I was telephoned one day after handing my CV in to the shop a number of months earlier; I was asked to interview and given absolutely no indication as to the job role etc, I agreed anyway and was given a time and date a few days from then.
I arrived at the interview early, and was seen by the store manager. He seemed friendly but nervous himself and had not even read my CV; so he asked me to tell him about myself. I was only asked around 5 questions, and even though we were chatting in a friendly manner he questioned things that were not his place to. He also made it quite clear that I would not be able to work two jobs if I took a place at his store and made the promise of being able to give me 20 hours a week.
I left the store with a positive feeling, but downhearted at the rate of pay (at the time I was under 21 years old so the pay was £5.08) as I was currently working two jobs at £5.95 each; but I gathered that as I'd be working 20 hours a week I would be able to at least match this pay.
That afternoon I was working; but I received a phone call from the Superdrug store. After my shift I rang the manager back, and I was offered the job. I asked if I would be allowed a day to consider the offer, because I really needed to work out my finances and whether I could actually afford to lose nearly a pound an hour but fit in 20 hours a week with university work. He got quite irate and told me that he couldn't really wait for an answer and that he had another girl he had just phoned who had cried because she hadn't got the job, he told me that yes the pay is low but the benefits are really good and told me some anecdote about his brother. I felt really pressured but also considered that Superdrug might be more stable a job than the two I was then working. I took the job; but when asked when I could start I replied that both employers would expect me to work a couple of weeks notice as we were short staffed in both jobs; I was told this was too long and was asked to start the following week - on the same day I was expected at uni; he did not care. Luckily both of my managers were able to let me go on such short notice but I still missed a day at university. I'm pretty sure most workplaces ask for a months notice...what would he have done then? He also rota'd me in for the next day; when I expressly told him that I would not be able to work that day. I regretted my decision at taking the job and felt so disheartened in my new job that I nearly left after one week.
Luckily this manager has since left the company and I now work at a different store.