Halfords Vacancy

[migrantwing]

Probably not the correct part of the forum to post this, but...

A vacancy has come up at my local Bikehut. Not many hours a week (not enough really) but may be interested in applying for the job.

I saw a similar vacancy in another Halfords store at the end of last year, which didn't specify any requirements in the way of cycle maintenance qualifications. This vacancy, however, states:

The perfect candidate will have previous experience within the cycle industry, have a passion for all types of cycles, ideally, have either Cytech or NVQ Cycle Maintenance level 2 accreditation and be happy repairing and servicing all types of bikes as well as helping customers understand the benefits of cycle maintenance and servicing.

I have neither a Cytech or NVQ level 2 accreditation in bike maintenance and have not worked in the cycle industry before.

I'm no great oracle when it comes to bike maintenance, but I've been cycling for a long time and have always done my own fettling. I've stripped and rebuilt numerous Road bikes and helped friends and family with their bikes. I'm confident enough with any aspect of bike maintenance, but lack knowledge/skill when it comes to truing wheels. I've never even tried, tbh.

How will I fare?

TIA

 

[summerdays]

Probably not the correct part of the forum to post this, but...

A vacancy has come up at my local Bikehut. Not many hours a week (not enough really) but may be interested in applying for the job.

I saw a similar vacancy in another Halfords store at the end of last year, which didn't specify any requirements in the way of cycle maintenance qualifications. This vacancy, however, states:

The perfect candidate will have previous experience within the cycle industry, have a passion for all types of cycles, ideally, have either Cytech or NVQ Cycle Maintenance level 2 accreditation and be happy repairing and servicing all types of bikes as well as helping customers understand the benefits of cycle maintenance and servicing.

I have neither a Cytech or NVQ accreditation in bike maintenance and have not worked in the cycle industry before.

I'm no great oracle when it comes to bike maintenance, but I've been cycling for a long time and have always done my own fettling. I've stripped and rebuilt numerous Road bikes and helped friends and family with their bikes. I'm confident enough with any aspect of bike maintenance, but lack knowledge/skill when it comes to truing wheels. I've never even tried, tbh.

How will I fare?

TIA

You sound more qualified than most of their staff , give it a go, what have you to loose and there may be some in house training?

 

[migrantwing]

Hahaha! Cheers, @summerdays. I was thinking along similar lines It would be great if there was in-house training. As long as I have no disk brakes to fix, I'll be OK

Do you know what Cytech or NVQ Level 2 Bike Maintenance entails at all? As far as I understand, NVQ runs from Level 1, being the basic level, to Level 5 being the top shelf. Surely, NVQ Level 2 in Bike maintenance can't be all that?

 

[Roadrider48]

Hahaha! Cheers, @summerdays. I was thinking along similar lines It would be great if there was in-house training. As long as I have no disk brakes to fix, I'll be OK

Do you know what Cytech or NVQ Level 2 Bike Maintenance entails at all? As far as I understand, NVQ runs from Level 1, being the basic level, to Level 5 being the top shelf. Surely, NVQ Level 2 in Bike maintenance can't be all that?

I believe the courses are quite expensive.

 

[ianrauk]

HERE is the Cyctech price list

 

[summerdays]

Halfords needs you, I was asked today to look at a bike as the brakes weren't working! Turns out the bike was new at Christmas time, hardly been ridden since. If you pull the brake lever, the cable is sticking holding the brake on, but I couldn't see why and I didn't have the tools to start undoing bits. And the other brake lever touched the handlebars before working. Told them to take it back to the shop!

 

[srw]

If you don't have the right qualifications and lots of others who apply do, you're probably stuffed. But on the chance that that's not the case, it's worth pursuing.

The difficult bit will be being shortlisted for interview. My suggestion would be to get hold of the relevant Cytech/NVQ syllabus and work out for yourself honestly how well you fare against those requirements. Then, assuming applications are CV with a cover letter, prepare a short statement for your application cover letter explaining how you can evidence that you've got the skills (e.g. "in the last x years I have stripped and rebuilt y bikes"). Say that a formal self-assessment against the qualification would be available on request, and be prepared to give them the name of two or three independent people who can evidence your skills.

Then, if you get an interview, be prepared to give a demonstration of what you can do, or to talk through some of the more difficult processes on the syllabus.

Large companies tend to do competency-based interviews - they will have a list of things they're looking for, starting with technical skills and going on to softer skills, and you've got to show that you've got relevant stories to tell. You may be able to find interview questions online.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

If going for the Cytech qualification, be aware that their courses are quite popular and ATG are booked up quite well in advance. When I booked to do Cytech 2 back in January the earliest date they could offer me at the Stafford training centre is in May. Looking forward to that.

 

[migrantwing]

Thanks for the replies and information, folks.

The thing that is most annoying is that the vacancy is only 15 hours a week. (works out to around £95 per week BEFORE any stoppages ) I'm not prepared to pay those prices for a Cytech course ( I don't have the money for a start) to get a low return. A bike mechanic, unless working for a major team or possibly making a decent living as self employed (highly unlikely in this economic climate) is only going to earn a very basic, minimum wage, sadly.

 

[solidthegreat]

Halfrauds bike repair teaching lesson: 09:00 Welcome everyone, this is a bike, 09:02 this is a muliti tool and grease. 09:30 congratulations you passed the Halfrauds bike hut course. Now go make some money.
I say go for it. You are probably like a pro mechanic already compared to some of the car radio fitters fixing bikes in my local branch. Good luck and perhaps you may change the opinion of the standard of mechanics they employ.

 

[MrGrumpy]

If you are mechanically minded at all I would say you have no worries. I reckon I could walk into that sort of job and I don`t have any cycling maintenance qualifications. Doubt Halfords could afford me though

 

[shouldbeinbed]

A neighbours kid has a kick stand put on their bike at Halfords recently and the rear gears had stopped working the next time they used it. a quick shout to me as I wandered in & 10 seconds of a look showed that the shop had trapped the cable under the stand plate. If you're better than that.......

 

[migrantwing]

I say go for it. You are probably like a pro mechanic already compared to some of the car radio fitters fixing bikes in my local branch. Good luck and perhaps you may change the opinion of the standard of mechanics they employ.

Thank you, @solidthegreat

 

[User6179]

anyone who can tie their shoelaces are over qualified for Halfords

 

[Tyke]

Many years ago I worked for Halfords as a car mechanic back when they first started doing the cars and you had to be a fully qualified light vehicle technician with City & Guilds qualifications. That sadly has changed over the years but the thing I learned in the 3 years I was there was that they still work by the small shop ideal they started with. If you go in when it is quiet and ask to see the manager, put your case and offer to do a few hours for free as a way of showing what you can do they will love the enthusiasm and most likely count that as the interview and you will be in if you can do the job. It is many years since I worked for them but I keep in contact with some old friends and things don`t change much. Halfords started with bikes and small shops and head office still like to remember that, many of the management there started as shop boys before they left school.