ABF - Technical Graduate Scheme
Interview process
The first interview in the process was a telephone interview, which was approximately 30 minutes. This was rather informal and like a friendly conversation, where I was asked a little bit about my background, what drew me to the food industry, why I wanted to work for ABF, why I wanted to work in the Technical Graduate role and why I wanted to work for the FMCG as a whole.
The second interview (after being successful with the first interview) was a Skype interview with a different person, where similar questions were asked to the first interview but looking for more specific answers and why this particular company over other FMCG companies. Competency based questions were also asked based on the values of ABF.
The second interview (after being successful with the first interview) was a Skype interview with a different person, where similar questions were asked to the first interview but looking for more specific answers and why this particular company over other FMCG companies. Competency based questions were also asked based on the values of ABF.
Most difficult question
What is your biggest failure and what have you learnt from this?
Can you tell me a time when you had to persuade someone in a more senior role of an idea you had and what was the outcome?
Can you tell me a time when you had to persuade someone in a more senior role of an idea you had and what was the outcome?
Interview tips
Make sure you research the company, not just all there brands but there beliefs and values and how you can apply this to tasks or experiences that you have done.
Be yourself, there was only one role for this scheme and they are looking for the right person, so if you're not perfect for the job you are not going to enjoy it as much.
Be yourself, there was only one role for this scheme and they are looking for the right person, so if you're not perfect for the job you are not going to enjoy it as much.
Experiences at the assessment centre
A 60 minute group exercise (participants), in which the first 10 minutes involved reading a set of data and then the 50 minutes discussing as a group how we would go about the task.
A 10 minute presentation of which 45 minutes were given before to prepare. I was given with a set of situations and I had to choose the one in which I thought was the most important and why and come up with a 5 year action plan.I was provided with a flip chart to aid with this. I ended up talking about why the change in the current global economy and the effect of the UK's current financial status was going to be on the company and ideas as to how they would deal with this.
Had 3 interviews, one situational interview, one personality interview in which a personality test was undertaken before the assessment centre and one motivational interview.
A 10 minute presentation of which 45 minutes were given before to prepare. I was given with a set of situations and I had to choose the one in which I thought was the most important and why and come up with a 5 year action plan.I was provided with a flip chart to aid with this. I ended up talking about why the change in the current global economy and the effect of the UK's current financial status was going to be on the company and ideas as to how they would deal with this.
Had 3 interviews, one situational interview, one personality interview in which a personality test was undertaken before the assessment centre and one motivational interview.
Interview steps
Interviews:
- Phone
- 1:1
- Group / Panel
- Senior Management
- Video
Tests:
- Numerical
- Personality
- Verbal reasoning
- Psychometric
Other:
- Assessment centre
- Group exercise
- Background check
- Presentation
- Competency based questions