Career Advice
Announcing the Candidates’ Choice Awards, the 2016 Best Places to Interview UK
Glassdoor Team
Glassdoor Team | Author & Career Expert at Glassdoor | 29 Sept 2016
The interview experience is a two-way street — while employers are sizing up their candidates, candidates are soaking up as much as they can about the company’s values and culture. This critical first look into a company can greatly influence a candidate’s outlook on the company and their desire to further pursue the application process.
When it comes to providing candidates with a welcoming, transparent, and efficient interview experience, some employers have got it down.
So which companies are getting the candidate experience right? Today, Glassdoor reveals the winners of its Candidate's’ Choice Awards, honouring The Best Places to Interview in 2016 in the UK. This award recognises employers with the best interview experience, according to those who know best — the job candidates.
Specifically, we’re recognising 20 employers who have the most positive interview experience ratings based on interview reviews candidates have anonymously shared.
Glassdoor’s 20 Best Places to Interview in 2016 in the UK:
Positive Interview Experience: 100%
According to the candidates: The interviewers are supportive and make candidates feel relaxed. A Senior Analyst candidate from Hove says, “They tend to make people very comfortable. You are allowed to comeback to a question if you cannot think of a suitable answer immediately.”
Positive Interview Experience: 96%
According to the candidates: They are warm and friendly. An Audit Trainee candidate from Guildford describes it as, “Very Relaxed process. Got to meet current trainees and asked as much questions as I needed to.”
Positive Interview Experience: 96%
According to the candidates: Interviewers are engaged and respond quickly to applications. An Environmental Consultant candidate highlights the speed of the process: “Interview was quick, focused and friendly. Formal signed offer came two weeks after to start work in a month's time. Entire process was pretty efficient.”
See open jobs at Mott MacDonald
Positive Interview Experience: 95% According to the candidates: The process is quick and staff are friendly. A Retail Assistant candidate from Oxford says, “You meet so many nice people! In my experience the managers were really nice but were 'firm but fair' when needed to be, which is obviously a good thing.” Positive Interview Experience: 95% According to the candidates: Interviewing at PwC is a slick experience. According to a Manager candidate from London: “For such a large company, PwC's assessment process is incredibly smooth and the internal recruitment team have been an absolute pleasure to deal with.” Positive Interview Experience: 94% According to the candidates: Morgan Stanley staff are pleasant and helpful. An Operations Analyst candidate from Glasgow says, “Overall, everyone was friendly, all the managers were approachable and there was a really positive culture there.”See open jobs at Morgan Stanley
Positive Interview Experience: 94% According to the candidates: The process is fast and efficient, often with multiple short interviews with different people, sometimes back-to-back. A Corporate Services and Real Estate candidate from London comments, “Had two back to back interviews with two pairs of associates/managers from Goldman. Overall process was quite fast and efficient, they were friendly and kept an eye on the time, made me feel at ease.”See open jobs at Goldman Sachs
Positive Interview Experience: 94% According to the candidates: Interviews for the shops consist of 1:1 questions and a shop floor exercise. A Sales Advisor candidate from Luton adds, “The manager explained the process which was a 10min activity on the shop floor then he interviewed me. On the shop floor I was given a perfume and I had to try your sell it to customers while he observed. It wasn't about how much you sell but your interaction with customers.” Positive Interview Experience: 93% According to the candidates: There are group interviews with team activities and ‘ice-breaker’ exercises. These exercises can be quite fun, according to a Sales Associate candidate in Manchester: “There was a group interview with at least 30 people. First they made us stand in a circle and had a football with questions, we had to throw the football at each other and answer questions off the ball.” Positive Interview Experience: 93% According to the candidates: The process eases candidates into the interviews. An Engineering candidate in Derby says, “HR were great, they were very reassuring and helpful when prepping for the assessment centre i.e. any arrangements that needed to be made. On the day, began with tea/coffee/juice with the assessors/engineers, so you're able to introduce yourself, making it less awkward when being interviewed.” Positive Interview Experience: 93% According to the candidates: P&G uses multiple assessment stages, particularly for coveted internships. The questioning is very specific, says an Assistant Brand Manager candidate in Weybridge: “All interviews are competency based and follow P&G's values. I was never asked why P&G or why brand managing, it was all about me. They also place huge emphases on questions you have them, leaving at least 15 minutes for you to ask your own questions.”See open jobs at Proctor & Gamble
Positive Interview Experience: 92% According to the Candidates: There are group interviews for sales assistants. A Sales Assistant candidate, in Nuneaton found this group exercise very positive: “I handed my CV in store on the Wednesday, I took part in the group interview the following Tuesday. Group of 9, all women, and 3 interviewers from the local branch. Friendly, comfortable and relaxed. Lasted 1 hour, began at store closing time. I enjoyed it.” Positive Interview Experience: 92% According to the Candidates: Cabin Crew take part in group exercises and then interview with recruiters. Other candidates might be asked to do video interviews and then will be asked competency questions in face-to-face meetings. A Lead Fraud and Loss Specialist candidate in Luton says, “The interviews were really nice and friendly and explained the format of the interview. I had to go through the skills on my CV and answer 8 competency questions with additional ones after that. It was quite relaxed and friendly.” Positive Interview Experience: 92% According to the Candidates: The application process is described as quite challenging with timed online tests and pre-recorded video interviewing techniques. However, the questions asked are quite standard and can be researched beforehand. An Investment Graduate candidate in London adds, “Video Interview involving 12 questions (30 seconds to prepare 3 mins to answer) and you are not expected to use up all the time. It isn't as scary as it sounds and if you prepare well it is fine.” Positive Interview Experience: 92% According to the Candidates: JLR uses assessment centres with various exercises to get the best out of people. A Production Leader candidate in Coventry found the process constructive: “It was a informative day the interview team made you feel as comfortable as possible considering the pressure an interview brings. The recruiting managers gave some excellent feedback at the end of the session so we could all take some learning away from the day.”See open jobs at Jaguar Land Rover
Positive Interview Experience: 91% According to the Candidates: The group assessments are fun and friendly and interviewers make sure that candidates feel comfortable. “We had an introduction to the interviewing managers that were really nice and friendly, they did some small talk to put us at ease,” said a Supermarket Assistant candidate in Eastbourne. “It started off with the 'formal' interview process which was fairly informal because I chatted to the interviewer a bit beforehand. Then we did a group exercise where we had to match Waitrose staff to different scenarios and then present why we did this. There were a few funny ones in there which kept the process less intense.” Positive Interview Experience: 91% According to the Candidates: People recruited for stores attend group interview sessions called “ASDA Magic Events”, where attendees take part in team exercises for around two hours. A Customer Assistant candidate in Middlesborough describes the event: “Group interview, made a balloon tower - was really fun and low pressure. After that we were put into groups and had to try and sell a product back to the management team. Finally came a 1:2 interview which was based around customer service and work ethics.” Positive Interview Experience: 91% According to the Candidates: The Hays process is challenging, efficient and requires a good level of research from candidates on the company and its values. A Recruitment Consultant candidate in London says, “The entire process was rigorous and inspiring. Every member of staff I met were very professional, efficient and highly confident.” Positive Interview Experience: 91% According to the Candidates: As with M&G, candidates often have to complete online tests and a pre-recorded video interview before being invited to an assessment centre. “It was very strange sensation having only 2 min to answer each question and then being cut off from saying anymore and moving on to the next question,” says an Equity Analyst candidate in London. “Overall questions were quite easy and straightforward and are what you can expect from an investment management [company]. Although it is very relaxed to do since there is plenty of time between each question as it gets uploaded.” Positive Interview Experience: 91% According to the Candidates: The process is simple, quick, very standard and candidates will be asked typical questions for a customer-service business. A Sales Associate candidate in London says, “Standard online application process. If you ever applied for a retail company online, you'll be familiar with it.” The 2016 Best Places to Interview in the UK winners are determined by positive interview experience, as rated on Glassdoor by UK based candidates who anonymously elected to share feedback on Glassdoor between 14 September, 2015 to 13 September, 2016. To be considered, employers eligible for the list must have received at least 25 interview reviews during the eligibility period and have 1,000 or more employees. Have you been for an interview recently? How did it go? Why not consider leaving a review to help others navigate the interview process. Are you involved in recruitment and hiring at your company? For tips on upgrading your interview process, download and share our eBook How to Conduct Better Interviews.Glassdoor Team
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