Rejected By Large Dept Stores

Truegho

Is anybody having any difficulty getting even a Sales Assistant role in a large department store? I have lost count of the number of times I have applied for retail work - only to be knocked back time and time again. This is especially soul-destroying after spending nearly an HOUR completing those stupid, lengthy online psychometric tests!

Getting a job in a department store used to be easy. Not anymore. You can't even get a temp Xmas job in them now!

coffee_prince

Yeh its tough, I got one after 7 months, and about ten interviews so don't feel too bad about it... I just had my first day today

Are you getting no interviews at all?

They have the most competition so just volume email all these retail places, they scan through all these applicatinos and anything that makes you stand out will get you noticed and called back for an interview.

Truegho

Hi

Thanks for your reply. So glad to hear you were finally successful in landing a retail job. I wish you well in your new post.

In regard to my own depressing endeavours to land employment with one of the large dept stores (Climb Every Mountain and all that!), I have not had any interviews, just an email back saying that unfortunately "the recruitment team has decided not to invite you for interview on this occasion." I don't know about you, but this phrasing sounds more demoralising than just the straightforward rejection. They deem you not even suitable to be invited for interview. I know most of my jobs have been in the office/admin field, but I have done a bit of retailing work here and there. So just WHAT do these dept stories want - loquacious sales patter?

I dunno. Maybe ex-office workers just don't appeal to these retail stores. One thing's for sure though - they would be glad of you if there was FULL employment and they couldn't get the staff.

coffee_prince wrote: »

Yeh its tough, I got one after 7 months, and about ten interviews so don't feel too bad about it... I just had my first day today

Are you getting no interviews at all?

They have the most competition so just volume email all these retail places, they scan through all these applicatinos and anything that makes you stand out will get you noticed and called back for an interview.

coffee_prince

I had retail interviews for waitrose, next, WHSmiths, Comet, camping shop, cash converters, JD Sports and didnt get any of them.

A applied for so many other places and failed to get interviews. M&S I didnt even pass their online test.

Truegho

That is disgusting. I really feel for you. It is certainly a sad indication of the times. You just wonder to yourself, will things EVER get better, don't you?

coffee_prince wrote: »

I had retail interviews for waitrose, next, WHSmiths, Comet, camping shop, cash converters, JD Sports and didnt get any of them.

A applied for so many other places and failed to get interviews. M&S I didnt even pass their online test.

tsimehC

coffee_prince wrote: »

I had retail interviews for waitrose, next, WHSmiths, Comet, camping shop, cash converters, JD Sports and didnt get any of them.

A applied for so many other places and failed to get interviews. M&S I didnt even pass their online test.

Do you know why you failed in the interviews? I hardly get interviews but I try to learn from each one and make sure I don't make the same mistakes over and over.

Truegho

Never get feedback. Never even get the opportunity of an interview to ASK for feedback!

tsimehC wrote: »

Do you know why you failed in the interviews? I hardly get interviews but I try to learn from each one and make sure I don't make the same mistakes over and over.

PocoLocoCoco

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dmg24

Truegho wrote: »

That is disgusting. I really feel for you. It is certainly a sad indication of the times. You just wonder to yourself, will things EVER get better, don't you?

It is not disgusting, it just means that somebody is better suited to the role, either through experience or their personal attributes.

coffee_prince, good luck in your new role.

Bunnie1982

I mean this to be constructive, but is there anyone who could have a look over your application forms before you take them in? I say this because usually if you get the "thanks but no thanks" response it can mean that you have not met the criteria they are looking for. Also that person could check for any spelling mistakes etc.

I too dislike the online psychometric testing, I did one for a telesales position within BT and apparently it showed I'd be better at face to face sales than telesales, however I have no idea how they can determine that from the questions they asked.

annie123

Department store jobs are not easy to get at present.
I now work on the finance admin side of a large store and recently had 182 applications for 1x16 hour pw job paying £6 ph.
17 were interviewed and 1 got the job.
It went to an ex Woolworth's manager who was made redundant and signing on since the store closed. So it can take a while for anyone to find a job.
Took me 7 months to get mine.

Trugho Xmas temp jobs will be around from mid/end September, so keep an eye out then.

Extra thought: The person who got the job, did 1 day a week at a local charity shop to help out.
I know that gets knocked a lot on here, but my companie's view on it was that they were keen to fill their time constructively when out of work, then they would do the same whilst at work during quiet periods.