Getting A Job At Virgin Media
Founded in 2006, Virgin Media is a major player in the British telecommunications industry, providing television, telephone, and internet services across the United Kingdom.
Being such a highly sought-after company, positions at Virgin Media are very competitive. It is therefore crucial that you prepare for each stage of the application process to give yourself the best chance of success. Read on below to ensure you understand what is involved at each stage of the application process, and how you can perform at your best.
Virgin Media Values
Throughout the application process, the hiring managers will be assessing you to see if you fit in with the company culture and values. As such, it is important to familiarise yourself with Virgin Media's core values and keep these in the front of your mind at each stage of the process.
The Virgin Media values are:
- Insatiable curiosity
- Delightfully surprising
- Heartfelt service
- Smart disruption
- Straight up
- Red hot relevance
Types Of Roles At Virgin Media
Virgin Media has over 14,000 employees across a range of functions including:
- Technology & Operations
- Construction & Network
- Programme & Project Management
- Corporate Functions
- Sales & Customer Service
- Commercial
- Data, Insight, and Analytics
- Brand, Marketing, Digital and Content
Many of these positions are at the Virgin Media headquarters in Reading, England, however, Virgin Media also has offices across the UK. Virgin Media also has a range of regional, out-and-about roles.
Hiring Process At Virgin Media
As careers at Virgin Media are so highly sought-after it is no surprise that their hiring process is rigorous and thorough, consisting of multiple stages. The hiring process varies depending on the position, but you may come across any of the following stages.
Virgin Media Online Application
The first stage of the application process is an online application form, where you will first need to give some personal details. Next, you will be asked to provide some detailed information on your work experience and education.
After completing this section you will be asked to upload a CV. You should make sure your CV is up to date and is tailored to the role you are applying for to showcase your relevant strengths and experience.
Virgin Media Aptitude Tests
Virgin Media Occupational Ability And Personality Assessment
You may be asked to complete some online assessments as part of the application process, which are used by Virgin Media to give more insight into your personality and workplace behaviour and preferences.
Virgin Media uses situational judgement tests for their assessment, which is where you will be presented with hypothetical workplace scenarios that you may encounter when working at Virgin Media. You will then be asked to select out of a set of four possible responses which one most closely matches how you would respond in real life.
You may also be asked to complete a brief ability test, which typically includes numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, and logical reasoning questions.
Virgin Media Telephone Interview
Depending on the role, Virgin Media may want to have a telephone interview with you. This is likely to be a fairly informal chat where the hiring manager will want to get to know more about you and how your experience and skills are suitable for the position you are applying to. You will also be asked about your salary expectations and notice period.
This is also a chance for you to get to know more about Virgin Media and more specifically the role you are applying for, so make sure to ask any questions you may have.
Virgin Media Video Interview
A video interview is not an interview conducted over a video call, but rather an on-demand video interviewing platform where you will record answers to a set of predetermined questions.
The interview will typically consist of 3-5 competency-based questions, and should usually take you 10-20 minutes to complete. You should treat the video interview as if it were an in person interview - this means dressing professionally, maintaining eye contact with the webcam, and ensuring that you are expressive when recording your responses.
Virgin Media Discovery Days
The Virgin Media Discovery Day (otherwise known as an assessment centre) is a chance for the hiring managers to learn more about you and how you work, and ensure that you are a good fit for Virgin Media.
Discovery Days run from November to mid-December and are typically used for future careers positions such as apprenticeships and graduate schemes.
The day will consist of a range of individual and group exercises and activities. Virgin Media will be looking at how you respond to new challenges, how you work collaboratively in a team, and your skills, behaviours and values.
Virgin Media Virtual/Face-to-face Interviews
You will be invited to one or more interviews, which will either be virtually or face-to-face. These interviews will involve a range of competency-based questions to give Virgin Media a deeper understanding of how your skills and experience make you an ideal candidate for the role.
During a competency-based interview, it is important to give relevant examples from your previous work experience, education, or another area of your life. The best way to ensure you are giving detailed and concise examples is to use the STAR (situation, task, action and result) technique.
During the interview, you will be assessed against a behavioural framework, which is a set of the most important behaviours for the position you are applying to.
What Is It Like To Work At Virgin Media?
Virgin Media prides itself on its inclusivity and diversity, describing its work environment as 'a place where everyone can belong'.
Learning and development are a big part of working at Virgin Media, with events like 'Lunch & Learn' sessions and 'Power Hours' offered during the day. Employees also have access to an online portal where they can study whenever and wherever they like. Virgin Media wants to give every employee the opportunity to progress and develop.
Virgin Media offers fantastic benefits for their employees such as private healthcare, discounts with Virgin brands, and a generous pension scheme. In 2020, the company also introduced some new benefits including flexible working hours and the option for remote working, which offers a greater work-life balance.
Top Tips To Getting Hired At Virgin Media
Research Virgin Media
Virgin Media will want to see that you are knowledgeable about the company and the wider industry, so ensure you do some research in preparation for the application process. Virgin Media has a lot of information on its website, where you can familiarise yourself with the company's mission, values, and culture. This will help show you are interested in the role and working for Virgin Media.
Prepare Yourself For Discovery Days
The discovery day is an important part of the application process, as it may be the first time you meet the hiring managers in person and is a chance to really showcase why you are a suitable candidate for the position. As such, you should prepare for the discovery by reminding yourself of the company's mission and values, revisiting the job description, and carefully reading any information you are sent.
Practice Tests
The best way to prepare for the Virgin Media online assessment is to take practice tests as this will familiarise you with the style of questions in the tests and help you get used to working under time pressure. Practicing will also help you sharpen your numerical, verbal, and logical reasoning skills (if you are required to take these tests).
After completing your practice tests make sure you check over your answers to see where you went wrong and highlight any weaknesses you may need to focus on.
Build Confidence
Showing confidence is essential in the recruitment process, especially during the discovery day and interviews. You can help build confidence by taking practice tests and seeing your skills and scores improve. Practicing interview questions with friends or family will also help you feel more confident going into the interviews.
Check Your Internet Connection (Even If It's Not With Virgin)
A large proportion of the application process is conducted online, so make sure you have a strong internet connection before completing your online assessments, video interview, or virtual interview.
