employment and learning advice service information booklet · employment and learning advice...
TRANSCRIPT
Employment and Learning Advice Service
information booklet
A guide to help you find employment
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The more you put in to your job searchthe better the chance of getting theresult you want.
The job market is very competitiveand other people will often be afterthe opportunity you are going for, soit is essential to give yourself an edge.
The employment and learning teamhave produced this booklet to giveyou practical advice on how topresent yourself in the best possibleway on your CV, application form or atinterview.
We also give you some tips on whereto find the vacancies and how to writespeculative letters.
Job clubs help with: job searching, CVwriting, interview techniques, filling injob application forms, careers advice,submitting online job applications,volunteering opportunities, shortcourses and local job vacancies.
For more information or to book anappointment with an adviser pleasecontact the employment and learningadvice team on 01753 476611 or [email protected].
Introduction
Tuesday• Slough Library, 10am-12 noon • Langley Library, 2pm-4pm*
Wednesday• Thomas Gray Centre, 10am-12 noon • Langley Longwood Radian, 12pm-2pm
Thursday• Thomas Gray Centre, 10am-12 noon • Britwell Library, 10am-12 noon• Cippenham Library, 2pm-4pm*
*appointment only
Job clubs in Slough
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CV stands for curriculum vitae and it isyour chance to show an employer thebest of what you have. It is aboutselling your skills and experience, andshowing them you are the rightperson for the job. Initially, your CV islikely to only to receive a 15/30second glance by the recruiter,therefore first impressions areimportant.
How you write your CV is up to youand there is no right way; but thereare some basic rules to follow if youwant to create the best impression.
Golden rules of CV • Easy to read.
• Concise layout.
• No more than two sides of A4.
• Original/interesting.
• Honesty/positive.
• Friendly font/font size between 10-12.
• Use bold to highlight.
• Use bullet points.
• Account for all gaps inemployment; for example if youhave been at home with yourchildren put ‘homemaker’ as yourtitle and bullet point yourresponsibilities.
What to include:1. Personal details - section consists
of full name, address, email andtelephone number.
2. Personal profile - is a short piece ofwriting about yourself, includingcareer ambitions and yourpersonal qualities.
3. Key skills - highlight your skillswhich are relevant to the job that isadvertised. Please see CV handbook for further information.
4. Employment history - most recentjob should go down first and workbackward. Give the dates,company name and job title. Thisshould then be followed by a shortjob description.
5. Voluntary work - employers arealways impressed with unpaidwork so add them to your CV.
What is a CV?
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6. Education history - most recentqualification goes down first; addall secondary school, colleges anduniversity. Include dates attended,name and town of school and anyqualifications gained.
7. Hobbies and interests - two tothree sentences about yourhobbies. This highlights toemployers about your social skills.
8. Reference available upon request -at least one referee should bework-related. Or, if you haven’tworked for a while, you could useanother responsible person whohas known you for some time. Youcan list your referees on your CV orput ‘references available onrequest’. If you decide to includetheir details you should state therelationship of each referee to you- for example ‘John Turner, linemanager’.
What not to include: 1. Do not make it too long.
2. Do not put marital status, age,gender, visa status and ethnicorigin.
3. Avoid unnecessary use of colouredpaper, images, photographs(unless specifically requested) andan over elaborated format.
4. Keep negative information such assalary, age, health, timeunemployed out of your CV.
5. Do not make common mistakessuch as use of jargon,abbreviations, complicatedsentences and irrelevant words.
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Amanda Smith1 The Lane, Godalming
GU1 3SYTel: 01234 567890 Mobile: 07766889900
Email: [email protected] experienced book keeper and administrator. An enthusiastic team player witha flexible attitude who has project management experience. During career break,has taken the opportunity to further develop computer skills and is now seekingto resume full-time employment within an accounts environment.Skills• Experienced in all aspects of Accounts and Financial Planning.• Excellent all-round IT skills including experience of Microsoft Word, Excel,
PowerPoint and Access.• Proficient in the use of Sage computerised accounts software.• Knowledge and understanding of staff supervision and training.• Carried out a cost analysis project resulting in 30% profit increase.• Eye for detail whilst adopting a methodical approach to work tasks.Employment History2009 to date Accounts and Company Secretary, Godalming Arts
Centre, Surrey• Voluntary position involving financial planning and sponsorship, promotional
work and assisting with the box office. Use of Sage software for accountspreparation.
2007 to 2009 Playgroup Leader, Godalming Under Fives Playgroup,Surrey
• Achievements included building the playgroups reputation where it becamethe most subscribed to in the area. Additional funds were secured from thelocal government to expand the premises, having completed the relevantpaperwork to a high standard to a strict deadline.
CV Sample 1
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2002 to 2007 Raising family• Responsibilities included multi-tasking, managing the household budget,
teaching and supporting the children.1993 to 2002 Accounts Manager, A1 Fashions, Basingstoke, Surrey• Responsibilities included supervising the office of a busy fashion wholesale
warehouse including all accounts and administration, using a computerisedaccounting system. Supervised and trained a team of eight, motivating andsupporting others to achieve targets set.
Education and training2010 to date Studying part time for European Computer Driving
Licence (ECDL)2002 Introduction to IT and Windows (City & Guilds)1998 - 2000 Diploma in Management Accounts (City & Guilds)1991 - 1993 City & Guilds III Accounting Practice1986 - 1991 4 O Levels including English and maths, High School,
GuildfordVolunteering• Treasurer for the local Parents Teachers Association.• Coach for Guildford Netball Team.HobbiesArts and crafts, enjoys swimming and cycling with the family.References available on request
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Neil Smith45 Hunger Way
Slough Tel: 07890765435
Email: [email protected]
An effective, reliable and efficient individual with excellent team working andorganisational skills. In addition possesses well-developed communication andinterpersonal skills along with a high degree of self-motivation, competence andcommitment towards quality of work produced. After raising a family is nowseeking a challenging position within a proactive organisation where these skillsand achievements can be utilised to maximum effect and would allow self-development into other key areas.
• Enthusiastic, with the proven ability to respond positively to pre-determinedtargets and personal goals.
• Flexible and adaptable with the ability to work well under pressure, learn newskills quickly and to motivate others.
• Excellent interpersonal skills which have been demonstrated whilst working intarget driven, pressurised production environments.
• The ability to plan and manage own workload and meet strict deadlines withefficient time management skills.
• Experience of working in successful teams to meet individual andorganisational targets.
Personal profile
Key skills
CV Sample 2
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May 2010 - Oct 2013 Production Operative, Goldstar Ltd, Ascot.
• Working on the factory floor manufacturing products for despatch tocustomers.
• Complying with strict health and safety guidelines in the workplace.
• Ensuring that the production line was kept clean and any faults were reported.
2000 - 2010 Factory Worker, Sailsway Ltd, Windsor.
• Working as part of a successful team to manufacture products within settimescales.
• Ensuring that the factory and workstation were kept clean and tidy.
• Responsible for meeting targets for manufacturing company products.
2010 Health and Safety Awareness, Goldstar Ltd.
Enjoys walking and generally keeping fit, reading, cinema, listening to music andspending time with family and friends.
References available upon request
Employment history
Leisure interests
Training
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• Positive and responsive attitude.• Comfortable working hard to meet
challenging targets and deadlines.• Able to quickly form productive
working relationships withcolleagues/and or clients/customers.
• Strong/or good communicationskills.
• Excellent communication skills -both verbally and in writing.
• Flexible attitude to acquiring newskills at work.
• Comfortable working as part of ateam and independently, managingmy own time.
• Trustworthy with the ability to workwell unsupervised.
• Proven ability to workindependently on own initiativeand as part of a team.
• Good team working skills. • Able to liaise/experience liaising/
with various departments/and orcustomers and suppliers.
• Able to work under pressure whilstbeing fast and efficient.
• Strong awareness of hygiene,health and safety.
• Good awareness of health andsafety.
• Manual handling skills.
• Forklift truck driving skills and/orexperience and/or CSCS card.
• Strong IT skills with goodknowledge of Microsoft Officepackages.
• Proficient in the use of IT including:• Computer and administrative skills. • Good administrative skills including
appointment bookings and datamanagement.
• Experienced in entering informationon to a computer database.
• A tactful and diplomatic manner.• The proven ability to motivate and
manage staff.• Strong customer service skills. • A genuine interest in helping
customers. • The ability to handle complaints
and difficult situations. • A polite, tactful and friendly
attitude.• The ability to remain calm under
pressure.• Patience and calmness under
pressure.• The ability to work accurately with
figures and manage a budget.• Bookkeeping, cash handling and
reconciliation. • Processing payments and wage
calculations.
Key skills examples
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• A well organised and methodicalapproach.
• Able to give information to helpsolve problems.
• Experienced in selling products ortaking orders.
• Experienced/able to arrangeservices for customers/staff/management, such as bookingtickets or setting up insurancepolicies.
• Arranging and co-ordinatingmeetings.
• Confidence when liaising withindividuals/customers/clients/ overthe telephone.
• Confidence when dealingindividuals/customers/clients inperson.
• Ability to handle complaints,referring to a manger if necessary.
• Cash handling and/or paymenthandling skills.
• Able to issue refunds and/orexperienced in issuing refunds.
• Presentation skills - written and oral. • Organisation and planning skills.• Time management skills. • Able to motivate others and/or
coach staff and/or manage others.• Training and staff development. • Performance management.
• Manual handling skills.• Research and analytical skills.• Stock control and purchasing
supplies within a budget.
More details key skills • IT literacy - competent in the use of
Microsoft Office, internet and email.• Foreign languages - multi-lingual. • Enthusiastic, with the proven ability
to respond positively to pre-determined targets and personalgoals.
• Flexible and adaptable with theability to work well under pressure,learn new skills quickly and tomotivate others.
• Extensive experience in a customerorientated environment where self-motivation and commitment wereessential to the overall team success.
• Excellent interpersonal andcommunication skills which havebeen demonstrated in oralpresentations, written reports andgroup projects.
• The ability to plan and manage ownworkload and meet strict deadlineswith efficient time managementskills.
• Leadership - ability to motivate andcoach others.
• Numeracy skills.
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1. A qualified healthcare worker withexperience of working with theelderly and disabled. Hardworking, reliable and flexible withthe ability to work wellunsupervised and as part of ateam. Thoroughly enjoys workingwith people at all levels. Nowlooking for a challenging andrewarding position in the caresector.
2. I am an enthusiastic Level 3 BeautyTherapy student looking for anopportunity to practice what I havelearnt in an vibrant and friendlysalon. I enjoy team work but canwork on my own initiative. I amconfident in advising clients. Nowlooking for a challenging role as abeauty therapist.
3. A reliable, punctual andhardworking individual who iscapable of working aloneunsupervised or with others in ateam situation. Works responsiblyand methodically with a provenability to work towards andaccomplish deadlines. Beingflexible, adapts quickly to a varietyof tasks within the workplacemeeting required standards.
4. A motivated individual who hasexcellent communication skills.Able to contribute well to teamworking and is equally competentworking on own initiative. Has arange of practical skills and is ableto pick up new skills with ease. Anadaptable and flexible person whois willing to undertake furthertraining where required. Nowlooking for a practical job and isopen to opportunities in a varietyof areas.
5. An experienced, enthusiastic anddedicated person who thrives onhard work and enjoys a challenge.Reliable with excellent timemanagement skills and teamworking abilities. Shows initiativein all tasks with a solid customerfocus.
Profile examples
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6. A professional, committed andloyal individual with a flexibleattitude to work and the ability toquickly build productive workingrelationships with colleagues andclients. With a range oftransferable skills and awillingness to adapt to differentworking environments, would addvalue to a new position. Nowseeking a new role to utiliseexisting skills whilst continuing todevelop new ones.
7. A hardworking, reliable and loyalindividual with an unbroken workhistory and experience in aprinting environment. Possesses aflexible attitude to work with theability to adapt quickly to newworking environments. Nowseeking a new role in which I canuse my existing skills and continueto develop my career further.
8. I am committed and hard-workingperson, who gives due attention toany task, big or small. Lookingafter a household with children,has given me the skills ofbudgeting, time management,weekly planning as well asproviding support and continuity.Looking for job opportunity so mypersonal qualities can be usedeffectively. Ready, willing and ableto play a key role in the workplace.
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It is particularly important to enclose acovering letter if sending a CV,because you can address the letter toa specific person and it gives the youthe opportunity to highlight anyimportant issues that have not beencovered in the CV.
Golden rule for a coveringletter: • Confine letter to only one side A4.
• Write in a letter format.
• Or if you are sending via an emailsend the letter on the body of theemail.
• In the letter add your andemployer’s address.
• Add ‘job ref’ - this includes the jobtitle.
What to include in a coveringletter• Paragraph 1 - state what you are
applying for and where youlearned of the position. Include anyreference numbers indicated in theadvertisement.
• Paragraph 2 - state why you areinterested in this position.
• Paragraph 3 - state your relevant,backed up by examples and ifpossible achievements. Rememberskills can come from academicstudies, work interest and life ingeneral. Refer to the jobdescription and use those skillshighlighted by the employer. Alsostate why you would like to workfor the organisation.
• Paragraph 4 - closing paragraphwhich clearly closes the letter.
Covering letter
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Harry Smith 5 Stoke Close
Circle Services Slough, Berkshire12 Spine Road, SL1 4PNReading, BerkshireRG12 78Y 25/10/2013
Job Ref: Health Care Assistant
Dear Sir/ Madam,
I am interested in the position as a Health Care Assistant; as advertised by Circle’sWebsite.
Circle has an excellent reputation with the local community for providing highquality care. I know I can make a valuable contribution to this team and continueto develop my own skills and knowledge.
I will be a suitable candidate for this position because I have completed a Level 3in Health and Social Care; this has given me an excellent understanding of the roleand responsibilities of a health care assistant. More so I have undertakenvoluntary work in my local hospital and residential care home, to provide a rangeof support. The most rewarding aspect of this role was working on a one-to-onebasis with patients.
I have delivered a high quality care and based on the needs and interests of thepatients. I have promoted positive relationships with patients, carers, parents,colleagues and other professionals. I ensure health, safety and wellbeing of thepatients
I have enclosed my CV and would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss myskills and experiences with you. I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards, Harry Smith
Example of a covering letter
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It has been estimated that 70% of jobsare not advertised. One way oftapping into these jobs is to send aspeculative letter and your CV tocompanies you would like to work for.A speculative letter asks the employerto consider you for any vacancies thecompany may have now or in thefuture.
The letter introduces you to theemployer and sets out the reasonswhy you are applying and what youhave to offer the employer. You canuse the internet to find companiesoffering the sort of work you areinterested in.
Golden rules for aspeculative letter• Keep the letter short.
• Make sure you sell yourself to theemployer.
• Research the company.
• Obtain a name and address.
Speculative letter
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Nicole Simpson 24 King Road
Slough, BerkshireSL3 4PU
Mrs JohnsonSlate Lane School 12/11/2013Richmond HighReading
Reference: Possible Nursery Assistant Position
Dear Mrs Jones,
I am enquiring as to whether you have any nursery assistant opportunitiesavailable within your school? I am particularly interested in supporting childrenwith complex learning and behaviour needs.
Slate Lane School has an excellent reputation with local parents for supportingchildren with learning difficulties. Your recent Ofsted Report suggests yourdesignated unit for pupils with severe autistic spectrum disorders has a strongpool of teaching assistants who provide support. I believe I can make a valuablecontribution to this team and continue to develop my own skills and knowledge.
During my two years on maternity leave I have undertaken voluntary work in mylocal Surestart Centre, working with children up to the age of five. The mostrewarding aspect of this role was working on a one-to-one basis with childrenwith challenging behaviour. I recently completed an introduction to teachingassistant course, which has provided me with a good understanding of the roleand responsibilities of a teaching assistant.
I have enclosed my CV and would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss myskills and experiences with you and to learn more about your school. I will callnext week to see if we can arrange a convenient meeting.
Yours sincerely,Nicola Simpson
Example - speculative letter
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Some employers prefer you to fill inan application form rather than senda CV, particularly for public sector jobs.The main rules are to follow theapplication instructions, present theinformation neatly, ideally in a typedformat, and sell your most relevantskills. Read on to find out how you canmake your application form stand out.
Job application formsMany employers prefer applicationforms to CVs. Forms are easier tocompare because, unlike CVs, theyfollow the identical format. If you arefilling in an application form, you willstill need to work out the best way topresent your skills and experience.This is why completing an applicationform often takes just as much timeand effort as writing a CV andcovering letter. However, the moreforms you fill in, the quicker you willget at doing it. Try and match yourexperience with the personspecification and give examples ofwhen you have demonstrated thisskill in the past. This can be from anyarea of your life and not just in aworkplace. Keep a copy of your formto refer back to in case you are calledto interview.
Some jobs ask you to apply online,which you might not have donebefore. Read the instructions on theform very carefully and follow them.Taking it step by step and using theguides on this site will help you togive it your best shot.
Online application formsIf the form is online, draft yourapplication offline first - in a wordprocessing package like Word - andsave it to your computer. This wayyou’ll be able to run a spell checkbefore you copy the information intothe online system. It also means youwill have a back-up if there’s aproblem with the form. More andmore sites offer the option of storingyour application online and comingback to it. If you do this in more thanone sitting, keep a record of anyusernames and passwords so that youcan get back in.
Online forms can be longer and morecomplicated than paper forms -follow the instructions carefully andcheck how many screens you have tofill in before you can submit yourapplication. Some employers will askfor a ‘personal statement‘.
Application forms
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If necessary, copy all the questionsinto an offline document - that waythere’s no danger of submitting anincomplete application.
Paper application formsIf you are filling in a form by hand,write as neatly as you can in black ink.Use block capital letters if the formasks you to. A good way to avoidmistakes and crossings-out on thefinal form is to photocopy the originaland practice filling in this copy first.Take care of the original form - do notspill anything on it or leave it in yourbag to get creased!
Golden rule - check andrecheckGet it right - whether your form isonline or on paper you should:
• Read it over a few times to checkfor spelling and grammaticalerrors - these are one of the mostcommon reasons applications arerejected.
• Ask someone else to proofread itand check it for you.
• Check you’ve filled in all the boxesthat are relevant to you. If youleave an empty box the employermight think your form isincomplete. If a box isn’t relevant,put ‘N/A’ (not applicable) in thespace provided.
• Photocopy or print out the finishedform, so that you have a record ofwhat you’ve written. You’ll need tobe able to refer back to it at theinterview stage.
• Take note of the closing date andsend your application form toarrive in good time.
• Keep a copy of your application foryour own reference.
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There are many different places andways to look for jobs. The more waysyou try and the more jobs you applythe better chances of securing a job. Itis advised to apply for at least five jobsa day. Use the links below to getstarted on your job searching:
1. Job centre - Jobcentre Plus is forall people of all ages out of workhowever they primarily focus on18+ years but they advertise alltheir job vacancies online onhttps://www.gov.uk/jobsearch.
2. Newspaper - make a habit ofbuying local newspapers on aweekly basis or go to the library.
3. All council websites - all localcouncil’s advertise jobs online, logonto Slough Borough Council,Windsor & Maidenhead Council,Reading Borough Council,Bracknell Forest Council and otherlocal council to view jobs or trywww.jobsgopublic.co.uk.
4. Schools, colleges and university- all local education providersadvertise jobs on their website.
5. NHS jobs - view hospitalvacancies onhttp://www.jobs.nhs.uk/.
6. Think outside the box - allcompanies advertise jobs on theirwebsites:
• local hotels, pubs and bars
• sports gyms
• theme parks - Legoland andThorpe Park
• Heathrow Airport
• banks
• Boots, Argos, John Lewis, Tesco,Superdrug and so on.
7. Word of mouth/speculativeletters - some jobs are neveradvertised. They are filled bypeople who have applied afterhearing about the vacancy fromfriends, relatives or other contact.Let people know you are lookingfor a job and ask them to let youknow of any opening where theywork.
Job searching
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8. Social media websites - businessnetworking sites such as LinkedInand Twitter are very popularamong jobseekers who want topromote their skills. These sitesallow you to developrelationships that can lead tofinding unadvertised vacancies. Alittle bit of self-promotion can goa long way.
9. Networking/speculative letter -This might surprise you: onlyaround 30% of jobs areadvertised. That means that themajority of jobs are filled withoutadvertising - by word of mouth orby networking. Let people knowyou are looking for work or makedirect contact with companieswith a speculative letter clearlystating what position you arelooking for.
10. Online websites - the internetand online job hunting hastransformed the way we look forjobs, making our searchesquicker, easier and often a lotwider. If you want to avoidchecking through hundreds ofvacancies, it is important to makeyour search as targeted aspossible. But there’s an art tolooking for work, check thedeadline or closing date forapplications.
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All jobhttps://www.gov.uk/jobsearch
Accountswww.cityjobs.co.uk www.ft.comwww.reed.co.uk www.accountancyagejobs.com
Admin/office www.brookstreet.co.uk www.officeangels.comwww.justlondonjobs.co.uk www.officerecruit.co.uk www.tempz.comwww.gumtree.co.uk www.workthing.com www.strategicplacements.com
Beauty www.hairandbeautyjobs.com www.leisurejobs.com www.toniandguy.com
Catering/hotels www.hotel-jobs.co.uk www.caterer.comwww.londonpubjobs.co.uk www.barzone.co.uk
Child care www.kiddykare.co.uk www.nurseryworldjobs.co.uk www.daynurseries.co.uk/jobswww.childcare.co.uk www.childcarevacancies.com
Citywww.cityjobs.comwww.justlondonjobs.co.uk www.londonjobs.co.uk
Construction/manual www.careersinconstruction.co.uk www.jobsinconstruction.co.ukwww.ukconstruction.com
Councilwww.slough.gov.uk www.rbwm.gov.uk www.reading.gov.uk www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk www.ealing.gov.uk www.hillingdon.gov.uk www.oxford.gov.uk www.hounslow.gov.uk www.lbhf.gov.ukwww.southbucks.gov.uk www.harrow.gov.uk
Useful job search websites
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Charity www.charityjob.co.uk www.charitypeople.co.uk www.jobsincharities.co.uk www.cancerresearchuk.org www.obs.thirdsector.co.uk
Disabled www.employers-forum.co.uk www.radar.org.uk
Education www.alpsp.org.uk www.education-jobs.co.uk www.jobs.ac.uk www.fejobs.ac.uk www.eteach.com
Engineering www.jimfinder.com www.engineeringjobs.co.uk www.justengineers.net
Fashionwww.uk.fashionjobs.com
Finance/accounting www.accountancy.jobserve.com www.badenochandclark.com www.bankrole.com
www.fsa.gov.uk www.ft.com www.gaapweb.com www.hays-ap.com www.jobsfinancial.com
Multilingual/multi ethnicwww.boycerecruitment.co.uk www.eurlondon.comwww.languageline.co.uk www.languagematters.co.uk
Graduateswww.eurograduate.comwww.graduate-recruitment.comwww.graduatebase.com www.prospects.ac.ukwww.topgrads.co.uk
Healthcare www.jobs.nhs.uk www.mediplacements.co.uk www.tpp.co.uk
Media/arts www.bbc.co.uk/jobs www.freelancers.ent www.majorplayers.co.uk
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Outdoor activity www.travelclass.co.uk www.legoland.co.ukwww.thorpepark.com
Pets www.ukpets.co.uk www.animal-job.co.uk www.animaljobsdirect.com
Pharmaceuticalwww.pharmiweb.com www.pharmajobs.co.uk
PRwww.agencycentral.com www.guardianjobs.co.uk
Psychologywww.bps.org.uk www.psychminded.co.uk
Public sector www.cabinet-office.gov.ukwww.guardianunlimited.co.uk
Retail www.hotrecruit.co.uk www.inretail.co.uk www.retailcareers.co.uk www.retailmoves.com
Sales www.simplysalesjobs.co.uk
Securitywww.londonjobs.co.uk www.g4s.com/en/Careers/www.get-licensed.co.uk
Space www.spacelinks.com www.tes.co.uk
Sport/leisure www.activeconnection.co.uk www.synergyclubs.co.uk www.sloughgymnastics.co.uk
Television www.bbc.co.uk/jobswww.cnvi.com/applausewww.workforsky.com www.talentcircle.com
Voluntary www.do-it.org.uk www.vso.org.uk
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It is normal to feel nervous when youhave an interview because you wantto do your best. With preparation andpractice you can get the better of yournerves and give yourself the bestchance of getting the job. Aninterview is a discussion between youand an employer to find out if you cando the job. It is your chance to make agood impression. However, there arecertain rules you should follow ininterviews.
Top tips for interview:• Dress smartly, look bright and
attentive, and speak clearly andconfidently.
• Don’t forget that the first fewminutes of an interview are reallyimportant. Some experts suggestthat only 7% of the interviewer’sopinion of you is formed by whatyou say - the rest is judged on howyou look, act and sound - so beaware of your own body language.
• Find out where the venue isbeforehand, how to get there andhow long it takes - do a practicerun if you can.
• Get your outfit ready the nightbefore.
• Find out what kind of interview itwill be so you can prepare.
• Examine the person specificationand your CV/application form, andthink about what type of questionsthey will ask you.
• Prepare answers for the mainquestions - for example, why doyou want the job, what are yourstrengths and weaknesses, whatare the main tasks in this job?
• Make about three or four points ineach answer - use the ‘STAR’ model(see later).
• Quote real examples of whenyou’ve used certain skills - justsaying you’ve got a skill isn’tenough.
• Take your time when answeringthe questions: make sure youunderstand the question and takeyour time if you need to think.
• Sell yourself: no one else is goingto! Be positive about yourself andyour experiences.
Interview
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• Prepare some questions to ask atthe end of the interview - use it asan opportunity to find out moreabout the role and the company.
• When discussing salary, know yourmarket worth and start by quotinga little higher than this.
• Get feedback on your performance,whether you were successful ornot.
• Turn off your mobile phone: treatthe interviewers with respect andgive them your undividedattention.
• Keep your answers focused onwhat you can do for the employer,not what they can do for you.
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A good way to avoid waffling at aninterview and to be sure you aresticking to the question is to use aformula to structure and present youranswers. Here are a couple ofexamples of how to do this:
• A popular type of questioning iscompetency style questioning.
• This means giving a specificexample of a skill or competencyyou have used in the past.
• A good framework to answer thisquestion is STAR - situation, task,action, result.
For example if you get asked: “Give me a time you have had todeal with a difficult customer?”
S - I was working at a high streetretailer selling branded menswear,on this day I was based at the till. Agentleman came to the counterand told me he had only boughtthe suit a month ago and it wasfalling apart.
T - I listened to the gentleman andsympathised with his situation andrequested to have a look at thesuit. I saw there was an issue andasked what action he would like usto take. He wanted a refund.
A -I request proof of purchase andexplained that was companypolicy. He handed it over and Iswiftly gave him a refund and gavea 10% discount for his nextpurchase in the shop.
R - As a result the gentleman wentaway satisfied and came back touse his discount voucher.
Another formula is the20/60/20 rule:You can structure your answer so that:
• The first 20% is reflecting back thatyou understand the question.
• The next 60% is what you did inthe situation with some detaileddescription.
• The last 20% is the results of whathappened, your analysis of whythe action you took was successful.
• These are good ways of answeringthe inevitable ‘tell us about a timewhen……’ type questions.
Remember: an interview is a two wayprocess, see it as an interestingchallenge and a good opportunity tospend some time talking about howbrilliant you are!
Using the STAR technique
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1. Why do you want this job?
2. What are your strengths andweaknesses?
3. What do you know about ourcompany?
4. What are your goals?
5. Where do you see yourself in fiveyears’ time?
6. Why did you leave your last job?
7. Give an example of situationwhen faced with a challengingcustomer?
8. How do you priorities your workload?
9. What skills would you bring tothis role?
10. What motivates you?
11. What makes a good teammember?
12. What support do you think youmight need if the job was offeredtoo you?
13. How would you describeyourself?
14. How would your friends describeyou?
15. If you were abiscuit/animal/colour, what typeof biscuit/animal/colour wouldyou be and why?
Common interview question
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01753 476611
01753 476611
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Employment and Learning Advice Service information booklet
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