2014
If you think anyone can get a job in a supermarket because all it involves is packing shelves, you are living in the 1950s when occasionally, this might have been the case. Like most jobs these days, there are numerous hoops you have to get through, for what might be considered, the most modest of positions.
Once you’ve done your research you can register your interest on a specific website which may flag up posts of interest. For many others you will have to search daily (and yes, I mean daily) on their website. Heaven help you if you are not moderately computer literate. Long gone are the days of crafting a well composed handwritten letter on Basildon Bond paper to the Personnel Manager enclosing your glowing CV. For starters, Personnel departments have been replaced by Human Resources, often, sadly with the emphasis on Resources, definitely not humans!
If you persevere sooner or later you’ll be notified or spot a suitable vacancy. Don’t leave responding until the next day because the vacancy may suddenly vanish earlier than the official closing date, due to a surfeit of applicants. Next you need to complete the online application form. These vary, but most are surprisingly detailed and not something you should tackle in a rush. You press the submit button but relaxation is short because an online Talent Screener Questionnaire or something of that nature, is now demanding your attention. These are craftily designed to assess whether you would fit into the organization at all, and how well you would perform in a specific role Although guidelines encourage honesty, moderate speed and gut responses, too many crosses in the wrong boxes will eliminate you from the ‘game’. Average intelligence and common sense may not be sufficient, indeed I have been informed that managers at a well-known department store (famed for its lingerie) have failed these miserably – pants to them! I press submit.
The interview day arrives and we, (all twenty-five of us), congregate in the youth centre’s reception where we make polite conversation whilst eyeing each other up. As usual the interpretation of ‘smart casual’ varies from what is smart or casual to that individual. A few of the men are sporting formal suits contrasting with others in overly casual trousers, loud T-shirts and even, gasp, a hoodie! The women have all made an effort, though some have tried too hard and look as though they’ve fallen off a catwalk in their moulded-on clothes, towering high heels and thick foundation. I attempt to dress appropriately but still stand out from the crowd for all the wrong reasons due to a recent bunion operation which forces me to sport a large clumpy foot support! I inevitably have to explain my temporary incapacity to all, but to avoid appearing in the ‘senior creaking’ category, change the word ‘bunion’ to ‘foot’ and try to shrug it off as if I was normally a triathlete!
One refreshing surprise is the diversity and age of candidates. There are A Level school leavers avoiding university, PR consultants, nursing professionals, child-minders, carers and business owners. This mix means a range of ages from 18 to several in their mid 60s. Hallelujah, finally a company that realises that a person’s date of birth doesn’t necessarily mean they are ‘past their sell by date’!
The group interview involves various exercises where we are, presumably observed for our individual contribution, seeing how we work in a team, company knowledge, food knowledge etc. As far as I could tell I didn’t do anything drastically wrong and could only hope I’d projected myself in a favourable light.
Ten days later I received a call offering me a part-time but to my surprise permanent job. The comment was that I appeared to be a meticulous person and was consequently being put into ‘Operations’… the meaning of which would be explained later. I couldn’t image imagine how they’d arrived at this conclusion but immediately visualise myself in a surgeon’s green scrubs and head torch peering over the deli counter!
A surfeit of mandatory online training video programmes come my way for my attention at home, but eventually my first day as a Supermarket Assistant arrives on day two of the new shop opening in June. The date is Friday 13th and I’m hoping this isn’t an omen.
It’s not quite mass hysteria, but the shop is buzzing with curious customers. Staff, oops, I mean Partners are striding purposefully around, though in reality only a third of us really know what we are doing at this stage.
The variety and quality of products is fantastic and I can see why Waitrose refer to themselves as a specialist food shop and not just a supermarket. I’m getting more accustomed to handling the requests for Japanese Wasabi powder or Cotton Candy Grapes (candy floss flavoured….no, honestly!) Most of the customers are pleasant and delighted to have a supermarket, the calibre of Waitrose on their front doorstep. Friday evenings attracts Cheshire’s jet set judging by the all-year tans, exclusive fashions and ‘totter’ shoes that appear on the body beautiful brigade. Evidently, we have several regular celebrities but I’m oblivious to this, so my referral to the Wine Specialist or search for aubergine and feta pâté with pink peppercorns is just the same. whoever you are in my book!
Operations, it turns out is about auditing and I’m show the intricacies of using the handset to find items, check prices, make reductions, check stock, record wastage. Eventually my role is expanded so I occasionally work on the tills, and take on numerous other mini tasks – water temperature checks, book returns, newspaper invoices, ladder checks and community events. The job isn’t too bad though reasonable fitness is essential and a good stock of thermal underwear!
So, would I recommend the life of a supermarket assistant in a specialist food shop? I’d struggle to survive on the salary but then if I was thirty years younger there would presumably be opportunities to grasp. The pay is modest but as Partners we are ‘drip fed’ regular perks – 15% discount at Waitrose, 25% discount at John Lewis plus of course the annual bonus, which at one time was a very enviable extra. You can also stay at one of the five, sumptuous Partnership hotels, a mere £31 B&B per night! There is even an annual £250 leisure learning subsidy for any course you may be undertaking whether it be dry stone walling, jewellery design or ukulele lessons. John Spedan Lewis, the founder was obviously ahead of his time on the balanced living front!
The uniqueness of being a Partner owned business definitely has a good feel about it and one that many successful but ruthless companies could do well to take heed of. So, for the time being I’m proud to be a John Lewis Partner and hopefully will *Never Knowingly be Undersold!
Postscript
I was fortunate to work part-time for Waitrose, Alderley Edge for eight years from 2014-2022.
*The Never Knowingly Undersold price match policy ended on 23rd August 2022, (coincidentally on my last day of employment!) but was reinstated on 9 September 2024.
