Marks & Spencer Recruitment Process

A question about : Marks & Spencer Recruitment Process

Hi everyone,

Earlier today I completed an online 'Talent Screening' on the M&S website. I've been told I passed the first part and now have an assessment booked at the store later on in the week, where I will be given an exercise to see what my customer service skills are like.

I was just wondering if anybody else has been to one of these assessment things at M&S and if so, what are they like? Do you have a normal interview as well, or is it just this exercise thing? What kind of thing should I expect to be asked to do there? I have a fair bit of retail experience but have never been to anything like this before and obviously would like to be prepared so I can give it my best go.

Also, is it normal to only recieve confirmation of the time by email? i thought it a bit unusual that they didn't callor anything...

Thanks

Best answers:

• When i had my assesment (last year) i had to do a little role play.
  I was told that the person was having a work party for 6 and sell the "customer" items suitable for the party from cards given to me.They also had a budget to stick to.
  It was not too bad and the people who did this were brilliant and helped me along.
  I did not have a further interview,i was told i passed within ten minutes and was offered a job there and then (permanent when i applied for a temp position).
  After that it was a 3 day induction to learn the tills,customer service and health and safety.
  good luck
• in the role play, make sure you take the customer to the product (they love that), ask if there's anything else you can help with and try to put a positive spin on EVERYTHING & you're laughing. Some babble about taking ownership and responsibility with customers, the quality of m&s goods, and going to ANY lengths to make the customer happy will get you pretty much in for definite too. Good luck!
• Thanks so much for that you two. I feel much better now I have a bit of an idea of what it will entail. What do you mean by choosing the items from cards though? Do they not actually take you out onto the shop floor to pick the items?
  I love M&S and have always wanted to work there so hopefully that will come across well at the interview.
  Did you enjoy working there?
• sorry for the late reply i was looking at other sites.
  I did not go onto the shop floor to do my role play but stayed in a small interview room to do it,but i have heard other people have been taken onto the shop floor.
  I had a set of cards which had food items and prices on so i could work out the balance and give a varied party menu.
  I imagine each interview is different.
  I quite like working at m&s,no day is the same.Some customers can be very nasty but take it with a pinch of salt and please dont take it personally.
  Some jobs are harder than others,i currently work in the coffee shop which is quite hard work but the day goes really quick.
  you get 20% discount and are able to buy stock at the end of each working day for reduced prices.1p for milk,other items are 1/4 price.
  put a post on and let me know how you get on.
• Hey tickle, thanks for replying.
  I'm not sure what department the vacancy is for. I know it's temporary so maybe they will take on more than one person for Xmas, i'm not sure?
  Thanks again and will let you know what happens!
• Hi everyone,
  Just to say my assessment went really well- iIve been offered a position @ M&S! I'm still waiting to hear when my start date will be, but I'm happy
  The role play was quite different to what I imagined, but quite fun. Thanks people !
• Fantastic news princess,
  Well done! x
• Fantastic well done.
  I got my staff discount straight away,they give you a card takes about 4 weeks to come through though,and you can have one for another member of your family (have to live in same house).
  When they have 3 for 2,or 20% you still can use your discount on these,so even more of a bargain.
  Hope you enjoy the new job.
• Hurray for you! I got my discount card quite quickly. I also found them good for training -even for temps ie if you wanted to do a first aid course or similar.
• Hi - Does anyone know what sort of salary a Customer Assistant receives at M&S? Have applied and got initial interview but no idea what the salary is.
  Any information gratefully received.
  Thanks
  Buggins
• We are due a wage rise on 1st october i think it will be Ј6.02,but as a trainee it is approx Ј5.70 then rises when training is completed.
  Permanant staff get paid monthly on the 10th,temps get paid weekly every tuesday.
• Hi Tickle,
  Thanks for the info - I'm a bit disappointed as I'm sure my young godson said he was on about Ј10 p.h. but then, he's in Greater London area, so I guess it's different from the rural stores.
  Never mind - any port in a storm.
• I Too have an interview for M&S on Monday for a job. Can anyone help me out more who has been recently for an interview/ accessment.Is it alway the role play thing ? what else do they ask you ? and when they ask you do you have any questions what would you ask ?
  I can never think of anything to ask. and it sounds bad just to say no i have no questions to ask ?
• It is a mistake NOT to ask questions because it gets the monkey off your back - and if you are lucky they will go on ith their reply for ages, and you can learn more and reLAX a bit! A good questions to ask might be (provided they haven't already told you, so concentrate) are - what development opportunities are there at m&s? Or how do you assess my work?
  Do we have staff meetings and what is covered?
  take a look here for more ideas
  https://www.career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/interview/AskQues.htm
  GOOD LUCK
• OH MY GOD....
  Nightmare...there was the role play. i was in the interview room and the guy left and the accessor came in and then a girl who was obviously playing the role of customer. she didnt even introduce herself or say hello - but launched straight in to the "do you work here"? ( part of the role play ) I was flustered for the whole assessment - she kept saying but i am on a budget and i am a veg so couldnt eat that etc. ( from the cards for the task.but it was a permanent role and she said they had a lot of recruitment assessments to do and it would be a few weeks before I hear.
  Dont think its worth all that crap for m & s
• Hey.... Got the job.just waiting on a start date. Wierdest Interview ever. Just the Role play?????
  Do you get staff discount off your food shopping and wine at M & S or just clothes, etc ?
  Mazza1970- how did you get on ?