Interview tips- how do I convince them that I'm perfect for the job?!

[ScummyMummy]

Hi all. Job interview coming up on Tues and I'm getting nervous... I haven't had a formal interview for a good while. Have done the obvious- haircut and new good luck interview clothes purchased with a view to down-playing my scruffy side, etc. Any tips on what and what not to say/do and how to present myself? What do people look for when they?re interviewing? Is it true that the panel decide for or against in the first 12 seconds of the interview and, if so, how an earth does one create a good impression in such a short time?! I'm fairly keen, not to say desperate, to move on from my current job soon and being short listed for this post- which sounds great!- has given me a bit more confidence that it CAN be done. I?d really like to feel that I?d given the interview my best shot and that, even if I don?t get the job, I have something to build on for future occasions. Help!
(Btw- I work in the voluntary sector with kids and families in case anyone has insider knowledge or advice!)

Thanks Oxocube. He's got an interview with Business Link today to discuss his self employment plans, then its my interview on Thursday and we have a job finding meeting at the job centre on Friday (if I haven't already been offerred the post). I haven't done the unemployment bit for 20 years and things have changed since then, I don't think they give any money away that they don't have to these days.

I'll let you all know what happens later in the week.

pamt, good luck to you and your dh.

PamT, nothing more to add on the advice front but good luck to both of you with the interviews.

PamT, just a few things, remember the handshake. Practise with someone to check it isn't flabby or damp, a real turnoff. Despite the grading system in interviews, people still form an impression of you within the first 4 minutes, and this can colour how they interpret your responses.

Local authorities always seem to have an equal opportunities question, so make sure you've practised some answers in case it comes up. Remember, your years as a SAHM have equipped you to deal with the most stressful of situations, you can multi task with the best of them, keep your cool when all hell is breaking out around you and can priortise tasks with ease. If in doubt, just think about the skill you display every time you get your children off to school on time. Show me an 18 year old school leaver who can do that!

Before you go into the interview, wipe your hands (residual dampness), take a deep breath and tell yourself they'd be idiots not to have you. Works for me every time.

Can't add much to all the tips here, PamT (good "weakness" I have found: without emphasising the point, describing yourself as a bit of a perfectionist goes down well in local government...) but just to wish you both luck. My experience of LG is that it is a family-friendly, low-stress environment - and once you are in, you can move on to a more interesting job elsewhere in the organisation with relative ease. Pension arrangements are still better than many too!

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Well I've had the interview and wasn't impressed with my performance. I bought a cheap skirt suit from Asda so at least I looked the part, did the make up and got there on time. The computer tests were nasty - a straight forward letter, a cosmetically enhanced spreadsheet, major alterations on a word document, then another letter in that order - all in 45 minutes. I only got as far as the third piece and didn't finish that one and my spreadsheet didn't have the necessary titles and shading though I managed all the formulae.

The interview itself was difficult, none of the old style questions but lots of "this post requires..... demonstrate with examples how you have dealt with this in the past etc" type ones which I found extremely difficult to answer. I think my interview technique leaves a little to be desired and it struck me on the way home that even though I always put in a good application form and usually get to the interview stage I have never actually been successful beyond that point unless I have already been in the frame for the job.

There are more candidates being interviewed for the same post tomorrow so they won't let me know until early next week, but I don't hold out much hope. I was amazed at how much was expected at the interview of a typist/office junior type position.

Meanwhile, I have applied for another local authority post today and have an appointment at the Job Centre tomorrow 'to search for work' so I dread to think what results that will produce. I hope I am not unemployable after 6 years of child care but going by today's experience I feel that my time as a SAHM has taken its toll on the old braincells.

Thanks for all your support so far, I'll let you know when I have any news.

Oh sorry to hear this PamT. Look upon it as good practice! Since you know where you went wrong at least you can avoid the same next time. Keep us posted hey?

maybe it's gone better than you thought pamt. otherwise, as www says, it's all good practice.

Of course you're not unemployable - If it really did go that badly just look at it as practice for the next one. Don't put yourself down - your time as a SAHM has taught you an awful lot more transferabe skills than you realise. If you get more questions along the lines of - demonstrate how you have shown this skill in the past, dont be afraid to use domestic examples. If the SAHM job description was written down in management speak it would easily be a board level job!

Agree with prufrock - just need to find examples of your 'competencies' at home to transfer as office skills, time management, budget management, prioritising, multi-tasking, all that crap. You're doing it all the time, just not giving it a 'corporate' title. When my mother became a teacher, her years bringing us up were positvely viewed upon and counted towards training.

Where do you live? Many employment centres run courses in interview techniques. I speak from experience here as I used to teach them myself.

PamT, sounds like you were given a dose of Behavioural Interviewing - perhaps you could do some quick research on this so you feel more prepared. I agree with the others that you should use your SAHM skills to explain the attributes/competencies that they're trying to find out about e.g. time management.

Don't be downhearted PamT, interviewing is like anything else - you have to get back in practice again. Next time will be easier (but let's hope you don't need a next time). I suspect they made the task so tough on purpose so they didn't simply have everyone finish it all - you may well have done much better than everyone else.

One of my colleagues once shortlisted someone for interview because they did flamenco dancing and parachuting. So don't be afraid to use examples from your mum life in answer to questions - it shows you can think outside the box of the job as well as how wonderfully skilled you are. Having just done a local authority recruitment and selection course I can say that's the sort of question you are likely to get most of. Be grateful there was no role play (seems to be technique of the moment here).

sobernow. Will add:

• Time management and prioritisation skills - (Nursery start time vs Tweenies start time)

• Creation and implemention of motivating strategies (Star charts and threats)

*Interpersonal skills appraisal & development (Say please and thank you for having us)

Advanced distraction and anger management techniques (Oh look! There's a plane!* Wonder where it's going?)

PamT, you've been bringing up 3 (? is that right?) children - you can do anything!!

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I've just had my "I'm sorry to tell you that you have been unsuccessful" phone call, which didn't surprise me at all. The man told me that I had actually come second out of seven so if the person who was offered the post had not taken it up then I would have been offered it. He also went through my answers and told me where I went wrong and how I could have improved.

So apparently I didn't do as badly as I thought and even my computer tests were of a good standard (I thought I had done terribly in not finishing them and not managing to do the correct format on the spreadsheet). So I am not too disappointed.

Although it would have been nice to have got the job back in Local Government the place did put me off a little and it wasn't my ideal location. Now I can look ahead knowing that my performance wouldn't make me unemployable and probably help to do a better interview in the future. I've got another Local Government application form in and one to send off this week. I'm also going to the job centre to see what else is on offer.

Thanks for the help so far, I will no doubt be back in the near future with further postings.

Pam that is very encouraging - hopeully his commenstwil help you in the future.

Yes Pam I would see that as a good start. You've not got far to improve.

Also sometimes with these tests they deliberately set them so you won't finish - dunno if its to see how much it will throw you, or to see if you can prioritise or what.

Just to let you all know that I finally got a job. It is a clerical post in the meter reading dept with our local energy provider. Nothing exciting, lots of keyboard bashing but at least it pays a wage and the hours are very flexible. I eventually joined a couple of agencies but found this job through the job centre web site. I'm with an agency for 13 weeks but will hopefully be taken on by the company after that time. So now I am absolutely shattered by 8pm and trying to adjust to the changes in my life. All I need to do now is find a car because it is no fun getting the kids ready for a 7am set off time.

I forgot to add that in between this and the other interview I told you about I had a couple more and was turned down flat because I had been a SAHM for 6 years without them even testing my ability.

PamT - yes well done. 7am start sounds horrific though!