Electric Center interview questions

Interview process split into two parts. First part (after application submitted) is to complete an online assessment consisting of two parts, GIA (general intelligence assessment) and PPA (personal profile analysis). Both tests are designed to check your IQ and natural personality characteristics. Once done you are invited to attend a 1 day assessment at Watershed Europe Limited in Manchester, for further intelligence tests etc. This day consists of interview using psychological tests to eke out your natural skill set, and multiple choice Q&As and the results of this day will be produced in a report and sent to EC regional director for review. After the assessment day you’ll be invited to Knutsford HO for informal chats with Regional Director. Finally you’ll attend another meeting with RD who will make verbal offer. Chat very informal. Lots of promises made about Profit Share scheme and career progression. Some of the successful branches can make over £100K in bonus, however most branches do not make anywhere near this amount and are very low in terms of profitability and market share meaning the Profit Share is largely useless. Graduate Promotion scheme offered entailing accelerated onboarding process and learning - beware this doesn’t actually exist. There is no official onboarding. And absolutely zero training. There is no training provided whatsoever. Area Co-ordinator who is supposed to train you appears to enjoys making staff feel unwelcome and actually enjoys their reputation that this approach has created. Most staff are heavily disillusioned with the company and have never met the RD or seen him for 5+ years. (Despite being informed of the contrary) As such staff do the absolute bare minimum and have zero interest in changing or trying to be better. Dead in role but carrying on for the low pay and job security from having worked there for years. They have no incentive to change. Some staff enjoyed bickering about other staff and complaining they weren’t paid enough for the small amount they do, often trying to make cases for pay increases because “they get paid almost the same as I do” - very immature behaviour and a strange mentality to have. Despite the literature advising as PCM you can be entrepreneurial in role, the mgmt tell you this isn’t the case and instead you are now responsible for previous managements chaotic stocking ordering and losses with huge overspending and zero accountability. Lots of costs are created due to compounded errors by previous PCMs, knee jerk quick decision making about suitable products without any consideration for customer base. As a result of this the warehouse massively overstocked with unsuitable products, in some cases 5 types of the exact same product and zero sales for 4/5 product lines. The quality just isn’t there. Also, because EV is owned by the same company who owns Edmondson Electrical and Lockwells, you must push sales their way and cannot compete with other branches and instead must act like a click and collect depot for other EC branches. Choosing to work for this company was a huge error on my part, but the error was quickly rectified and I left after a short amount of time. I would 100% not recommend EC for any serious candidate currently considering this role. Do not believe the promises. The reality you are faced with once in role looks very different to how it was described. In particular the Acel brand is nothing more than regular products bound into a mandatory line up that seems to have been agreed by the Directors during paid for business lunches and golf trips. This forms the basis for most of the mandatory product lines that EC stocks. Do not waste your time.