Caterpliiar Graduates - Purchasing 2011

I am yet to hear from them after the email that someone will get in touch with me soon regarding my telephonic interview.

I heard that, this is their typical first stage of selection process. btw, did they ask you to prepare examples? if so, how many? and any other specifics?

Good luck

Cheers

Hi nfs63

Sorry I've been pretty busy the last few days. Yeah the girl over the phone said that I needed provide specific examples from work, university etc of the above area's. A friend of mine works for a company which carries out these telephone interviews (Jaguar, Centrica, National Grid), it appears that the bigger companies contract the work out; he said that it is very much a points based system, say the wright stuff get the points!

I will update with my experience after Wednesday.

Good Luck

J

Hmmm,

Good luck and I'd be looking forward to hear from you.

Cheers...

Any chance of getting the list Of those questions and especially the point based system criteria to answer those questions.

Good luck again for your interview.

Cheers...

Hi,

Right I have just finished my telephone interview so I thought that I'd update now seen as the event is fresh in my mind.

The interview was pretty much as I expected, the interviewer started off with a couple of questions about the programme and what exactly drew you to your chosen discipline. Be quite specific here.

He then moved straight onto the competency based questions, asking me to use examples from university, work and any extracurricular experiences If I felt they were relevant. I had to provide examples of the following:

- Planning and organisation - Teamwork and collaboration - Leadership - Initiative

Use the STAR approach, (the interviewer basically told me to do this!) he was particularly interested in my actions (specifics important) and the end result.

This was my first ever telephone interview so fingers crossed, I should hear within 2 days!

J

Cool.... Looks like you've done great job at that interview and thank you for updating me.

Did he told you what would b the next stage?

When does caterpillar normally have their assessment centres ?

Well I was managed to pass the interview, very quick turn around, I had an email the same day!

Umer: No idea, looking at prospects its some time in Feb/ March.

NFS63: Online numerical and verbal reasoning.

J

I am done the numerical and verbal reasoning test.. I am waiting for assessment centre call. I somebody gets any news regarding assessment centres please let me know. What are the exercises conducted at their assessment centre.

Thanks Jared uk

Umer,

How were the tests fairly standard? or were there any particulars?

J

standard shl

Hello guys,

Anyone heard about dates for assessment centre yet? and did anyone here apply for the finance graduate role?

Hi All,

I am megga chuffed, got a call today offering me the Job.. I took it.

Who else out there got an offer and accepted?

J

hey jared congrats. u got a job with caterpillar? when did your assessment centre hold? they told me i was gonna be contacted concerning assessment centre but never heard back from them. how did ur assessment centre go and when was it?

Hi,

Yeah I'm just waiting for the paper work to come through in the next couple of days. I had the assessment centre on Monday.

Here's an update for those of you who have not yet had their own...

Day Schedule:

Presentation: Welcome to Cat, this is the company, this is where we are going, the job. very informative.

Group Task: Split into teams of 5. You have a bag of Lego bricks and you need to build an arch big enough one person (two total) to fit under. I really enjoyed this task, great for group dynamics. I can only advise that you get stuck in as much as possible!

Presentation Prep: 2 hours on a topic of the day i.e. purchasing/ supply chain based.

Interview: 45 mins, competency/ biblio.

Presentation: 5 minutes with a Q & A session after.

Site Tour: What a place!

Good Luck.

Congrats dude.

happy for u

@Jareduk

I had a few queries...

Did they give you the topic for presentation or you choose it? and was it an individual task or a group task? when did ur day start and end? I have a long way to travel, so wanted to plan my journey accordingly.

@jobhunter40 I've too applied for a finance graduate role? when is your assessment day?

@sums mine is on d 29th. when is urs?

@jared got an invite yesterday but wil get d mail on monday. quite happy but fingers crossed for a good assessment day

@ Jobhunter and sums,

Ive also got the finance scheme assessment centre on the 29th..should be seeing you lot there...btw are you lot going to check in a hotel the night before?..

no. i am coming in very early on that day

@ shewy89,

i am actually lookin out for some travelodge to stay overnight.. where r u travellin from?

@sums

You were given a choice of 10 topics to choose from. You could pick any and it didn't matter if someone else was doing the same as you.

Group task

08:30 start 16:30 finish... although we didn't finish until 17:00. I had to get up at 04:50 and drive 100 or so miles!!

@ALL

By the way they will reimburse your expenses.

@jareduk

thanks!!!

@Jareduk

Mate cheers for all the info...very much appreciated...

tnx jareduk

Did u have to write d online tests again at d venue? cos dude i think i have become rusty and need some brushing up. so would like to know if i need to go practice some or just focus on some other things.

- So from ur previous post @jareduk, u only present ur topic chosen for just 5mins? do u still remember d kind of topics?

- Also could u help with some competency questions asked?

many thanks

Hi All,

Thank you for the useful inputs Jareduk and congrats on your offer.

I have been scheduled for the assessment day on the 29th for Finance.

@ jobhunter 40, sums, and shewy89 guessing we all will have the same kind of assessment.

Does anybody know how many Finance graduates is Caterpillar looking for this year?

Thanks.

I have the same question as asked by Job Hunter 40.

Thanks

@All - I can only assume that the topics will be based around finance as mine were discipline specific.

Competency Q's were based on the skills you require for the job, look over your app form. They are very similar to the ones you have already had, just worded differently, obviously in an interview you can elaborate some more.

I did not complete the online tests again, but your all going for Finance so I do not know.

It's easy for me to say as I've already been through it, but one of the first things they say to you is relax. I found it a strangely quite enjoyable experience... when I look back at it!

Hello People,

I was just wondering what sort of technical questions they might ask during the interview thats if they decide to ask them...

Thanks Alot Jareduk !!

Really sorry to bother you once again. Did they asked one example of each competency or they asked 2 for the same competency, secondly how many competency based questions were asked in the interview.

Regards, Umer Shujaat

@ Umer,

No worries

Nope just the one, use the STAR technique for each, and I was asked 4.

@ALL

Good luck to you.

J

Sorry people being a pain..lol..I was just wondering what sort of finance technical questions could they ask?..and also what sort of topics might be there for presentations?..

My assessment centre is for engineering. So no Idea for Technical questions on Finance.

Thanks everyone for the help. I just got a phone call from Caterpillar saying that they are not looking for any graduates and they have no vacancies. I had been preparing for the interview for the last week. That is the biggest bag of balls I have ever heard.lol....FML

same here @shewy89. i feel so gutted. they said they were cancelling the finance graduate scheme. dats so sad and so short a notice. why would they let us go through all these preparations and let us down at d last minute...... its soooo soo unfair.

I was a bit busy when i got the call, so i couldnt even talk much. But i need to ring them back cos i have already bought my train ticket for that day and i think its right i get refunded. Gutted

@job hunter40, shewy89,

i called up the lady from work life associates to ask about refund, she said she''ll get back but said she was unsure of the refund..i am so damn disappointed, non-refundable train fair and travelodge cost for a night.. if u have a direct number to reach caterpillar, plz share, as i too want a refund. a week's effort hs gone down the drain..:-(

@job hunter and sums.

I would have rang that woman back but when she age rang me it said unknown number...and I also told her that can I get a refund for the train and hotel she goes just email the invoices to ukassess_recruitment@cat.com ...I did as she said but apparently this email add is not correct..so i tried it with a co.UK. and it got sent but I hope its the right place..lol...first of all they took lyk 4 months to process everything and now this...just bull crap..

Anyone had an interview for Caterpillar Research and Development graduate position becausae I have an assessment centre and need to know what toexpect onthe day....is it thesame for the engineering and the finance?? I would appreciate any help :)

Hi Everyone,

Shadey I believe its the same for all the departement s , the difference would be at interview stage, coz they want to know more about engineering rather than finance although we have to have understanding of basic finance and project management.

I would also like to thanks Jareduk for providing useful info.

Shadey , can i ask you when is your assessment and have you received any email today about the site location of your assessment because its either Peterbrough or Stafford.

Hey bravo7222, my AC is in Peterborough on 15th, are you for the Engineering one as well??? Where is yours?? Definately thanks to jareduk for the info.....definately helped me for the telephone interview that I had with them.

Hi Shadey,

Yah I have got it at Peterborough for Research and Development. Hey can I ask you what degree you doing? and what place. ?I am at manchester myself finishing Degree in Mechanical Engineering. I am afraid so I wont be able to see you because mine is on 18th fellow. The good point is that they are recruiting quite a large number of candidates and our prospects of getting a job are bright. Have you been to any assessments before fellow? I think most of them are similar in format except for the technical side which depends on the nature of the job and the type of work company specializes in.

~ GOOD LUCK to my Friend~ I pray that we both get the job.

Hey bravo7222, I'm doing Aerospace Engineering in Livepool. Oh on the 18th, I didn't know they had more AC, anywho good luck though and hope we both get the job :) yeah I've been to a few AC in the past just weighing out my options really.

Good luck though

yah thank you. I hope goes well for both of us. What do think would be expected of us in the technical interview?

Any ideas.

Hi Shadey,

I hope you doing ok. I was wondering since we are both working up towards the same type of job so would it not be wise to share some knoweldge on how to go about preparing for the test...AC.. Specifically for interview bits.. Lets me know what do you think?

Mechanical Engineer from Brunel University with one year manufacturing experience from industrial placement and deisel engine practical experience. I am coming to the assessment day on Friday aswell.. Guess ill see you guys there? Good luck to everyone and may the best of us get the job.

Hello Jared,

Congratulations on getting the job.

I was wondering, if it may be possible to querry just one more question?

The presentation preparation; Did they give access to a computer with internet and was the presentation to be made on powerpoint?

Thank you for taking your time in reading this, and wish you all the luck in the job. Hopefully, I'll meet you one day from the R & D department. :)

yah good question Umair..

Hi All,

Yup, you'll have two hours in which to prep a Powerpoint presentation using the internet. Your two hours will be broken up by your interview, unless you have yours first or last. Well mine was at least.

Good Luck!