H&M Group Assessment & Interview: What to Expect and How to Prepare
Congratulations!
Making it to the H&M Group Interview phase of your interview process with H&M is incredible and no small feat.
Well done! Take a moment and pat yourself on the back. You have already been selected from hundreds of potential candidates and job seekers. This knowledge should make you understand that you are already viable for the position you applied for.
Before you do anything else, cement that information into your mind. Your interviewer has chosen you. They could have chosen another person instead, but they chose you! This confidence will help you respond to the interview questions with focus and hopefully make you less afraid of the interview process.
Confidence is the foundation of success in any interview, group, phone interview or personal interview.
Now, the real preparation begins! The hiring process at H&M is extensive and highly competitive. You can back yourself up by ensuring you have interview experience and have good answers lined up for the common questions you might ask in your upcoming H&M interviews. The more interviews you do, the better you will be at them!
Knowing what to expect in these interviews is half the battle. You can walk into a group interview with other candidates well prepared with sound research and practice. A well-prepared interview can actually be fun, if you can believe that!
As in so many things in life, preparation is the difference between a hire and a failure in these interviews. Do the prep, get the job!
Table of Contents
What to Expect from an H&M Group Interview
Expect to have your interview with multiple people around, in a group of about ten candidates.
The group interview starts with some ice breakers to settle the room and get everyone comfortable with one another. After this, managers will present scenarios that you will have a chance to comment on and work through.
You may be asked you draw/write up the aspects of a perfect employee or sales assistant as an example. You will then use the aspects you mentioned to discuss how you fit into that role. There are also fun activities, like creating your ideal outfit from magazine cutouts.
Each activity should take about an hour to complete.
Success here comes with preparation, focus, review and making yourself visible throughout the assessment.
Tips to Stand Out in your H&M Job Interview.
Knowing what you have in store for you and what scenarios to prepare for is easy but oh so important!
Know your job description well
Get to know the ins and outs of the job you are applying for. If it’s a store manager position, make sure you know everything there is to know about the roles and responsibilities of the job. As an example, learn about the cash register, customer service, and employee relations.
Knowing the intricacies of jobs like this gives you the edge you need for your interviews at H&M. You can now answer with confidence and convince your interview that you have the skills necessary to take on the new things that might come up in your new job.
Learn the H&M Company Vision and Ethos
H&M, and so many other companies like them, will only hire candidates who align with their vision and ethos. An easy way to show that you are a good match for H&M, amongst all the other interested parties, is to have a good grasp of what H&M is trying to achieve. Search for them, review them, and then mention them as they come up in discussion.
What is the vision of H&M?
- We are one team
- We believe in people
- We are entrepreneurs
- We make constant improvements
- We are cost-conscious
- We are straightforward and open-minded
- We keep it simple
Along with this, Research as much as you can about the company. Dig through the company website and learn any jargon associated with the job. Understand the sustainability practices of H&M and how they relate to the customer and the bottom line.
The more you know going into the interview process, the easier it will be to answer questions, respond clearly to questions and talk with confidence. You already know you’re the right person for the job. You just need to convince your interviewer that you’re already part of the team.
Practice your Interview Answers
Once you have your interview answers well-prepared in your mind, you can talk more freely and let your personality shine through more organically. An interviewer will be comparing you to all other groups of candidates they have interviewed, so making a lasting impression in their minds is vital.
Preparing potential answers gives you time to create honest answers and ask for advice before walking into the interview room. Spluttering out a nervous response to a simple question is not just cringe-worthy but does not reflect positively on your capacity to easily handle customers.
Test H&M Interview Questions:
Tell us about yourself
This is your moment to explain why you are an excellent fit for the H&M team. Use what you learned from the ethos of H&M to guide you here.
What can you tell us about H&M?
Again, all that research you did a week ago will set you apart from the rest of the candidates in your group interview.
(A quick sidebar here; H&M is a retailer and is obviously very fashion conscious. Display your personality not only in how you present yourself but also in your clothing.)
What is your greatest strength?
Focus on a strength related to the specific job you are applying for. But never lie. Remember, you will replace a real person, and managers will test that what you say is truthful from the outset.
(Great customer service!)
What is your greatest weakness?
Try to pick a weakness that is not related to the job’s specifics, and mention the steps you are taking to rectify this weakness.
How would you deal with an upset customer?
Understand the H&M returns policy for this one!
In this test scenario, you should speak about calming customers and behaving rationally and friendly.
Why do you want to work for H&M?
Answering “for the great employee benefits” may be true, but steer clear! Use one of the values you learned about H&M and use that to guide your answer here.
Alternatively, you can speak about enjoying interacting with customers, helping people with what they should wear, and being the test subject for a person’s style choices.
Why should we hire you?
Describe your personality and skills pertaining to the jobs you are applying for.
H&M will have seen multiple people applying for the same job as you, so really take time to set yourself apart from them.
Believe in yourself! You made it this far, and you clearly are the best fit for the job!
So, go get it already.
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Sarah is an accomplished educator, researcher and author in the field of testing and assessment. She has worked with various educational institutions and organisations to develop innovative evaluation methods and enhance student learning. Sarah has published numerous articles and books on assessment and learning. Her passion for promoting equity and fairness in the education system fuels her commitment to sharing insights and best practices with educators and policymakers around the world.
