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Warehouse Operative
interview questions

Question: Would you say you’re an organised person?

This is a common question looking to get an answer with support from experience or relevant skills. To answer this question successfully, convey yourself as somebody who brings something new to the table or prepare shining examples of good organisation. An example answer for this could be:

Sample answer: Yes, I take pleasure in my environment being orderly, and at home, I hate looking for things, so I make sure that everything I use has a designated space keeps to it. I am a big fan of using technology to help me organise my life, and I keep a lot of personal spreadsheets that I use to keep track of my expenses, home repairs, and even job searches.

Question: How would your experience doing _____ be relevant for this job?

This question is more likely if you have had limited warehouse experience. However, employers may still ask you a question like this as if you have had good experience, it might be unexpected and require you to think laterally. It’s good practice to review your CV and think about any relevant skills you’ve demonstrated at previous jobs. For example:

Sample answer: Although I haven’t worked in a warehouse before, I have brought organisation and efficiency to every job I’ve had. For example, when I was working at a supermarket, I quickly developed a systematic approach to help me stock shelves faster with fewer errors by studying the shelves and planning my route carefully.

Question: Why do you want to work in our warehouse?

This is a very common question, and employers are checking that you have a good motivation and crucially know what the job entails. Your answer should demonstrate this while still answering the question.

Sample answer: I have been interested in logistics for a long time, and I feel that my understanding of organisation, stock management and health and safety could make me a valuable part of your workforce – not to mention the fact I enjoy working with a team and think it’s essential to have physical activity as part of any job.

Question: How have you shown health and safety awareness previously?

This question is looking for an answer that shows either an understanding of safety concepts (e.g. proper lifting, forklift good practices etc.) or a demonstrated safety qualification (which you can do online if you haven’t had warehouse experience and training). Make it easy for them to probe you to see if your training was up to scratch by mentioning specifics.

Sample answer: I know that safety is a crucial part of the job, which is why I took the ___ warehouse safety course, which informed me how to avoid back injuries with safe manual lifting practices, how to properly handle and store materials, how to work in loading docks and how to use a Safety Data Sheet.

Question: How would you rate your people skills?

Warehouse operatives need to collaborate with a large team as part of the job, so try to show your charisma and friendliness, while still being professional and answering the question with some evidence.

Sample answer: I would say I am good with people; I have always got on very well with team members and think that cooperation is the most crucial aspect of the job as it impacts every other facet. If you contact my references, I’m sure they will all describe me as amiable, but you probably have your own opinion on that already!

Learning how to become a warehouse operative can be a rewarding experience, especially if you like working in teams with a passion for working in hands-on roles.