[Closed] Job interview advice

Google stock interview questions.  She doesn't want to be thrown by tired cliches like "what are your strengths / what are your weaknesses?"

Get her to put herself in the shoes of someone who’s interviewing a candidate for the job. What sort of questions would she ask to identify the best candidate. Then think of good answers to those questions.

Mrs Pondo always swears by enthusiasm for the position - I agree in part but she's not applied for a job in ten years, so not sure how current that is. 🙂 I'd say time spent in reconnaisance is seldom wasted - know as much as you can going in.

2nd interviews are generally the will they fit in here in our org interviews after you've passed the, can they do the job 1st interview.

If its a hands on technical role, know it inside out and demonstrate that during the interview, as interviewers tend to want someone to sit down and get on with the job no one "wants to" manage other people.

At least that's what I look for.

Honestly a lot of interview advice is over engineered 'sell yourself' recruiter hype bollox.

If she's got an interview, chances are they already think she'll be able to do the job just fine (they wouldn't waste their time speaking to someone they weren't sure about.)

So what it comes down to mainly is:

1: Are you a reasonable and personable adult? You don't need to come in with teeth beaming like a maglite and farting rainbows but you do need to smile somewhat, shake hands and look people in the eye. Also, don't be a dick.

2: Do you know your stuff? You need to be able to chat naturally about what you've done before and what you can do now. You don't need to be able to present a PHD, but be able to talk through processes and methods. Demonstrate some problem solving.

That's pretty much it.

Ask them who their ideal candidate is and if there any concerns around her application that they could take the time to talk over together to try and overcome (a chance to understand their worries and explain why they shouldn't be worried)

Admin in a Primary School?    ......... Has she used SIMS before?

I would guess that they will ask some questions around safeguarding. Do some research in this area beforehand. It will be important to them.

Spend a good chunk of time doing your home work on the school. Read the ofsted report, get a feel for the number of students and staff, a few key names. Is there a school moto or that might be relevant (often something about respecting others etc which can be a nice to thread into a response). Read the school blog or newsletter often found on the website. Has there been a push for attendance recently or anything about how parents can access school information and communication - probably relevant to the role.

Have some responses to the question about why you have applied that don't focus on 'well, it's just up the road' or 'it looks like it will fit in around the kids school hours' even if that is the actual reason.

Have a list of questions to ask that are not around flexibility (theirs to help you; amazing how many people think that will be a good line at this stage), holiday and pay. I quite like 'what do you think is the best thing about working here?' or 'tell me what brilliant would look like to you for a person in this role?'.

What convert said.  I interview quite a lot, and am very put off when you offer somebody the chance to ask questions and they say "so what are the career development oportunities for the role ?"  A) its boring and B) I want somebody to do this job, not see it as a way to get free training fro what they really want to do.

Best question I have ever had as an interviewer: "what would you expect the successful candidate to achieve in the next three months ?"  That made me think, and is a good test for if the interviewers actually know what they want the person to do.

3 interviews/tests for a school admin role.  Seems a lot for the level of job.

As above, Safeguarding will be a big issue for the school. The policy will be on their website.

There would be no harm in saying something like 'I understand the principles of safe-guarding, but will there be any training offered?'

In my experience as a school governor, the questions will be formulaic - a quick look at the interview section on businessballs or similar, and a mock interview with a friend will help

Good luck to her

3 interviews/tests for a school admin role.  Seems a lot for the level of job.

Only seeing 2.

Phase one - in tray

Phase two (if passed intray) - interview

yes everything convert said...

also imho (and a massive generalisation but) big multi acadamy trust schools and their leadership are business like, commercial and focussed on structure, process and maximising efficiencies (*cough*whilst ensuring outcomes and safeguarding of course)

smaller mats and independents still have the student outcome and safeguarding as their main priority.

if their email addresses infer they use google or microsoft be wise to stress basic capabilities in both, at least it looks like you have bothered to look into it.

Yep, it's two part. In tray then interview.

She's not used SIMS (I'm assuming school information management system?) before. But she's used plenty of systems across previous roles so it's going to stress flexibility and adaptability along with being eager to learn and pick up fresh skills etc.

She's not had to deal with safeguarding before either, bit it's learning what a can and will all about specific training as this would be beneficial.

The school is just up the road, I think it will be obvious to them that we're thinking about the future with our little one. But they talk about being community minded on their website so Mrs.K will talk about wanted to feel like part of and contribute to the local community.

Her current role has changed after being in maternity, so she wants to talk about getting involved with people again; she's been cut off from dealing with customers and clients like she used to.

The only advice I can offer is not to get involved with the school's PTA.

My OH half did and I can honestly say I have never encountered a more concentrated pit of WTFery and insane bitchiness.

Haha, got to get the job first!!

What Convert says. I interview for a living. Research, research, research. Don't lie, if you don't know say so, if you want more time to answer a question "could you clarify what you mean by......." and be really nice to everyone from the person who lets you in to the person who lets you out.....and best of luck

The only advice I can offer is not to get involved with the school’s PTA.

My OH half did and I can honestly say I have never encountered a more concentrated pit of WTFery and insane bitchiness.

Does your school have a Parents Facebook page? They can say stuff on there that they wouldn't dare say face to face at the PTA!!

I think the most important point here is that she will be the first impression that visitors to the school will get. Either by phone or in person - she's going to be what they see/hear first. Of course she will need to be well organised etc. But she will need to come across as personable, enthusiastic about the school and children in general. A smile will help hugely here.

The school will be thinking this too. That will be different to many competency-based jobs. Presentation will count for a lot. As will self confidence.

But make sure she doesn't use the words customers or clients 😉

For me when interviewing I generally work along the lines of a) can they do the job b) will they fit in here and c) have they actually made an effort for the interview by doing a bit of research about who we are and what we do.

I've had people in the past who when asked what attracted them to the company stated that they didn't really know much about us but the agent sent the CV in so they thought theydt come along as they had another interview in town anyway. They didn't get the job.

All it takes is an hour on our website and yoully get most of the fact and figures about us. I know you got it from the website but to be honest that's fine, at least you made the effort!

Lastly and most importantly, be nice!

Well thanks for all the advice, Mrs.K really appreciated it and was overwhelmed that there was such a positive response from what is in effect, a load of random "mountain bikers!"

Unfortunately, she didn't get the job. She got to the final two and was pipped at the post. She's taken it as a massive positive though, there were 50+ applicants and this was the first job she's applied for in roughly ten years. She's taking as much from the experience as she can and will be keeping her eye out for the next opportunity.

UPDATE- well a couple of weeks down the line, mrs.K got a phone call from the school offering her the job!

She now feels a bit daunted by the prospect of such a big change, going back to full time and a change of career and workplace for the first time in ten years.

We're going to have some childcare issues in the short-term, but once little K hits school age we'll be laughing as the job is term time.

So thanks again to anyone that gave advice, now is there anyone with some motivational gems with regards to starting in a new workplace!?

Awesome, congrats to Mrs.K on the new job!

Not sure what to offer for starting advice, apart from maybe not turning up in a hawaiian shirt. Possibly bring biscuits?

‘Gratz to Mrs K!

I was told that on the first day at a new school, find the largest boy and fight him...

Congratulations to Mrs K!

<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">What convert said.  I interview quite a lot, and am very put off when you offer somebody the chance to ask questions and they say “so what are the career development oportunities for the role ?”  A) its boring and B) I want somebody to do this job, not see it as a way to get free training fro what they really want to do.</span>

TBH I think that fits into the notion that an interview should be as much about the candidate figuring out if they want to work there as it is about the interviewer assessing the candidate.

Almost all jobs are boring/routine to someone, especially after a few months/years.  So as an interviewer surely you should be thinking what are the company's plans for growth, and how is this person going to fit in with that. Otherwise you're always going to employ career no-hopers and have to keep replacing them. Conversely the employee can learn that this really isn't going to be a company they want to work for.

There was a cartoon strip on my Boss' wall:

Accountant: "Why should we invest in staff training, what if they leave?"

Manager: "What if they don't?"

There was always quite a high turnover of engineers, 5 years was probably average) but they still invested a lot in training, at least a full week every year and thousands in courses/certification per person.

I am not saying that we don't have lots of training and development opportunities, it is a big public sector organisation so of course we do and I tell people that, its part of the sell.  We dont have "plans for growth" that just kind of happens organically, so we plan for what we can anticipate and respond to what we can't anticipate.

What I mean is that given the chance, I like people better who can come up a more imaginative and insightful question than the robotic "what are the training opportunities".

Another good one recently addressed to me "what do you like about working for XX - why do you work here".

Again, a better way of getting information, the open ended question from a candidate giving me the chance to sell the place - two way street and all that!

"If she’s got an interview, chances are they already think she’ll be able to do the job just fine (they wouldn’t waste their time speaking to someone they weren’t sure about."

I had an interview with a F1 engine supplier a few years ago, for what I believed to be a tribology role. I'm a materials engineer, but pretty heavily biased towards coating development and testing and the CV screams that. The job spec must have changed, as they interviewed me for a staff metallurgist, with a heavy focus on magnesium, and was told that they don't need a coatings materials engineer. The interviewer then followed by asking questions about Beryllium metallurgy, which is redundant in F1!

I can't believe they were sure i could do the job.

But, fingers crossed for your mrs. Best advice is to be prepared and enthusiastic, even about the most monotonous of tasks. Hope it goes well.