Open for applications w/c 6th September 2011
Application Questions
- Attach a recent and detailed CV
- Be aware that we screen the applications on your CV and answers to the 2 application questions so -
- Answer the questions thoughroghly around your education and qualification details
- Write a first draft on what interests you about the role before submitting your answer
- Research Cadbury and RSSL to help with the application question
- Do ask a friend to proof read your answer before you submit it
- Do read the pre requisites on the role as we will use these to shortlist your application
- Do read our descriptions below of how we define our leadership imperatives because we will be assessing you on your ability in these three areas at interview
Cadbury Leadership Imperatives
Accountable This is about making sure everyone clearly understands and lives up to their role and responsibilities. We need to deliver agreed commitments, take ownership and learn from feedback on performance. Take responsibility for ensuring collaborative and effective working with teams to deliver results.
Adaptable This is about being open-minded and flexible in approaching different situations. We need to deal effectively and creatively with the unpredictable and uncertain. Be customer service orientated and commercially astute. Work effectively with diverse ideas, businesses and cultures.
Aggressive This is about focusing externally and constantly seeking out new value creating opportunities. We need to have the drive and resilience to succeed and move quickly to seize opportunities. Respond to challenging goals and take considered risks where appropriate.
On-line numerical and verbal reasoning tests
These are timed, multiple choice tests, designed to measure your numerical and verbal ability.
Preparing for Numerical reasoning tests:
If you have not looked at numbers since GCSEs, it will be worth brushing up on your numerical skills. Playing with mathematical teasers and diagrammatic puzzles may help you feel more confident with numbers. There are also a variety of books available about how to pass psychometric numeric tests. These will provide you with some helpful revision advice and practice questions. (Please note that we cannot guarantee the level of similarity between test questions in any published material and the questions you will be given in on-line tests as part of the Cadbury recruitment process.)
Preparing for Verbal reasoning tests:
These are more difficult to brush up on quickly but reading newspapers, manuals, technical reports or academic business journals may help. Practise extracting and summarising the main points from passages of information.
Interviews
Do's
- Do prepare by researching Cadbury, and the function for which you are applying. (Industry magazines and our website are good sources of information)
- Do save your application question and read it and your CV through before your interview
- Do think of specific examples where you have shown that you are skilled in the leadership imperatives (definitions above)
- Listen and take care to answer questions carefully
- Speak in the first person (say 'I' not 'we'), your interviewer will want to know what you did more than what the team as a whole achieved.
- When you're asked interview questions you might find it useful to use the Situation, Objective, Action, Result (SOAR) model. Explain what situation you were in, what objective you were trying to achieve, what action you took to achieve your objective and what the result was.
- If your interview travel expenses are estimated to be more than £250 if applying to the grad scheme or £100 if applying for an industrial placement, do check in with the recruitment team before you book your ticket!
Don'ts
- Be economical with the truth. (i.e. don't lie) as a good interviewer will probe you for details and will be able to pick up inconsistencies with your previous answers.
- Badmouth your current colleagues, company or boss. Instead use your interactions with difficult colleagues as examples of when you have had to influence people in a challenging environment.
Closing date for applications – Friday 5th November 2010
Interview dates – 7th/8th/9th December
Start date of Placements – 4th July 2011
Good Luck!