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Interviewing for a job no experience in

9 replies

Ribrabrob · 08/07/2019 07:23

I've been invited to interview for the role of a lead first aid trainer in a secondary school. Thing is I've never worked in a school, delivered first aid or even had first aid training myself (all of which I mentioned in my application) so I'm a bit wary about the interview.

Apparently I'll be meeting some students who will give me a tour of the school, then have 25 minutes for a 'task' before the actual interview itself. I'd love this job but as I say I'm a bit worried about how I'll interview.

Anybody have any tips on interviewing for a role when you've no experience in it? Usually the jobs I interview for are similar to previous ones but this is an entirely new one for me..

OP posts:
chomalungma · 08/07/2019 07:28

With all due respect, how do you think you can deliver first aid training?

I would hope that my child, who is at risk of life threatening allergies. would have someone in the school who had undergone proper first aid training, recognised the symptoms, and could provide first aid.

Why do you think the school gave you an interview - if you have no qualifications in first aid?

IceRebel · 08/07/2019 07:31

Thing is I've never worked in a school, delivered first aid or even had first aid training myself

Not having worked in a school isn't a worry, but i'm confused about why you applied for a job as lead first aid trainer if you don't actually know how to deliver first aid. Confused

DocusDiplo · 08/07/2019 07:35

Book on to a first aid course and do some online first aid courses to keep you busy till a real life one? Don't act like you can't do it in the interview. You can do it, you got the interview - ooze confidence. But erm do some first aid courses ASAP! And concertrate on the training aspects in the interview. Have you worked with kids?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Ounce · 08/07/2019 07:37

How on earth did you get an interview? I would have thought there was tons of competition for a cushy number job like that.

CatcherofDreams · 08/07/2019 07:38

I came on to say yeah go for it, fake it til you make it etc.....

But first aid trainer? Really? How could you possibly consider this with no experience?

Maybe the job has been promised to an internal applicant but they need to throw it open to externals to show fairness. They interview a couple of unsuitable candidates and then give the job to the internal applicant as originally planned.

BadnessInTheFolds · 08/07/2019 07:45

I'm not clear from your description if you'd be doing the first aid or training others or both? So sorry if some of my examples below don't quite fit!

If they know you don't have any experience, I guess they are planning on training you up.

So they'll be looking for suitable skills that you can do the job once trained: perhaps communication skills, explaining information, keeping calm in a crisis, reassuring people who are anxious, developing rapport with teenagers, following procedures/being aware of health and safety, reliable etc

What is on the job description?
It's worth thinking of times you've shown those skills in the past in other roles.

It might be worth reading TES or BBC education section for a couple of weeks beforehand so you've got an idea of things going on in secondary schools at the moment.

Look at NHS website (or another reliable one) for first aid tips or get a couple of first aid books out the library. You'll feel more confident and you can tell them you've done that as an example of how you'd take the role seriously.

Have you got friends/family (or friends of friends) working in similar areas you could talk to?

If they ask you something you don't know, be honest but suggest how you'd tackle it.

"I don't know exactly the right thing to do in x situation so I would check the school policy/first aid procedure/NHS guidelines etc. A common sense approach would be xyz because the most important thing is keeping pupils safe and calm"

Good luck!

BendingSpoons · 08/07/2019 07:47

Be proactive. Think about the skills you have and ways you have demonstrated them in life e.g. when have you taught someone something in a previous job or home life? What did you do to motivate them etc? What is your plan for the things you don't know e.g. I would look to attend first aid training as my priority and would think about was easy/harder to learn for when I was teaching it to pupils.

IceRebel · 08/07/2019 10:10

But first aid trainer? Really? How could you possibly consider this with no experience?

Agreed. Although it's very concerning that even with no experience the OP has been invited for an interview. Confused

Cocobeanstalk · 08/07/2019 11:37

Op please don’t go to this Confused
Probably asked you as they may have to interview X amount of people.

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