How we hire
A fair chance to show what you can bring
The people behind our products come from many different backgrounds. We value what each person brings, and we want that respect to be part of your experience when you apply.
For some roles at Nestlé, we use a written chat interview provided by Sapia.ai. It gives you space to tell us about yourself and uses AI to assess your answers against the same criteria as other applicants for the role. Our recruitment team decides what happens next.
Here, we explain what to expect, how your answers are used and how to get support.
Why we use a chat interview
Giving you the chance to tell your story
People join Nestlé with different experiences and ambitions. We want to give you the opportunity to show what you could contribute, including things that may be hard to put across on a CV.
We receive a high number of applications, and we cannot offer every applicant a conversation with a recruiter at this early stage. For roles using Sapia.ai, a chat interview means everyone who meets the initial requirements has a chance to tell us about themselves in their own words.
We agree the questions and the skills they assess in advance. Everyone taking part for the same role answers the same questions and is assessed against the same criteria. This gives candidates a consistent starting point and is designed to reduce the influence of first impressions in early screening.
Your interview
Take the time you need to tell us about yourself
Your invitation
If your application meets the initial requirements for a role using Sapia.ai, you will receive an email inviting you to complete the chat interview.
Your questions
Follow the link and answer a short set of questions about how you approach situations. You can complete it on your phone, tablet or computer, at a time and in a place that suit you.
Your examples
Use examples from your own experience. These can come from work or from other parts of your life, such as volunteering or caring for someone. Explain your part in the situation and what happened as a result.
The interview is untimed.
You can think about each question, re-read your answers and edit them before submitting. This is a written interview, so you do not need to appear on camera or record your voice.
How your answers are used
How AI supports our recruitment team
Step one
What the AI assesses
Sapia.ai reads the answers you submit and looks for evidence of the skills and behaviours relevant to the role. It produces scores, written explanations linked to your answers and a recommendation to help our recruiters build a shortlist.
The scoring model does not use your CV, name or demographic details supplied with your application. It assesses your written interview answers.
Step two
What our people decide
Our recruiters can see your original answers alongside the assessment and its explanations. This gives them evidence to consider and question when deciding who progresses.
A Nestlé recruiter or hiring manager makes progression and hiring decisions. The chat interview is an early stage in the process, and further interviews or assessments may follow.
Checking for fairness
We check the process as well as the results
Giving candidates the same questions and assessment criteria is part of our approach. We also need to check how the assessment works in practice.
- Before and during use
- Sapia.ai tests its scoring models before they are used and continues checking results during use. These checks look for differences in outcomes across demographic groups that could indicate unfair treatment. Models that do not meet its fairness standards are not put into use.
- Your demographic information
- Demographic information provided separately in your application may support fairness checks and reporting. It is not used to calculate your interview score.
- Our responsibility
- No assessment can promise to remove all bias. Nestlé remains responsible for how we use the results. If you have a concern about your assessment, contact [confirmed Nestlé recruitment contact or support route].
Your personal feedback
Something useful to take from the experience
Learning and development matter at Nestlé. We want the time you spend applying to be useful to you too.
After completing the interview, you will receive personal feedback by email, whatever the hiring outcome. It may highlight strengths from your answers and include a coaching tip, or offer general interview advice.
Candidate experiences
What candidates have said
Sapia.ai’s Humanising Hiring report shares feedback from people who completed chat interviews when applying to other employers. Some valued having time to respond and the opportunity to explain their experience.
The questions allowed me to reflect on past experiences and articulate how I handled various situations.
The chat interview was very easy to use, and being able to express myself in a time that works for me is very convenient!
The report also includes people who would prefer a face-to-face conversation. If you have questions about taking part, you can find information about support and other options below.
After your interview
What happens next
Once you submit your answers, the assessment becomes available to our recruitment team. They use it to help decide which applications to take forward.
If you are invited to the next stage, we will explain what it involves and how to prepare. The stages and timings vary by role, so follow the information in your application emails and check your Nestlé application profile for updates.
Your personal feedback does not tell you whether you have progressed. We will communicate your application outcome separately.
Common questions
What else would you like to know?
Does Nestlé use this interview for every role?
We use Sapia.ai for some roles. Your application communications will tell you whether the chat interview is part of the process for the role you have applied for.
Am I having a live conversation with AI?
The interview follows questions approved by Nestlé in advance. Everyone taking part for the same role receives the same questions in the same order. AI assesses your written answers after you submit them.
How long should I allow?
Allow around [X] minutes. The interview itself is untimed, so you can take longer if you need to. Follow any completion date given in your invitation.
Do I still need a CV?
Follow the requirements in the Nestlé application form. The chat interview’s scoring model does not use your CV to assess your answers.
What if I need an adjustment or a different way to take part?
If you have a disability, are neurodivergent or need support with a written interview, contact [confirmed Nestlé recruitment or adjustments contact] before you begin. Let us know what would help you take part.
Can I ask how my assessment was reached or raise a concern?
Yes. Contact [confirmed Nestlé recruitment contact] to ask for an explanation or raise a concern about your assessment. The scores have documented explanations linked to your answers.
What if I would prefer not to be assessed using AI?
Contact [confirmed Nestlé recruitment contact] before starting and ask what options are available.
What happens to my answers and personal data?
Your written answers are used to assess your application and provide your personal feedback. Nestlé is responsible for your recruitment data, and Sapia.ai processes your interview data on our behalf.
Your contact details connect the interview to your application and allow us to send your feedback. They are not used by the scoring model.
For details about how your data is handled and how to exercise your data rights, read [Nestlé’s candidate privacy notice for your country] and Sapia.ai’s privacy policy (opens in a new tab).
Are my answers used to train AI?
Your answers are not used to train general-purpose AI models.
What if I have a technical problem?
Visit Sapia.ai’s candidate help page for support with accessing or completing your interview. For questions about your application or what happens next, contact [confirmed Nestlé recruitment contact].