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Job interview tomorrow. Not had one for 18 years. Help!

3 replies

jogym · 19/05/2008 11:06

Going for job interview tomorrow. I have not been to a job interview since I was 20 and am not looking forward to it. It is a secretarial position in an office but I do not know what kind of questions to prepare myself for. What questions do I ask them. Can I ask them if they have a sick pay scheme etc. What can I not ask? I am not very good with words!! and am not sure what to expect. Can anyone help.

OP posts:
flowerybeanbag · 19/05/2008 13:53

jogym have a look at the job description/person specification. On the person spec and/or advert, they will specify what qualifications, skills and experience are necessary. Interview questions will mostly be about making sure you have all those.

Look at the list of skills/experience you need, and think of examples of when you have demonstrated those well in the past. Giving a proper example rather than saying 'I would do x' is a lot better. If you work up an example in your head to cover everything that's required for the role, that's a good start, then it will all be at the front of your mind so you won't freeze and not be able to think of anything.

If they ask you a stupid question like 'what are your weaknesses', say something in a work environment that you used to feel you needed further development in. Not something you are/were rubbish at, but something that you felt a bit of extra knowledge or experience would help. Then say what you did to achieve that, what action you took to improve. That way you are not really saying a weakness as such, and you are highlighting your commitment to improving your own performance.

I wouldn't advise asking whether they have a sick pay scheme during the interview, it may give the impression you have lots of time off, which isn't good. That's the kind of thing you can find out if/when you get an offer of employment, which you can turn down if things like sick pay and other benefits aren't good enough.

Prepare some questions about the job, about the team you will be working in, about any changes or significant events coming up for the company, perhaps about further training, that kind of thing.

Remember they wouldn't be going to the trouble of interviewing you if they didn't think you could do the job.

Good luck!

jogym · 19/05/2008 14:21

I am not sure what the spec/descrip are. In their ad they advertised they were looking for secretary/administrator part-time/full-time and that was it to apply by e-mail or phone. All I know is the type of work they do but I will have to find this out at the time.

OP posts:
flowerybeanbag · 19/05/2008 14:31

ok what you could do then is do some searches on the internet for similar jobs, and look at the kind of skills/experience being asked for, and work on the basis that it is likely to be similar.

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