Hints & Tips

Below are some hints and tips to help you make the best of your application.

How do I prepare for the application?

Please answer the questions on the online application as accurately as possible. You will need to make sure that you complete all of the details required and check that your contact number and email address are correct, so we can contact you. You're only able to apply for one apprenticeship, graduate or internship programme for this recruitment cycle, September 2020 - August 2021, so please make sure you’re happy with the programme you’re applying for.

We welcome applications from candidates who have their own right to work in the UK. For both temporary and permanent roles, you will be asked to provide evidence of your right to work during the early stages of the application process, and you must maintain and be able to demonstrate your right to work throughout the duration of your employment. Please note that Tesco are unable to sponsor any candidates for apprenticeship and graduate roles as the Home Office's eligibility criteria will not be satisfied.

How can I prepare for the games based assessment?

You don’t have to do any preparation and you don’t need to be a gamer to succeed. All we ask is that you find the right environment for you to be able to be at your best whilst playing the games. There are no right or wrong answers. This is a great opportunity for you to find out more about yourself as you will receive feedback straight after you’ve completed the games. Make sure you have your phone or camera on hand to capture your feedback for future use.

Will I get a chance to practice the game-base assessment first?

Of course, just click here and it will take you to a practice game-based assessment so you know what to expect.

How can I prepare for the video interview?

We understand that a video interview may not be the most comfortable thing for some of you, and know it can be difficult to be yourself in front of a camera. It’s important that you:

Find a quiet place that's free of distractions
Relax and take your time before answering the questions
Have your notes to hand, it’s ok to refer to them
Get the right lighting, camera position and background
Speak slowly and clearly, this will help keep your nerves in check and your answers clear and concise
Look at the camera rather than the screen as this will help
Go through the practice questions ahead of time so that you know what the process feels like, these questions will not be assessed

We're not too formal here so there’s no need to get suited and booted, smart casual dress is good for us. And maybe get a glass of water to help you along the way!

When you're ready to start the interview, you will be asked a series of questions. You will have 30 seconds before the camera starts recording and then you have 3 minutes to answer each question. Don’t feel like you have to use all 3 minutes, as long as you are happy with the answer you have provided, just move on when you’re ready.

What happens at our Discovery Centre?

We understand that a virtual Discovery Centre may be new to you. To help set you up for success we will be providing you with an opportunity to attend a coaching session to help understand what to expect on the day. Our Discovery Centre has been designed with you in mind, this will enable you to relax and show us the best version of you whether the day be virtual or face to face.

This day is a two way process; it will allow you the opportunity to get involved with some of the great innovations we have here whilst meeting our business leaders and some of our current apprentices and graduates.

Prior to your Discovery Centre we will provide you with an overview of the day and some light reading. It’s important that you understand your motivations for joining the programme and research the area of choice and wider business.

During the day you will be assessed during three exercises. There will be a group discussion, a 121 conversation based upon a real business scenario that you’ll be presented with on the day and we’ve replaced the traditional competency interview with a motivational interview to assess your passion for Tesco and your chosen programme. It's really important that you contribute and take part throughout the day as this will help us get to know you.

To help set you up for success, if you require any reasonable adjustments for the Discovery Centre please respond to the invite letting us know what reasonable adjustments you need. Alternatively a member of the recruitment team will be happy to talk through your requirements with you to help put your mind at ease.

What happens after the Discovery Centre?

After the Discovery Centre a member of the team will call you to provide you with feedback and the outcome from the day.

The feedback will be captured throughout the Discovery Centre and is provided to help you to reflect on any key messages and how you might use them in the future.

Our advice

Remember it's a two way process. You will be at the Discovery Centre to identify if Tesco is the right business for you, and that it aligns with your passions and values, as well as us assessing your suitability to the programme.

Throughout the day we will want to see your passion and motivation, so it’s important to take your time in answering the questions. If you are unclear about any questions you're asked, then ask for clarification. Don’t panic if there’s a short silence whilst you are thinking of your response.

Use the day to learn about yourself, reflect on any key messages and how you might use them going forward.

What will the topic of the day be?

'Every little help makes a big difference' is a core value at Tesco. It drives what we do every day for our colleagues around the world, in the thousands of communities where we operate, and for the millions of customers we serve. It is also the idea at the heart of our Little Helps Plan, which sets out how Tesco will make a difference to the social and environmental challenges that matter most to our customers, colleagues and communities. This is the area we have chosen for our Discovery Centre.

We can make the greatest contribution by focusing on our people, our products and our places, the three pillars of the Little Helps Plan. Underpinning these pillars are a number of areas where we remain committed to doing the right thing, which we call our Foundations, and cover important issues such as carbon reduction, health and wellness, CSR, health and safety and cyber security.

The Plan is driving us to create a business where colleagues can get on, whatever their background; to help customers make healthier choices and enjoy good quality, sustainable products, at affordable prices; to ensure no food that could be eaten is wasted; to reduce the environmental impact of our packaging; and support the communities we serve. Since launching the Little Helps Plan in 2017, we have made good progress on all these areas.