Interviews

How to prepare for your interview:

The following are suggestions on how to prepare for an interview:

• make sure you know where the venue for the interview is
• plan how to get there beforehand and try to do a practice run
• research the company beforehand using company brochures, their website and visit the company if possible and talk to the people who work there (you may already know people who work for the company you have applied to)
• take any certificates, personal achievement files (if applicable) and a also take a copy of your CV
• Appear neat and tidy, dress appropriately for the job. It is not always necessary to wear a suit but you should avoid looking too casual
• Plan to arrive 10 minutes early so that you have time to relax, tidy yourself up and get used to the surroundings
• Switch off your mobile phone
• Do not smoke or chew gum while waiting or during your interview

What to expect when going into the interview room:

• be prepared to shake hands
• wait until you are invited to sit down
• try to relax and listen to the questions very carefully
• maintain eye contact with the person asking the questions
• think before you answer
• speak clearly and in a strong voice
• show interest and enthusiasm
• be honest
• smile

In order to prepare yourself for the interview, you will need to prepare to answer questions that might come up about yourself. For example:

What can you offer the company?

Personal qualities such as:

• reliability
• trustworthiness
• sense of humour
• hard-working
• work well as part of a team
• punctuality

Experience , for example:

• Saturday jobs
• holiday jobs
• baby-sitting
• team activities
• positions of responsibility

Interests and activities such as:

• membership of clubs
• sport
• work about the house / garden
• charitable work
• conservation activities
• music
• community jobs
• arts and crafts
• voluntary work

What qualifications do you have?

• GCSE’s – what subjects / grades you have / are likely to get
• vocational certificates
• BTEC qualifications
• A and AS Levels
• music awards
• sports achievements
• Duke of Edinburgh awards

Questions you might want to ask:

• What will the job involve?
• What duties and responsibilities will you have?
• What will your hours be and what days will you be expected to work?
• Who will you work with and who will be your main point of contact while on placement?
• What will the working conditions be like? Is the workplace non-smoking?
• What kind of training will you get?

Given below are examples of questions that you might be asked in an interview as well as the kind of answer an employer would be looking for.

What do you do in your spare time?

The employer is looking for evidence of wider participation, your social skills and ability to form relationships.

Why do you want to do this type of work for your work experience?

Emphasise your skills, personal qualities and experience that are relevant to the job. Think about “What can I do for the employer?” not “What can the employer do for me?”

What kind of experience do you have to bring to this particular type of job?

Respond with relevant skills and experience, showing you would accept the role with confidence.

What is your greatest strength?

The obvious choice would be the strength that best suits the demands of the job.

What is your greatest weakness?

The objective here is to show that you recognise what your weaknesses are and that you are actively working to do something about them.

Describe a difficult problem you’ve had to deal with

Outline an example of your success. It’s always good to go into an interview armed with a few success stories. Clearly explain how you approached the problem, the result and how a difficult outcome as averted.

How will you be able to cope with a change in environment?

Show that you are good at coping with change and that you fit well into a team, promote the fact that you make new friends easily and learn quickly. An example could be that you change forms and / or subject groups from time to time and that you have to adapt to new people in the group, new teachers and new classrooms.

What do you like or dislike about your school / part-time job etc?

Steer clear of criticising your school, teachers etc and focus on the positive things. Hiring someone who fits easily into the existing complement of staff is very important.