- As a manager or employee in an FMCG company, how would you increase sales? This question seeks to assess your marketing potential. …
- What do you consider to be an effective way of handling conflicts in the workplace? …
- How will you assign targets to sales executives and sales officers?
FMCG Interview Advice
What to expect in the FIRST ROUND of interviews
When you start sending in applications and companies start calling you, you’ll quickly notice that first interviews in the FMCG industry tend to be either over video or the phone. This is mostly because, in this part of the process, recruiters just want to test your skills in communication. As such, the questions are typically geared towards getting to know you, how much you understand about the company, and how you communicate both across.
Questions recruiters may ask: In this time, questions generally range from your biggest achievements to date (raising funds for a society, or completing an incredibly challenging group project on time) and any creative projects you may have been involved in (both personal and academic), to your favourite product from the company. On occasion, recruiters may give hypothetical scenarios or give you relevant business cases to think about.
What to expect in the SECOND ROUND of interviews
If you get past the first interview (congrats!), whether it’s over video or phone, you’ll likely be called to the office for a face-to-face interview. Most of the questions in this round of the recruitment process tend to be more probing, and typically touch on why you applied to the company and industry (FMCG is a highly-competitive industry, and not for everyone).
Questions recruiters may ask: This is usually the time when your interviewer will most likely ask some questions on your strengths and weaknesses to get an idea of your competency level. Give examples from your projects in school or internships, but take note that they’ll have to be in detail. Other topics in this round of interviews include how you approach complex problems, how you respond to constructive criticism, and how you deal with a scenario where your expectations weren’t met (in a goal or project). While these questions may seem a little “out there”, recruiters are really just trying to figure out what you’ll likely do in those scenarios, and see if your response matches with what is expected on a company level.
Recruiters will also start gauging wanted skills, such as those in time management, prioritisation and commercial awareness. As such, questions asked will cover how you managed several assignments and projects at the same time, all the way to familiarity with company and competitor products. If you can give the company (reasonable) ideas on where products can be improved, it’ll definitely be a boon!
Last but not least, if interviewers ask for an instance where you showed innovation or were spearheaded the development of an idea that became a successful project, take the time to go into detail. They’re not doing it just to put you on a spot – they’re looking for your skills in innovative thinking!
Five questions to ask while performing your preliminary research
We know – this seems obvious tip. However, recruiters often express their amazement at candidates who arrive at interviews with only a superficial understanding of what their target job will entail. You should instead possess an in-depth knowledge of the job description and be ready to convince employers that you’re ready to take it on.
Start by reading the job description, paying particular attention to any academic requirements, as well as essential and desirable attributes. Be proactive and reach out to a graduate recruiter or company contacts if there’s anything you want to clarify. You can also check if GradAustralia has a profile of the company.
It’s a good idea to check whether or not the retailer in question is facing any challenges that might come up in the interview. These challenges could relate to topics like declining revenue, planned mergers, new markets or changing market tastes, new products, or operations strategy. Here are five research questions to get you started:
Elise TornosTo help you prepare for your retail or FMCG graduate job interview we turned to our insiders see what it takes to get your application over the line.
Let’s start with a disclaimer: we’re not talking about the type of interview you’d complete before securing a job as a retail assistant or shop clerk. We’re more concerned with the professional careers that you might pursue in the corporate apparatus of a retail organisation like Amazon, GlaxoSmithKline, or Woolworths. Alternatively, job opportunities abound at fast-moving consumer goods organisations, such as Nestle and Unilever, which manufacture large amounts of products for distribution across the globe.
To help you prepare for your career in a retail or FMCG organisation, we also turned to our insiders—graduates who have already secured positions at leading companies and know what it takes to get your application over the line. Here’s what they had to say.
FAQ
How can I prepare for FMCG interview?
- PREPARE & ASK QUESTIONS. With any interview preparation, you should have researched several questions of your own to ask. …
- BE ENTHUSIASTIC. Make sure you show your enthusiasm for the position and company throughout the interview process. …
- SUMMARISE YOUR STRENGTHS.
What skills are required for FMCG sector?
- Excellent sales and negotiation skills.
- Good communication and ‘people skills’
- Confidence, motivation and determination.
- The ability to work well on your own and also as part of a team.
- Good organisational and time management skills.
What is the most important in FMCG?
