How do points based interviews work?

[mrs2cats]

When I first started in the world of work many years ago the points based interview system wasn't yet invented I don't think.

Now when I go to interviews, I don't get the job and the feedback I generally get is that I gave a good interview, they've had good feedback (from other people on the panel) but another candidate scored the highest points.

How do I get to the position where I'm the candidate who scores the highest points? Is it based on some key words that I use in my answers or examples given? I'm just flummoxed. Fed up of applications and interviews and not getting anywhere. I know I should be grateful that I do get to the interview stage but I'm feeling quite frustrated.

Issue is now that nerves get worst i.e. the more interviews I get and 'fail' the worst the nerves get.

Any advice gratefully appreciated.

Not an expert but usually it means hitting certain key words in your answers and how relevant your answers are to the question. It may also involve your employment past. Sometimes it can just be they performed better on the day. Any exercises within the interview may be scored. I found the more interviews and prepping I did the better I scored.

Thanks lois. Yes, I guess that the more interviews you do the more skilled you become (like everything in life).

We use points based scoring for interviews. We mark 0-3 (3 being highest) for each of the criteria. To get a 3 the candidate needs to be in the top quartile (not of the candidates we see on the day but of the hypothetical candidates, if that makes any sense.) We then eliminate anyone who scores a 0 in anything and for the remaining candidates we add up the score. The highest gets the job or jobs.

The scores are based on all the evidence we have, application form, interview and references.

I hope this helps; i work in one part of the public sector so I'm not sure how widespread this approach is.