Octopus Energy Interview Questions
& Process

The interview process was incredibly lengthy and intense for a job that is barely above minimum wage. It started with a video interview where you answer questions by submitting video clips. Then there was a huge online group interview that consisted of an individual interview, a group task with a presentation, a phonecall task, and a maths task. This was very draining and people already in employment would need to take a substantial chunk of a day's leave for this, if they don't want to alert their employer to their job hunting. After this, there was an in person interview at the location you've applied for. This was actually the most laid back of the whole process. Despite the staff being nice and it seeming like it could be a good place to work for, there were some red flags that caused me to turn down the job offer: 1) there was something of a cult vibe about Octopus Energy. I can't really describe it accurately but something just felt a little 'off' for me. I'm not really the sort to live and breathe my day job and it seems that's what's expected at Octopus. 2) vagueness around requirements to stay late (up to 7pm!) for no extra pay and not even getting that time back. It's basically just expected of you and they think a Deliveroo order is enough to make up for it. 3) there is no HR department. Whilst that might have benefits, it also means staff don't have somewhere to go if they're being mistreated etc. 4) the pay was nowhere near high enough for the responsibility level and workload. It seems like a stressful job that they dress up as 'fast paced'. If it was £30k per year then maybe, but for 40hrs a week with additional 7pm finishes on occasion, £25k is very poor. Especially given the company's profits. My current employer offered me a job for £30k and 35hrs a week and a lot less stress, so it was a no brainer!

It was a long process but it allowed me to understand the two most important things when evaluating a position: the specific functions of that position and the company culture, in this case, Octopus, to understand if I would fit in or not. I had a first interview with Ana Colomer where she generally explained the functions of the partnership manager role, and focused on asking me about my professional background, commercial experience, and my approach to client relations. In that first interview, she also asked me about acquired skills and my working style, both individually and in a team. I really liked in this first interview, and it's something I don't think happens often, she explained the work culture at Octopus very well, and that allowed me to know from the start if I could fit in, in this case, I realized that I fit 100%. Later I had another interview with Angela, which was more technical, where she specifically explained the position, type of partnerships, how the functions of this role had been approached so far, and what the plan was. She also asked me more technically about milestones achieved in my previous jobs, and about skills I could bring to Octopus to develop the partnerships manager role. She also focused on asking me about my entrepreneurial experience and if I saw myself returning to work for an employer. The last interview was a business case in which Angela and Andrés were present. I presented the business case I had prepared and they focused a lot on understanding how I thought, what technical knowledge I could bring to understand what type of partnerships I could prepare, analyze metrics, understand if it was working or not, and what commercial knowledge and skills I possess to deal with clients. In summary, I think it was a good process in which the purpose of recruitment was fulfilled: Octopus got to know me and I got to know Octopus.

First, I had a video call with Jaqueline, who explained everything about the company, which impressed me with all it offered. A few weeks later, they called me to arrange an in-person interview at Sedavi with my direct manager. I went to the warehouse one afternoon, and Juan Carlos Dacal met me there. He showed me around the warehouse a bit and interviewed me, asking about my experience and what I expected from this job. A few days later, they called to tell me they wanted me for the position, and since then, I've been part of this great family we've created in the warehouse, first before Sedavi and now in Paterna.

Great and very personal process from the start. It had 3 well-coordinated phases: first, an initial chat with Talent (lovely person, very clear about the role and culture); then, an interview with the country manager, focused on impact, real cases, and team fit; and finally, a talk with the global CMO to align vision, priorities, and leadership style. Throughout, communication was transparent, expectations were well-defined, and feedback was useful. I came away with a very positive impression of the company and its people.