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Tesco Jobs Application Guide for 2022
Tesco has grown to be the fourth largest retail company in the world with only Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Metro exceeding its current turnover of just over £60m. They now have stores in 14 different countries including on the continents of Asia, Europe and North America. In total, Tesco has 4,800 stores of which 2,500 are in the UK. The biggest stores are in China and Malaysia where the average floor area is three-quarters of a hectare. It is also one of the FTSE 100 companies.
Started in 1919 by Jack Cohen, the iconic name is merely an amalgamation of his surname and that of a supplier, T E Stockwell. Since then it has expanded and diversified and now offers banking, clothing, electronics, financial services, home entertainment, home furnishings, insurance, internet services and software.
Recruitment
Naturally, Tesco, is a major recruiter but what can it offer? We investigated its website and looked at what a career with Tesco can provide for the jobseeker.
Like many of the major corporations, Tesco keeps the recruitment arm of its website separate from the main groceries and retail part. If you are looking for work, go to http://www.tesco-careers.com
So do you measure up? According to the Tesco careers website, they are looking for the following attributes in their staff. You must be:
Passionate about retail
Focussed on the customer and prepare to strive to understand them better than anyone
Driven to achieve results through determination and commitment
Committed to treating people in a fair and consistent way
Willing to roll your sleeves up to get things done
Determined to respond energetically to customer feedback
Motivated to work in partnership with others to achieve individual and team objectives
Adaptable and flexible to thrive in a 24/7 business
Devoted to seeking feedback on your performance and investing time in your own development
Training
The staff development programmes cater for 7,000 employees at a time and this allows up to 10,000 workers a year to change jobs within the company.
Tesco promises its employees that they will be:
Treated with trust and respect
Given a manager who helps
Placed in an interesting job
Offered an opportunity to get on
It also claims to encourage workers to be ambitious and to work in different situations within the company. They run a campaign called 'Every Little Helps' (a bit confusing since their television retailing slogan was the same). Trainees are offered something called the Options Development Programme or they can choose to train for an apprenticeship or, alternatively, study for a qualification whilst at work.
Managers are also required to implement a scheme called 'Talent Planning' whereby annually they discuss with each worker their situation and where they would like their career to take them. As a consequence of this and other incentives, over 80% of management jobs are filled internally. In fact the current Chief Executive started out as a management trainee in 1979.
Tesco is very sold on the egalitarian concept with all managers required to participate in their TWIST (Tesco Week In Store Training) each year whereby they are obliged to 'have a go' at every task from working in 'goods in' on the night shift to sitting at a cash register and dealing face-to-face with the public.
Employee Benefits
Aided by their own wide diversification of corporate activities, Tesco is able to operate a whole host of internally-based incentive and benefit schemes for its employees.
Summarised, the main benefits of working for Tesco are:
After 12 months of employment, staff are awarded a Privilegecard which gives them a 10% discount and Clubcard points on most Tesco products
Eligible staff have access to exclusive staff discounts with Tesco Personal Finance and Tesco Telecoms
Free shares are given to everyone who has completed 12 months of service by the end of Tesco’s financial year (February). NB shares are held in trust for 5 years, and can be taken tax-free after then.
Profit-related bonus based on salaries (Tesco's own profit is about 5% after tax)
Staff with 12 months of service get the option, each year in October, to save up to £50 every 4 weeks for either 3 or 5 years and receive a tax-free bonus at the end
Savings and bonuses can be used to buy Tesco shares at up to 20% less than the market price
After 3 months of employment, staff can buy Tesco shares at the full market price but save the equivalent in tax and National Insurance. After 5 years, there are further tax advantages
Staff pension and in-house life assurance schemes
Discounts on theme parks, holidays and gym membership and other special offers from time to time
Discounted rates for staff on health cash plans, dental cover and private medical insurance
Childcare vouchers provided
Time off work for a career break or extended holiday
The Application Process
In order to apply, it is necessary to register with the website and formally log in. At first glance, it is not entirely obvious how one goes about this but, on the right hand side of the page there is a small blue link entitled, 'Find out about working in store'. Clicking on that leads to http://stores.tesco-careers.com/
The site advises that, after an application has been submitted and reviewed, promising candidates are invited to attend an interview and, also, to 'have a go' at working on the shop floor in a Tesco store. This gives would-be employees an opportunity to assess their level of aptitude for their chosen career.
Tesco promises to let interviewees know the outcome of their application within 10 days of the interview.
There is a job search facility but it is clear that many vacancies are not posted. This is one black mark against an otherwise very good and informative site.
Tesco states:
"Some stores maybe (sic) recruiting online, please click on 'Job Search' to see if your store is recruiting online, otherwise ask instore (sic) for more information on their current vacancies."
In other words, you don't know whether there are no jobs or whether no-one's bothered displaying them online. Two spelling mistakes don’t serve to impress, either.
CV’s are not accepted and all applications must either be submitted online using the site’s form pages or by visiting a store and discussing application requirements with the personnel department there.
Clicking the 'Job Search' link takes you to http://stores.tesco-careers.com/jobsearch.cfm
From an inspection, it does seem that most jobs are not posted (like many other similar sites). For example, there appears to be only one 'nights' job in the whole of the UK!
Another black mark goes for the dearth of information about each job. The majority of the text is standardised and thus is the same irrespective of the nature of the post. Is this the voice of Tesco's egalitarian directorship or is it just plain old-fashioned sloppiness?
Needless to say, salaries are not displayed so, once again, the applicant is being asked to submit their details for a post that pays an indeterminate wage. No doubt these are at least comparable to those offered by its competitors but it would be helpful to know or, at least, get some approximate indication. The number of days that can be taken as paid holidays is also noticeable for its absence.
The First Day
A new employee’s first day working for Tesco's is spent on an induction course that teaches them the store’s ethics, values and rules. It goes on to promise that both the manager and the other employees will participate in the in-house training and afford support through the initial phase of getting to know the job.
Tesco provides an opportunity for a jobseeker to join a company that regularly makes a profit (therefore offering stability and security) as well as suggesting many routes for promotion and career advancement. Without doubt, there is plenty of scope for individual advancement and the snobbery that occurs in many companies with 'blue collar versus white collar' scenarios is very definitely unwelcome at Tesco.
Changing jobs within the company is commonplace so there is no social stigma to employees who want to try their hand at different roles - in fact, it is actively encouraged.
There is also a chance to transfer to an overseas store and experience a completely different lifestyle; all with the security of being employed by one of the UK's largest employers.
Fringe benefits are generous - and not just for the higher echelons of management - although these rewards only really kick in after more than 12 months of service. Employees are strongly encouraged to buy company shares and, thus, acquire a vested interest in the well-being of their employer. Going on the history of Tesco shares (TSCO on the London Stock Exchange), dividends have tripled in the last ten years and the share price itself has risen from £3.26 on 15 December 2020 to £4.28 today. An increase of 31%.
The website is very informative and there is a host of information about the company and what is on offer if you join Tesco's. Unfortunately the facility for searching for jobs and the specific post details provided are lacking in basic details.
A bit of managerial organisation and some data entry would make the site truly stand out and, in doing so, better live up to the ethos that Tesco promotes.
What Can You Contribute to This Company?
What is Your Greatest Strength?
What Can You Do for Us That Other Candidates Can’t?
What Are Your Salary Expectations?
What Type of Work Environment Do You Prefer?
Do You Prefer to Work Independently or on a Team?
When Was the Last Time You Were Angry? What Happened?
What Do People Most Often Criticize About You?
What Are Your Pet Peeves? Interview Question
What Are You Passionate About? Interview Question
What Has Been the Greatest Disappointment in Your Life?
What Do You find are the Most Difficult Decisions to Make?
How Do You Handle Stress and Pressure? Interview Question
How Many Hours Do You Normally Work?
Do You Take Work Home With You? Interview Question
Describe a Typical Work Week? Interview Question
What Have You Been Doing Since Your Last Job?
Why Are You Leaving Your Job?
Who Was Your Best Boss and Who Was the Worst?
What Do You Expect From a Supervisor?
What Was it like Working for Your Supervisor? Interview Question
What Was the Biggest Accomplishment - Failure Interview Question
What Did You Like or Dislike About Your Previous Job?
What Major Challenges and Problems Did You Face? How Did You Handle Them?
What Were Your Responsibilities? Interview Question
What Were Your Starting and Final Levels of Compensation?
Example Answers
1-
“In my last job I started some 15 years ago, so when I started my salary was only around £12,000 a year. It rose over time, and along with my job title, it finished at £45,000 with my position as assistant area sales manager. However, included in that package was a very generous pension, a company car, 5 weeks paid holiday and a lot of free products. I was very happy to see that you are offering a very generous starting salary for this position, and look forward to progressing my career with you.”
2-
“I started at McFarlane’s earning £3.40 per hour as a sixteen-year-old Saturday employee, and over my 3 years there it rose with my age and position, I am currently being paid £8.90 per hour as I am in a supervisory role. I get free lunch whilst on duty and a discount card for when I am not working. I was looking for a slightly larger wage than you are offering, however, given the extra benefits you offer such as staff gym etc., I am quite happy to start at that wage.”
3-
“As I haven’t really had a job as I only left school last month, I can only relate to a paper round I had when I was younger. I was paid £5 per round. I would get small ‘bonuses’ in the form of sweets if I managed to get more customers to take delivery.”
4-
“I was actually previously self-employed so I could pretty much set my own wage. It would vary each month depending on the number of sales made etc., but I always limited my ‘income’ to £2000 per month and would save the rest. That way I always had the money for emergencies etc. I think the wage you are offering is very competitive and especially with the bonus structure that you are offering, I would be very happy with it.”
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Wickes Interview Questions and Helpful Advice
Wickes are usually efficient and from registering your details you should hear back from them within 72 hours (during working days).
Company Interview Questions
If you are successful at being matched to a live vacancy at this stage then usually the next step is to have a telephone interview and a selection event at a Travis Perkin group site. They could do an assessment centre location or a face to face interview for the second stage where you would be given specific exercises to complete. Depending on the role and the level of seniority there may be a third type of interview. The recruitment team will notify you at every stage and in plenty of time so you can prepare.
Preparation is the thing you need to focus on should you be invited to an interview and you can do this by visiting one of their stores and understanding how it all works, the layout, the staff, how big are the stores, what products do they sell. Can you draw on any of your own previous experience, have you worked somewhere similar even if a different product, think about this and use this as the basis for the answers that you can prepare in advance.
In this kind of setting, you will likely wear a uniform but it’s important to dress smartly and look the part so that your interviewer can see you have made an effort and prepared. Above all be calm, the more you have prepared the calmer you will be.
Wickes Interview Questions
- Why would you make a good asset?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- What will you bring to the role?
- Why do you wanna work here?
- Tell me about yourself.
- Are you happy to work overtime and get it back as time in lieu?
- What is Wickes best selling field in the UK?
- How to be a good customer service person.
- What motivates you?
Wickes Interviews
- Name a time where you had to make a difficult decision.
- How would you deal with a difficult customer?
- What qualifications do you have?
- What knowledge do you have about tools?
- What other jobs have you had since applying for this position?
- Have you done any volunteering?
- Have you got a criminal record?
- What can you bring to this role?
- Why do you want to work for Wickes?
- Are you in education?
- What hours are you available to work?
- When are you able to start?
- Tell me about yourself?
Wickes Job Interview
Typical Interview Questions
- Tell me about yourself.
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- Why do you want this job?
- Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
- Why did you leave your last job?
- What attracted you to this company?
- Why should we hire you?
- What did you like least about your last job?
- Give some examples of teamwork
- What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
- What were the responsibilities of your last position?
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Ryman Interview Questions and Useful Tips
Whether you are invited to a 1:1 interview or an assessment day, the preparation you need to do beforehand is still the same.
As part of your research so that you feel comfortable in your interview you need to visit a store and see what products Ryman sell, how their stores are laid out, how big are they, how many staff work there. Try and visit different ones at different times so that your viewpoint is accurate.
Think ahead of what you are going to wear. Working in front of customers you need to look smart so think carefully about how you do your hair as well as your clothes and shoes, maybe get an idea from when you visit the store although they may wear a uniform.
Some questions that you are likely to be asked when being interviewed for Ryman are:
- Explain a time when you have worked in a team?
- How do you work to deadlines?
- How do you work under pressure?
- What do you think of good customer service?
- Give an example of good customer service?
- Name 5 products we sell.
Your interviewer will probably ask some of the basic interview questions too:
- Tell me about yourself.
- What are your strengths?
- What are your weaknesses?
- Why do you want this job?
- Why do you want this job?
- Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?
- What’s your ideal company?
- What attracted you to this company?
- Why should we hire you? What makes you a better candidate than others?
- What did you like least about your last job?
- When were you most satisfied with your job?
- What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
- What were the responsibilities of your last position?
- Why are you leaving your present job?
- What do you know about this industry?
- What do you know about our company?
- Do you have any questions for me?
Good luck.
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JavaScript Interview Questions and Answers
JavaScript Interview Questions
- What is the difference between '==' and '===' in JavaScript?
- What is closure in JavaScript?
- Given five large tech companies Google, Microsoft, IBM Apple and Tesla which one would you least want to work?
- Why are you leaving your current job?
- Why do you want to work for us?
- Why should we hire you?
- How long have you been working as a JavaScript developer?
- What is your experience?
- Do you know how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors?
function multiply(x,y){return x * y}; So multiply(3,5) returns 15
. What changes do we have to make to multiply so we can write multiply(3)(5);
- What is the difference between var and let closure property, ES6 in JavaScript?
- What are your biggest completed projects?
- Tell me about yourself.
- Tell me about your previous projects.
- What is encapsulation in OOP used for?
- What happens when you connect to an SSL socket?
- What is 'this' in JavaScript?
- How could you have simplified aspects of the technical test?
- Describe an interesting technical problem you have had to solve and the solution?
- What digital product do you admire?
- How should product and tech work together to deliver?
- How would you speed up a slow website?
- What status code does 401 stand for?
- What motivates you?
- Which one did you choose and why? Angular or React?
- What is the difference between null and undefined?
- Could you tell me more about yourself?
Salaries are starting from £60-70k a year and it goes up to over £100k for senior developers with a working history.
We have listed the most asked JavaScript interview questions here. You may be asked many questions from the list above however you may be asked questions completely different from this page so better be prepared with other questions too.
There are typical interview questions that you might be asked too such as:
- Why should we hire you?
- What makes you different from other candidates?
- What motivates you?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Why did you leave your last job?
- What do you know about us?
Web Designer Interview Questions and Answers
Dog Trust Interview Questions and Answers
If you are going to take an interview with Dog Trust then it's best to be prepared for your big day. There are many questions you could be asked during your job interview however there are some that you will definitely be asked which are below:
Dog Trust Interview Questions and Answers
Can you describe an occasion during which you had to deliver bad news to someone?
Be honest and tell them about your experience.
Why do you want to work for Dogs Trust?
You can always tell that "I love dogs" but let's keep this as the start of our answer. You need to be more specific.
What do you know about Dogs Trust?
It's very easy to visit their website and read the "about us" section. Take notes about what they do and how they do.
What experience have you had with producing campaign material?
It's important, to be honest when answering an interview question whether you have experience or not.
What high street shops stand out for you in terms of good fashion and window displays?
Just tell the one that amazes you as long as it's not Pet At Home.
What's the advantages and disadvantages of working in a team?
You probably worked in a team before if this is not your first job. Don't worry if this is your first job and don't know anything about teamwork as you can always tell them the advantages and disadvantages of working in a team.
You will probably be asked the following questions as well:
- Tell me about yourself
- Why do you want to work for Dog Trust?
- Have you ever been to a Dog Trust store?
- Do you know anyone who works for Dog Trust?
- Do you love animals?
- Have you got a Dog?
- When can you start?
- Have you got any questions for me?
- Have you got any experience of working with animals?
- What do you think about animal rights?
- What makes you better than other candidates? Why should we hire you?
- What motivates you?
Dog Trust interview tips
What to wear. You can dress casually at your Dog Trust interview. Nothing formal is necessary due to the nature of the job.
Timing? Be there at a given location no earlier or later than 15 minutes before your interview. This is really important to your employer's organisation.
Don't forget to ask questions to your interviewer after your interview. Ask questions about training, when you could start etc.
Have you got any other questions or tips to contribute to this page?
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Follow Up Letter Example for a Job Application
Business Teacher Cover Letter Example for Job Applications
Studying Business Management has become a trend today. Many students wish to learn the concept of Business Management, and increase the potential of their professional career. Teachers teaching in Business Schools thus have a base of work experience and knowledge gained over years. They then put to use their experiences, and relate it to the management concepts. To apply for the post of Business Teacher or a Management Teacher, one can write a Business Teacher cover letter. This letter helps you present your skills, and pose yourself as the most suitable candidate for the particular position.
(For a candidate with experience in teaching)
#1 Sample Business Teacher Cover Letter
Sherley Hall,
Wet Street,
Greenfield Apartments ,
California, West- 41021
Ph: 44 20120
Email: sherley.hall@joy.com
To,
The Director,
Mr. Mike Bay,
Expert School of Business Management,
California - 41025
Dear Mr. Bay,
I am Sherley Hall and I wish to present my candidature for the position of Business Teacher in your reputed college. I have 2 years of teaching experience, and an industry experience of 6 years.
I am working as Operations - Business Teacher, with St. Peters Business School since 2 years. I teach Management Operations to the students there, and I also take up Business Communication. While teaching, I incorporate my learning from my work experience, and relate it to the theoretical concepts to help students understand the concept better.
Before working as a Faculty, I worked as an Operations Manager with 3 different organizations. I assured that my work proved to be a useful contribution to the organizational goals. My efforts and work has been appreciated. I thus believe that I would bring in the best to your business school, and help students learn a lot from my experience and expertise.
Experts Business School, is known for producing the most successful and efficient Managers. I would be glad to be a part of their journey. I am looking forward to meet you in the same context, and discuss the possibility further.
Please feel free to contact me for an interview as per your convenience.
Awaiting a positive response.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
(Signature)
Sherley Hall
44 20120
sherley.hall@joy.com
(for a candidate with no experience of working as a faculty)
#2 Sample Business Teacher cover letter
Sherley Hall,
Wet Street,
Greenfield Apartments,
California, West- 41021
Ph: 44 20120
Email: sherley.hall@joy.com
To,
The Director,
Mr. Mike Bay,
Expert School of Business Management,
California - 41025
Dear Mr. Bay,
I am Sherley Hall, and I am presenting my candidature for the position of Business Teacher advertised in today's newspaper. I am currently working as a Recruitment Manager with Sera Tech, and now I wish to work as faculty with your renowned institution.
Working as a Recruitment Manager, and beginning my career as an HR executive, I have learned a lot. I have actually understood the concepts taught in Human Resource Management, and its application in practical situations. I understand the situations that a student would have to face in an organization after passing out from the institution. I believe that the experience and knowledge gained over years would be beneficial for the students.
Besides putting my knowledge at work for the students, I would also get to learn a lot from an institution, which is known for producing the best Managers. I would also be in touch with the updates and understand the new ideas and thoughts these students bring in with them. All this excites me to take teaching as a next step in my career.
I believe that we could discuss this further, and reach a mutually beneficial decision, if you could spare some time and call me for an interview. Please let me know the interview timings as per your convenience. You can call me at the number given below, or mail me on my email address.
Hoping to get a positive response soon.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
(Signature)
Sherley Hall
44 20120
sherley.hall@joy.com
In the second sample, the applicant could be a complete fresher as well. This means that the applicant for the position of Business Teacher could be a management graduate who wishes to pursue his/her career as a Business Teacher. Here the applicant will not have any work experience. Some organizations do hire such freshers based on their academics. The applicant will thus have to stress on his/her academics to prove his/her candidature as the best.
Use a sample cover letter that suits your profile, and brings out the best of you.
How to Write an Academic Cover Letter
A job application is accompanied with a resume and cover letter. A cover letter gives you a chance of communicating to the prospective employer. All the applicants send in their resumes. These resumes are written in more or less a standard format. The degrees or qualifications for a particular job are also more or less similar. Thus, it is the cover letter that helps you get an edge over others, and get a preference for your resume. Also, the cover letters have to be customized as per the industry or field. A generalized letter will not fulfil the purpose. For example, there have to be different cover letters for different fields, like an academic cover letter of the educational field, business cover letter, management cover letter, etc.
In this section of resume cover letters, we will discuss the academic cover letters. While applying for a job in the academic sector, you will have to write an academic cover letter. This letter will give you a chance to present yourself as a dedicated teacher and researcher. However, for writing this you first need to understand the difference between an academic and a business cover letter.
An academic and a business cover letter have the same purpose but the way the two letters are written and the content of the two letters differ to a great extent. The academic letters tend to be long, as there has to be detailing about the research work and accomplishments in your career as a researcher and a teacher. The academic letter is thus 1 ½ to 2 pages long, and has around 5-8 paragraphs. Also, while writing academic letters, you need to know what type of institution you wish to get into and customize your letter accordingly. There is a difference in the goals and requirements of liberal art college and community college.
Now since you speak about being passionate for research and wish to put it forth, you must do a research about the institution in which you are applying. This research will serve as a strong base. You can impress the researcher by showing that you have done a thorough analysis and research before showing your interest in being a part of the institution. This will actually prove that you have the habit of researching before zeroing down on something.
Usually, the students study different subjects and then streamline their study and interest in certain field. They take up dissertations in this field, which helps them do a thorough study in that particular field. While applying for jobs, you need to make a reference of these dissertations and prove your relevance to that particular position. In your resume, you might mention it in the later part, thus your cover letter helps you put forth this information right in front of the employer. For example, if you have studied US national politics very well and taken up a dissertation in the same, you can apply for teaching US politics in schools or colleges.
The type of information and order of information in your letter also depends on the institution you are applying for. For example, while applying for a college for under graduation studies, you would put forth your teaching experience initially in the letter. While applying with universities and research based institutions, you need to initially speak about your research work and dissertations.
Also, speak about the major conferences you have been a part of in this letter itself. If you are still pursuing your Ph.D, or continuing with your dissertation, you must mention, by when you will complete it, number of chapters remaining, and a brief about it, to give the reader an idea about your work. If you have been part of any research, assisted someone in research while at school or college, mention it in your resume. Make sure that the person whose name you are quoting would reply affirmatively if asked about the same.
Thus, the basic of an academic cover letter is a thorough research about the type of institution and audience you wish to address. This will itself speak about your passion for research, and give an idea about the correctness of your analysis. Refer to some of the academic cover letter samples given in the links below to get a clear idea before writing an academic cover letter.
How to Write a Cover Letter in 2021
While applying for a job, everyone submits his or her CV. A CV is a CV, so why is it that certain CVs get an edge over others. Why are some CVs rejected in the CV screening round itself? When the employer asks you a question - 'Why should I hire you? , he/she has this in mind even while screening the CV applications he/she gets for the said job. It is this question that you need to answer, and when you are not face-to-face with your prospective employer, your CV cover letter will do this for you.
A cover letter is usually confused with a CV. It is not your CV, but it should complement your CV. The employer will get all the details regarding your qualification and employment from your CV, and thus the cover letter should not repeat all this. It is a letter that is sent along with your CV, while sending a job application. The aim of the cover letter is:
Introduction - Your name and the position you wish to apply for.
Highlight your USP - the key skills, achievements or experience that differentiate you from other candidates.
It should create an interest among the reader
Requesting an action on the part of the employer.
Your cover letter is thus an important tool that supports your CV, and if drafted correctly, will force your prospective employer, to go ahead and read your CV. This gives you a chance to at least get your CV screened in the first round (CV screening), and then move ahead. It would help you pave a way to reach to your prospective employer.
This letter is of three types. The first and most common type of letter is 'application or invited' letter. It is used to respond back to a job advertisement. The second type is the 'prospecting or uninvited' cover letter, which is used to enquire about the possible job openings. The last type is the 'networking cover letter', which is used by the job seeker to seek help and information during the job search. These three types of letters have a set purpose, and have to be written carefully with this purpose in mind.
Writing a cover letter is thus not like writing a mere application. It has to be customized, original, and should have a thought process involved in it. The employer will analyse your ability and interest in the job position reading your cover letter. If you mess up with this, the prospective employer might not even read your CV. This makes it very important to seek some help in writing this letter specially if you have not written one before, or do not have an idea about the format of this letter. Keeping this in mind, we have a number of sample CV cover letters for different job openings and different fields. Using these sample letters you can draft a letter for your CV.
Another very important point in a cover letter is that it has to be customized. Sending out a generic letter is not a good idea. You need to take some effort to draft this letter as per the position and organization you are applying for. This makes it necessary that you get an access to some sample letters for almost all possible job profiles and positions. If you get a reference cover letter for the job you are applying for, it will be easy for you to draft a letter for your job application, and make your letter look relevant to the position applied for.
Have a look at some sample CV and CV cover letter examples, and write a cover letter for your CV that would complement your CV, and give you a chance over the others.
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Primark Interview Tips and Questions
Company Information:
- June 1969 the first Penney’s store was opened in Dublin. Within the year 4 more stores had opened in the Dublin area.
- Primark has acquired store properties such as BHS, C&A and the Co-op to build on their portfolio of stores.
- In May 2006 Primark opened its first store in Spain.
- Currently, there are 160 stores in the UK with a total in Europe and Ireland of 256 stores.
Primark follows its core values including Best Value for money, treating customers like you want to be treated yourself, continuously improving products, environment, health and safety.
Primark looks for committed individuals that are self-motivated, commercially aware, resourceful and looking for a long term career within a retail business.
When you join Primark they start you on a thorough induction program and an individually tailored training program which is a sound basis for your future career. They have a Career Development Program which allows you to do an NVQ program in four different areas.
For management or Head Office roles within Primark, you can apply online for any vacancies. For Retail Sales, positions download the application form and take it to your nearest store.
Remember with any retail business to do your research into their competitors, look at their products and their stores, try and go to at least two and compare them ready for your interview. The more you research the better you will come across.
Primark Interview Questions
- Who are our competitive companies?
- What do you think is good customer service?
- Did you do any presentations at either school or college?
- What is a time you had to meet a deadline?
- What is a time you worked in a team?
- What's the greatest challenge you've had to date?
- A woman is standing waiting in the changing room line and is getting impatient, what should you do?
- When have you had to work in a team to complete a task with a limited amount of time?
- When have you had to work in a team and someone has not been offering a skill to help?
- How do you get a customer to take a customer service feedback card and bring it back filled out?
- Name a time you gave good service
- Explain the meaning of good customer service
- Tell me a bit about your background and education.
- Name Primark's top competitors on the high street?
- What do you know about Primark?
- What would you do if a customer wanted to try the dress on but they are in a rush and the que for the fitting rooms is long?
- What would you do if a customer wanted a dress they saw but it wasn't in stock?
- An example of me working in a team and when there was a conflict?
- What do you hope to get out of this role?
- How would you deal with an upset customer?
- Who are the main competitors of Primark?
- Name a time you have been in charge of a situation?
- What do you think is good customer service?
- Give me an example of when you gave excellent customer service?
- Can you think of a time in which you helped someone, what was there issue and how did you help them?
- Why do you want to work for Primark?
- Tell me about yourself
- Tell me a time went you went above and beyond for a customer
- Tell me something interesting about yourself
- Do you have an interest in retail?
- What do you think is the best customer service?
- What relevant skills do you have?
- Tell me a time when you've worked in a team and a team member was not contributing
- What if the customers saw dress on TV and we didn't have in store?
- How much do you know about Primark as a company?
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NVQ Assessor Interview
To be an NVQ Assessor you will need to be qualified to Level 3 as an Assessor and also have some experience in the sector or area that you are looking to assess. Qualifications include:
- Level 3 Award in Assessing Competence in the Work Environment – for assessing occupational competence in the workplace
- Level 3 Award in Assessing Vocationally Related Achievement – for assessing vocational skills and knowledge outside the workplace, for example in classrooms or workshops
- Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement – for assessing both occupational competence in the workplace, and skills, knowledge, and understanding outside the workplace.
On a day to day basis an NVQ Assessor could be involved in:
- Examining candidate’s portfolios of evidence.
- Questioning candidates and providing feedback.
- Signing off sections, awards when the evidence has been met.
- Observing and assessing.
- Attending meetings and working closely with other training staff.
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Software Tester Interview Questions and Useful Advice
To become a software tester you would normally gain experience of software development through University or from a previous experience. Any employer will expect you to be very technical in your knowledge and ability and have a lot of experience in different platforms and languages. You will also be expected to know the software testing lifecycle.

The languages you will be required to know are ones such as: SQL and programming languages such as PHP, .NET and Java. These programming languages change frequently so it is very important to keep your skills as up to date as possible or you will find you are lagging behind.
A software tester will test a new piece of software to ensure that it works and is ready for the outside world. A tester will need to put the software through its paces to try and find any faults with it and each stage of development. Once the new software has been seen as a faultless program then its time for its functional testing, customer scenario testing, stress and performance testing, as many tests to ensure that when this goes live it will work flawlessly.
To be a good software tester you must have a good understanding of the software development process, be able to understand the business that you are working in and how this software can help. You must have excellent communication skills, good presentation skills, be able to understand technical information and translate to not so techy people and be able to work to usually very tight deadlines under pressure.
It will depend on the company that you work for and the size of the team as to hours and days of work. Usually they are Monday to Friday normal work times however depending on the deadlines you may need to work extended hours and similarly with a smaller company and team.
The most important factor of any software job is to keep your skills as up to date as possible, seek out courses, many of them are online and that way you will stay ahead of the crowd.
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Helpful Tips for a Flight Attendant Interview
As a Cabin Crew member you must ensure that your passengers have a safe and pleasant journey testing your Customer Service skills to the max when faced with difficult passengers.

For this role you must be a good team player, working as a team in this role is exceptionally important and without your team members it wouldn’t work.
Before the flight:
You will be responsible for checking the flight is on schedule and making sure you have the correct relevant information. Check that there are enough supplies on the plane and that the emergency equipment is working properly. Meeting and greeting passengers and directing them to their seats.
In flight:
Ensuring passengers are comfortable, serving food, drinks and snacks, selling items of duty free, reassure passengers if needed.
Landing:
Ensuring passengers leave safely with all their baggage
Do any paperwork relating to the flight
Stock count of food and drink that has been sold on board
Each airline has their own entry requirements to be a member of their Cabin Crew however you will need a good general education including GCSE grades in English or Maths A-C grade and a proven experience of dealing with customers.
You will also be required to be over the age of 18 and some airline set this as 21 years old, physically fit, have good colour-normal vision (contact lenses accepted), be of smart appearance, be able to swim very well and have a valid passport with no restrictions. Height and weight requirements vary between airlines so this is worth checking.
There are qualifications you can do as part of a cabin crew role such as:
- Level 2 Certificate for Air Cabin Crew
- Level 3 Certificate for Senior Cabin Crew
- Level 3 Diploma in Aviation Operations.
For anyone with a keen interest in travel and someone who enjoys meeting new people this would be the perfect role.
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Waitrose Interview Questions and Helpful Tips

Company Information
- Waitrose is the supermarket division of the John Lewis Partnership.
- They have approx 230 branches across the company and are still expanding.
- The partnership employs over 37,000 people across their sites.
- The first Waitrose supermarket was opened in 1955 and today there are 280 branches.
- They have a turnover in excess of £6 billion.
- Waitrose has received a Big Tick Award in the Sustainable Supply Chain Category at the Responsible Business Awards 2020.
All their current vacancies can be found on their website where you can also apply. They take great pride in customer service and treating their customers and employees very well and offer great training and development opportunities throughout the partnership.
Once you have completed your application form and got an interview, ensure that you visit the location of the interview and if the role is for one of their stores and you know which maybe visit that store a couple of times at different times of the day to get an impression of what it’s like and almost critic it, this could then be the basis of the questions you ask when you are in your interview.
Remember that Waitrose has many different departments and regardless of whether you are going for a role in their Distribution centre or in one of their offices you should dress very smartly and create a good impression both visibly and through the research you have done into the company and partnership as a whole.
On the day of the interview go through the application form and the answers you gave, read the job description through and mentally have a role play about the answers you may give to many of the standard questions such as: why do you want to work for Waitrose?
Questions
- Tell me about yourself
- What are your weaknessess?
- Why do you want this job?
- What have you done to improve customer service in your store?
- What motivates you?
- How fexible are you around working unsocial hours
- Name a time when team building was essential in something you have done
- What Waitrose brand would you be and why?
- What can you do for us that other candidates can't?
- Give an example of when you had to adapt to change?
- How do you keep up with changing trends in technology?
- If you could have anyone over for dinner, who would it be, and what would you cook them?
- Think about a time when you've had to make an independent decision. What did you do?
- Name a time you worked within a team
- Name a mistake you've made and how did you rectify it?
- Why do you want to work for Waitrose?
- Name a time you suggested change?
- What do you think are the qualities a partner should have?
- Tell me about your experience with customers
- What are your strengths?
- Do you want to work nights?
Good Luck.
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Apple Interview Questions
Apple's most popular products are: iPad, iPhone, iPod and Mac.
Check out the following questions to be prepared for your big day with Apple.
Apple Interview Questions
- Why Apple?
- Why do you want to work for Apple?
- How did you exceed a customers expectations?
- What are email protocols?
- How would you handle a disgruntled customer?
- Where is Apple Headquarters?
- Who founded Apple?
- What kind of environment do you need to work in to be at your best?
- Have you ever had any problems with your manager?
- Have you ever been fired from a job?
- How do you stay current with current technologies?
- What is the difference between carrier and subcarriers?
- What is the bandwidth of a WIFI signal?
- Why is the At Home Advisor position a good fit for you?
- How to put a computer together?
- Why are you wanting to leave your previous job to pursue a career at Apple?
- What are you passionate about?
- Name a time you went above and beyond for a customer?
- What makes you a leader?
- How do you qualify for great customer service?
- What is a time you had an upset customer? How did you handle it?
- Describe a time you had to integrate someone new into the workplace.
- Why you consider yourself good to work at customer support?
- What makes you the best candidate to work for Apple?
- What is one thing that would disappoint you while working in retail?
- What are you passionate about?
- Who is the current CEO?
- Name 3 operating systems you know.
- A time that you have had to deal with a difficult customer and how did you resolve the situation?
- What is your favourite Apple product?
- Describe how you responded to a difficult situation previously.
Apple Interviews
- What was a challenging situation you were in and how did you manage it?
- How did you work together as a team?
- Can you describe how corporate income tax is calculated?
- What year did Apple first open a retail store?
- Why do you think you'd be a good fit at apple?
- What would you say to your future self and past self now?
- Why are we successful?
- How would you sell a Mac to a Windows user?
- What Apple products you have or have had? What did you like about them?
- What separates Apple from its competitors? What are its distinct advantages?
- What are Apple's strengths?
- What are Apple's weaknesses?
- Who are Apple's main competitors in each segment?
- If you were given an unlimited marketing budget today, what would you do with it?
- Why should we choose you?
- Why do you want to work here?
- How do you work in teams? Could you give an example from your past experience?
- What's the most impressive thing about apples dominance?
- How do you think you will benefit apple?
- What is currently the most talked about thing in the technical environment?
- What would you bring to Apple?
- Tell me something that isn't on your CV.
- What events would you create to promote the brand and the store?
- How would you add to a sale?
- What do you really want from your time at Apple?
- What made you apply to Apple in the first instance?
- Tell me about a time that you dealt with a difficult situation.
- Why Apple products were better than other brands?
- What do you think brings customers to apple?
- What is the role of an Apple Specialist?
- What would you tell a PC user to turn him into a mac user?
- What is the difference between sympathy and empathy?
- How would you explain WIFI to a ten year old?
- How would you deal with a customer that was upset and what was the outcome?
- What is an operating system?
- Explain a time where you went one step further than a co-worker was willing to go?
- Explain a time in which you had to deal with an irate customer. What was the end result?
- What is customer service?
- Describe a time you went above and beyond for a consumer.