Do you know what is involved if you go along for recruitment at Asda when they call you in for Asda Magic Event?

No idea but I can't wait for someone to come along and tell us.

LOl. I applied for a part time job and have been invited. Think its about group interviews and team building!

> Think its about group interviews and team building!

Yep spot on. I haven't been to one but - my- brother in law has.

Any tips you might be able to pass on?

I Would need to speak to him but unfortunately he's at work tonight so will have to get back to you.

Thanks Gill. Not gotta go till Tuesday unless I chicken out lol

We have a CD member who works in Asda Bristol, hopefully she will come along soon and help you out with some advice. 

I can't help with what the Asda recruitment day is, but don't chicken out, go with the frame of mind to have a good time, enjoy the experience, learn a few things, meet new peeps, and if you find you enjoy the place and want a job go for it, don't put too much presure on yourself, It will only be for a few hours and this time will fly by, other people will be anxious if they are desperate for a job, if you're not in total need of the job and it's not the end of the world if you don't get it, then just go and be yourself, relax, have a laugh.

Always think of your dogs waiting for you when you get home from the experience, and that they will always be there, bringing you much joy, so if the day doesn't go well, so what, take the dogs for a walk and enjoy them. There will be other opportunities.

Personally if you didn't get the job, then you've been let off lightly anyway, have you seen them uniforms, shocking, you wouldn't want to been seen wearing one of them by your mates anywhoo. Specially if you're serving the fish or cold meats, them little hair nets or hats or whatever, wouldn't be a good look on you, I know. LOL

Iv never worked for ASDA but the last couple of jobs Iv had have been on the spot interviews as I hand in my CV or group interviews, the only advice I give is, be yourself, try to be confident within the group lead the conversations but don't suffocate the others and wear smart ish clothes. Remember companies want interesting people that are good with customers.

I also help out on a few interviews and if I see trainers, they don't get the job.

> I also help out on a few interviews and if I see trainers, they don't get the job.

Good job i'm self employed then. LOL

Don't chicken out it will be an experience if nothing else.

My son has a part time job at Asda. I remember when he went for his interview he was surprised that he was the only one in a suit, he couldn't believe that most of the people turned up in casual clothes.

Interestingly he has applied for three part time jobs and been successful with each job. Each time he has gone well prepared, worn a suit and taken a portfolio with him. Maybe good old fashioned values still count.

When he gets in tonight, I will quiz him a little more and see if he can offer any tips.

> he couldn't believe that most of the people turned up in casual clothes.

I am shocked at this, where have values gone, are they young people that turn up like this?
Just because the job is at Asda, and they offer a uniform, this doesn't mean you turn up for the interview dressed as you would to go shopping, have some respect for yourself and the interviewer.

Turn up in a suit there's the tip.

> I am shocked at this, where have values gone, are they young people that turn up like this?

Maybe we should be grateful they don't turn up in pyjamas!

> Maybe we should be grateful they don't turn up in pyjamas!

I suppose your lucky they turn up at all. Never mind what they are wearing.

When Matthew was invited to attend the group selection, the candidates were split into teams and given a packet of straws and marshmallows and told to build a sturdy structure with them. Matthew is quite methodical in how he works, so he suggested to the others that they drew a sketch first, working on how many mallows and how many straws they had. He said the others agreed, so he asked if anyone had any ideas but as they didn't he quickly drew a sketch of what he thought would work, taking into account their limited "supplies". He said he did try and engage the others, but it was a bit difficult as none of them seemed to have any ideas of their own and were happy to just agree. Once the plan was done, he showed it to them, and as they were all happy he got them cutting straws up, and starting to build their tower. He said he didn't actually do any of this himself, more telling them what went where. He said that afterwards he was a bit bothered that he had been too assertive, but he was confident that he had tried to include his team members and they had seemed happy to follow his suggestions, and had quite a laugh constructing their "marshmallow tower".

All the time whilst they were planning what to do, they were being observed. Once their construction time was up, they had to leave that room and were taken on a tour and then shown some videos. After this they went back to the original room, and everyone had quite a laugh looking at the state of some of the towers. Matthew was chuffed as his team's tower was the only one still standing.

On his way out one of the Interviewers told him well done, and about two weeks later he was offered a job. Since then one of the Management Team has told Matthew how impressed he was with his team leadership, so it just shows how things do get noticed.

Matthew has said not to panic, and just be yourself. He does think they look for confident people, who are not afraid to use their initiative.

I suppose you'r lucky they turn up at all. Never mind what they are wearing.

Have to agree here, it does make you wonder just how many people who attended really wanted a job.

Regarding dress code though, Matthew said it wasn't just the youngsters who were dressed inappropriately. He really felt like he stood out like a sore thumb.

I guess it is all down to respect, or lack of it as the case may be.

> Regarding dress code though, Matthew said it wasn't just the youngsters who were dressed inappropriately. He really felt like he stood out like a sore thumb.

There is your answer to getting the job then, don't dress down like everyone else, wear a suit and stand out from the crowd.

If I ever have to go on an interview, i'll have to remember just don't wear them trainers. LOL

I've just left Asda, worst company ever to work for! - this one was anyway.  I worked 14.1/4 hours a week, wanted more hours which they wouldn't give, but said I could work every Monday as overtime guaranteed......reason for this?.......I wouldn't be entitled to any sick pay  etc as it would take me over the 16 hours per week.  They constantly nag you to work, even when you say no, you get major b*ll*ckings for not offering a bag for life or offering to help pack customers bags, you are literally pulled into the office and given a right yelling at from 3 managers and it's all written down, you are made to sign the statement and it stays on your personnel file.

When you want to take your holidays you can't because they are fully booked (I tried 4 different dates all different times of the year) so took unpaid leave.  I had a hospital appointment for my diabetic eye screening, and they insisted I went straight back into work afterwards....even though I couldn't see a thing after having drops put in.

All the things they promise you at the interview is basically a pack of lies.

The Asda I worked in the turnover of staff is horrendous.

With regards the interview, we had to wear black trousers white blouse (shirt for men...lol.)  They pair you up with somebody you've never met, then you have to stand up in the middle of the room with about 30 people and talk about the person they just paired you up with.......something I really hated, and yes you are put into teams and given some of the strangest things to build with, spaghetti and marshmallows just a couple of them, then you have to sit for hours on end watching H&S videos and answering sheets of questions, then you go onto shop floor and into the warehouse and have to learn how to collapse the crates that milk etc are wheeled into store, learn how to use the pallet lifter etc..............and this was all for checkouts!!

> The Asda I worked in the turnover of staff is horrendous.

I can see an application for Tesco's is coming up then, after that story.LOL

Our local ASDA has ad's out for Xmas staff, who was saying that there are no jobs about?? Beggars can't be choosers hey?

I'd rather plump for Waitrose or M&S, can you imagine the discount on their food, yummy!!! lol..

No in all seriousness, a job is a job and in this climate we should be thankful we either have one or have the opportunity to get an interview..

So go and and good luck with it, we all need a little extra money in our back pockets :-)

>> I'd rather plump for Waitrose or M&S, can you imagine the discount on their food, yummy!!! lol..

I hated working in M&S and only lasted a week before giving a weeks notice.  I was on the tills in the food hall, working for peanuts (before the min wage) and you weren't allowed to leave your checkout during your shift.  It was like being a battery hen pushing things over the scanner beep beep beep.  thankfully this was nearly 15 years ago and jobs were easy come easy go at the time so I walked straight into another one.  The uniform was horrible too so the only bonus was the discounted food in the staff room.  I don't recall getting discount elsewhere but probably because I wasn't there long enough.

At my local Tesco's the girls on the tills are allways having a bit of a laugh and banter, they all appear so happy in their work.

I guess it must vary from store to store. Overall Matthew seems happy at Asda, although quite often they ring him asking him if he would like to take a day's holiday instead of turning in for work as they are overstaffed. We have advised him to be as flexible as possible, as there are dozens of people who would jump in his shoes.

He did have a problem with holidays though, but as he wanted school holiday dates, we felt this was understandable. When he pointed out that he had been told pre-booked holidays would be honoured, they allowed him the fortnight off, but not the October week. He wasn't too happy, but had to accept the decision.

Most of the staff seem happy, and as far as supermarkets go the money seems quite good. We do have a Tesco more local, but most of the jobs seem to go inhouse and unless you have a family member there, you have little or no chance of being taken on. My Niece did get a job there, but hated it and only stayed a couple of months. Saying that I think it is WORK that she hates, but that's another story.

> We do have a Tesco more local, but most of the jobs seem to go inhouse and unless you have a family member there,

It's funny you say that because the staff at my Tesco's all do seem to be very pally, know each other well, but then again the store is only in a small local market town, were most people know everyone else anyway.

A construction out of marshmallows and straws???

With Asda, it would appear to be the turnover fluctuates, dependant upon the personality of the GSM!

My OH worked at Asda for nearly 20 years - one of the "lowest of the low" - a "trolley wally" - Asda offered him the part time position as a trial after he'd suffered a catastrophic accident which had left him with partial brain damage and short term memory loss.   He (and they) persevered - there were the occasions when he set off fire alarms by attempting to get out the wrong doors, when he forgot to write down a change of shift (and they forgot to phone me to tell me) - but it certainly helped his rehabilitation/memory.   The management and staff were always kind to him at first ...once he'd regained some confidence memory, then they treated him no differently to any other colleague.  

He argued the toss with many a GSM - insisting on calling one out on his evening off - so that he could see for himself the chaos caused by allowing lorries waiting to go into the docks to park overnight (GSM capitulated & organised extra security to stop the lorries.

He reckoned it was only because he and his other "customer support colleagues" were outside that generally they stayed under the radar of the GSMs who were changed every three years.   Surprisingly, some GSMs managed to entice staff back that had left under the regime of others!

> A construction out of marshmallows and straws???

I think it's called team building, personally I would have eaten the mallows and pinched a few straws, to down me cider with, later that night to drown me sorrows for getting the job.LOL

> I think it's called team building,

Something like that anyway! Only group interview I ever went to, had us all sitting round a table and given a kind of lateral thinking problem to solve. We were (apparently) on a plane that had crashed in the desert and we had to work out how we'd survive, get help and what supplies we'd need. None of us got it right, we'd all have died, lol... but I got special mention for saying we didn't need to take the salt tablets as that would dehydrate us even more, and we could build a solar still to collect water Yes I surprised myself with that one, too!! Only three of us were called back for second interview - but I didn't get the job.

>> I think it's called team building, personally I would have eaten the mallows and pinched a few straws, to down me cider with, later that night to drown me sorrows for getting the job.

Ditto, though I think it would have to be wine rather than cider cos cider gives me a bad head.

>> My OH worked at Asda for nearly 20 years - one of the "lowest of the low" - a "trolley wally".

Not in my world, everyone who fills these roles, whether they be a bin man, rolley collector or toilet cleaner is carrying out an important job. Without them, we would be in a mess. I hate it when people look down on others just because they are not academic. In your husbands case, it must have taken such courage to get back in the working world, hats off to him.

> Ditto, though I think it would have to be wine rather than cider cos cider gives me a bad head.

Have you tried wine through a straw? that would probably give you a bad head too. ;)

No, but I might just have to go and crack open a bottle to see!!

You obviously haven't got work to get up for in the morn then.;)
No Asda or Tesco for you. ;)

Well let's get a bit political now.

Asda is part of Walmart, a huge USA business that has branches in many countries. In some countries in Asia, Walmart has been figured in continuing a trade in rare turtles for food. Classed as 'local ethnic'.

I've been to many Walmarts in the US and they aren't that great....If they support any kind of animal issues in the Wrong Way then I am not keen at all.

At least Tesco Thailand poured heaps of money into helping victims of the Tsunami. I may hate Tesco because it has definitely put local small business here in the UK into oblivion, [especially independent petrol stations] but when it gets to this global level, who on earth do you trust?

I want to live in a place where all the butchers, greengrocers etc are local businesses, I would love that. No multinationals.

I did have that in Southsea, Portsmouth.... all independent.... and the only supermarket was a Co-Op.

> I may hate Tesco because it has definitely put local small business here in the UK into oblivion, [especially independent petrol stations] but when it gets to this global level, who on earth do you trust?

I'll hold my hand up here, but I don't think they did put local independents out of business not all by themselves anyway, people like myself had a lot to do with it because I shop there, and will not buy my diesel from anywhere else. Sorry, if I would have known the impact my shopping at these supermarkets would have made years ago may be I wouldn't have shopped there.

Well that is honest and comforting... I reckon most people never think about it... without wanting to sound patronising.

I would love to buy my meat & veg from local shops, and I did where I lived before.... Now I have to buy all veg from tesco.... from who knows where, miles on miles.... Chokes me up, if you want to know. :(

> Chokes me up, if you want to know. :-(

Me too, though I do buy less and less fresh goods there now, as a new organic local farm shop has opened near me, so I give them as much support as I can.

I have worked for Asda and tesco  and believe you me compared to Tesco, Asda is pleasent to work for.  Tesco really are the pitts.