Uline Customer Service Management Trainee interview questions

Job Fair was posted online at the Hudson, Wisconsin location for 06/05/2014 from 5-7pm. Arrived at 5:15pm and was directed to a parking space by individuals with flags (like what occurs at an event parking - e.g. concerts). This is am early indication that there may be a good number of people attending the job fair. Upon entering the warehouse (which is the cleanest warehouse I have EVER seen) you approach a table. If you don't have a completed application (which is available online) you're directed to a group of tables to complete an application. If you have a completed application (or have just completed one), a representative at the table quickly reviews it for completeness and then signs the "witness" portion on the last page. You're then given back the completed application and directed to a seating area. From the seating area, you (and a group of other people) are directed to a row of tables. Once everyone is seated, representatives administer 2 timed (4 minutes each) tests. One test has you identify like numbers - e.g. 1284 - 1248 (does not match), 8589 - 8589 (match), and 9232 - 9332) (does not match). The other test measures your ability to recognize number sequences - e.g. 2,4,6,8,10...what are the next two numbers? Answer: 12, 14 After the tests, your test sheets and application/resume are gathered and you're directed to another seating area. (Note: All these table/seating areas are in the actual warehouse....separated by security tape...next to each other) In front of this seating area multiple 2-chair groupings.....2 chairs facing each other with about 10 feet between each grouping. When called from the seating area by a representative, they take you to one of the grouping...you sit down facing the representative...and the interview begins. After the interview ends, they thank you for coming and direct you to the exit. OBSERVATIONS: 1) As noted in other reviews, I saw no minorities or what appeared to be anyone over the age of 45 during the interview process. 2) Privacy was almost non-existent. While waiting to be called for the interview portion of the process, you could hear the interview conversations occurring in the seating pods closest to the seating area. 3) There was a constant flow of people going through the multi-step process during the time I was there. 4) The warehouse was clean to the point of concern. I've been called a neat freak...but the cleanliness of the warehouse - e.g. ALL the box inventory on the warehouse racks were shrink wrapped - borders on some type of compulsive/cleanliness disorder. 5) The length of the interviews varied. I observed some that lasted 20 minutes and others that ended in 5 minutes. My interview lasted about 10 minutes and consisted of 3 questions: Tell me about you work experience? Why do you want to work for Uline? Do you have any questions? Very simple and superficial questions. It seemed to me that the interviewer (who stated she was a Lead Representative at the call center) lacked interviewing experience and thus the reason for the simple, direct questions. (Note: As I was applying for the Customer Service Management Trainee position, I couldn't help but wonder to myself why the company had posted the position; as most companies like to hire from within - e.g. Lead Representatives. While an outside perspective is valuable at times, good management will generally focus on developing people within their organization for promotion.) 6) I have lived in Minnesota for 10 years and have seen Uline posting jobs (warehouse, management, call representative and administrative) consistently during those 10 years - even during the Great Recession following 2008. I've always wondered why they are constantly posting job vacancies - especially given the associated pay scales for the positions. As a veteran employee of both a call center and warehouse distribution environment, I understand that the industries experience high turnover....but that much turnover? And can a company grow that much...so consistently....over 10 years?

I applied via Monster, sending in just a resume. Uline called the next day requesting an interview. I thought that was strange that they called so quick, but I had a lot of good, relevant experience and I thought it just might offer a good opportunity. I felt I had a lot to offer them, plus, they were willing to interview me in my time frame, since I needed a 2 week delay, -as I had a vacation coming up and was leaving the state when they called. Anyway, they never told me about any tests that I would have to fill out, when I was coming in to interview. I wish I had known about Glass Door, prior to the interview! When I got to the office, I was ushered into a conference room, with about 15 other candidates. That was a surprise. Cattle call! All with varying years of experience and age. Since I had to wait along with the others, I thought I would make small talk and ask people what they knew about the company. That was one of the more positive aspects of the trip. A Human Resource representative came in to the room, and then told us that we all were going to be tested. There were 2 tests. One for detecting similar and unsimilar pairs of numbers, and the other one to detect patterns of numbers. They were "wonderlic" tests, so apparently this was their way to screen out great numbers of candidates in the quickest way possible. These test results were judged on speed and accuracy. After the tests, we were brought individually to a separate room to speak with a HR intern along with a senior HR person. We had to answer a number of questions, and I had the feeling that it was a learning experience for the intern, as opposed to a "real" interview. I left there wondering why I had bothered to apply in the first place, as it didn't seem that my interview was a real interview, and that any of the valid and applicable experience that I had acquired/offered, even mattered. I figured, that I must not have had good enough test results. I probably went slower on the test (double checking my work) because my priority was accuracy. To those who wish to apply, I would recommend focus on speed! I vowed to never again apply here. This was a waste of my time, and my gas. No more jumping through hoops for the big company down the street. Just because they are big doesn't mean that they are better...........