always strive to give the best service to each and every customer no matter what and knowing that I gave one customer better service would worry me as I would know I haven't done the best that I can for each and every customer". It sounds a bit silly but I think it works, and is something different.
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Hey there, good luck with your interview and always remember these are nails:
And these are crinkle cut nails:
And these are crinkle cut nails:
And these are crinkle cut nails:
Do i need a curly hammer?
Good advice above imo - get involved, don't be shy, but avoid being overpowering - be polite, don't be shy to ask questions, seems good... But I have limited experience of that kind of thing, so can't really claim to be an expert...
Have you got a screw loose?
I think you must have got your threads crossed.
Well that's really thrown a spanner in the works.
Have you got a screw loose?
I think you must have got your threads crossed.
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Thanks for all the advice in here, didn't make it through to the interview stage and to be honest im really not that disappointed. I did the best I could have done and the whole thing was quite frankly pointless building a tower out of " straws " shows how you can work as a team apparently. I only applied because my current job doesn't offer garanteed hours and need something which would leave me more financally secure but at least its fun and enjoyable and more to the point something im interested in " I work in a womans clothing store " I am a girly girl at heart. All the candidates who did get through were majority men and the few women who did were on the larger side and looked as if they would fit in with the blokes a lot better than I would.
That sucks, I worked as a customer advisor in B&Q during college, went for an interview and got asked questions some questions, then I was giving a clipboard and paper and asked to go round the shop floor asking employees and customers some pointless questions, and I got the job.
None of this building straws bull. It's weird because the same time some old guy who use to build boats had an interview for the same position and I never saw him again. I had zilch DIY knowledge :S
None of this building straws bull. It's weird because the same time some old guy who use to build boats had an interview for the same position and I never saw him again. I had zilch DIY knowledge :S
yeah we were asked questions on customer service, then had to try and " pitch a sale " to sell a product and lastly was the building a tower team building thing but it all seemed a bit pointless and the questions we were asked were just terrible " how would you help a customer on the paint section which you haven't been trained in yet ". I thought it would have made more sense to ask how you can help them with something you would know
yeah we were asked questions on customer service, then had to try and " pitch a sale " to sell a product and lastly was the building a tower team building thing but it all seemed a bit pointless and the questions we were asked were just terrible " how would you help a customer on the paint section which you haven't been trained in yet ". I thought it would have made more sense to ask how you can help them with something you would know
Wow, sounds rubbish! They must have totally changed their interview process. Oh well, working at B&Q sucks so much, encountered some of the rudest customers in my life while working there. Oh and I got disciplined on my first weekend working there for failing a mystery shopper. I tried to explain to the manager I had started the day before and wasn't clued up on where blah blah was etc, but he was a right arse.