Retail Interview Questions & Answers

Explain how you would procced. You receive this email:
I am not confident in the forecasts you have produced. They are not high enough and I want more stock.

I simply uploaded my resume and after few days I got an invitation for writing online tests. It seems that they invite everyone to write online test. Online test is pretty easy, but it has strict time constraints. If you got to clear this stage, then aim to finish all the questions at a good speed. Per question you might get only 15-30 seconds.

The next stage is video interview. This is a very crucial stage because they will select only those candidates whom they want to see at their assessment center. They got a strict budget as to whom they got to bring to their HO. Overseas (out of UK) application is always a failure as they will end up incurring huge travel cost and please be assured that they will find a way to reject your application at this stage.

Questions asked:
Q1. Why do you think you should follow rules and regulations?
Q2. Give example of dealing with challenges at your previous work and how you came up with a solution
Q3. Why finance function is important in a business?
Q4. Why do you think you are efficient?
Q5. Why did you chose Morrison finance Graduate scheme?
Q6. What steps will you take to reduce costs/
Q7. Do you like doing work with strict laid down rules and procedures or prefer to do whatever you want to do?
Q8. 2 minutes for further comments.

The video interview questions are very easy. There is one question that I believe is quite tricky one, especially for finance scheme. The question was "Do you like doing work that has strict laid down rules and procedures or do you prefer to work where you can do whatever you want to?" It is one of those questions "where they want to hear what they expect to hear."

It is a local British company. Understand the core-values of the company and also the people who are working in there. You will have an advantage, if you completely understand the company culture and resonate with them. You got to speak in video interview, what the HR wants to hear. If you are able to write to the HR for an appointment to discuss the position, then you will understand things better and finally reach the assessment centre.

If you are lucky to talk to a previously selected graduate and if he/she is kind to let you know how their interview selection "ACTUALLY" works, then you get the job!!!!!

Don't waste time too much for the interview, if you don't have the right resources.

Not reached.

The first interview was a one way interview by Hirevue, where questions popped up on screen, you would get 30 seconds to prepare your answer and then give a three minute answer which was recorded.

Questions included things like "How does off price merchandising and buying differ from full price merchandising/buying?", "What is your understanding of the off-price business model?", "which of our stores have you visited recently and how do you think we allocate products to different stores?".

I was then invited to the assessment centre, where I had a one-on-one interview with one of the merchandisers that lasted around 40 minutes, where the questions included "Why have you applied to TKMaxx and the particular graduate scheme?" and then several situational judgement questions of the type "Describe a time you failed at something?", "Describe a time you took a risk and what the outcome was", "Describe a time you worked well in a team".

It was all very friendly, but it could be difficult to come up with good examples for some of the situational judgement questions.

Describe a time where you disagreed with how things were run/done?

How do you think off price merchandising compares to full price?

Be well read, both about the company and the off price business model and how it differs from other companies. Be curious and personable.

Think about the presentation you will hold beforehand - you will only have the evening to prepare it, so it's good, even though you won't know the topic until the same day, to think of ways to make your presentation stand out in terms of structure and presentation .

At the assessment centre I had one interview, then a data analysis exercise which was about allocating stock to particular stores based on data about each store, then I held a presentation for one of the assessors, which I had gotten the chance to prepare the night before, then we had two group exercises, one about discussing the data analysis exercise that we had done individually at first and the second was about picking out two products that would be commercially viable in a TKMaxx store. We also got to shadow a current allocation analyst.

1. Online application
This included employment history, and questions like where you have obtained leadership skills, etc. Very straightforward.

2. Group interview
Around 12 of us in a room. Started off going round the room taking turns making a speech about ourselves, our degree and why we were there. After that, it mainly focused on what we knew about Aldi as well as any additional information given by the regional manager.

3. Psychometric testing
Online personality questionnaire which assessed suitability to the job.

3. Two-on-one interview
This interview was around 3 weeks after the group interview. Started with a 3-part test which included assessment on verbal reasoning and numerical tests. Followed by an hour-long interview with the regional manager (who led the group interview) and the logistic director. Was rather informal and focussed on my life story and experiences as well as questions like "Why Aldi?". Was also shown the results from the online psychometric testing.

4. Meeting with current area manager in an Aldi store
Awaiting final stage to interview process.

Your degree is in ... so why Aldi?

I would read up as much as possible about the company beforehand which should include looking thoroughly through the website and their business model.
It's also very important to visit a store and to see what offers etc. they have on.
Definitely prepare answers to any difficult questions and maybe revise GCSE Maths for the tests just to be sure, and feel extra confident!

Not given any group tasks as such, just the 3-part test which I was given 15 minutes to complete as is impossible to complete on time.

My one-to-one interview took place at the assessment centre. After completing a presentation to an area manager, he then asked me a variety of questions relating to my background and motivation for the role. This was unusual due to the fact two other candidates were presenting and being interviewed in the same room as me while other assessors were circling the room. My tip here would be to focus on yourself and ignore what is going on around you. After asking about my University life and work experience he moved onto specifics about the role. Questions ranged from 'What do think the key skill of a retail manager is?' to 'How would you improve your current shop (I work in a charity shop)?' I was also asked if I had visited a Farmfoods store so would definitely recommend going to one beforehand. I was then asked how I would improve the store/what impressed me. He also asked about how I would deal with difficult/unmotivated employees.

How would you deal with an uncooperative employee?

Do your research on Farmfoods and retail in general. Make sure you visit a store and have ideas on what you would do to make it run better. Know your presentation inside out before you arrive as this is the one aspect you can control. Be focused during the interview and presentation as assessors are circling and other interviews are taking place so the room can be noisy. Just focus on your own performance. During the group task always look for the simplest/cheapest solution and don't over complicate answers.

Split into two groups of 3. Had to introduce yourself and say a fun fact. Then had to complete an icebreaker with the assessors by finding out information about them. Next was a group task in the groups of 3 where we were given two fictional issues in a store which we had to come up with solutions for and present back to the other group and assessors. Following this was a ten minute solo presentation which I had prepared beforehand (you have to send in your slides a month before attending) to a member of the senior management. After the presentation you complete an interview with this person. Returning to the main room, our group then completed a short spelling and situational judgement test. The assessment centre started at 1pm and was completed by 3pm.

The initial stage is an online assessment which consists of three stages including 1) Numerical Reasoning Test – This is a multiple choice test 2) OPQ (Occupational Personality Questionnaire) this is a self-report questionnaire and finally 3) Graduate Scenarios – This test is designed to assess your judgement.

The next stage is the assessment day which is split into 4 tasks. The one-on-one interview was with one of their seninor staff at the Boots headquarters. The experience itself was quite calm because my interviewer was chatty and relaxed. I felt that even though I was still under pressure to answer questions, the process was not as daughting as I expected.

Describe a situation when you have had to strive for something to achieve the outcome you want?

Ask loads of questions about the role and the company to show how much you’re interested. Also build up some knowledge to demonstrate commercial awareness - they look out for that in their candidates.

I do not live near Nottingham so I travelled their the night before and stayed in a hotel which I would recommend if you do not live nearby.

The assessment centre was full day from 8.30am-4.00pm at the Boots head office in Nottingham. Straight away I felt at ease because the other candidates were really lovely and the staff at Boots were very welcoming.

We were given a de-breif about what the day would entail and then split into two groups of 4. My first task was the one-on-one interview, followed by a negotiation task. For this task, we had 30 minutes to read a booklet on a pharmaceutical store that wants to introduce a new drug. There was infomation on the local population, the store itself, the side effects of the drug and the costs involved. We then ask to be the pharmaceutical sales representative and needed to pursade the local pharmacist to stock this new drug. We had 15 minutes to convince the ‘pharmacist’ to stock the drug. This was in a private room with one assessor and the other actor.

We then had a lunch break. The next task was the group presentation, we were given 5 scenarios with 5 options for solving the situation, we had to make a group decision within 5 minutes and were observed by 8 assessors sat opposite us. My group were really nice so everybody managed to have their say for each of the scenarios.

The final and probably the most difficult task was the analysis and presentation task. We had one hour to analyse a booklet of information on how we would introduce a new business venture, in my case this was a wine club. We were given a lot of infomation to analsye in a short space of time, we were allowed to make some notes and then prepare a presentation to present to one of the assessors. We were then asked questions about our winery idea.

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.

Initially we had a 30 min phone interview about general interview topics (e.g. why M&S, why food etc), which got more specific to M&S towards the end.

At the assessment day the questions were a lot more related to the food industry, including the technical side involved.

We had to do a group task first, followed by a role play exercise, presentation and then two interviews.

The role play exercise was difficult, as you were addressing a 'client' who had worked with the company for many years, so you had to keep them on side but at the same time be strict with your outcome.

Learn the company ethos and bring it in as much as possible in the interview. Keep up to date with current food trends and issues, so that you can relate to what the company is currently facing.

For the role play it is difficult to prepare for but keep in mind the professionalism you'd expect from someone working at the company.

The group exercise involved the 8 of us being given 3 different topics to discuss in 45 minutes. They all had a similar theme but each one had a different issue, e.g. relocating a factory, supply issues etc

For the (unseen) presentation we were given an hour to prepare for but this included having to write a maximum 2 sides of A4 summary which they assessed you on later.