Interview qs for a factory job

[grecianurn82]

My 18 year old ds has just left school and has no real idea what to do next. A local factory are recruiting so he sent his cv and has an interview tomorrow. I'm trying to help him prepare (its his first interview) but I'm unsure what kind of questions he may be asked. My background is in social care/childcare so all my interviews would have had qs specific to those areas. The position is a general operative in a factory which makes colour cards for paint colours. Would anyone have any ideas?

health and safety will be high on their agenda i would think

Can he ask questions about the company rather than the actual job?

They might ask him about other jobs he's had or any volunteering work, or any sort of problem solving skills, or simply his interests outside school, or maybe what his favourite subject at school was and why.

Or about anything that shows he's used to being on his feet all day/physical work. Assuming that it might involve watching machines, packing or carrying boxes, loading paint into the machine?

He could ask them about opportunities to progress - team leader positions, machinery maintenance, any sort of testing/quality control or health and safety.

Good luck to him anyway.

They're quite likely to ask him what he knows about the company.

Has he had any sort of job before? If he has experience of being on his feet for hours that would be good I expect - has he been a waiter or something like that?

I used to work in commercial kitchens and then got a job in a food factory - several people on my 12 hr trial shift left at lunchtime never to be seen again as they couldn't cope with having to stand / walk / carry stuff for hours.

They might ask him some common sense / health and safety questions.

I was given a paper test to do with diagrams of cogs etc - if cog A is turning clockwise, which way is cog X turning. That sort of thing.

They may also want to know if he is flexible and would be looking for overtime.

They might ask how he plans to travel to work. To show he's thought it through and can actually get there on time. Is he willing to work overtime. Is he physically fit, healthy, have any disabilities. What are his long-term plans?

I doubt they would ask about disabilities as they are only allowed to ask that in quite specific circumstances.

I agree that they will probably lead with questions about what he knows about the company. He should try and give an answer which shows he knows what they are manufacturing, plus who they sell to and potentially who is the ultimate consumer. An idea about who their suppliers may be and the general manufacturing process might be useful, even if very general.

I'd also be prepared to answer quite a few questions as to what is actually on his CV. In my first job interview I was asked about why I'd chosen subjects for GCSE/ A level and it was useful to be able to relate the subjects to work skills - 'Yes, I chose chemistry because I like the experiments and getting hands on. I am quite a details orientated person and enjoyed the practical application of different processes' etc.

He doesn't have to reinvent the wheel - they'll know he has only just left school! It's much more effective to be there and taking the opportunity seriously. Best of luck to him.

These are all really helpful, thanks so much.