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Interview at Last

Forum for info, hints and tips about working for us through Royal Mail not Angard.This is an open forum.
Bugsy
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Joined: 16 Jan 2018, 15:57
Gender: Male

Interview at Last

Post by Bugsy »

Hello Everyone,

Well after years of trying i have finally got an interview with the Royal Mail. If ever the expression 'If at first you don't succeed, try try again' was applicable then it certainly applies with me. Ive lost count the amount of applications i've made over the years and had not been invited for any interviews so this has actually taken me completely by surprise. I must admit i am as nervous as hell not just because i've finally got an interview but also the fact that i realise this really is going to be now or never. To add to the pressure i've twisted my left ankle falling off a ladder and i'm just praying that i'm no longer hobbling when i go for the interview. This is not going to look good hobbling into a room when most of what your job involves is walking for hours and hours a day and I don't want to cancel this interview in case i never get another chance, but the timing is unbelievable.
As for the interview itself like i said earlier the pressure is going to be 2 fold so does anybody remember any questions that come up in their interview and what they answered well and not so well. Any help regarding the questions i am expected to be asked would be greatly appreciated. Two questions in particular that i seem to remember people having trouble with that i read on these forums was 'what do you think Health & Safety entails/means at the Royal Mail?' and 'what can you tell me about the Royal Mail?' With the latter what info would they expect you to know?

thank you

Dexydog
Posts: 679
Joined: 14 Jan 2017, 13:54
Gender: Male

Re: Interview at Last

Post by Dexydog »

You'll get asked to give examples of teamwork.
Not that you'll be using it, ever.
Health and safety, just make sure you tell them it's everyone's responsibility.
Except the DOM's as he doesn't give a toss unless it affects him or his bonus.
With regards RM, make sure you talk about the USO and how we are trying to compete/be like the competition.
Whether you talk about how we do that with our hands tied behind our backs is up to you...
ImogenM
EX ROYAL MAIL
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Joined: 08 Apr 2021, 11:33
Gender: Female

Re: Interview at Last

Post by ImogenM »

Did you get sent an interview preparation guide by email? If so I recommend following the STAR structure in that, I found it very helpful.

To prepare, I looked at each point in the "about you" section of the job description and came up with at least one example for each point using the STAR model.

Good luck!
fb1969
EX ROYAL MAIL
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Joined: 29 Aug 2012, 08:38
Gender: Male
Location: hiding on the backstreets

Re: Interview at Last

Post by fb1969 »

A lot of the posties at our place hobble most of the time!

Name five things you can check on a van - wipers, tyre damage, oil level, water level, lights, horn, washer fluid etc etc etc
Royal Mail
failing the workforce, failing the public and deliberately failing mail on a daily basis for too many years.
Bugsy
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Joined: 16 Jan 2018, 15:57
Gender: Male

Re: Interview at Last

Post by Bugsy »

Thank you for those who have replied so far. Has anyone got anything to add that could be of help.
Runnerdan
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Joined: 28 Dec 2020, 08:51
Gender: Male

Re: Interview at Last

Post by Runnerdan »

Bugsy wrote:
15 Sep 2021, 22:04
Thank you for those who have replied so far. Has anyone got anything to add that could be of help.
I had my interview last November so fairly up to date. The first thing they asked my was what I could tell them about RM, they don’t actually score you for this question but if you answer well it sets you up for the rest of the interview and they can see you have made an effort to do a bit of research. My answer consisted of telling them about how many they employed, when they became privatised etc and they was happy with that.

Other questions were about when I’ve worked as a team, and when I’ve worked alone.
Another was about when I’ve dealt with something health and safety related.

Also try and give 2 examples for each answer, maybe one answer relating to your working life and outside of work.

They will ask you about the working hours and make sure you know you’ll be expected to work every Saturday, you just need to say yes..

I got the job based on that so good luck!
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POSTMAN
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Re: Interview at Last

Post by POSTMAN »

Stickies, stickies, stickies...
Interview tips!

Good luck peeps.
I Wrote
It's good to get these types of threads, the ridiculous my manager said bollox so we can reassure ourselves that while the world is falling apart, Royal Mail managers are still being the low-life C***S they have always been.
My BFF Clash
The daily grind of having to argue your case with an intellectual pigmy of a line manager is physically and emotionally draining.
Bugsy
Posts: 35
Joined: 16 Jan 2018, 15:57
Gender: Male

Re: Interview at Last

Post by Bugsy »

Just to say i finally had my interview yesterday and i can honestly say it was the most informal interview i have ever had in my life. At 1 point i was even called 'love' or 'darling' and all the questions that others have said they were asked at interview, which i totally prepared for, i was only asked 1or 2. I actually found myself incorporating the answers into the conversation we were having when the opportunity arose. I then asked how long would it be before i heard anything and she said if i still had not heard anything after 3 months not to worry. Has anybody else experienced something like this? Im trying to work out if an interview like this is i.e very informal is a good or bad thing.
ImogenM
EX ROYAL MAIL
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Joined: 08 Apr 2021, 11:33
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Re: Interview at Last

Post by ImogenM »

Bugsy wrote:
05 Oct 2021, 13:20
Just to say i finally had my interview yesterday and i can honestly say it was the most informal interview i have ever had in my life. At 1 point i was even called 'love' or 'darling' and all the questions that others have said they were asked at interview, which i totally prepared for, i was only asked 1or 2. I actually found myself incorporating the answers into the conversation we were having when the opportunity arose. I then asked how long would it be before i heard anything and she said if i still had not heard anything after 3 months not to worry. Has anybody else experienced something like this? Im trying to work out if an interview like this is i.e very informal is a good or bad thing.
This is very different to my interview (which was earlier this year). For mine the interviewer was going through structured questions and filling in an interview template sheet type thing, and all the questions matched what I was expecting from the interview prep documents I had received. As to whether it's a good or bad thing, I couldn't tell you, but it sounds good to me that you managed to get your relevant experience in even though it wasn't asked for directly.
pieoftheday
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Joined: 11 Mar 2010, 16:43
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Re: Interview at Last

Post by pieoftheday »

Bugsy wrote:
15 Sep 2021, 22:04
Thank you for those who have replied so far. Has anyone got anything to add that could be of help.
Walk away from RM now!! Before it's too late, Run like the wind.....
Bugsy
Posts: 35
Joined: 16 Jan 2018, 15:57
Gender: Male

Re: Interview at Last

Post by Bugsy »

Is that supposed to be a joke :hmmmm
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POSTMAN
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Re: Interview at Last

Post by POSTMAN »

Bugsy wrote:
13 Oct 2021, 16:49
Is that supposed to be a joke :hmmmm
LOL, don't panic.
Good luck and you'll be fine, just remember this thread in a couple of months though. :Very Happy
I Wrote
It's good to get these types of threads, the ridiculous my manager said bollox so we can reassure ourselves that while the world is falling apart, Royal Mail managers are still being the low-life C***S they have always been.
My BFF Clash
The daily grind of having to argue your case with an intellectual pigmy of a line manager is physically and emotionally draining.
Norfolk 'N' Chance
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Joined: 25 Aug 2021, 18:15
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Location: In the Stix

Re: Interview at Last

Post by Norfolk 'N' Chance »

ImogenM wrote:
05 Oct 2021, 14:56
Bugsy wrote:
05 Oct 2021, 13:20
Just to say i finally had my interview yesterday and i can honestly say it was the most informal interview i have ever had in my life. At 1 point i was even called 'love' or 'darling' and all the questions that others have said they were asked at interview, which i totally prepared for, i was only asked 1or 2. I actually found myself incorporating the answers into the conversation we were having when the opportunity arose. I then asked how long would it be before i heard anything and she said if i still had not heard anything after 3 months not to worry. Has anybody else experienced something like this? Im trying to work out if an interview like this is i.e very informal is a good or bad thing.
This is very different to my interview (which was earlier this year). For mine the interviewer was going through structured questions and filling in an interview template sheet type thing, and all the questions matched what I was expecting from the interview prep documents I had received. As to whether it's a good or bad thing, I couldn't tell you, but it sounds good to me that you managed to get your relevant experience in even though it wasn't asked for directly.
Having had my interview yesterday, I can concur with the above in that a structured template was used and there were only five questions, albeit that they were fairly long and wordy questions. I felt positive and feel I gave good solid examples that fitted in with the behavioral aspect and competency that each of the questions was seeking to address.

Im optomistic and based on what I saw and the conversation I had with the hiring manager, I would jump at the offer if i get made one. This was my 7th application, all previous ones being unsuccessful before even reaching interview. I hope that I have done enough and made a good impression. Its just the waiting game now.
Bugsy
Posts: 35
Joined: 16 Jan 2018, 15:57
Gender: Male

Re: Interview at Last

Post by Bugsy »

Well that was an eventful week-end to say the least.

On Friday i finally got a call from the Royal Mail offering me the job which i will start at the end of the month.I remember during the interview that the person said that there will be plenty of opportunity to do overtime and so top up my wages. However on Saturday i could hear my postman talking to my neighbour complaining that the overtime rate will be going down from time and a half to time and a bit(whatever that means). I certainly dont mind doing overtime as and when its needed, in fact i would have been one of the first to volunteer, but if its going to be just a little bit over the hourly rate im not so sure. Everywhere i have worked in the past overtime has been either paid as time and 1/2 or double time for Sunday and Bank Holidays so to hear this now has put a damper on things. Is there anybody here that can confirm what my postman said is true?
P13
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Re: Interview at Last

Post by P13 »

Bugsy wrote:
18 Oct 2021, 10:54
Well that was an eventful week-end to say the least.

On Friday i finally got a call from the Royal Mail offering me the job which i will start at the end of the month.I remember during the interview that the person said that there will be plenty of opportunity to do overtime and so top up my wages. However on Saturday i could hear my postman talking to my neighbour complaining that the overtime rate will be going down from time and a half to time and a bit(whatever that means). I certainly dont mind doing overtime as and when its needed, in fact i would have been one of the first to volunteer, but if its going to be just a little bit over the hourly rate im not so sure. Everywhere i have worked in the past overtime has been either paid as time and 1/2 or double time for Sunday and Bank Holidays so to hear this now has put a damper on things. Is there anybody here that can confirm what my postman said is true?
The overtime is roughly about single rate, don't know what your postie is talking about as we haven't been on time and half for over a decade .
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