Ocado Interview Questions & Answers

The first interview was over the telephone. It lasted for approximately 20 minutes, and was carried out by one of the members of the recruitment team. The tone of the interview was relaxed and friendly. I was asked a series of set questions, asking about knowledge surrounding the company itself. They were short, but tested the depth of research carried out prior to the call. It was not difficult if sufficient preparation was undertaken.

The face-to-face interview was with two members of HR, and myself. It lasted for around an hour, comprising of a series of competency based questions followed by around 15 minutes of general chat at the end. Again, the tone was professional but friendly.
I was asked to provide scenarios of when I had shown qualities such as leadership, and to give examples of my greatest achievements. The interviewers then asked specific questions about my CV; not challenging it, but asking for an expansion of parts they found interesting and asking for more detail.

"Provide an example of a time when you had to change your natural behaviour to suit the situation in hand."

Remember that you are not competing with the other graduates on the assessment day - the company can offer all of you, or none of you the job. Go with a friendly, relaxed attitude and let the assessors see your genuine personality.

We were divided into two groups of six. We were supplied with a packet of spaghetti and a bag of marshmallows, and in a 30 minute slot were challenged to compete with the other group to see who could build the tallest tower. Additional materials were supplied in the middle of the time, and we could use these if we wished.

The first stage of my interview was a numeric and verbal test. This was done under timed exam conditions in one of Ocado's meeting rooms at Ocados headquarters in Hatfield. I wrote the test with three other candidates and we were monitored by the Operations Planning Manager. It was a relaxed atmosphere and we were permitted to use calculators. We could also ask questions during the test. We had about 20 minutes to complete the numeric test and another 20 minutes to answer the verbal reasoning part of the test. Following the assessment we were told we would be invited to an interview if we were successful.Later on the same day I got an email inviting me to an interview the following week.

My interview was also held at the Ocado headquarters in Hatfield. It was conducted by a member of staff who had started in a Warehouse position but had worked their way up to resource planner. The manager of Operations planning was also supposed to be present at the interview but got held up so we went ahead without her.
I started the interview with a logistics test where I had to plan the routes for Ocado delivery trucks. The test lasted 10 minutes and I handed the test back to the interviewer. We then had an initial chat about my background what I was currently doing. The interviewer then went on to start the interview by asking what I thought the role of Operations Planner involved doing. The question was quite easy to answer and I based my answer on the job description which I had read. The interviewer then went on to ask competency based questions and finally asked why I wanted to work for Ocado.

What would you say are your weaknesses.

My advice would be to arrive in good time. This allows you to prepare yourself mentally and be comfortable with your surroundings. By arriving early I managed to speak to other staff members such as the receptionist and security and asked questions about how they found it working at Ocado. You never know who they will go on to speak to. Speaking to other staff members shows you are keen and shows your ability to interact with others. Showing up early meant I had time to observe my surroundings and note certain aesthetics and design elements. I mentioned in my interview that I liked how the offices were designed with the use of vegetables and fruit to name offices instead of using room numbers. This shows to the employer that I am very observant. It also shows that I am aware of Ocados strong brand image. Another tip is to dress smart. Even for the numeric test and verbal test I made the effort to wear a smart office dress and blazer. You never know who will take your interview or conduct your test so it is best to make a good first impression whatever you are invited for. Do not think because it is just a test you can dress casual. Wear something smart anyway. I ended up meeting the Operations planning manager at my interview so it was well worth dressing smart. A further tip is to carry a calculator and pen. You will probably be able to borrow a pen but do not assume this so doesnt hurt to bring a pen just in case. Its unlikely they will supply calculators so make sure you take your own. Another tip is to go over some basic maths questions before the numeric test just to refresh your mind. It might help if you haven't practised maths in a while. A final tip would be to leave time at the end of your test to check over your work.
With regards to the competency interview a good tip is to research the company so thoroughly so you can try link every answer to an aspect of Ocado. So for example if they ask 'tell us when you have worked to a timetable' link it back to maybe how you will apply your skill to the role you apply for.

There was no assessment center.
However we did do the numeric and verbal test under timed conditions, individually but there was three of us in the same room. We were allowed to use a calculator for the numeric test.

My initial telephone interview was with a member of the recruitment team, this lasted around 15 minutes - this covered what I knew about Ocado, my CV and why I applied for the role, I was immediately invited to a Assessment Centre in around 10 days time.

Give me an example when you overcame a challenging situation?

Make sure they hear you speaking up and arguing your point in the group exercises.

The assessment centre had three stages and had around 25 candidates. The first stage involved a numerical and a verbal reasoning test and group discussions, after this some people were asked to leave and the rest of us went on a tour of the warehouse followed by 2 group exercises (One was a survival task and the other a building exercise) - I left at this stage but the final stage was individual interviews for around 5 people.