Selection Process | 3M UK & Ireland

Selection Process

3M IP Podcast 1- Application Process Part 1
The first part of the first podcast by Industrial Placements here at 3M, offering you several first hand accounts on the application process candidates will have to undertake in order to be successful in their application.

Stage 1 - Application
The purpose of the application is to help us gather essential information about you and make some initial screening decisions about candidates to take forward.

  • Recruiters will read thousands of applications, so your answers to free text questions can make your application stand out
  • Think about how your answers will compare to others completing the same application form - do they sell you as an outstanding candidate?

Stage 1 -. CV
Your CV is your chance to sell yourself on your terms. We will read thousands so think about how yours will stand out for the right reasons.

  • Many applicants forget basic information such as contact details on their CV.  If you reach the later stages of the application process these help us in processing your application
  • Dont try to hide your academic results and be clear about whether grades are achieved or expected.  If they are expected say when
  • Target your CV to the role you are applying for.
  • Your CV will inform some of the questions we ask if you reach the interview stages.  We'll be looking for talking points as well as gaps to question you one.
  • Ensure you represent a breadth of experiences including relevant academic, employment and extra curricular information
  • Make sure the level of detail you supply is appropriate to the role you are applying for - a standard CV for Industrial Placement or Graduate role would be 1-2 pages.
  • Personal statements are important and can make or break a CV.  Try to make yours reflective of what you are and what you are really seeking.

 

Stage 2 - Psychometric tests
Psychometric testing is the industry accepted form of pre screening.  At 3M it is used to determine if you meet a minimum achievement level in numeracy and verbal reasoning. If you are concerned about the format of the tests seek out some practise examples to help prepare yourself.

  • Dont ask someone else to complete the tests for you as your will be retested in person if you invited to an assessment centre.

Stage 3 - Phone Interview
If you pass the psychometric tests you are put through to a competency based phone interview.

  • This is the first time that you and 3M interact, directly. In previous stages, 3M can only use your qualification and psychometric test results to paint a picture of you.
  • In this stage, the organisation can finally relate to you as a person and not just a potential employee. The interviewer isn’t trying to catch you out; they are here to find out what you are like as an employee, if you fit the 3M culture and to discover your competency levels.
  • The interviewer understands that you are going to be nervous and will therefore try and calm you down before they ask you any meaningful questions.
  • That being said, be professional. Once you’ve become relaxed it’s easy to fall into the trap of treating the interview as an informal chat. However, you must try and present a good impression at all times.
  • Speak slowly and clearly, enunciate at all times and try to avoid using slang.
  • Try not to hesitate and restrict your ‘um’s and ‘err’s as best as possible. You do not necessarily have to answer within the first second. Listen carefully to the question, compose yourself, then slowly respond to the question.
  • Make sure you prepare for the interview!!!!
  • Write down some answers to likely questions. You can refer to these during your interview, assuming that you make your answers sound structured, natural and flowing.  There are numerous examples on the Internet of competency based questions and techniques to best go about preparing for a phone interview.
  • Practice with a family member or friend. Give them a list of questions and get them to ask you random ones.
  • Make sure you have a copy of you CV and/ or application form at hand, which may be needed for reference.
  • It is recommended you find a quiet room; somewhere where you will not be distracted whilst the interview is being conducted.

Assessment centres
If you pass the phone interview stage, you’ll be invited to attend an Assessment Centre with 3M.

  • Assessment centres are resource intensive to run, so if you are invited to an assessment centre we are hoping that you will be a successful candidate.
  • Reread the job description carefully and think about how your skills and experience align to the specific attributes described for the role.
  • Prepare examples of where you have demonstrated your skills in the past and be ready to discuss these at interview.
  • Be pro-active about meeting other people attending the assessment centre as building an early rapport will help everyone during the day and in particular will make group exercises easier.
  • Assess us too!  We make loads of time during our assessment centres to tour the building and speak to current industrial placement students/ graduates.
  • Try to enjoy the day.  Most of our current students and graduates say they enjoyed the assessment day.

If you are unable to attend an assessment centre having accepted an invitation please let us know with as much notice as possible so that we can allocate your place to someone else.