River Island Christmas Jobs - Recruitment Event?

Choco

I applied a few days ago on the River Island website for a Christmas job at one of the Dublin stores; as a student it sounded a good way to get a bit of extra money. I then got an email to ring an English number to arrange an interview. I did that, and now I've been told to go to the store I applied to next week for a Recruitment Event in the evening that seemingly is going to last two and a half hours.

The woman on the phone said it would involve a group interview, and some sort of team event as well as a one-on-one interview, but she was kind of vague about it. Does anyone here have any experience with what happens at this sort of River Island event? Is there a real chance of getting a Christmas job from this, or is it one of those things where they invite thirty people along - where they're only looking for, like, two people? And is it actually likely to last two and a half hours? (Basically, I'm wondering if there's any point going.)

Also - she said to wear smart casual. Given that it's for River Island, I assume jeans and a nice shirt would be fine, or is that too casual? Thanks for any help you have.

irlrobins

Choco wrote: »

Also - she said to wear smart casual. Given that it's for River Island, I assume jeans and a nice shirt would be fine, or is that too casual? Thanks for any help you have.

No experience of River Island recruitment, but smart casual would normally exclude jeans. So a pair of trousers/slacks/chinos and a shirt would be fine. Or a skirt if you're female.

Always better to be over dressed than under dressed in my opinion. Plus it's a fashion retailer, so why not show off ur sense of fashion by wearing something other than jeans!

stressed out

The woman on the phone said it would involve a group interview, and some sort of team event as well as a one-on-one interview

I had something similar when I applied to work in Homebase. Basically they're interviewing as many ppl as possible in as short a time.

For Homebase they used an events room in a hotel and there was about 10 interviewers. People were queing up for one-on-one interviews with these people. It was very casual - asking questions about customer service, etc.

After that a group of about 8 interviewees were brought into a room and asked to do group activities (to see how you work in a team) - silly things like drawing a picture of a person (each person had to draw a part e.g. eyes, nose, etc) There was 2 people overseeing this
Then we each had to pick a product from a selection and 'sell' it to the rest of the group.

I got the job and was told afterwards it was my 'customer service skills' that did it. Basically big up the customer and go on about customer loyalty and selling a product you believe in (without sounding false) and you'll get the job.
Smile and be polite and friendly also - can't stress that enough. UK Shops = friendly

Dave!

"a group interview, and some sort of team event as well as a one-on-one interview"

For a bloody Christmas job in a retail store? Me bollix...

AJ_295

Yeah I have to go on Monday nd im kinda nervous ..... Wat stuff r day gona make us do ..........

doolox

Psychology profiling, team behaviour sessions and all that psycho-babble stuff.
Then they offer you minimum wage, give you a handful of promotional bills and leave you at the entrance smiling for ten hours and saying good/morning evening etc to everyone who comes into the store.

B and Q's do this all the time but it doesn't work in Ireland. We are different to the English.

THey also sell Mole repellent in the garden section and there are no moles in the island of Ireland!

eth0_

Sorry, how does a group interview and individual interview in the space of 2.5 hours translate into someone standing at the entrance of a store working as a greeter?

And personally i've never experienced 'greeters' in shops here in the UK...

Sad Professor

HR departments dream up these silly recruitment/training events as a way to justify their own existence. They are a complete waste of time. You could train a brain damaged monkey to do most retail jobs in this country.

chillywilly

HR............wat a load of ass