Grad scheme applicants face tests - graduate jobs

Graduates applying for a post-university career in management at Waitrose are facing an extra hurdle, in the form of psychometric tests.

After receiving 2,500 applications for just 20 places on their graduate scheme, the supermarket has had to add an extra challenge, in order to select 150 candidates for its assessment centre.

Successful graduates of the scheme can expect to progress to department manager level within 12-24 months.

Waitrose is using psychometric tests for the first time to judge how candidates would deal with some common workplace situations.

They are using "Graduate Dilemmas", created by A&DC which presents the user with management scenarios. It is not retail specific, but the supermarket has been able to adjust the scoring to reflect the qualities it requires.

Anglie Johns, manager of recruitment services at Waitrose, told People Management: "We had to make it relevant for Waitrose and, being a partnership, we have some leadership behaviours that are particularly important.

"We need people who are achievement oriented but that needs to be coupled with an openness and positive regard for colleagues that is appropriate for our business."