Haven't had a job interview in a while...

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I've been at university for 3.5 years, working during the summer breaks or getting work experience/doing voluntary work. I graduated on Friday, but have been looking for work for a while. I applied, on a whim, for a call centre sales position through an agency.

They rang me on Friday while I was at graduation, so I rang them back when I was home, they talked to me about the job, what I'd done before etc. They've been really good so far, I don't drive due to bad eyesight and it's an hour commute on buses, but they've given me til Monday to look at transport and decide if I want to continue with the process.

I want to carry on, but I've not had an interview for ages, and my last sales job was in 2009, so I've been out of the game for a while (that was inbound sales, as is this job - so no, I won't be cold calling you, ladies :))

What do I wear? Last time, for a job working nights, I wore smart trousers and smart/casual shirt, will that be OK for this?
What might they ask me?
What things should I avoid doing/saying?
Was I phone-interviewed on Friday? The last call centre I worked in phoned me before interview too, but my last job (data entry over Christmas) didn't.
The hours are 9 til 8 Monday to Thursday, alternating Fridays and Saturdays (10 til 4.30). Monday to Thursdays is apparently 8.5 hours, but that's 11 hours by my calculations, and lunch would only take it down a bit. So, stupid question, how does that work?

Yes, I know I sound silly but I feel really out of practice at this type of thing!

I'll be ringing tomorrow as close to 9am as possible, I really want this job and am crossing everything!

1. I'd go for smart trousers and a smart shirt. One rule of thumb is go a level smarter than you would be wearing to actually do the job.

2.Do you have a job description/person spec? They will probably ask you questions to work out to what extent you meet the criteria on the person spec, so you should go to the interview having prepared examples of when you (for example) demonstrated good team working skills, or handled a difficult customer or whatever. Even if they don't specifically ask for examples, use them to answer the questions anyway, to illustrate.

1. Don't be apologetic. Lots of (especially female) candidates who've been out of the workplace or who are looking for their first proper job have a sort of apologetic attitude and can tend to emphasise too much what they can't do and how they might not meet the critera, before trying to prove that doesn't matter. Don't be apologetic. They wouldn't be interviewing you if they didn't think you could do the job, so your task is proving you can.

1. Don't know. Does it matter?

1. Don't know but for that length of shift you will probably get at least two breaks, so maybe you'll get a lunch and a tea break or something? You'd have to ask them.

Best of luck!

Flowery, thanks for that. :)

No, number 4 doesn't matter really, I was just musing that this sort of thing has only happened with jobs that involve being on the phone.

I am quite excited, as you say, it's my first proper job, so it'd be nice to get it. I've got call centre experience, which the lady on the phone seemed to be really keen on, so hopefully I'll get an interview.

Interviews are scary! When working at an old employers I was involved in training people in preparation to attend interviews. The art is to be prepared and a realise that everyone gets nervous. You need to think that it will be over in 30 mins or an hour and that this is only a small part of your life!
This website is a good source of information which I hope helps. nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/getajob/interviews/Pages/default.aspx

I make that a 92 hr fortnight or 46hr week so maybe something to remember when you know the salary.
I worked out 9am - 8pm as 11hrs and then removed an hour for lunch. Of course, you might have other unpaid breaks in there to reduce your working hours but it still seems like a long week to me.

I don't mind long weeks - I've come from a film production degree, so sort of used to doing mad hours for shoots etc. The only other thing I can think of would be so-called "eye breaks" with using a computer all day? Ah well, I'll find out if I get the job!

Salary appears good - £14,000 plus uncapped commission.

Oh, well this is an interesting development. I have a phone interview at 4pm today. I'm actually relieved, I'm MUCH better on the phone than I am face to face, you can't see the nervousness, and I can hide it in my voice!

Here's hoping I pass. Just doing some company research atm.

How did it go?

Not so well :( First thing that was pointed out, I have a media degree. Second thing was this was a "career" and the company apparently after people, like me, who want to progress within the company.

Find out tomorrow if I've got a face to face interview. Not holding my breath.

What as in you're over qualified?

Sorry, should've been that the company AREN'T after people like me.

Not over qualified, basically I was made to feel like I was wasting their time because if I was to join the company, my ambition would be to train and progress into a department more related to my degree. Apparently, they don't want to take people on unless they aspire to be team leaders or sales managers.

This was through an agency who were selecting who the company will see next week face to face. I doubt my name will be on that list.