I have 'ASDA' MAGIC' assessment date. . what can i expect ?

DAREDEVIL78

Hi, very briefly i have an 'ASDA MAGIC' assessment date to attend but i wondered if anybody has been to a similar appointment with asda, what happens at the appointment ? and more importantly if and when do i get to hear if i actually have a job with them if i am successful . . do you get told of a job offer at this interview or do you find out after i've been ??

thanks

kymbogs

Hi, I went to one a couple of months ago.

First was 'find out about and introduce the person next to you". Then we were split into 3 teams to build a castle out of balloons...

Then there were one on one interviews, filling in paperwork and being shown how to merchandise stock on the shop floor.

My interview was on a Saturday and I got an email on the Monday saying no thanks. If you're successful you'll get a phonecall.

Good luck!

Kate78

Expect lots of group tasks and team building activities. Wear your biggest smile.

Seriously, ASDA are looking for friendly, enthusiastic people who work well with others. If you go in there with a good attitude then you should do well.

They usually let people know fairly quickly - my SIL starts this Saturday - about 2 weeks between interview and start date.

DAREDEVIL78

Yeh i appreciate the replies . . . also i have another query . . one of my referees is my current employer but do asda contact them wether or not i get a job offer because if they do contact my current employer that wouldn't be good because they dont know i intend to leave and if it ends up i dont get a job offer then it will have stirred the applecart for nothing !

Amsfeld

Hey, I used to work as a manager for ASDA, and ran loads of the magic sessions. Every manager/store runs them differently, but they all follow a similar theme.

First is the icebreaker - find out a few things about the person next to you, and then present back to the group. Pretty simple, ask questions and pay attention to the answers you get.

Next is the team task - build something out of straws/balloons etc. Just get involved. Come up with ideas, listen to others, just be careful not to dominate the group.

Finally is the one to one interview. We actually did these on a separate day, but I think they're usually done after the group sections. Pretty straight forward, all about team work and customer service.

We only ever started gathering references after a job offer had been accepted, no real point in getting a reference for someone we wouldn't even offer the job to. If you are still worried though, just mention it in the one to one interview, I used to have people bring it up all the time.

Good luck!

Middy

I went to an Asda Magic assessment just over 3 years ago and like kymbogs, it involved making a balloon tower. I was teamed up with a lad. None of us could tie the blown up balloons. I got turned down Asda due to my inability to tie balloon knots!

At least Sainsburys didn't ask me to blow up and tie balloons.

KG91

I had one in May. We were paired up with the person sitting next to us, we had to find out various facts and info about our partner, then stand up and introduce our partner to the group using the info we found out. Then we were split into 2 teams, and we had to build a structure out of marshmallows and spaghetti, then the staff hosting the session chose a winning team.
The session was hosted by about 4 members of Asda staff - they were all really friendly and it was a very relaxed and fun, which is a refreshing change from a bog standard interview. We were then interviewed separately, where I was just asked general interview questions relating to work and my hobbies, where I see myself in the future ect. The whole thing lasted around an hour.
Good luck!

teeb

I too had an Asda Magic involving balloons and tape.

I have a phobia of balloons so was less than useless, but they were still very nice to me and offered me a place. I think the key is be open, honest, happy, cheerful and yourself - even if you're actually as terrified as I was!

Truegho

Amsfeld wrote: »

Hey, I used to work as a manager for ASDA, and ran loads of the magic sessions. Every manager/store runs them differently, but they all follow a similar theme.

First is the icebreaker - find out a few things about the person next to you, and then present back to the group. Pretty simple, ask questions and pay attention to the answers you get.

Next is the team task - build something out of straws/balloons etc. Just get involved. Come up with ideas, listen to others, just be careful not to dominate the group.

Finally is the one to one interview. We actually did these on a separate day, but I think they're usually done after the group sections. Pretty straight forward, all about team work and customer service.

We only ever started gathering references after a job offer had been accepted, no real point in getting a reference for someone we wouldn't even offer the job to. If you are still worried though, just mention it in the one to one interview, I used to have people bring it up all the time.

Good luck!

Hi Amsfield

Very interested to read your post about the ASDA assessment procedure. It was good to get a manager's perspective on these, often very-tricky-to pass, tests. I have attended many of these assessments for various major retailers, and it is very frustrating when, after all the passion and effort you put in to the tasks, you then get an emailed rejection! You just feel as if you are wasting your time attending them.

One major retail chain in Liverpool and Chester has rejected me quite a few times after I have attended one of their assessment days, and even for a temp Xmas job, they would not have me. I hate those words that say, "After careful consideration, we will not be taking your application any further."

To think, one time, it was pretty easy to get a job in a retail store. Now, though, you would have a better chance at winning the lottery!

NervousNelly_3

Amsfeld wrote: »

Hey, I used to work as a manager for ASDA, and ran loads of the magic sessions. Every manager/store runs them differently, but they all follow a similar theme.

First is the icebreaker - find out a few things about the person next to you, and then present back to the group. Pretty simple, ask questions and pay attention to the answers you get.

Next is the team task - build something out of straws/balloons etc. Just get involved. Come up with ideas, listen to others, just be careful not to dominate the group.

Finally is the one to one interview. We actually did these on a separate day, but I think they're usually done after the group sections. Pretty straight forward, all about team work and customer service.

We only ever started gathering references after a job offer had been accepted, no real point in getting a reference for someone we wouldn't even offer the job to. If you are still worried though, just mention it in the one to one interview, I used to have people bring it up all the time.

Good luck!

So much calmer about my interview having read this, thank you! Mine is tomorrow, I've done one group session before but it was a call centre and I was the only computer literate person there, when I started training I was the only one from my group in the training haha.