Marks & Spencer Interview Questions 2026: 6 Behaviours, Stages & Pay

Last updated: November 2026

TL;DR

The Marks & Spencer interview process, run on jobs.marksandspencer.com, goes in this order: an online application (about 45 minutes for store roles), an online assessment for some roles (an interactive, roughly 20-minute store-scenario assessment for Customer Assistants, or a skills test such as a technical assessment for software engineers), then an in-person one-to-one interview or group assessment with hiring managers scored against the M&S behaviours, then an offer, pre-employment checks and a MyWelcome induction. Store and Christmas roles usually move in a few days to about two weeks (candidate-reported), while graduate schemes add a two-stage online assessment and an assessment centre and run over months. Rehearse the behaviour questions below aloud in OphyAI Interview Practice, and use OphyAI Interview Copilot for real-time answer suggestions if a head office interview runs on Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet.

Quick Answer: Marks & Spencer Interview Process

Stage	What to prepare
Online application	National Insurance number, right-to-work documents and your interview availability; a CV and cover letter only where the advert asks
Online assessment (some roles)	Customer Assistants: a 20-minute interactive test of store scenarios and attention to detail, done in one go on a laptop or tablet; other roles: a skills test you are told about in advance
Interview or group assessment	STAR examples on impact, teamwork and serving customers, mapped to the six M&S behaviours, plus questions to ask
Graduate extras	A two-stage online assessment, an in-person assessment centre, and for store-based roles a final interview in a store
Offer and checks	Outcome by email (some roles also get a call), remaining pre-employment checks, then MyWelcome induction
Christmas roles	The same steps, plus availability on 22, 23 and 24 December

Action Plan: Prepare for Marks & Spencer by Round

Round	What M&S tests	What to do before the interview
Application	Availability, right to work, fit with the store or role	Block out real availability; have your NI number and documents ready before you start the 45-minute form
Customer Assistant assessment	Attention to detail, putting customers first, teamwork, “a real passion to serve, sell and fill”	Practise store scenarios with one rule: customer and safety first, then team, then speed; do it in one sitting
One-to-one interview	The M&S behaviours and any technical needs of the role	Prepare 6-8 STAR stories, one per behaviour, and one sentence on why M&S
Group assessment	How you work with strangers on a shop task	Speak early, build on others’ ideas, keep the customer in every suggestion
Graduate stages (reported)	Numerical, verbal and situational judgement; leadership at the assessment centre	Practise timed chart questions and a group task; bring two store observations

With one week: two days on STAR stories for the six behaviours, one on store scenarios, two on mock interviews aloud, one visiting a Food hall and an FH&B floor, and one on logistics.

What Makes Marks & Spencer Different

Marks & Spencer sells own-label food, clothing, home and beauty. Its 2026 Annual Report (52 weeks to 28 March 2026) lists 1,119 UK and Republic of Ireland stores, 345 international stores, about 64,000 colleagues and over 34 million customers (73,301 average employees when part-timers are counted individually). The year was shaped by a cyber incident that started in April 2025; M&S reported £131.3m of directly related costs. Fashion, Home & Beauty (FH&B) is the current name for what older guides call Clothing & Home.

M&S publishes six behaviours in its “Vision, purpose and behaviours” document (April 2026), and its careers site says these behaviours are used throughout recruitment. Interviewers listen for them:

We are close to customers, close to colleagues. “Curious, sleeves rolled up, striving to make life simpler for stores.”
We say it, we do it. “Bold with our decisions” and “hands on and we get the job done.”
We tell it as it is. “Honest and straight talking,” “informal and conversational. No dramas.”
We always aim higher. “We disrupt and innovate,” “tough on performance, learning from others to get better every day.”
We are selfless. “We put M&S first to make the right calls for our customers and shareholders.”
We spend wise, save. “Financially disciplined,” making “the right choices with our money.”

New Support Centre colleagues spend three days in store in their first week and senior leaders their first four weeks, so head office candidates get store questions too.

On a video interview, OphyAI Interview Copilot gives real-time answer suggestions and a live transcript on Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. In the desktop app, the answer window is excluded from screen sharing and recording; that does not hide it from a webcam or a person in the room.

Interview Process Overview

Stage	Format	Duration	Timeline
Online application	”Apply now” on jobs.marksandspencer.com, then create an account and answer questions	About 45 minutes for store roles	Day 1; vacancies close when filled
Online assessment	Store-scenario assessment (Customer Assistant) or skills test (some other roles)	About 20 minutes for Customer Assistants	Before an interview is booked
Interview or group assessment	One-to-one or group with hiring managers, in person for stores and Support Centres	About 20-45 minutes (estimate; M&S does not publish a length)	You book a slot; slots are not guaranteed
Outcome	Email to your account; some roles also get a phone call	Not published	You are told at the interview when to expect it
Offer and checks	Remaining pre-employment checks, then MyWelcome induction	Not published	After you accept

Interview length is our estimate. Indeed and Glassdoor reviewers mostly describe store processes of a few days to two weeks, some up to four weeks (candidate-reported). The FAQ adds rules: after an unsuccessful application for a similar role, wait six months; for several roles in one store, apply once and mention the others at interview; adjustments can be requested at any stage.

The online application

What they test: whether you can work the hours the store needs. Store shifts “can change to meet store needs,” and the FAQ warns of “early starts, busy periods, and a fast-paced environment.”

How to prepare: match your hours to the advert’s shift pattern and answer each question with one example. Draft any cover letter in OphyAI Application Assistant.

The Customer Assistant assessment

M&S describes an interactive assessment built around “real-life store scenarios” that looks at how your “strengths, style and behaviours” align with the job. Its tips say it takes around 20 minutes, must be done in one go, and works better on a laptop, tablet or desktop than a phone.

What they test: “attention to detail,” “putting customers first,” “working as a team” and “a real passion to serve, sell and fill.”

Red flags: choosing speed over a customer or a safety check, and careless errors on the detail tasks.

How to prepare: practise ranking responses to a spill, a long queue, an out-of-stock line and a price query, and say why. Our situational judgement test guide explains the format. For multiple-choice online assessments, OphyAI’s desktop Aptitude Test mode reads each question on screen and shows an answer with a one-line reason in a popup excluded from screen sharing and recording; it is not hidden from a webcam, a person in the room, or proctoring software.

The interview or group assessment

M&S assesses you “against our behaviours and any technical requirements for the role” and suggests visiting a store and preparing examples of impact, teamwork and customer delivery.

What they test: one real example per behaviour, told with STAR, plus motivation and availability.

Red flags: “I would…” answers when asked for a time you did something, no reason for choosing M&S over other supermarkets, and sitting back in a group task.

How to prepare: write six STAR stories, then say each one aloud against a two-minute timer. Run the full set with follow-up questions in OphyAI Interview Practice, and use our STAR method complete guide to sharpen the Result.

Role-Specific Breakdowns

Customer Assistant: Food, Fashion, Home & Beauty, and Café

The highest-volume route, covering about 55,000 UK customer assistants according to M&S. Food roles lean on “serve, sell and fill”: replenishment, date checks, tills and the café. FH&B adds fitting rooms and sizing help. Some candidates report a role play (candidate-reported). Rehearse a customer role play aloud with OphyAI Interview Practice before your store slot.

Christmas Customer Assistant

M&S hires temporary Christmas colleagues across its UK stores each autumn; Retail Gazette reported applications opening in October 2026 at £13.41 an hour. The careers site asks for full-time hours in the two weeks before Christmas and availability on 22, 23 and 24 December, and the process is the same: application, online assessment, in-store interview. Availability often decides it, so answer plainly, and run a quick mock in Interview Practice the night before.

Shift Lead, Team Support Manager and Team Manager

Supervisory store roles. 2026 M&S adverts for Team Support Manager and Shift Lead roles showed £14.47 an hour plus a £3.00 unsocial premium (adverts since closed). Team Manager adverts list salary as “Competitive + Benefits.” Expect questions on leading a shift, an underperforming colleague, and availability and waste targets. Bring a people story, a commercial story with numbers and a change story, and pressure-test them in OphyAI Interview Practice.

Store Manager and Deputy Store Manager

Store Manager and Designate Store Manager adverts also list “Competitive + Benefits.” Expect commercial questions (sales, waste, shrinkage, labour budgets) and examples of leading leaders. If an area manager interviews you on Teams, Interview Copilot suggests structured answers from a live transcript.

Warehouse and Logistics

Much M&S warehouse hiring runs through agencies. The 2026 Annual Report names Staffline as its agency partner at the Castle Donington distribution centre, and a November 2026 Staffline advert for M&S order picking in Barnsley pays £13.38 an hour on weekday mornings, rising to £16.72 after 6pm on weekdays and £18.06 after 6pm at weekends, with peak attendance and pick-rate bonuses and a temp-to-perm route. Expect short interviews on safety, reliability and pick accuracy. For agency phone screens, practise two-minute answers on attendance and safety in OphyAI Interview Practice.

Head Office (Support Centre, London Paddington)

M&S’s main Support Centre is Waterside House on North Wharf Road by Paddington (London W2); Chester hosts customer service roles. Support Centre hiring usually starts with a CV and questions, then one or more interviews (in person or virtual) and possibly tasks or presentations. Roles typically run hybrid, three days in the office and two at home. Software engineers get a technical assessment; on a live coding round, OphyAI Coding Copilot (Premium) shows the approach, the code, a dry run and the Big O.

Graduate Programmes

For a September 2027 start, M&S runs graduate programmes across Retail, Food and FH&B. The Retail Graduate Programme pays £34,000 and moves you from Customer Assistant to Team Manager to Deputy or Store Manager (from around nine months in), ending as a Store Manager. Food lists Product Development, Commercial and Logistics programmes and a Food Technology Industrial Placement; FH&B includes an Online programme (£34,000, two years, London hybrid). The official steps are an online application (one programme per cycle), a two-stage online assessment, an in-person assessment centre and, for store-based roles, a final interview in a store. Prep sites report numerical, verbal and situational judgement tests, and some report a video interview (reported; M&S’s 2027 page does not mention one). If your invitation includes a recorded stage, the desktop app’s One-way Interview mode reads each question as it appears on screen and suggests an answer in the overlay.

Apprenticeships and Not Just Any Career

M&S has run a 36-month school-leaver Retail Leaders route with an optional Level 6 apprenticeship (2023 relaunch), and the 2026 Annual Report says 21 degree apprentices moved into management. In June 2026 M&S announced Not Just Any Career: 1,000 six-month training places in stores for 18-24 year olds, no degree needed, open to colleagues and external candidates. Turn a school, sport or part-time job example into a STAR story and say it aloud in OphyAI Interview Practice.

Common Questions with Frameworks

M&S does not publish a question bank. Questions 1, 2, 4, 6 and 13 are themes candidates report on Glassdoor and Indeed (candidate-reported); the rest are written against the six published behaviours. The frameworks are ours.

1. “Why do you want to work at Marks & Spencer?” (Motivation, candidate-reported)

What they test: whether you know M&S rather than “a supermarket.” Framework: one product reason (own-label food, or an FH&B range you buy), one people reason (training, progression), and one thing you noticed on a store visit. Red flag: “It’s close to my house.” Our guide to why do you want to work here has more structures.

2. “Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a customer.” (Close to customers, candidate-reported)

What they test: service that goes past the script. Framework: STAR with a specific need (“she needed a gluten-free cake for that afternoon”), the normal response, what you did differently, and how you knew they were pleased. Red flag: a story where the “extra” was simply doing your job.

3. “What does good customer service mean to you?” (Close to customers)

What they test: a practical definition. Framework: notice the customer, solve the problem, check they are happy, then one example. See our guide to what customer service means to you.

4. “A customer becomes confrontational at the till. What do you do?” (Situational, candidate-reported)

What they test: calm under pressure and safety. Framework: stay calm and listen, acknowledge the problem, offer what you can do, call a manager when it goes beyond your authority, and never escalate. Red flag: arguing the policy, or “I’d just walk away.”

5. “A customer asks for a product that is out of stock. How do you handle it?” (Situational)

What they test: “serve, sell and fill.” Framework: apologise, check the stockroom or system, offer an alternative you can walk them to, suggest another store or M&S.com, and report the gap so it gets refilled. Walking beats pointing.

6. “Tell me about a time you worked as part of a team.” (Close to colleagues, candidate-reported)

What they test: whether you help without being asked. Framework: the goal, your part, how you supported someone, and the team result. School projects and sport count.

7. “Tell me about a time you said you would do something and followed it through.” (We say it, we do it)

What they test: reliability. Framework: the commitment, the obstacle, how you still delivered, and the result. Small is fine: covering a shift you promised, finishing a delivery before close.

8. “Tell me about a time you had to give honest feedback or raise a problem.” (We tell it as it is)

What they test: straight talking without drama. Framework: the issue, why it mattered, how you raised it privately and calmly, and what changed. Red flag: a story that sounds like gossip or a complaint about a manager.

9. “How have you improved the way something was done?” (We always aim higher)

What they test: curiosity and getting better every day. Framework: what you noticed, the change you suggested, how you tested it, and the measured result (minutes saved, fewer errors, less waste). M&S’s “Straight to Stuart” scheme collects colleague ideas, so showing you raise ideas lands well.

10. “Tell me about a time you put the team or the business ahead of yourself.” (We are selfless)

What they test: whether you make the right call when it is not convenient. Framework: the situation, the personal cost (a break, a preferred task), why you did it, and the outcome for customers or colleagues.

11. “Give an example of saving money or reducing waste.” (We spend wise, save)

What they test: commercial instinct. Framework: the cost you spotted (food waste, overtime, damaged stock), the action, and the number. Food candidates can talk about rotation and date checks; managers about labour budgets.

12. “How would you prioritise a delivery, a queue and a customer asking for help at the same time?” (Prioritisation)

What they test: judgement on a busy shift. Framework: customers first (open a till or call for backup), help the customer or hand them to a colleague, then the delivery, and tell your manager what is waiting. Say it as a sequence, not a list.

13. “What is your availability, and can you work weekends and over Christmas?” (Availability, candidate-reported)

What they test: whether the hours fit. Framework: state your hours plainly, name any fixed limits, and confirm 22, 23 and 24 December for Christmas roles. Vague answers lose seasonal roles.

14. “Describe a time you managed an underperforming colleague.” (Leadership, managers)

What they test: “We tell it as it is” plus support. Framework: the standard, the gap, the private conversation, the support you offered, the follow-up date and the outcome. Interviewers want firmness and care in the same story.

Practise all fourteen with follow-up questions in OphyAI Interview Practice, which gives a transcript and per-answer feedback, and see our situational interview questions guide for more “what would you do” practice.

Culture Fit: Close to Customers, Sleeves Rolled Up

Store-first culture. Support Centre colleagues worked nearly 194,000 hours in stores in 2025/26. What interviewers screen for: you respect store work, whatever role you apply for.

Straight talking. “We tell it as it is” means “informal and conversational. No dramas.” What interviewers screen for: short, direct answers, and the ability to say what went wrong in a story.

Cost discipline. “We spend wise, save” is a listed behaviour. What interviewers screen for: you notice waste and money, especially in Food and management roles.

Customer focus. The FAQ says M&S looks for “passion for retail, customer focus, and a positive attitude” and values potential. What interviewers screen for: warmth with customers over retail experience.

Compensation Overview (2026 Estimates, GBP)

From 1 April 2026, M&S raised UK Customer Assistant pay by 6.4% in a £70m investment, to at least £13.41 an hour (£14.74 in London), up from £12.60 and £13.85. M&S says the full package, including benefits, could be worth up to £16.33 an hour.

Role	Base Salary	Total Compensation (Base + Bonus + Equity)
Customer Assistant (UK)	£13.41 an hour from April 2026	20% colleague discount, pension contributions up to 12%, Sharesave; package valued by M&S at up to £16.33 an hour
Customer Assistant (London)	£14.74 an hour	Same benefits
Christmas Customer Assistant (2026)	£13.41 an hour (Retail Gazette)	Temporary; contracts vary by store
Shift Lead or Team Support Manager	£14.47 an hour plus £3.00 unsocial premium (2026 adverts, since closed)	Same benefits
Team Manager, Store Manager	”Competitive + Benefits” in adverts; no published figure	Benefits package; ask the recruiter for the band
Warehouse order picker (Staffline, Barnsley, November 2026)	£13.38-£18.06 an hour by shift	Peak attendance and performance bonuses of £2.50 an hour each; temp-to-perm
Retail or FH&B Online Graduate (2027 intake)	£34,000	Plus standard benefits

M&S says it has invested over £350m in retail pay in four years. AJ Bell reported that the 2026 rates sit just below the Real Living Wage. For salaried roles, use our salary negotiation guide before you discuss the band.

Preparation Timeline: 4-6 Weeks

Week	Focus	Activities
1	Research and application	Visit an M&S Food hall and an FH&B floor; read the six behaviours; apply with real availability
2	Online assessment	Practise store scenarios and detail checks; do the 20-minute assessment on a laptop in one sitting
3	Behaviour stories	Write one STAR story per behaviour plus a “why M&S” answer and an availability answer
4	Mock interviews	Answer the 14 questions above aloud in OphyAI Interview Practice; rewrite the weakest two
5	Group and graduate stages	Practise a group task; graduates add timed numerical and verbal tests and an assessment centre case
6	Final checks	Gather right-to-work documents, prepare two questions for the interviewer, plan travel to the store

Store and Christmas candidates can compress this into a week.

Common Mistakes

Doing the assessment on a phone. M&S recommends a laptop, tablet or desktop and says the assessment must be finished in one go.

Not visiting a store. M&S’s own tips say to. Interviewers notice when you cannot name one product.

Vague availability. For Christmas roles, not confirming 22-24 December is the fastest way out.

Hypothetical answers. “I would always help” is weaker than “Last Saturday I…” Use STAR and past tense.

Reapplying too soon. If you were unsuccessful for a similar role, wait six months before reapplying.

Prepare for Marks & Spencer with OphyAI

M&S scores interviews against six published behaviours, so rehearsed stories win. Use OphyAI Interview Practice for voice or text mock interviews in behavioral formats, with follow-up questions, a transcript and per-answer feedback. Use OphyAI Interview Copilot for real-time answer suggestions on live Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet interviews; in the desktop app the window is excluded from screen sharing and recording, though not from a webcam or a person in the room. Graduates can prepare multiple-choice tests with Aptitude Test mode and any recorded stage with One-way Interview mode. OphyAI runs on web, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, and plans are on the OphyAI pricing page. Start practicing →

Start Your Marks & Spencer Application

Ready to apply? OphyAI can help at every stage:

Search for open roles at Marks & Spencer and similar employers with AI-powered job matching
Generate a tailored cover letter that highlights your fit for the role, plus follow-up emails and thank-you notes for after your interviews
Track your application status alongside every other role you’re pursuing

Pair these with Interview Copilot for structured live interviews, or practise first with OphyAI Interview Practice.

For shop-floor practice, see our retail interview questions and group interview questions, and our UK interview guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What questions are asked in an M&S interview?

M&S does not publish a question list; interviews are scored against its behaviours. Candidates most often report “Why M&S?”, a time you went above and beyond for a customer, handling a confrontational customer, teamwork and availability. Expect questions on the six behaviours, such as following through on a promise and reducing waste.

How long is the M&S online assessment?

For Customer Assistant roles, M&S says the interactive assessment takes around 20 minutes and must be completed in one go. It uses real-life store scenarios and attention-to-detail tasks, and M&S recommends a laptop, tablet or desktop rather than a phone. Some other roles get a skills test, such as a technical assessment for software engineers.

How long does it take to hear back from M&S after an interview?

M&S tells you at the end of the interview when to expect an outcome, then emails it to your candidate account, with a phone call for some roles. Candidates on Indeed and Glassdoor mostly report store processes of a few days to two weeks (candidate-reported). Graduate schemes run for months.

How much do M&S Customer Assistants earn in 2026?

From 1 April 2026, M&S pays UK Customer Assistants at least £13.41 an hour, or £14.74 in London, after a 6.4% rise. M&S says the total package with benefits could be worth up to £16.33 an hour, including a 20% colleague discount, pension contributions up to 12% and Sharesave. Christmas roles were advertised at £13.41 an hour in October 2026.

What do I need for an M&S Christmas job?

M&S asks Christmas colleagues to work full-time hours in the two weeks before Christmas and to be available on 22, 23 and 24 December. The process is an online application of about 45 minutes, an online assessment, then an in-store interview you book yourself. Slots are not guaranteed, so check back.

What is the M&S graduate scheme application process?

M&S lists four steps for its 2027 programmes: an online application (one programme per recruitment cycle), a two-stage online assessment, an in-person assessment centre, and for store-based roles a final interview in a store. The Retail Graduate Programme pays £34,000 and aims to make you a Store Manager by the end.

How does OphyAI work in a Marks & Spencer interview?

Rehearse the behaviour questions in Interview Practice, which asks follow-ups and gives a transcript and per-answer feedback. For live video interviews, Interview Copilot suggests answers in real time on Zoom, Teams or Meet. In the desktop app, Aptitude Test mode handles multiple-choice assessments and One-way Interview mode handles recorded video. Screen-share exclusion does not hide anything from a webcam, a person in the room, or proctoring software.

Sources and verification notes

All sources checked November 2026. Individual M&S adverts on jobs.marksandspencer.com returned 404 (closed), so the £14.47 rate and “Competitive + Benefits” wording come from 2026 advert listings in search results. Glassdoor and Indeed returned 403, so candidate experiences come from their search listings (candidate-reported). Graduate test types come from prep sites (reported).

M&S Careers, How we hire: stages, the 20-minute assessment, behaviours, outcome.
M&S Careers, Our hiring process FAQs: application, reapply rule, Support Centre process.
M&S Careers, Christmas: availability for the two weeks before Christmas and 22-24 December, in-store interviews.
M&S Careers, Retail Graduate Programme, Early Careers Food and TARGETjobs, FH&B Graduate Programme Online: £34,000, application steps, programme list.
M&S, Vision, purpose and behaviours (April 2026): the six behaviours and purpose.
M&S Annual Report and Financial Statements 2026: stores, colleagues, cyber incident, Staffline, apprentices, Waterside House. Full-year results 2026: £131.3m incident costs.
M&S press release, 6.4% pay increase (3 March 2026), with AJ Bell on the Real Living Wage.
Retail Gazette, M&S opens applications for Christmas roles (October 2026): £13.41 Christmas pay.
M&S, Not Just Any Career (8 June 2026) and M&S, Early Careers reset (October 2023): training places, programme lengths.
Staffline, M&S Order Picking, Barnsley (November 2026): warehouse pay and bonuses.
WikiJob and CareerTestPrep: reported graduate tests, video interview and assessment centre (not confirmed by M&S).
Glassdoor, M&S interviews and Indeed, M&S interviews: 403; read via search listings, candidate-reported.