Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Advice on job interviews

9 replies

TheMouseDancing · 22/05/2013 11:13

I am currently applying for jobs, having been on mat leave for 12 months and then made redundant.

Does anyone have any advice on how to do a good job interview? I have had a few interviews, I am quite good at applications and always prepare well yet as soon as I go in I manage to make a complete idiot of myself, I get nervous, forget the questions and have to ask them to repeat, my mind goes blank etc.

I am getting seriously worried that I am never going to get past the interview phase and actually get a job.

Any advice would be really appreciated, I am a newly qualified social worker btw.

OP posts:
MoonlightandRoses · 22/05/2013 23:23

Only thing I can advise is practise with friends/relatives until everything is 'seamless'. Then practise on your own to get rid of the nerves.

Have you had specific feed-back from the interviews you've gone to? That would be really helpful in terms of preparing for your next ones.

TheMouseDancing · 23/05/2013 09:05

Thanks for the reply, I have been practising questions on my own, will have a try with dp too. I alway seem to answer so much better when I am talking to myself Smile

I have had feedback and was surprised when they said my answers were fine, they just appointed someone with experience. I am not sure if that's just an easy answer to give to everyone or maybe I am being a bit harsh on myself and am not as bad as I think.

Hopefully more practice will help me work on the nerves.

OP posts:
MoonlightandRoses · 23/05/2013 20:55

Well, look on it this way - they don't need to be kind to you, so were probably telling the truth. Smile

Hope the next interview's successful. Don't worry too much about nerves though - some nerves are a good thing.

MsDeerheart · 23/05/2013 21:01

Are you near london as I would highly recommend womenlikeus as I did an interview course with them - really helped

honeysmummy1 · 23/05/2013 21:34

Get some rescue remedy from the local chemist. Its herbal, not pills. You can put it in your water. Its brilliant! I'm really bad for letting my nerves get me all in a twist and this sorted me out for my driving test.

TheMouseDancing · 24/05/2013 22:19

Msdeerheart thank for the tip, I'm in Manchester but I've had a look on their website and have downloaded an information pack for job interviews.

Honeysmummy, I hadn't thought to try anything herbal for the nerves, it's definitely worth a try. I think it doesn't help that I'm naturally quite introvert, I'm not used to being the one doing all the talking so find it hard having a panel of people staring at me Smile

Thanks again for all the advice.

OP posts:
MissMintyMoo · 09/06/2013 14:13

There is nothing wrong with making some notes to take with you, they will likely be impressed they you prepared.

Find out as much as you can about the company as you can, check out the website if they have one.

Compare the Job Description with the Person Specification and make sure you have reasons why you fit that. If you don't have direct experience for the role, think of things that you have done that are similar and you could use.

RainSunWind · 09/06/2013 14:52

There's a great book "Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions".

Pick some out at random, read the suggestions and spend time formulating a response that's "you". The idea is that you will not have a script, but that you will have tuned in to interview-style questionning and answer formulation. Always know your strengths and weaknesses and have examples ready but definitely make them palatable.

Ask your DP to role play him being the interviewer and ask the questions - I almost guarantee you will stumble/giggle at the role but at the real interview you will not because you have the stumble/giggle out of the way.

Read up as much as you can about the place of work beforehand- online, or you can ring and ask if they have any literature they could send you.

.....always take a smart A4 leather/pleather folder with paper in or a black smart looking A4 notebook. A4 generally looks more professional and "important" than an A5 (which looks a bit more diary-ish). Take two or three extra copies of your CV (which should be no more than 2 pages maximum, unless it is common in social work to have long CV's. Get your folder out when they get their papers out. It automatically "matches" your props with theirs and makes it seem more like a mutual meeting instead of an interview. It also gives you a focus so you don't feel like rabbit in headlights.

Have two or three pertinent but "safe" questions ready to ask at the end. It is usually a very positive way to end an interview if you can ask them a question because it redresses the balance of them doing all the asking and you doing all the answering - it makes you seem more like "one of them" and also shows you're not afraid to ask questions, also, that you are not desperate to hot-foot it out of there (even if you are).

Make sure your dress sense is appropriate, if in doubt, go conservative . You don't have to be super trendy but every detail must be as perfect as you can make it - nails filed, shoes polished, no runs in tights, no missing buttons, no dust marks on bottom of handbag, subtle jewellery (best to stick to something very simple, no jangly stuff or statement pieces). Hair must be appropriately groomed, makeup subtle (unless you are a make-up artist!) Clean your teeth thoroughly and have some fresh mints just before you go in. I wouldn't recommend accepting hot drinks unless you are very steady handed, but a glass of water is good to have on the table, all the talking and nerves can really make your mouth dry out.

Finally you must have a strong, positive handshake and a genuine "Thank you for your time". I can't say how important it is that you say this clearly, smiling and looking them in the eye too. Make sure you have started the interview with smiles and handshakes, it's as well to have a neutral pleasant comment to make as an ice-breaker (if the interviewer doesn't) but you must keep it short, not a story. Ie they say "How was your journey" does not require the real story of traffic jams and roadworks, it is "Great thank you (always start positive), the odd bit of traffic but that's to be expected!" You would not believe the ramblings some nervous people come out with at the simplest ice-breaker question.

HTH! good luck!

alimac87 · 12/06/2013 11:18

What a helpful comment RainSunWind, I am taking notes.

The other book I have found useful is "You're Hired - Interview Answers" by Ceri Roderick and Stephan Lucks. It explains how to answer competency-based questions which are very common at the moment, and it gives example answers according to level.

I have also found it useful to practice answers in front of a mirror, especially for the questions that I find difficult. I don't have a job offer yet but I am getting second interviews so hopefully it is just a matter of time and practice. You're getting the interviews, too, so that's a good sign! Good luck.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread