The interview process was set out in three stages. After the initial expression of interest online, successful applicants would receive a phone call. This was pretty basic, just talking about yourself - current employment, why you are interested in the position. The second stage involved a 2 hour (approx.) group interview at head office, after completing a personality test online. For this interview 6 people had been selected. We had to introduce ourselves to the group, then the job description was explained further. Our interviewer allowed time for questions. We were presented with three tests. The first was a very basic geography quiz (10 minutes) - capitals of countries, questions about places within Australia. The second test involved mathematical problem solving (40 minutes). The scenario presented was about a family wanting to go on holiday, with a choice of flights, hotels, car rentals, insurance and tour packages. One of the key focuses was that you could work out the commission. The third part of the day required each individual to go into another room with the interview and role play a typical travel sales consultant-customer exchange (4 minutes). During the briefing she indicated that we did not need to reference specific hotels or even place names, if we were not familiar with the destination. We could say "Carpet Hotel", "Ceiling Tours" or "Doorway Insurance" for all it mattered. The most disappointing part about this stage was the selection process. Whilst we waited for the interviewer to grade all our tests during the interview, we could talk amongst the group. Two applicants were to be selected to go through to the third stage - training. The two that ended up being chosen said that they genuinely did not know the capital of New Zealand ... one of Australia's closest neighbours! (not to mention other geographical knowledge lacking). The role is of course a sales consultant role, however it is surprising that the company is happy to select applicants that cannot demonstrate even basic geographical knowledge. The positive is that the interviewer did allow us to call her up the next day if we wanted to know how we could improve. The downside to this is a waiting period of 6 months before one can apply to any of the travel businesses in the Flight Centre Group. We were told that the job was best suited to someone who wanted long-term employment. They seem to offer many training opportunities throughout employment, however the job is very much commission-based, with a need to basically earn the right to sit at your desk in your particular shop before you earn any commission for yourself. The interviewer almost outright said that you would not be making much money until your third year.

The interview process itself was straightforward. As long as you have basic sales, customer service, and travel experience, you should be well prepared. My interviewer, Greer, was lovely and made me feel completely at ease throughout the process. It began with a phone interview covering the basics, followed by an SHL behavioural assessment. The next stage was a group interview, although I ended up being the only candidate in my session. This interview mainly focused on STAR-based questions, which were fairly straightforward. My expectations were raised when my references were contacted and successfully completed. I was then told I had been successful, only to find out that there were actually no positions available in my location, despite the role being advertised online. Instead, I was placed into a “talent pool.” This was disappointing, as it feels like role availability should have been confirmed before candidates were taken through a four-stage recruitment process and before referees were asked to provide references. While I appreciated the professionalism of the interviewer and found the recruitment experience itself to be positive, I would recommend asking upfront whether there is a genuine vacancy in your location or whether you’re being considered for a talent pool. Doing so could save time and help set realistic expectations.