Openreach Engineer Interview Questions
& Process

I passed the interview where I had to record my answers. Then I was invited to an assessment day via video call. This involved 2 video interviews and a call discussing the role, benefits of working for Openreach, and what to expect. I passed the assessment centre on May 11th, 2022, but they mentioned there were no vacancies in my area at the time. It's been a long time and I haven't heard back. I keep emailing and get the same response: 'previous to the other email it still stands, there are no vacancies in your area at the moment but once we get vacancies we will be sure to call you.' I've been waiting for 16 months without any updates on when I might start.

I had a Teams call with a lot of other people, like hundreds. They didn't really say anything new, just what was in the job ad, and the jobs they were advertising weren't actually available. I got an email a few weeks later saying I was successful, but there was no job. I asked about the number of positions and what I could do to be a better applicant, but they said they couldn't discuss recruiting processes. They offered me a spot in the next intake and said they'd contact me. I followed up six months later, and they said the intake would start soon. It's now been a year. Don't bother with this company. It feels like they just keep advertising to get people to sign up for interviews to meet their own internal goals.

The interview process began with submitting an online application. Almost immediately after, I received an email with a link to a video interview on the HireVue platform, which I had 7 days to complete. This stage involved recording responses to 4 questions, with a 2-minute time limit for each response after watching a clip of an Openreach employee. I could review and re-record my answers. I was advised to dress smartly, smile, and look into the camera. A week later, I received confirmation that I had passed this initial screening and my application would proceed. Around 5 weeks after that, I got an invitation to a virtual assessment day, scheduled for about a month later, which required availability for most of the day (8:00 - 15:30) using TopScore and Microsoft Teams. Three days before, I received a schedule detailing the day's 4 sections. It started with an hour-long presentation about the role and expectations, emphasizing that the job isn't suitable for those with a fear of heights or spiders. This was followed by an 'About you' form, a suitability interview (covering personal background and Openreach knowledge), a short practical task, and finally, a capability interview focusing on health & safety and customer service. Each interview could last up to 40 minutes, with interviewers probing for detailed answers. The interviewers were informal and put me at ease. Situational questions ('Tell me a time when...') were asked, allowing examples from any part of life. The practical task involved planning a day and route for 4 jobs, prioritizing vulnerable customers, taking 15 minutes. The capability interview required explaining the choices made in the practical task, with no single 'right' answer, aiming to assess approach. My last interview finished early, around 11:40. The next day, I received an email confirming I had passed the assessment.