Aerospace company Airbus has been named the best employer to interview with in the UK by Glassdoor.
Judged on a number of factors including interview experience, duration of the recruitment process and interview difficulty, the new ranking sees Airbus finish top ahead of Yell and Hiscox, with 94% of respondents describing their interview experience at the aircraft manufacturer as positive.
The jobs website analysed anonymous feedback left by candidates who interviewed with 7,000 companies in the UK in 2017, including those who rejected an offer or were unsuccessful.
1. Airbus
Interviews with the aerospace group tend to be quite challenging, with a difficulty rating of 3.5 out of five. One respondent who interviewed for a principal design engineering post wrote of having to take technical tests: “There was a telephone interview [and a] face to face [interview] in their office. It was a full half day of tests and a final interview. The final part was a lot about skills, and there was a CAD test and a GD&T quiz.”
However, despite the difficulty and a protracted recruitment process lasting around 80 days, 84% of respondents looked back on their experience positively.
2. Yell
This year, the business directory website performed well in a number of rankings, coming in 20th place in Glassdoor’s highest rated CEOs list and 28th in Glassdoor's best places to work list.
Yell’s recruitment process is a much speedier affair than Airbus’, with an average duration of 15 days. Interviews are also deemed slightly less challenging, with an average difficulty rating of 3.3.
A digital account manager at Yell, who applied online, recalls “a professional, efficient process from the very start.” They added they were “very impressed with the entire process, well done Team Yell!”.
3. Hiscox
Next on the list is Hiscox, the business and home insurer. 86% of respondents viewed their interview experience with them favourably. Interviews tend to be quite difficult, with a difficulty rating of three, but Hiscox’s recruitment process seems to be much shorter than a few of the other employers in the list, with an average duration of just 22 days.
While most reviews tended to be positive, one respondent who interviewed with Hiscox for an analyst role felt the “process was long and confusing and the company clearly has no idea what they were doing or what they were looking for. There were far too many steps in the interview process that were unnecessary. Mixed communication was provided between the company and the recruitment agent. Wouldn't recommend people going for jobs at this company.”
4. easyJet
Like Yell, easyJet has performed well in a series of rankings this year, coming 40th in Glassdoor’s best places to work list and 30th in Glassdoor’s highest rated CEOs list. Interviews with the airline company seem fairly straightforward, with a difficulty rating of 2.9, although this is offset by a recruitment process that lasts an average of 39 days.
86% of respondents described their interview experience in positive terms, with one respondent who declined a job offer from easyJet for a cabin crew post, saying: “the whole assessment day was very professional. Most of the recruitment team staff were very friendly and approachable..”
5. Salesforce
Salesforce, which also appeared in Glassdoor’s list of the best places to interview with in the US, also came second in their highest rated CEOs list and eighth in their best places to work list. 85% of respondents agreed their interview experience with the US cloud platform was positive.
Interviews with Salesforce tend on the whole to be quite challenging, with a difficulty rating of 3.4. A business development representative at Salesforce said: “Questions [were] aligned with why sales, why Salesforce, Past prospecting/sales quotas, when have you failed, how would you prospect Facebook, etc.”
The recruitment process at the company typically spans 43 days, and 40% of interviewees were referred by an employee.
6. AllSaints Retail
84% of respondents said their experience with the British fashion retailer was positive. Recruitment here is fairly straightforward, with a hiring process of just seven days and a difficulty rating of 2.5.
One respondent who declined an offer for a sales associate post said it was a “pretty standard interview. Not very difficult at all if you have any experience with interviewing. As long as you present yourself as a friendly, fashion-forward individual you will do well. I started with a phone interview and was then asked to do an in person one.”
7. Hays
Hays, which also came fifth in Glassdoor’s best places to work list and 19th in Glassdoor’s highest rated CEOs list, is also in the top ten best places to interview in the UK. 83% of respondents felt their experience was positive. Overall, hiring at the recruitment company is a very quick, simple affair, with a process of 16 days. Interview questions tend to be fairly challenging, though, with a difficulty rating of 3.7.
60% of interviewees applied online according to Glassdoor, with the majority applying for recruitment consultant roles. One respondent, who interviewed for a recruitment position but did not get the role, said they weren’t impressed in the slightest: “Too much for a company like them to make so many interviews for a small role. If you are keen for it, or are into force selling... yes, this will be a perfect career path for you…”
8. Carphone Warehouse
Overall, the British mobile phone retailer did quite well, with 82% of respondents agreeing their interview experience was positive. The process is quite fast, spanning an average of at least 11 days. Questions tend to be simple, with a difficult rating of 2.5.
One respondent who interviewed for an order processor role said he was offered a job on the spot: “Interview was generally quite straightforward and easy, asked me the usual questions such as availability etc. The person who interviews ensured that you were kept at ease and relaxed throughout its duration.”
9. Waitrose
The British supermarket brand, which also came in 26th place in Glassdoor’s best places to work list, provides a positive interview experience according to 82% of respondents. A large majority of those applied online, usually for sales jobs. Hiring tends to be quite fast and straightforward, with a typical recruitment period of 16 days and a difficulty rating of 2.7. One supermarket assistant in London said: “The process was quite chill I think. I was taken in by one of the managers and she sat me down in her office and she asked me if I was okay... just general chit chat. The staff seemed really friendly.”
10. Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce are 10th on our list of best places to interview in the UK, despite their hiring process taking an average of 52 days and interviews receiving a difficulty rating of 3.6. A graduate manufacturing engineer at Rolls-Royce who found his interview challenging said he “could have zero complaints about the assessors present on the day, very easy to talk to during breaks and very honest during interviews and in providing feedback.
Rolls-Royce came 6th in Glassdoor’s highest rated CEOs list and 42nd in Glassdoor’s best places to work list.
