FAQs
Home How to apply FAQs
Search jobs & locations
Questions? Let us make it simple.
Get instant support and find your perfect career match with our virtual assistant Chatbot.
Let it make answering your recruitment questions a breeze 24/7 and connect you to answers all across the site, whatever your question about jobs at the John Lewis Partnership may be.

1. Application Queries
We understand the importance of feedback. However, we are unable to provide individual application feedback, particularly on our high demand vacancies. We understand this may be disappointing. We appreciate your interest and encourage you to apply to other roles within the Partnership.
You can log into your candidate portal to find out the latest update on your application. All outcomes are also delivered via email to ensure you have the most up to date information on you application as soon as possible. We recommend that you check your junk or spam folder, if you have not received any emails from us in regards to your application.
If you have received an email suggesting you have not completed your application or have an outstanding task to complete, please log into your candidate portal, where you will find details of the outstanding task.
2. Interview Queries
Our interview slots are available on a first come, first served basis and spaces are limited. Therefore, we advise you to promptly choose a slot to confirm your attendance.
If you’re unable to attend your interview, you can reschedule or cancel by logging into your JLP Jobs Account
Please note that if you wish to reschedule, you may be limited on new dates and times that are available.
Right to Work documents are required from all candidates to provide evidence of their entitlement to work in the UK. If you are applying for a role in one of our Channel Island locations, these documents will be checked and authorised by the Partner conducting the assessment. For all other locations, these documents will be checked later in the recruitment stage when we extend a formal offer to you, via our third party digital right to work provider, Zinc. Please note, digital right to work checks are currently limited to individuals with in-date UK or Irish passports due to government regulations. If you hold other right to work document types, you will be asked to have your documents checked via one of our Stores. More information can be found on our FAQ’s page.
Failure to provide satisfactory evidence of your right to work in the UK will prevent you being able to progress with joining our business.
It is the John Lewis Partnership’s legal obligation to ensure that anyone we are looking to employ is legally entitled to work in the UK before their employment begins.
For more information on what documents you can bring to show you have the right to work, and more details, please follow this link to the Government Website:
3. New Starter Queries
If you have a query relating to your contractual hours, you need to contact the branch directly so they can check their rota.
Once you have contacted the branch, please ask to speak to your future people manager, whose name can be found on your Employment Agreement. If you have been offered a role in John Lewis & Partners, you can also ask to speak to the Shop Support team, who will be able to assist you.
4. Online Testing Queries
We’re afraid that we are unable to give you any specific feedback following the unsuccessful completion of one of our tests. However, we would recommend referring to the preparation pages on our website for any future applications you may wish to make.
These can be found on the ‘Road to the Partnership’ page.
The online test works on a like for like basis. If you successfully pass our online testing, your test score remains for a 6 month period. You will only be required to do another online test if you are applying for a completely different role or applying once 6 months have elapsed
What if I fail my online test? Can I re take it?
Being a Partner is a unique experience, sharing the responsibility of ownership as well as its rewards. In recognition of this, we’ve developed a questionnaire for candidates to find out if they’re aligned with this unique way of working. Unfortunately if you fail your online test you will not be able to re-take the assessment.
If you are having issues completing your online test, please try the following:
We recommend using the latest versions of Google Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer.
Our online tests are compatible with all devices but for the best experience, you may want to use a desktop or laptop computer.
Delete your browser history and all cookies before attempting to log back into the job site.
To ensure we can progress your application as quickly as possible, all our tests need to be completed within two days of receiving the invitation email. We recommend you complete these as soon as possible to avoid missing the deadline and your application being withdrawn.
Our online tests are compatible with all devices but for the best experience, you may want to use a desktop or laptop computer.
5. Digital Right to Work
You will need to bring original documents that prove your right to work in the UK before you can begin working for John Lewis Partnership. A list of acceptable documents can be found on the GOV.UK website:
https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work
If you need help locating your closest store please use our Shop locator tools:
Waitrose: https://www.waitrose.com/find-a-store/
John Lewis: https://www.johnlewis.com/our-shops
Please note, Waitrose shops within Shell, Welcome Break, Dobbies and other franchise sites will not be able to process your right to work documentation.
Yes, using the digital service is optional. If you prefer, you can submit your right to work documentation in person at a local Waitrose or John Lewis branch. Your Offer of employment is subject to the completion of satisfactory checks and the entitlement to work in the UK. The right to work check is only required if you are offered a role within the Partnership.
Zinc has a live chat available on their website 24/7. Candidates should utilise this support in the first instance for help from a member of the Zinc support team.
Further FAQ’s can also be found via the following link:
Our Talent Acquisition team will send your Offer of employment, which can be reviewed in your candidate portal on JLP.com. Alongside receiving your offer, you will automatically receive a link via SMS and email to the secure Zinc portal. Zinc will identify the document type(s) you upload. If you complete your right to work check via Zinc, but upload documents other than an in-date UK or Irish passport, you will receive an email from Zinc stating that our Talent Acquisition team will contact you. You will then receive an email requesting you submit your right to work documents in person at your nearest Waitrose or John Lewis branch.
If you prefer to submit your right to work in-person and not via Zinc, please contact the Talent Acquisition team with the subject line: Right to Work, In-person check
If you do not have an in-date UK or Irish passport, you will need to visit a local Waitrose or John Lewis branch to submit your right to work documentation in person. This ensures that we comply with our legal requirements for right to work checks.
The digital right to work check is currently limited to individuals with in-date UK or Irish passports due to government regulations. This is not a decision made by the John Lewis Partnership, but is part of the legal framework set by the government. You can find out more here by visiting the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-identity-certification-for-right-to-work-right-to-rent-and-criminal-record-checks/digital-identity-certification-for-right-to-work-right-to-rent-and-criminal-record-checks
The UK Government approved the use of digital right to work identify checking providers in 2022. If you have an in date UK or Irish passport your document can be checked fully remotely by our chosen identity checking provider, Zinc.
Please note, digital right to work checks are not applicable if you are being hired for a role in one of our Channel Island locations.
6. General Queries
If you are looking to access your application, you can find the link here. The ‘Candidate Login button‘ can also be found in the top right hand corner of all our JLPJobs.com pages.
If you have heard that we will be opening a new store and you are interested in joining the John Lewis Partnership, these vacancies will be listed here. If the new branch is not yet listed, then this would either mean we’re still finalising the details of our opening date or still looking to confirm that a store will be built in that location and will appear in the jobs page soon.
If the area you are searching for is not appearing on our site, this means there are currently no vacancies for that Location.
We may close vacancies early if we receive a high volume of applications. To ensure you don’t miss out, we recommend setting up job alerts for early notifications when new roles become available.
For some roles this is possible but please think about the type of role that will suit you and your goals, and only apply for appropriate vacancies. If you are invited to an interview we will treat the other applications as a duplicate.
Seasonal Temporary Branch Roles
You can only apply for one Seasonal Temporary role in the same branch at any given time, however you will be able to list up to two further preferences for other Seasonal Temporary roles in the same branch on your application form. If you decline an offer for the role, withdraw from that vacancy or are unsuccessful at any of the assessment stages you will be able to apply for another Seasonal Temporary role in the same branch. If you want to apply for a non-Seasonal Temporary role at the same time you will be able to do so.
Due to the Working Time Directive and Local Education Authority regulations, we cannot accept applications from candidates who have not reached the minimum school-leaving age. This is because of restrictions on the duties you may perform and the level of supervision required.
To be eligible, you must have left school and turned 16 by the start of the new school year. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/know-when-you-can-leave-school
Please note that some roles require candidates to be over 18, mainly because certain shift patterns can only be worked by those 18 or older. For these roles, you must be 18 at the point of starting your role.
If you need any reasonable adjustments at any stage of our recruitment process, please answer yes to the question on the application form which asks ‘Do you require a reasonable adjustment any any stage in our process?’ You will then be able to provide us with details relating to this as well as a phone number to call us to dicuss in more detail if needed.
At the John Lewis Partnership, we are reviewing our application process to make it the most inclusive journey. If we can make any specific adjustments or accommodations to the application process for you, please do let us know.
Our current application process for most of our vacancies includes the following stages.
Inputting contact details.
Taking an online assessment.
Listing qualifications and work history.
Answering role-specific questions.
Explaining special requirements (if applicable).
The online assessment is one test but may have a combination of different questions depending on the role. It could be a combination of the Partnership Selection Questionnaire, Situational Judgement and Personality/Motivation questions.
The test is not timed so you can spend as long as you need answering the questions. However, once you have started the test, you must finish it in one go. We would also recommend using a laptop or desktop computer rather than a mobile device.
You can have assistance throughout the application process from any family member, friends, or a care worker, but they must not answer the questions for you. We also recommend you speak to your local Jobcentre so they can support you in completing the online stages of the process. If you would like for someone to contact us on your behalf, please provide written permission so we can discuss your application with them.
If you choose to apply, please select ‘Yes’ to requiring a reasonable adjustment. Please give us as much detail as you can in the ‘Further Questions’ section of the application form. If you secure an interview, we will be in touch to discuss any specific adjustments you may need.
You can prepare for your application by going our Accessibility and Inclusion page.
To ensure that you are always kept up to date with the availability of any job within the John Lewis Partnership, you can ‘Register for alerts’. You can set up your job alerts by job type, region, location and hours.
To cancel an email alert, you can do this by selecting ‘Job Alerts’ in your JLP Jobs Account and then selecting ‘Manage’ next to the job alert you wish to edit or delete.