E.ON

Competences and qualifications

There is no time limit for applications; graduates can apply at any time, even if they graduated years ago.

Entry requirements vary by scheme. While E.ON UK does not set any minimum requirements for UCAS points, its degree requirements are a 2.1 or above, and certain degree subjects are necessary for particular programmes.

• Engineering leadership: 2.1 in electrical, mechanical or electrical and electronic engineering.
• Science and engineering excellence: 2.1 in various disciplines including chemistry, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, environment science, maths, mechanical engineering, physics or science.
• Exploration and production: Masters or PhD in engineering or science based disciplines.
• International business management: 2.1 in business management or international business.
• Sales and marketing: 2.1 in any degree discipline (though business and marketing are particularly favoured).
• Finance: 2.1 in any subject.
• General management: 2.1 in any subject.
• HR: 2.1 in business with modules in HR, psychology or business.
• IT and business change: 2.1 in a business or commercially-focused degree, particularly computer science or IT.

Note: applicants to the international business management scheme must also speak a foreign language, and have previously lived abroad for six months or more.

Postgraduate qualifications

While applications from candidates with postgraduate qualifications are welcomed for all schemes, they are particularly sought for the science and engineering excellence, and exploration and production schemes.

Candidates who have a relevant PhD also stand to get paid an extra £2,500 to £3,000 per year.

Competencies and skills

E.ON UK lists the key competencies for its graduate programme as:

1. Business management: demonstrating market awareness and thinking creatively to maximise performance.
2. Making a personal impact: using communication skills to build trust and support diversity.
3. Leadership: recognising and fostering the talents of individuals, and giving direction.
4. Innovation: exploring the potential for change and taking a positive approach to new ventures.

These competencies will be referred to at each stage of the recruitment process, including the situational judgement test, the interview and the assessment centre.

Other desirable qualities

Other attributes sought by the company include:

• Drive
• Enthusiasm
• Self-sufficiency
• Ambition

Current graduates also note confidence, resilience and flexibility as qualities that help recruits to perform well.

Application tips

According to E.ON UK, the recruitment process typically takes 65 days on average. The procedure is the same for each of the graduate schemes: the first step is an online application form, which is followed by a situational judgement questionnaire and online tests. If applicants pass these preliminary stages, they will proceed to a phone interview (or a face-to-face technical interview, if applying for the science and engineering excellence programme). The last step is an assessment centre.

The focus

Application form
The online application form is a short questionnaire comprising questions about work experience, degree modules and availability. The form will also include information about driving licence and visa status, as well as any criminal convictions or special requirements candidates may have. Candidates are also asked to submit their CV.

Situational judgement test
Following the application form, candidates will have to complete a situational judgement questionnaire lasting around 15 minutes. This involves 13 multiple-choice questions about work-based scenarios, in which the idea is to select the most and least appropriate courses of action from the various options. Tests of this kind can involve subjects like customer service, teamwork and marketing, and are generally fairly straightforward – just use common sense.

Psychometric tests
E.ON UK uses standard tests from SHL to assess candidates’ verbal and numerical reasoning skills. These are carried out online, and will be marked against a company standard determined by the average graduate it takes on. According to its website, the tests take around 20 minutes each.

Feedback

E.ON UK says it is unable to provide feedback at the application form stage, due in part to the high volumes of applications it receives. However, candidates who reach the interview or assessment centre stage but are unsuccessful can request feedback. This is provided via a half-hour session, in order to acknowledge the amount of preparation time and effort put in by candidates.

Interviews explained

For most applicants, there is a phone interview, while applicants to the science and engineering excellence programme will have a face-to-face technical interview. There is also a further interview at the assessment centre stage, conducted by senior managers.

Telephone interview

The phone interview is mainly competence-based, and lasts about 45 minutes. As with most competence interviews, the questions tend to be reflective, asking candidates to provide examples of situations in which they have demonstrated certain behaviours, such as: ‘Tell me about a time when…’ The assessors will be looking for evidence of key competences, so it’s worth keeping a copy of them to hand – they are listed in full in the section on competences and qualifications.

Candidates should also expect questions on their interest in the company and the position they have applied for, as this will help determine whether they are a good fit for the role.

Face to face technical interview

This interview only applies to applicants to the engineering and science excellence programme, and is carried out by senior engineers. The interview, which, like the phone interview, lasts about 45 minutes, is designed to test candidates’ technical knowledge of their chosen field. These will mainly be direct questions related to the field, and will sometimes involve applying academic knowledge to a practical situation. As the interview involves visiting a company site (probably in Nottingham), travel costs will be reimbursed.

Assessments and tests

Assessment centres are typically held between October and March, with each scheme generally holding at least one before Christmas. However, the dates may vary depending on the number and quality of applications, and when places are filled. Sometimes schemes will close early, while at other times suitable candidates may not emerge until later in the process.

What to expect

Each assessment centre lasts for a day and a half, with an overnight stay arranged and paid for by E.ON UK (travel costs are also reimbursed). The first half-day is not assessed, and involves a number of activities and presentations telling candidates more about the company. There are also opportunities to meet graduates who are currently on the scheme.

The following day is the assessed element, and includes:

• Case study
• Group exercise
• Role play
• Interview and self-presentation

Things to keep in mind

While the company is understandably unwilling to divulge the finer details of the assessment centre activities, candidates who reach this stage will receive further information before the day, so there should be plenty of preparation time.

As with the other stages of the application process, candidates will be assessed against the company’s four key competences – business leadership, personal impact, team-leading and innovation – so it’s a good idea to brush up on those beforehand.

How to behave at the assessment centre

The key things to remember about behaviour on the day (well, day and a half) are:

• First impressions count – think about your appearance and what a prospective employer would expect from you.
• Be confident and assertive. The assessors can only judge on what they see and hear, so staying quiet won’t help.
• Think about how you engage with other candidates. Negative behaviour is a big no-no, particularly in the group exercise, so be sure to collaborate with others rather than working against them.
• Be yourself.

While all of the behaviours demonstrated at the assessment centre are important, E.ON UK says it doesn’t just judge candidates on their performance on the day; evidence of potential is also a key consideration.