Vodafone Grad Program 2011

Susicia

Anyone else still waiting to hear back from the online test round for the Vodafone Grad Program? Or have I been quietly forgotten about... :-/

Almost 3 weeks ago they told me they'd let me know the 'next step' within a week... I'm feeling the brush off here...

alrolo

Did you hear anything back? I just did the online test today.

Suaimhneach

I'd reach out to them if I was you OP - but seeing as their still accepting tests there is a possibility it might take a while.
Keep us updated!

rodgpodg

Ya don't listen to that (in a week) crap, theyre pretty slow... Although I've done the telephone interview and been told I passed that too, granted I applied the first couple of days that the job went up...

whoospiedaisy

Did the test last night n got email for the next round this morn. Rodgpodg...how is the phone interview? what kind of stuff do they ask??

rodgpodg

They ask you to go through your CV and a few competency based questions, team work, working to a deadline, own qualities; nothing too bad and it lasts about 30 mins...

Susicia

Awesome Stuff everyone :-) Thanks for replying!

They finally gave me an email last week followed up by a call on Tuesday last arranging a phone interview for this coming Monday (tomorrow!).

The funny thing was they suggested the time of the interview for the exact same time as my driving test :-) After I told the woman I was speaking to I got a good laugh out of her at the coincidence and she happily rescheduled me for later in the day, had to wonder if she believed me though.... ;-)

I've been waiting for these 2 separate events for weeks/months now and all ya gotta do is laugh the way they ended up on the same day and almost the same time :-)

Susicia

rodgpodg wrote: »

They ask you to go through your CV and a few competency based questions, team work, working to a deadline, own qualities; nothing too bad and it lasts about 30 mins...

and thanks for the heads up! :-) Hope you do well in the next round!

StudentXY

Hey guys,

Has anyone heard if they got through the phone interview and into the experience day yet? I got through the phone interview but they said I'd know at the end of June if I got through to the experience day and it is getting close to the end :P

daveyid89

Anyone got any idea how many people get shortlisted for the experience day? Passed the phone interview but still waiting on word the experience day... suppose il hear tomorrow if their "end of june" promise is being kept.

StudentXY

from what the email said it is shortlisted to 55 people so hopefully we have a chance! yeah hopefully we will find out tomorrow if we got through to the next stage they have been really prompt so far with me so fingers crossed!

daveyid89

StudentXY wrote: »

from what the email said it is shortlisted to 55 people so hopefully we have a chance! yeah hopefully we will find out tomorrow if we got through to the next stage they have been really prompt so far with me so fingers crossed!

The email seems to imply that there are 55 places for the experience day. But the shortlist could be much larger.

StudentXY

i really wouldnt know! but from the sounds of it most people who do the phone interview seem to pass this stage, so it could be quite a big number! fingers crossed hopefully we will find out tomorrow! did you find out you got through a while ago? i only found out yesterday.

daveyid89

I only found out today, my phone interview was on Monday. It didn't go too well and I expected to fail it tbh.

That's why I'm a little skeptical about whether or not "passing" the phone interview is any real indication of success.

It did up make me feel better tough There's always that.

StudentXY

yeah i get what you mean, i was thinking that maybe everyone passes the phone interview and then they decide from our app form, the phone interview transcript and our cv maybe! but yeah its definately a boost, i keep getting quite a bit in interviews but never get the offer soo i needed a boost!

StudentXY

Anyone heard anything yet if they got through to the experience day?

Susicia

Nope! Nothing yet for me anyhow! Every time so far that they told me they'd be in contact by a certain amount of days/time/etc they were at least 2 days late, so not holding my breath that i'm gonna get an email by this afternoon...... it would be soooooo nice though!! :-)

StudentXY

yeah i get ya, hopefully we will hear from them on Monday! fingers crossed anyways! what areas are you guys hoping to get?

StudentXY

Sorry again for the message, but has anyone heard anything so far? Still nothing on my end! I am just a bit concerned because the experience day is next week and want to know!

Susicia

Heard nothing yet myself, either. I'm choosing to believe it's a good sign because I know they do rejections first, from what i've watched of my friends getting them before I got through.

All together now: "Maybe tomorrow....?!" :-)

StudentXY

Oh thats good news! Hopefully we will find out tomorrow and its good news! Dying to know i hate waiting!!!

StudentXY

Hey guys!

I got the email saying I am through to one of the Experience Days! Did anyone else get one? Wonder what is going to happen on the day, have no idea how to prepare for it!

tomister

Me too!! got an email this morning. Looking forward to it now - have to start my prep work!!

StudentXY

awesome! what day are you on? i wonder what it is going to entail! eep! haven't a clue really what to research ha!

marxcoo

We have to research stuff?? I feel the terror building already!

tomister

StudentXY wrote: »

awesome! what day are you on? i wonder what it is going to entail! eep! haven't a clue really what to research ha!

I'm going on Thursday so loads of time for prep work. Trying to write my thesis at the moment so the extra few days will be a god send!!

I'm not too pushed about the whole business casual attire - i'd nearly prefer to be suited up so I know what to expect from other candidates!!

Did anyone get a response when they confirmed their attendance. I got the bus schedule this afternoon but no confirmation to my confirmation!?!

Night_Prowler

They provide a dress code for a reason - if it says business casual then dont turn up in a suit. Dress smart but dont over dress, you'll only stand out for the wrong reasons

tomister

Night_Prowler wrote: »

They provide a dress code for a reason - if it says business casual then dont turn up in a suit. Dress smart but dont over dress, you'll only stand out for the wrong reasons

I get the reasoning behind the dress code but it doesn't make it any easier on people - is your idea of business casual the same as theirs? Thankfully I've worked an a company where business casual was the day to day norm but one question:- tie or no tie??

In the company I used to work for it was a no tie business casual but is that the same everywhere??

Thanks for your help!!

StudentXY

tomister wrote: »

I'm going on Thursday so loads of time for prep work. Trying to write my thesis at the moment so the extra few days will be a god send!!

I'm not too pushed about the whole business casual attire - i'd nearly prefer to be suited up so I know what to expect from other candidates!!

Did anyone get a response when they confirmed their attendance. I got the bus schedule this afternoon but no confirmation to my confirmation!?!

I am on Thursday as well, are you going in the morning? Yeah I have my suit that I have worn to all my interviews but now I don't know what to wear ha I know I am totally over thinking this ha!

Does anyone know how long the day is going to be?

tomister

StudentXY wrote: »

I am on Thursday as well, are you going in the morning? Yeah I have my suit that I have worn to all my interviews but now I don't know what to wear ha I know I am totally over thinking this ha!

Does anyone know how long the day is going to be?

Yep nice bright and early start! have to be there by 8:15. Its a very early start for me - I'll have to be in the car at 5:30 to make the train. Looking forward to it though, have a strong interest in the company and the market as a whole so it would make an ideal career for me!

Have you far to travel?

StudentXY

Oh ya poor thing, thats so early! Luckily I dont have to get up that early I am quite near. Ya going from the country?

Yeah the place looks like an amazing opportunity would love to get the chance to work for them, loads of competition though don't want to get my hopes up I keep getting to the last stage of graduate programmes but don't actually get the job! It can get quite frustrating!

delta720

Night_Prowler wrote: »

They provide a dress code for a reason - if it says business casual then dont turn up in a suit. Dress smart but dont over dress, you'll only stand out for the wrong reasons

Usually I'd agree, but I did the experience day for Vodafone UK earlier this year and almost every fella there was in a suit, and talking to the interviewers/current grads they didn't really care at all.

If the Irish experience day is anything like the UK one it will be ultra competitive, the interview method is completely different from any other company I'd had interviews with and the group project is completely cut throat! In my group 4 of us worked well together while 2 others were dominating arséholes, one of those guys ended up getting the job.

That being said, they look after you very well during the day and it is fantastic experience for other interviews.

Also regarding the phone interview, it's pass/fail, with those that pass put forward for selection to the experience day.

tomister

StudentXY wrote: »

Oh ya poor thing, thats so early! Luckily I dont have to get up that early I am only going from Howth! Ya going from the country?

Yeah the place looks like an amazing opportunity would love to get the chance to work for them, loads of competition though don't want to get my hopes up I keep getting to the last stage of graduate programmes but don't actually get the job! It can get quite frustrating!

Yep coming up from mullingar, was going to drive up but with morning traffic and the fact that i'm only 75% sure how to get in to the company with the car, I'll leave the car in Maynooth and train it in and Luas it out!

54 (thought it was meant to be 55??) people for 20 positions is a bit tough but at least we made it this far

I hear ya, its so tough to get anything - I drove to Cork last week for a second round interview and they basically asked me the exact same questions as the first one. Total waste of my time and petrol!!

delta720 wrote: »

Usually I'd agree, but I did the experience day for Vodafone UK earlier this year and almost every fella there was in a suit, and talking to the interviewers/current grads they didn't really care at all.

If the Irish experience day is anything like the UK one it will be ultra competitive, the interview method is completely different from any other company I'd had interviews with and the group project is completely cut throat! In my group 4 of us worked well together while 2 others were dominating arséholes, one of those guys ended up getting the job.

That being said, they look after you very well during the day and it is fantastic experience for other interviews.

Also regarding the phone interview, it's pass/fail, with those that pass put forward for selection to the experience day.

Thanks for putting my mind at ease - I think I'll go with normal suit attire maybe minus a jacket.
I'd say the experience days will be run similar as they are both run by the same recruitment company based in the UK

Did they leave much time between the experience days and the result??

marxcoo

delta720 wrote: »

Usually I'd agree, but I did the experience day for Vodafone UK earlier this year and almost every fella there was in a suit, and talking to the interviewers/current grads they didn't really care at all.

If the Irish experience day is anything like the UK one it will be ultra competitive, the interview method is completely different from any other company I'd had interviews with and the group project is completely cut throat! In my group 4 of us worked well together while 2 others were dominating arséholes, one of those guys ended up getting the job.

That being said, they look after you very well during the day and it is fantastic experience for other interviews.

Also regarding the phone interview, it's pass/fail, with those that pass put forward for selection to the experience day.

When you did the UK one what did they ask you to do for the team assignment? I can imagine how competitive it will be, group work can be difficult enough as it is!!

delta720

tomister wrote: »

Thanks for putting my mind at ease - I think I'll go with normal suit attire maybe minus a jacket.
I'd say the experience days will be run similar as they are both run by the same recruitment company based in the UK

Did they leave much time between the experience days and the result??

Those that got the job were called that evening, but they were told not to say anything until all the experience days were over.

Also YOU get to pick who interviews you! But I don't know if they'll do that over here, there was 30 people per day in the UK so maybe they'll just go one on one for Ireland.

marxcoo wrote: »

When you did the UK one what did they ask you to do for the team assignment? I can imagine how competitive it will be, group work can be difficult enough as it is!!

Come up with a new service targeted at young people, i.e. deals regarding downloading music/apps for a monthly fee, that kind of thing, also as everyone suspected there's a kicker half way through and then a presentation at the end and a grilling by the guys watching you the whole time.

tomister

delta720 wrote: »

Those that got the job were called that evening, but they were told not to say anything until all the experience days were over.

Also YOU get to pick who interviews you! But I don't know if they'll do that over here, there was 30 people per day in the UK so maybe they'll just go one on one for Ireland.



Come up with a new service targeted at young people, i.e. deals regarding downloading music/apps for a monthly fee, that kind of thing, also as everyone suspected there's a kicker half way through and then a presentation at the end and a grilling by the guys watching you the whole time.

well at least they don't make you wait :eek:

Thats actually not a bad challenge - I had a discussion about an idea with a customer care rep not too long ago!! Must put the thinking cap back on

Thanks for all your advice - really helps putting the mind at ease

Perrin2040

Haven't heard anything from them

Literally filled in my application, and since then nothing, so im gonna go out on a limb here and say I didn't even get medium-listed to the online test or anything

Really wonder what I put in my application that was so off-putting

marxcoo

Perrin2040 wrote: »

Haven't heard anything from them

Literally filled in my application, and since then nothing, so im gonna go out on a limb here and say I didn't even get medium-listed to the online test or anything

Really wonder what I put in my application that was so off-putting

When did you fill the application form? Did they send you a confirmation that you had filled it in? It's unusual that you haven't heard anything at all from them.

Perrin2040

marxcoo wrote: »

When did you fill the application form? Did they send you a confirmation that you had filled it in? It's unusual that you haven't heard anything at all from them.

Filled it in about the 11th of June, never got a confirmation email. Bloody brilliant. Can't get through to them on the phone now either.

Susicia

Good luck to everyone with interviews today/tomorrow/Thursday :-) Nice to see so many of use commenting on this forum for the last few weeks got through :-)

StudentXY

nervous about tomorrow eep! hope whoever has done it so far was happy with it! and good luck for everyone tomorrow! im certainly going to need it!!!

Susicia

So, since the experience days are all over now, how'd everybody think they did? :-)

StudentXY

think it was a great experience! really enjoyed the day and the place/people were so nice! it really makes you want the job more! fingers crossed anyways im going to be glued to my phone for the next week ha!

tomister

Overall very happy with it. Enjoyed the day and learned loads!! A brilliant company and I hope I get to chance to work with them

rodgpodg

Couldn't complain now to be honest, they really sold the graduate programme well, the best 20 will deserve the position so fair play to everyone who gets an offer...

Fakename4242

Hey guys, anybody hear anything yet?

I know they said within a week.. but I was expectin' it to be a bit sooner!

StudentXY

No I haven't heard anything back Has anyone else at this stage?

Fakename4242

..still nothing from me anyway..

I noticed that, on the faqs section for the grad programme, they said that they give everybody feedback after they attend an experience day... maybe they're just preparing pages and pages of feedback for us :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

rodgpodg

Offers were made last friday, PFO's are being sent out this week

mim90

Hi!

Just had the telephone interview with Vodafone. They have so many stages! I'm so freaked out I have to wait all weekend in agony to find out the results. Did any of you get the job??

rodgpodg

How did you get on in the telephone interview? I thought it was a number of weeks before we heard back last year foloowing the phonecall, next up is the assessment centre tho and that' it so you're almost there