Help! Interview tomorrow

[PrincessPeach405]

I've got an interview tomorrow for a HR Advisor, my first interview in 3 and half years.
I'm currently on maternity leave but due to my current job situation and not being able to go part time there I have been looking for a new job that is part time. I have found the perfect job which is only 3 days a week and perfect location and good money. I really really want it!
Please can I have your best interview tips! And if anyone here works in HR even better!

thank you

Will leave others to offer words of interview wisdom, but just wanted to wish you all the best for tomorrow!

Let us know how it goes.

• Check out the people interviewing you on linked in if you can find them
• look up generic job description for HR Advisor and for each line think of an example where what you’ve done in the past is applicable. Set the scene in a sentence or two, say what needed to be done, how you personally contributed and any lessons learnt
• know as much as you can about the organisation. What they say on website about culture, size, business sector
• ask them what they’re looking for and what they feel they offer employees.
• run potential questions and answers over in your head (you can find lots of samples online). I always find my second interview is so much better than my first. Say what you want to say out loud or under your breathe and you’ll soon realise where your weak spots are and can hone them.

If they talk about something you don’t have much direct experience in, be honest and then say but I have experience of learning quickly...such as when etc etc

• have you got an answer to what you feel the biggest challenges facing HR/companies is as the moment? If you don’t know - google. One of the top of my head is companies who only pay statutory sick pay and the current risk of corona virus and possible 2 week self-isolation - was discussed on Radio 2 today. Any employment legislation coming in - there is definitely lots on linked in about IR35 (that might not be the correct letters and numbers!) and contractors being a hot HR topic.
• be yourself and remember they would be lucky to have you.

Good luck!

Key attributes for an HR Advisor: resilience, accuracy, reliability, confidentiality and remember that what is a job task for someone in the HR team is someone else’s whole life.

Be chatty and friendly to people on reception. Do more than just the basics needed - comment about the weather, can’t believe it’s March etc. Remember to thank them if layout makes it possible when you’re leaving with the interviewer.

Good luck! I also have a HR Advisor interview tomorrow (full time role so not competition!) I have made notes of key cases, difficult cases, things that have gone well and challenges. I’ve made some bullet points of key words related to my approach. I’ve thought about how I build relationships.

My tip is to think about answering questions with ‘I would XYZ, for example, I had a case where blah blah and I did whatever and it resulted in ABC’ whether they ask for an example or not.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. Feel free to PM me if you want a HR Job search buddy!!

Thank you @AutumnalLeaves38 I'll be sure to update you all
@Zogtastic that's brilliant, thank you so much for the list. So helpful
@KatyaZamolodchikova good luck for tomorrow! That's really sweet of you, thank you. I'm going to have a thnk about cases and scenarios that I have had at work. It's so hard being on maternity leave and going for an interview. I haven't had to think about work in a long time and now I have to go into a room and sell myself as a brilliant HR advisor!

Hope it all went well @PrincessPeach405! 🤞🏻

@KatyaZamolodchikova thank you for thinking of me..it went well, I think! I didn't make any major cock ups in the interview so that's one thing. And I seemed to get on well with the people interviewing me. They were only interviewing 4 other people which is good so not loads of competition. They said I should hear tomorrow so fingers crossed. Trying to forget about it until I get the phone call as I really really want it so feeling a bit anxious!!

How did yours go?

Eak! Exciting! And such a quick decision, I’m jealous!

I think mine went ok, I seemed to get some positive indications while I was being shown out. I’m the only one they’ve interviewed so waiting to find out if they want to take me to second stage or if they want to see any more applicants first so I could be in for a bit of a wait 🙁

Well done, OP and Katya,
Will keep my fingers crossed for you both!