Job interview -"Have you kept up with the latest technology "? question

[chrissieone]

Hi! I have been coming to look at this board for advice a lot lately as I've been trying to get a job after being a sahm for 6 years and I've just heard I have got an interview!

The recruitment agency have given me a list of what the company will likely be asking and one of the questions is - How have you kept up with the latest technology whilst you have been out of employment?

I just wondered what you think the best way to answer would be?

I'm sure I'm ok on windows office etc as we kept up to date on the latest versions at home but I haven't been typing letters and creating Excel spreadsheets on a regular basis!

I just dread coming up with a mumbling load of jibberish for an answer (which I did in my last interview)

Any help would be great! x

Excel has changed so much....
It depends what they need in the job.
Be sure to say what a terrific fast learner you are.

It depends what the job is. What technology will/might they be using? The company or industry websites might give you a clue. If it's just Windows packages you can probably say that you use them on a personal basis or to support a voluntary activity etc (assuming you do). If you've literally just updated them and never really used them maybe do some on-line courses to familiarise yourself (and then you can mention this at interview).

PowerPoint has changed a lot too - I've found that's become more widely used for all sorts of business uses and no longer limited to just training or presentations.

Agree with redskyatnight - totally depends on the organisation and job as to what systems and packages you would use.

If the recruitment agency is worth their salt then they should be able to give you some steer.

Powerpoint is passé, try Prezi instead.

Thanks for all your advice. From what I can gather, it will be mostly Microsoft office and some bespoke packages. I did some online courses when I installed the newer versions, so I could mention that (thanks for the tip!) and as I'm not going to know what the others are, I'll just have to let them know what a super duper fast learner I am!.

I keep trying to remind myself that they must think I could do the job or I wouldn't have been offered an interview but I still get niggling doubts that I'm not the same person I was before I became a Mom and my professional, capable side has some how evaporated into thin air never to be seen again! I think I'm going to have to find her again!

Thanks everyone x

Most PCs have Windows 7 & will even be windows 8 which is quite different. Have a look on YouTube for comparison tutorials if you've not used win 8 before. Also, know which versions of office you're familiar with & research Office 2013.

Hth

Quick update - I had the interview but it wasn't what I'd expected
I'd been told by the recruitment agency that it would be a competency based format, going in to detail about former experiences/examples etc. So spent the week before formulating answers to what I believed they would ask me and when i got there, they were very casual and informal and i found that my answers I'd practiced would have come across as very contrived, so i had to answer differently and didn't get to include a lot of things I thought were important to include. I did answer the technology question well (yay!) but they seemed more impressed by the fact it only took me 8 minutes to walk there, they said "Well that would be handy, as we have trouble with people not turning up when it snows"!
So all in all, not holding out much hope but thanks for all the advice on my original question which I think was the only one that I answered with any sort of conviction!

You never know, it might snow!