Returning to work after 11 years - first interview this century!

[DoodleNoo]

Eeek - just heard that I have my first interview this century (!) for an admin job in an alumni relations office in an school.

I've not worked since I went on maternity leave at Christmas 2001 and needless to say I'm a bit nervous. It's a very part time role with lots of flexibility from week to week which is why I felt I should go for it but now it's become a reality am not so sure..

What sort of what questions am I likely to be asked in the interview? And it says there will be a practical test too - duration 1 hour - what's that going to be about? I just have no idea about this kind of thing as I only worked for five years between school and university.

Advice welcomed...

Ooh, how exciting! Good luck.
I am 8.5 years out of conventional workplace and generally a nervous wreck about every application.

Practical test = typing & basic spreadsheet skills, maybe?

You can google for common types of interview questions. But mostly they are just figuring out if you're a nice person to deal with, I reckon.

Thank you. I've done some excel practice with my husband tonight (oo-er!). Talking to people i know who work there already, I have a sneaking suspicion I may be the only interviewee so hopefully it may be half in the bag already. Though I know getting too big for my boots ahead of time is a dangerous game!

Google the interview questions and then practise answering them out loud. I had an interview after 15 months maternity leave and found it tricky to talk in business language and use concise phrases rather than rambling on.

I'm not saying that's what SAHMs do but it's what I do, left to my own devices and it didn't suit my workplace!

Have a good answer for the age old, "so, tell me a little about yourself" and "What interests you about this role" that you have also practised out loud.

Good luck.

I got it! The practical test was a chat with the current post holder and being shown around her computer (!) and the interview a relaxing chat with a man I immediately gelled with. Phew. No more interviews for me for at leat another decade!