Wates Group Interview Questions
& Process

I did really well for all the stages of the application process and reached the assessment centre. I was notified within a week that I’d done exceptionally well and been accepted into the company, with a high salary and an additional budget for a car, among other perks. This was revealed in a phone call and nothing through email. Over the next week it began to bug me so I reached out to them several times regarding a written confirmation. I even tried calling the number only to receive no response. Eventually a month passed and I finally got a phone call back. They suddenly mentioned how the role no longer exists due to covid restrictions and they will not be sending written confirmation of anything as I am no longer needed.

I had two video interviews. The first one was 20 minutes, and they mostly asked about my current job, without really explaining the role I was applying for. I didn't get much chance to ask questions because we were out of time. The second interview was an hour. They presented four scenarios and I had to give past examples for each, with 15 minutes per scenario. They kept interrupting me and seemed to have trouble understanding what I was saying, which was frustrating. Again, they didn't explain the role, and while they asked if I had questions at the end, we ran out of time again. By then, I wasn't interested in working with them. The job was advertised as hybrid in Leatherhead, but during the second interview, they mentioned I'd have to split my time between Leatherhead and Enfield offices, which is a big deal given the distance. Overall, it was a poor experience.

I had a pretty chill 2 stage interview process. A recruiter reached out, and I went in for a face-to-face with the Divisional Financial Controller and a Commercial Manager. It was pretty informal, we just went over my CV and they asked some standard competency questions. They made me feel really comfortable. About a week later, I heard back that I'd gotten through the first interview and had a second interview with the Finance Director. This second one wasn't really an interview, more like a chat. Similar to the first, we briefly reviewed my CV, and then it was just an informal discussion about the role and my career goals.

You'll start with a numeracy test and a literacy test. Then, there's a lunch with current employees where they might share their opinions on you, which could be a bit awkward. Following that, you'll have a presentation where you're given a topic and 15 minutes to prepare. The process also includes a group interview where you'll have to represent a country, needing to be diplomatic, assertive, and fair. Finally, there's a one-on-one interview, likely focusing on examples of things like teamwork, which might feel repetitive but is a good chance to build rapport.