Procter & Gamble Application Process

Applying to Procter & Gamble

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(also see Procter & Gamble Interview Questions)

Graduate applicants should have, or be expecting a minimum of 2.1 degree and 280 UCAS points.

Application Process

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The application and assessment process at Procter & Gamble is as follows:

• Online Application
• Online Questionnaire
• Reasoning Test
• First Interview
• final Interview

Online Application

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You will need to apply online for a graduate position at Procter & Gamble. Visit the Procter & Gamble website and check current job vacancies. If you find a position that suits you, click 'apply now' to begin your application.

To make an online application you will need an electronic copy of your CV (in English) and a summary of your latest grades to input into your application. Once you have successfully applied for a graduate role you will receive a confirmation email.

If rejected you will not be allowed to re-apply for 12 months. Successful applicants will be invited to complete an online questionnaire (although not all roles require candidates to complete this).

Online Questionnaire

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Based on the position you have applied to, you will be asked to complete a 20 - 30 minute online questionnaire. This will be relatively straight-forward but will be used to discern which candidates to invite to the next stage of the assessment.

The online questionnaire is composed of two parts:

1. Success Drivers Assessment - Involves a series of short questions that ask how you would respond to a particular situation or problem in the workplace. Some questions will also ask you to evaluate your own academic standing and leadership qualities.

2. Reasoning Screen - Involves 15 questions that test your figural reasoning. This test is strictly timed, 2.5 minutes per question. Make sure you accomplish this test in an environment free of distractions.

Reasoning Test

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If you successfully complete the online questionnaire you’ll be invited to complete the Procter & Gamble Global Reasoning Test at an office location, or on campus during a company recruitment event.

This multiple-choice test lasts for 65 minutes and contains 40 multiple-choice questions. This test has three sections: (1) Numerical Reasoning, (2) Logic-based Reasoning, or (3) Figural Reasoning questions. A calculator and extra paper are provided.

As an example of Numerical Reasoning:

1. In 2001, a company marketed 730,000 units of its product. In 2001 its yearly volume was 50% of its volume for 2004. The 2004 volume represents how many units for each of the 365 days of 2004?

A. 5,000 units
B. 4,000 units
C. 2,000 units
D. 1,100 units
E. 1,000 units
Correct answer: B

As an example of Logic-based Reasoning:

2. Purchasing can have a significant effect on an organization’s total profit. However, the success of a purchasing function relies on competent buyers and a purchasing manager who employs systematic purchasing methods and implements technological advances. If an organization’s profitability is in jeopardy, the efficiency and skill of its purchasing function may determine whether it operates at a profit or at a loss. As such, the purchasing function bears a significant amount of the responsibility for an organization’s profit, and, whenever an organization strives to produce profit, it will expend the effort required to hire capable and qualified buyers as well as a knowledgeable, intelligent purchasing manager. From the information given above, it can be validly concluded that:

A. If an organization’s profitability is not in jeopardy then the competence of its purchasing function will not determine
whether it operates at a profit or at a loss.
B. There are at least some purchasing functions that are not responsible for a significant amount of an organization’s
profit.
C. A non-purchasing function will not bear significant responsibility for the profit of an organization.
D. An organization whose profitability is in jeopardy may depend on the efficiency and skill of its purchasing function to
determine whether it operates at a profit or at a loss.
Correct answer: D

Recommended preparation would be to answer sample GMAT questions under timed conditions. Work as fast and as accurately as you can. This test is not negatively graded, so DO guess if you need to, or if you are running out of time.

Note: The Reasoning Test replaces the P&G Problem Solving Test. If you have taken the Problem Solving Test in the past, you are still required to take the new Reasoning Test.

Interviews

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If you successfully pass all the testing stages of the Procter & Gamble assessments, you'll be invited to an interview at an office or possibly on campus. Most interviews last 45 - 60 minutes and typically involve up to two senior leaders from the function you are applying to.

Most interviews are competency based and you should prepare for competency based questions about your academic and personal history.

Procter & Gamble are looking for evidence of what they call “Success Drivers” at the interview. These are specific core competencies that define how P&G people succeed in today's business environment. They are also how P&G measures performance in the Company.

Procter & Gamble "Success Drivers" fall into three categories:

The Power of P&G Minds - This is about your attitude to display an infinite curiosity, be eager to create with a healthy disregard for conventional thinking, to discover the world around you and your profession and form your idea of all this to then move your business forward.

Essentially, you need to show interviewers that you are willing to "think outside the box" and should show evidence of this if asked competency based questions about your past.

The Power of P&G People - Procter & Gamble want to establish a working environment where everybody feels free to contribute at their own best. You will need to show interviewers that you listen to other people's opinions and are prepared to keep an open mind to new ideas.

The Power of P&G Agility - Procter & Gamble are looking for potential employees who can jump from issue to issue quickly and decisively. You will need to show evidence of this in your interviews.

If you are successful in your first interview, you will be invited to a second (and possibly final) interview. For more information on the Application Process, please visit https://pg.sitebase.net/pg_images/taleo/stepsToSuccess.html.

Now see - Procter & Gamble Interview Questions for information about interviews with Procter & Gamble.

Procter & Gamble Graduate Schemes

Graduate Schemes at Procter & Gamble

[Edit] (also see Procter & Gamble Working Culture)

Procter & Gamble hire approximately 100 graduates for their operations in the UK each year. Graduates are hired for the following business areas:

• Accountancy
• Finance
• General Management
• Human Resources
• IT
• Logistics
• Manufacturing / Engineering
• Marketing
• Purchasing
• Research & Development
• Sales

Graduate training at Procter & Gamble

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	Your assistance is required to complete this section. Please help others by adding information. Click the 'Edit' button at the top to do so.

Now see Procter & Gamble Working Culture

Procter & Gamble Interview Questions

Graduate Interviews at Procter & Gamble (P&G)

(also see Procter & Gamble application process and the WikiJob discussion forum)

The interview process at Procter & Gamble is as follows:

• First Round Interview
• Second Round Interview

First Round Interview

This will be with one Senior Manager and will last 45 minutes - 1 hour. The interview will be entirely based around personal skills which Procter & Gamble define as "Success Drivers" (see Procter & Gamble application process). A section of the interview is likely to be competency based, but even these interview questions will be measured against the company's "Success Drivers". You should expect around 5 - 7 competency questions in your first interview.

During your interview it is unlikely you will be asked what you think of Procter & Gamble as a company, or why you have applied for a specific role or function, although you should of course prepare for these questions.

Questions previous candidates have been asked include:

• Can you tell me a time when you've overcome a problem in a professional environment to reach success?
• Tell me about a time you have successfully led a team in the past.
• What skills do you think you can bring to Procter & Gamble?
• What is your greatest achievement?
• Tell me about a time when you had to make an important decision and how did it turn out?
• Describe a situation in which you effectively developed a solution to a problem by combining different perspectives or approaches. (This is a favourite, was asked in both first and second interviews.)
• Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict with a client, customer, or user.
• Tell me about a time when you took a big risk, and how you mitigated it.
• Tell us about a time when you worked with a team to tackle a problem.
• Tell me about a time when you had to take the initiative to solve a problem.
• Tell me about a time when you had to teach or training somebody, how you did it and how it turned out.
• Tell me about a time when you influenced other people and why.
• Tell me about a time when you had to adjust yourself.

Second Round Interview

If you have been successful at the first round, you will be invited to return for another interview, this time with two Senior Managers from the function of Procter & Gamble you have applied to.

This second round interview will consist of further competency based interview questions and more taxing questions, specifically about the function you have applied to and what you think you'll be doing as a graduate trainee.

Questions previous candidates have been asked include:

• Can you tell me about a complex problem that you solved? Describe the process you utilized.
• Tell me about a time when you had to make a split second decision.
• Tell me about a time when you set a goal and weren’t able to meet or achieve it.
• Give me an example of a time when you used your expertise to solve a problem.
• Tell me about a time when you responded to constructive criticism.
• Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
• Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.
• Describe a time when you were able to come up with a new idea that became the success of some activity or project.

Questions for the Interviewers

In each of your interviews, you will be given around 15 minutes to ask questions about P&G. Make sure you do your research and read as much as you can about the Company. Ask intelligent questions that demonstrate your passion to work for P&G and your willingness to learn more about the Company. Know the Company's Purpose, Values, and Principles (PVP), and some of their billion-dollar brands.

Further Information

Now see Procter & Gamble Application Process and Procter & Gamble Working Culture.

Procter & Gamble Working Culture

Procter & Gamble Company Working Culture

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Hours

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Procter & Gamble have a company culture of moderately flexible working hours if the need arises. However, your working week may be long. You will be hired to work a 40-hour week, although in practice this usually increases to approximately 50 - 70 hours a week.

Salary

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Graduate training salaries at Procter & Gamble start at between £25,000 - £29,000. There are reasonably good benefits including company pension scheme and healthcare (but not dental care).

There is no signing on bonus at Procter & Gamble and employees do not receive bonuses until they've worked at the firm for at least five years.

Travel

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For sales (CBD) - a lot of travelling to clients and colleges. Possible to go to Germany or Spain for client meetings.
For finance - much less, but once a year sales finance goes to Geneva for 1 week to exchange experience.

Dresscode

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Procter & Gamble employees wear business casual attire for internal meetings and business wear for external meetings.

Career progression

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Procter & Gamle employs a team of people to plan out career moves within the company. Its important for you to promote yourself with your manager to ensure your career path is being planned in the same way you have planned it. Every year you review your achievements with your manager, who then tells you what roles you should do to develop certain qualities (like people management, sales skills) in order to progress.

Secondments

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Secondments to Procter & Gamble's european HQ's (e.g. Geneva) are common after 2 - 5 years although not usually during graduate training.

Holiday

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Graduates receive about 25 days holiday per year (although this differs slightly between 20 - 25 depending on areas of company) and one additional "company" day, which all employees are allowed off.

If you work on a Saturday or Sunday (which you are likely to have to do at some point) you can claim back 1.5 holiday days in lieu of the 1 day worked.

Now see Procter & Gamble Graduate Schemes