NEXT trainee buyer telephone interview

I had a tele interview in mid feb and passed!!!
They asked me competency based questions and stuff like what do u think next lacks? as in what more will you bring as a graduate buyer... i suggested that we cud improve the bags and shoes alittle... hope this helps
i hav an online test awaiting now. hope i clear that too!!!

Thanks Marvel21!!! but just wondering how long had u been waiting for the tele interview after you got the email sent to u? coz i ve been waiting for more than 3 weeks now.....and how come another online test comes after the tele interview? have u done one b4 the tele interview yeah?

No I havnt done any tests. I sent my CV to a employment agency they got me tele interview from next.
have u done the test. is it tough?
well yeah I had my interview ages back. they said they will send me the test but still waiting....they r really slow. I hope thr is a position open.
Arcadia group is doin the same.. I had my tele interview in jan.
whr else hav u applied>?

Hi Marvel21, I am also awaiting my telephone interview for the Trainee Buyer role. When you had your telephone interview did Next just ring you or did they email first to arrange a time? I know that Arcadia arrange a time for you to ring them, but I'm on edge in case Next just ring randomly! Thanks!

If its the Buyers role you have applied for then its only a verbal reasoning test that you have to do, which isn't hard. If its the merchandiser role I think you also have to do a numerical test - I've done them for other companies and they are quite tough!

hi Marvel21, i applied the trainee buyer position on Next website and then was given a verbal test then passed, so now im jst waiting for their tele interview...........its been more than 3 weeks now......i nearly give up and sometimes forgot it......btw, i also applied for merchandiser trainee but didn't passed da test which as chocolatebutton said there will be both a verbal and numerical for merchandiser and a verbal for buyer...gud luck to u two!!i ll update here if i get anything back from Next

Hi guys i completed my verbal test! I cleared tht!!! fingers crossed.. though they take ages to reply....now they said final stage assessment but didnt giv a date...
I keep lookin at my email n my fone hopin they wil cal or mail......my sistr says i m gettin mad....lols
howz u guys doin? any updates as to wen the assessment day wud b?

I'm still waiting for the telephone interview... Do they just ring randomly for it or arrange a time via email first? Thanks!

they call u to confirm the time.. so i dont think u need to worry.. also i heard some rumours as to the few people selected in their january final assessment day still havnt been offered a job.. they are on hold until a vacancy arises....they say 6 months or so.....I am tensed....Guess i will apply more places as well....hav u guys applied elsewhr? if yes whr?

Sorry, I don't completely understand: do they call and ask if it is a suitable time for the interview? Or call to arrange a future time for interview? Thanks again!

That doesn't sound good... If the rumour is true! A lot of companies are holding back on employment, and getting rid of existing staff so the rumour could be right! But in 6ish months it will be around September time, which is a common time for graduate schemes to start, so a lot a vacancies could arise then.

I've applied to loads... Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda and feels like hundreds more!! Got Asda assessment centre next Wednesday - never been to assessment centre before, so fingers crossed!! But Next is the job I really want! Where else have u applied?

ya they call and confirm a time convenient for u....
I just hope Next works out too....But I am goin to get watevr i get as of now...the economic scene sux...u dont kno wat mite happen in the 6 months.....I had an assessment day with accenture. Waiting or Arcadia, Sainsburys,George, IBM....I hav almost applied to all graduate managemnt prgrams....

Thanks!

I've not applied for any management ones, they've all been buying roles... Wish I'd applied for everything now, would have given me a better chance!! Is it the Buyers role you've applied to at Next? Did you actually hear the 'rumour' from someone who passed the Next assessment centre? Just wanna know what the likeliness is in it being true!

Well I heard it from one of my college mates ...she had an asessment end of jan...
so i m guessing its 100% true....
I applied for the buyer role at NEXT....
I just hope sumthin works out soon....Im doin an admin role right now and its gettin mundane..
best of luk for ur assessment....

Thanks! Good luck in your search too! I'll update when i've had my telephone interview and if I hear about assessment centre, would really appreciate it if you'd do the same so I'm up to date on whats happening!! Thanks

Hi friends...I dun know if I should call back to Arcadia or not, coz heard u said still got nothing from them since telephone interview in Jan. I dun wanna b like tensed everyday....do i give it up or givit a try?...help...........

Hi friends...I dun know if I should call back to Arcadia or not as I got an email just now and asking me to call back ...coz heard u guys said still got nothing from them since telephone interview in Jan. I dun wanna b like tensed everyday....do i give it up or givit a try?...help...........

Hi luluhan, I'd just go for it and ring them if that's what they've asked you to do! Weren't we talking about Next earlier in the thread? Have they asked you to ring for a particular reason in the email?

u mean in Arcadia email? yes in the email they asked me to call bk to a particular person to take the telephone interview but there wasn't a time required; if u meant NEXT's email, no they just said i would get a telephone interview in 8 weeks time and if i havn't got it in 8 weeks jst contact them to tell. btw, wen did u have the telephone interview for Arcadia? wuts the next stages for arcadia and did u get bk from them?thanks

I've not applied to Arcadia because, firstly heard some not very good things about them from girls who have worked there previously when I was on Buying placement with Mosaic, and secondly I don't want to work in Central London! - in the earlier message I was asking Marvel21 about the process of the Next telephone interview: whether it's pre-arranged like the email you've just received from Arcadia, or whether they just ring and expect you to do the interview there and then. Hope that makes sense!

I received the same email from Next as you - received it on the 23rd February, so 5 weeks ago and not heard anything yet! I'm hoping I don't hear from them within the specified 8 weeks because at least then I can ring them when I'm not busy and make sure I'm prepared!!

As for Arcadia I'd just get ready and then ring them - at least you'll be prepared! I'm waiting for my Asda Assessment Centre next Wednesday - I'm so nervous!!

oh haha.....sorry bout the confusion made...yes I agree wut u have said that we can call them wen we r free which is better than they call us randomly.

lUlluhan u can call them{arcadia} and then they ask u for a tiem convenient for u for the interview. so u can call anytime soon and fix a specified date n time....

best of luk for ur assesment at asda chocbuttn

Thankyou!

thx marvel21~~i think i ll call them tmr...

Hi, I got a phonecall from Next HR yesterday afternoon to arrange a telephone interview for Tuesday morning! At least I'll be prepared! Have you received the call yet Luluhan?

And how did the Arcadia interview go?

i GOT thru arcadia...!!! joinin from june!!!!!!

Well done!!!

congrads Marvel!!!!!!!! How many interviews did u have with Arcadia btw? and Chocolatebutton I guess I should have got a call from Next but that was a miss call with no number.....omg, i missed!!!!!! hope u go well with teleinter next Tuesday n hope they call me again...

I missed the call too from withheld number, but the lady from HR left an answer machine message saying she wanted to arrange a tele interview and could I ring her back on the HR number. I rang back and she gave me a choice of times. It lasts half an hour and is with a member of the buying team. Fingers crossed!! Don't worry, they'll ring back!

I had one tele interview and one assessment day.. it was quite good....

Is it for management or buying Marvel21?

And would you mind telling me what you were asked on the Next telephone interview? Thanks!!

Hi Luluhan

Any news on the Next telephone interview? Had mine yesterday, the more I think about it the more I think I haven't got through. They said I'll hear back from them within 2 weeks, but I'm pretty sure I've been unsuccessful :( Update me on yours!!

Hi chocolatebutton
Arcadia was for buyers admin assistant the grad role
next interview ....They asked 5 competency based questions and things like what do I like about next and what next lacks? as in what more will you bring as a graduate buyer... i suggested that we cud improve the bags and shoes a little... I cleared the tele interview back in feb.... they said they will call for an assessment..but havnt heard...
A freind of mine works at next headoffice.. she suggested i shud not rely on next for a job soon as she suspects they may take more than a dec 2009 for a start date as thr rnt any vacancies owing to the credit crunch... they hav cut down on thr range, recruitment and loads of things,....so I hav taken arcadia as of now... lets see wat the future holds...
hope this helps
let me know if u need any othr info

and ya they asked me the latest trends...

Thanks Marvel21, and sorry I asked late but my tele interview was yesterday. I just though I'd ask in the hope of a fast reply... Thankyou anyway tho!! Well done, that sounds really good! Ru relocating or already from near London? Wish I was in your position, I'm really worrying about getting a job! The telephone interviewer told me I'll find out about the success of my interview within 2 weeks and said the assessment centre hasn't been scheduled yet but will take place within the couple of months after that...

If there were no vacancies and they're trying to cut down costs I wouldn't of thought they'd waste the time interviewing people? Are you going for Arcadia no matter what... Even if you were offered something else?

Thx Marvel21 for sharing those with us, and chocolatebutton, no I still haven't got their second call after i missed a call last week and been now like 6 weeks after I got the email, i dun kno if i should call bk to ask or wut...and why do u think u won't get through to the next stage? didn't u anwer all the questions? n btw did they ask u the similar questions as marvel21 just said above? do not think negatively you will be fine coz u said u would well prepare for the teleinterview. I had an interview with another travel agent company and waiting for their reply now, if they hire me i think i would give up Next and Arcadia as I still haven't call bk to arcadia for a telephone interview coz I dun wanna b bothered to move to London...:).....but anyways, if next call me again before I got a job I will have a try.
And u said u r worrying for getting a job, ave u tried other small firms and other jobs like administrator? i think if this will be ur first job, u can just try wutever u can get as a start of a career.......Gud luck!!!!!!!!!!

Yes my interview was just like Marvel21 explained above... I was prepared and I answered all of the questions and the interview seemed to go fine... but everytime I think back to it I think of things I didn't say and ways I could have made it better :(. I've been offered a job in Manchester (where I'm from) as a Merchandiser for a small company, but I want to start big! If you get onto a graduate scheme it's like you're fast-tracked into a good career with really good opportunities for development. I don't wanna be stuck in a small company where it's hard to progress (I'm really ambitious, and therefore fussy!). If I don't get anything then I've got this other job to fall back on but it's not what I want.

If I was you I'd definately ring them back... especially Next if you don't wanna go to London. They left the message for me asking to ring back on 0116 284 2486 - that's the HR department. Just ring that number and say you received a phone call and thought it could have been from them... And that you don't want to miss the opportunity. I wouldn't wait for them to call u just in case! I spoke to a lady called Annie, she was really nice and thanked me for calling back... Just go for it!! You've done well to get this far, it'd be silly to give it up now! Good luck!

I've just received an email from Next telling me I've passed the telephone interview!! I can't believe it! It says I'm through to assessment centre, but that the trainee scheme is currently over-subscribed, and my details are on hold for forthcoming dates. And if I've not heard from them within 12weeks I should ring the HR dept. I don't understand why they would continue to interview for a scheme that is 'over-subscribed', I'd have thought they would just say it was full... So it seems like Marvel21 is right... If they've got a halt on recruitment then maybe they're preparing for when the ban is lifted so they instantly have people waiting to start rather than starting the interview process then. So it could easily be Dec 2009 or early next year like u say Marvel21 :( It's not good!

Anyway Luluhan, ring them back!!

I called NEXT today to ask for the dates for the assessment. They say I am on hold and it cud take around 2 -3 months as they hav received loads of applications... I cleared my tele interview back in feb....
man.... im so worried .....shud i take arcadia? shud i not... i dont really like London to be honest. Dont know whethr i can take tht busy a life....but wat if they dont offer a job til next year... ????!!!!
I thot once i graduated alls gonna b wel.. cursin the credit crunch...
Feelin really deperessed n uncertain....
wat r u guys planning?

halo Marvel21, if i were u i would take Arcadia coz the position u said u applied which i think is really good and i kno london is a fast paced place but i think it won't really affect individual work, as long as u think its a good opportunity u should take it!! about Next, i am really disappoint about it, coz the process is gonna take too long and it is also uncertain that they will take u or not, therefore, i think take Arcadia is a better choice.

To me, i said i was waiting for a company's reply, and they called yesterday said they were gona hire me but the wage was gona be reduced by like 20%, and working hours is like 830-630, and the place is pretty far from my home. then i asked if the wage could b increased a little, they said no, so i rejected the job offer.....dun kno if i did wrong.......

I feel exactly the same Marvel21... Very worried about what's gonna happen... Are you graduating this year?

I'd accept if I was you - but ask if you could delay starting until September, so you can see what happens with Next and other companies before then. Where are you living now?? Would you have to relocate to London for Arcadia??

My Asda assessment centre has been rescheduled for in 2 weeks, so I'm gonna wait and see the outcome of that. I wouldn't mind waiting for Next until next year if I was offered a job, I'd wait 6months for that job instead of living in Central London and not enjoying it... They're gonna have to recruit sometime in the near future, coz the current Trainee Buyers will get promoted and they'll have to take on new trainees to fill their job role

I just don't understand how it can take so long just because they've received loads of applications - Because even if they'd received double the usual amount of apps, the initial application, verbal reasoning tests and telephone interview would still have eliminated a certain percentage of people, so the number left for assessment centre might be slightly higher but can't be massively higher... I think they could just be trying to hide the fact that they can't employ for a while.

My email said that if I've not heard from them within 12weeks I should ring HR - is that what yours said? That implies that within 12weeks an assessment centre should be booked - which is 3months and fits what they told you today. Fingers crossed!!

Hi Luluhan

I would have done the same... 20% is a huge reduction, and probably means that even after a promotion you'll only be earning what they offered you initially.

I agree that Next seems uncertain, but if the assessment centre was held in 3 months, which would be the beginning of July, there could still be a potential start date of September. So if Marvel21 hadn't heard anything about the Next recruitment process then it would seem to me that they're on track.

Although it would be a risk to depend on Next, You've been offered a job as BAA with Arcadia, so it's obvious you've got the right skills to become a buyer. Plus, you're through to the final stage of Next so you're in with a good chance...

I'm thinking about the long run, wouldn't wanna be stuck in London if for the sake of 6 months I could have the Next job...

Luluhan, have you called Next back yet??

agree chocobutton,Marvel21 can try to ask Arcadia to see if can start in Sep. while waiting for Next reply or have u guys thought about accept a job offer now and wait for Next, and once u got Next job offer just quit the job that u r doing now coz i think this is the only way to gurantee urself.

Chocolatebutton, no i havn't called them yet, i dun kno y that i dun wanna call bk, maybe i really dun wanna wait for the long process......but reallt thanks for supporting me, i think i ll look for other jobs if there is any. have u tried Boots? coz i kno they are recruiting assistant buying manager now.

I just looked at Boots website recently and was debating whether to apply for that role!! I think I might just in case nothing happens with Next or Asda...

Yes I'm definately going to take a job while I'm waiting... Either the one I've been offered in Manchester or just an admin one... And then hopefully I'll either be offered the Asda one which starts in Sept or the Next one - and I'd just continue with the job I was doing until either one of those started.

The process of the Next tele interview isn't long... I was called last Wednesday to arrange an interview for the following Tuesday, and was emailed to tell me I'd been successful the next day on the Wednesday. You've got this far with Next you may as well finish it, and just apply for others as well.

Are you graduating this year Luluhan?

oh i have already graduated last Dec coz it was a master degree, and as kno the application process for boots is normally just one face-to-face interview coz i had one in Jan for trading assistant but they didn't take me (i think i was too nervous as that was my first proper interview). if u really intersted u can have a try first as long as i kno boots will get bk to applicant in a very short period which will only take about few weeks

Oh thnks for that Luluhan, I think I might try just as a back up for the other jobs I've applied for... I hate not knowing what I'm gonna be doing!!

Hi...

Just thought I'd update you both... I've just rang Next for more info. I asked if I'd find out about the date of assessment centre within the 12weeks specified in the email - she was quite vague and said that they haven't got one planned yet and as soon as there is one planned I'd be contacted by phone and an information pack sent to me... I then asked if they anticipate an approximate start date for the scheme, and she said that because they take people on all year round there isn't an actual start date. But she said that they have people joining them every few weeks, which sounds positive. She said a start date would be decided due to the candidate's availability and the business need.

Doesn't really give any sort of answer to what we've all been debating, but since she said they're taking someone on every few weeks it improves my view of the situation. Plus, they'll need to keep recruiting as the other trainees' schemes will only last 18months so they'll have to fill the majority of those vacancies to cover the workload.

Marvel21, just wondering if your friend works in Next Head Office or Instore? I'm hoping it's instore coz most stores have cut down on recruitment, fingers crossed head office aren't cutting down massively!!

chocolatebutton my friend works in the headoffice.. Admin role though... well aftr readin your mail I called her.. she said last trainees(buyers) were recruited june 2008.. they had some trainee merchandisers and technologist comin in but no trainee buyers or desiners since then....
I m thinkin of speakin to Arcadia this tuesday.. lets c if they r ok to extend my joinin date....i hav an admin job in an IT firm rite now.. pays decent but very mundane....
hope Arcadia delays and Next/Sainsburys work out...

Best of luk to u guys

Hi Marvel21, thanks a lot for that... That makes sense with your friend saying approx December 2009 start - because that would be 18months after last trainee buyers had started, so they'd have finished the scheme... But doesn't sound good because they obviously won't take many people on. Did your friend say how many Trainee Buyers were taken on last June? Thanks!

I applied for Sainsbury's at the beginning of this year but failed the numerical test :( How far are you with the application? Good luck!

Hi Luluhan, have you heard anything from Next or Arcadia?

And Marvel21, any luck with delaying Arcadia start date? From what your friend told you are you thinking there's much chance of a job with Next? Or are they going to delay it as long as possible? Thanks

I m joining Arcadia from June
Next wudnt happen before next year.. Im pretty sure....
They had an assessment last feb...the selected few are still waiting for the start date....so if they start dec 2009..we will start when..may2010..????
its crazy..
Evry company is tryin to save thr name by showin tht they r recruiting especially retail is badly effected... So I am going to start with Arcadai...
Hav my final assessment with sainsburys..!!"fingers crossed" hope they offer me...then i dont hav to live in london as they hav many othr cities whr grads go...
lets c
wat r u thinkin of doin choco??
Luluhan wats new wit ya?