To ask for help with sainsburys job interview

[Pippionkonk]

I have an interview today, haven;t work since being pregnant with ds 3 years ago.
im shitting it
I'e worked in shops before, when i was 16-21ish in holland and barrett
I have no idea how to answer questions like
Tell me a time you worked well as a team?
An example of a time you gave great customer service etc
because tbh, it was the easiest job in the world, there was only ever 2 of us working and it was never busy except when it was a sale or in janurary when everyone decides to be healthy for a week

I really could do with getting this job, because the hours work around dps so we wouldn't need childcare

Can you draw on your experience of the previous job at h&b. Tbh I would just make up some stuff good luck I hope you get it.

Pick a moment that you sold something and kind of over embellish it. Say if a customer had come in and asked about gluten free products say how you were able to tell them about the different features of the products that you sold and how you were passionate about helping people choose the right products to help them with their goal to be healthy etc etc.

They don't all have to be work examples. Worked as a team could be a team of people planning an event (surprise party/hen do) - the example is less important than your ability to talk about how you work in a team. So how do you lead, follow instructions, motivate, etc.
Eg - I once worked as part of a group planning a surprise party. It was a large group with very varied ideas for the party, and not everybody knew each other well. At first we were going around in circles unable to make decisions, so I decided to put a voting system in place to help us decide on the main theme and plans. I was able to lend more time to the project than others so I helped others with their specific tasks as well as keeping a list of all the different elements to be completed and ensuring they were completed on time. Etc etc

Working in a team, you communicated effectively in team meetings (which could just be a conversation with your boss) about how you tried your best to sell the products and help customers and asked for advice and support if needed from your colleagues.

Have you been part of any parent groups? If you have helped organise a Christmas party or something draw on that.

A team is just someone other than just you!

Anyone can hide in a team of 10. I would think your example of being stuck in a small shop with just one person is a great example of how you have managed to work well in a (small) group. There's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide small personality differences or niggles. You could make a strong example of how you work well with people exactly because it's only one other person!

You can also turn it round as a reason you want to be in a big team - say you worked well with a single other person but found that you missed having the camaraderie of others, being able to share ideas etc - and that's one thing that made you apply to a much larger store.

Sounds like you're lacking confidence rather than experience

I have social anxiety so these things terrify me
The actually serving customers et stuff i can do, cause it's just like a script, but the interviews on the other hand not so much.
In boots i had to do a role play with the manager about a fake scenario, older woman wanted hand cream, pick one out, explain why etc
i handed it to her and said "this is good because, because.. your hands are old and this has spf" Im not usually rude or a dick, but in interviews the words seem to come out wrong.

I think Im going to learn word for word the answers to all the possible questions and just recite them so no dickishness come out my mouth

In my last job (not H&B) the manager bullied the shit out of me, nasty creepy man. He used to ask why i always wore my jumper, I explained scars etc so he used to make me take it off and make a big deal out of it and talk about it to the other staff, it was awful awful awful.
He got suspended for sending creepy texts to one of the girls who worked in the factory bit, yet I still got fired for arguing with him about him being a class A wanker. They must have known he was a wanker!
And tried to blame me for stealing things that were booked into the shop but never booked out (laundrette) Over a year before i even started!
since them i'm a bit scared of managers lol and expect them to be thinking mean stuff about me and i get so nervous. im a wimp

Caution on learning word for word answers is that you will possibly be thrown if/when they ask you a question you're not expecting.

Remember it is fine to say "can I just take a minute to think of an example" when they ask you a question. Take time to gather your thoughts

Many years ago when my DC were small I worked in a threshers wine shop and had a similar experience to you op and it knocked the wind out of me. Usually on my own or with manager who then tried to discipline me when i had a week off work after a painful biopsy on my leg where a large tumour was removed. She knew I was terrified. Believe me you can do this job and not all managers are bullies. It is normal to be nervous and there is nothing wrong with that. It shows you are keen to do the job. Good luck.

Hi I work for Sainsburys on the checkouts. I've been there 2 years and the interviews have changed since mine. But the last lot they did at Christmas time in my store the manager brought them down to packa customers bags at the checkout. They just had to offer a hand packing and be friendly. It was to see how they interacted with customers.

When I had my interview I watched a short dvd and answered questions on it. The interviewer then asked me if I knew anything about the history of sainsburys. Thankfully I'd had a quick google. I never got asked anything about teamwork examples etc. Tbh I was in and out in 20ish minutes.

Best of luck today

I heard about the packing a bag thing, and walking around the store pointing out the good/bad things and writing them down? e.g good- short queues. bad- empty spaces on shelves sort of thing?
but it's a little local store so not sure how you'd pack a bag for a customer without getting in the way on the tiny tills. I had a phone interview already so hopefully they wont ask too many interview type questions again

I think the local stores might still use the dvd quiz that I had. If so don't worry about it. Just be friendly and confident. That's what they're looking for. I've found them a good company to work for on the whole and most of the staff are lovely and the managers are mainly lovely as long as you do your work. Only thing I dislike is they have a tendency to move the managers round different stores so noone gets too comfy. I'm only there at wknds though as I'm a full time student too

Though the fact they move the managers about can be good if you happen to get one you don't gel with. Rubbish if you lose one that is fantastic though

I work in a local Sainsburys and all our manager does is ask a few questions about the person to see if they will fit in well with the rest of us. Most of the other stuff will have been covered in the online test when you applied. Good luck!

thanks everyone.
don't think it went too badly, which is about as good as i could of hoped for
I didn't say anything stupid and answered all the questions ok, although i doubt i got it as other people were probably more confident than me, but even if not atleast the more interviews i go to the better i'll get at them :)

Got the job

Well done!

Yeah. Congratulations