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Most recruitment processes I have come across over the last 8 months or so seem to be pretty similar with online application, online tests, telephone interview and assessment centre. Of course there are variations but here is my experience of the Fujitsu Services process.

First of all comes the application form. This was online and had all the basics (personal details, education etc) and also a few open answer questions which needed a bit more thought. These questions were trying to establish my motivations for applying, an example of when I had exceeded expectations and influenced someone more senior. A lot of applications have the same sort of questions. I had completed my application in mid-February.

The day after I applied, I got an email saying I was successful at the application stage and asked me to do an online test. Most of the online test I had done before were numerical and verbal but this one was abstract reasoning. It was designed to test logic and involved a series of shapes and patterns and asked me to fill in the missing shape.

Three days later I was asked to complete a telephone interview which was my first interview by phone. This consisted of many typical interview questions, some of which related to the application form.

Another week had passed and I was progressed to the assessment centre stage. Although I would not call myself an assessment centre veteran, I knew roughly what to expect. I was given a schedule in advance of what tasks I would be required to do at the assessment centre. This would consist of an individual interview, presentation, group exercise, verbal and numerical tests and a Q&A session with current graduates.

Unlike the other assessment centres I had been to, this was only half a day (the others were a day). As I arrived, the first task was a written numerical and verbal test. Then it was on to the interview which was one-to-one and lasted about 45 minutes. This was much more in depth than the telephone interview and consisted of “standard” interview questions. The next task was to prepare and give a presentation. The topic was not given in advance but on the day and we were given about half an hour to prepare a presentation (on flip charts – no PowerPoint). This sounded quite daunting but when I got in the room to give my presentation, the audience consisted of one person (who would later become my manager!).

As I entered the room for my presentation with all my flipcharts, paper etc in hand; I dropped it all! Not quite the ice-breaker I was planning. Still, on I went and I gave a ten minute presentation and answered ten minutes of questions relating to it. As many presentations do, this one went much better than anticipated. The last item on my agenda for the day was a group exercise in which the five of us at the assessment centre that day were given a scenario and we had to make recommendations. That was the end of the day.

Then began the worst part – the waiting. After two days I got the phone call and was told that I had got the job. After 6 months of a placement search, I was so excited it was over. From start to finish, the Fujitsu Services placement search was over in just under three weeks.

As I said, many application processes are similar. I hope that gives some insight.

Craig