Frequently asked questions

Our inclusive platform welcomes anyone looking for entry-level positions: school leavers, graduates and career-changers. All we ask is that you fill in our sign-up quiz designed to understand where your strengths lie, what you enjoy doing and the types of roles you may be suited to. More than anything, we want to unearth potential and help you find a job that’s right for you.

Once you’re signed up, you’ll get access to our community space where we post new jobs, share resources and where you can meet lots of like-minded individuals sharing their experiences too.

At Pollen, we believe in helping people discover their ideal career. That’s why we developed a unique sign-up quiz that will help us to understand what types of roles you may be suited to.

Our quiz is based on a colour behavioural assessment designed to understand your unique strengths and qualities - there really is no right or wrong answer!

We also ask questions about your passions, motivations and educational background. All of this information is used in accordance with our privacy policy.

There have been several models of colour-based behavioural assessments developed by different individuals and organisations over the last century. These models use colour to represent different personality traits or styles, and can be used to assess individual behaviour and communication styles.

Personality type is an important factor to consider when selecting a career. Different personality types can have different advantages and disadvantages when it comes to certain career paths. For example, an people-led person may be better suited to a career in sales or customer service, while a task-led person may have an easier time working on their own in a research or analytical role. It is important to understand your own personality type and how it can affect your career choices.

Understanding the various personality types can also help employers make the best hiring decisions for their team. You can read more here.

Our ambition is to change the way in which entry-level job seekers find a career that’s right for them. We believe the outdated methods of finding a job unfairly expect you to know what you want to do and how to go about finding opportunities in that field. Pollen simplifies the whole process.

We don’t want to pigeon-hole you into a job that isn’t suitable or waste your time with companies that don’t treat their applicants as they should, we only care about it being a match on both sides. Plus there’s no mindless scrolling if you’ve no idea where to start - all the jobs we promote will never require relevant experience.

Our only motive is to do you justice, by connecting you with employers who share our values, and giving you the support you need to find and succeed in your perfect job.

The results of your sign-up quiz are used to produce a standardised profile that focuses exclusively on your qualities. No more stressing about design, worrying about that grade, or trawling thesauruses for a fancier word.

Once you're signed up, you'll get access to our exclusive job board, where you can apply for jobs and complete the related skills challenge. You'll receive quick feedback on how you did so you know whether you've been shortlisted as a match on the employer's side, or if you haven't, you'll know how the decision was made. This gives you the chance to improve your skills for next time with the help of our resources, or consider different types of roles altogether.

Our process is based entirely on merit and suitability, so it doesn't matter what your educational or experience is like, this is the opportunity to prove yourself!

When we launch a job, we invite you to take part in a challenge that gives you a flavour of what it's like to do that job.

We know that job specs are full of jargon, so skills challenges are designed to help you better understand what the job is really like. If you hate doing it, at least you know sooner rather than later!

Skills challenges also mean you can prove your skills, instead of worrying whether your CV is up to scratch or if you have enough experience. You'll receive feedback once you've carried out the challenge, with tips and resources to help you improve for next time if you need them.

We have skills challenges across a range of categories, from marketing and data, to sales and project management. The idea is that you can keep improving, and try your hand at a variety of job functions that you might not have realised would be suited to you.

You'll be able to see how long you're supposed to spend on each challenge, but they usually range from 30-90 minutes in length.

No, everything we provide is completely free for you.

The only exception may be with in-person events, where we charge a nominal ticket fee to support with covering costs of event space and catering.

Start-up, scale-up, challenger or innovator, the only requirement of the companies we work with is that they share our values. By working with Pollen, our hiring partners are committed to a people-first approach and must truly offer a nurturing, supportive working environment for the candidates that are placed. All our partners also offer successful candidates a fair salary and do not require previous experience.

We are big supporters of small and medium-sized employers using our platform. Collectively, they make up the majority of private sector employment in the UK. We believe one of the barriers to an effective entry-level employment system is a lack of exposure to these businesses – who all want great people too. But let’s face it, gone are the days where you find one job for life. Some people may be better suited to larger organisations – it’s all about finding what’s right for you.

We’re also big supporters of sustainable businesses so you’ll likely come across companies who are doing great things for people, and the planet.