Interviews- needing help with.

Savvy_Sue

Where I work, we take notes and might put a rough score on each question as we go along, but that rough score might get adjusted if the interviewer thinks about it afterwards and decides it was either better or worse than they first thought.

As for adjusting scores to give the job to the person you want, well yes, that could happen, especially as the scores from the original application form could be added to those from the interview.

However the employer would almost certainly be able to justify / rationalise the scores. And I have worked in places where internal applicants did not automatically get jobs against external applicants.

Spendless

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Where I work, we take notes and might put a rough score on each question as we go along, but that rough score might get adjusted if the interviewer thinks about it afterwards and decides it was either better or worse than they first thought.

As for adjusting scores to give the job to the person you want, well yes, that could happen, especially as the scores from the original application form could be added to those from the interview.

However the employer would almost certainly be able to justify / rationalise the scores. And I have worked in places where internal applicants did not automatically get jobs against external applicants.

When I worked for the charity, I think the huge majority had been volunteers. Schools when I've asked around some of the staff about it haven't all started down the voluntary route but it is becoming more and more so, but the job market here is totally different to how it was 2-3 years ago. I used to sit at college with some other students who were already working for the council and I was doing a higher qualification than they were and the council were funding their staff to take a course in something I'd already passed. I really thought if I went as far as I could go at college, I'd have no problems, since I'd have passed exams their own staff hadn't. I am really beginning to regret decisions I made a few years ago- though I know that won't solve anything.

Spendless

bristol_pilot wrote: »

This interview technique is used in the public sector, local councils and the like.

They are seeking to be fair and unbiased by asking a set of stock questions and looking for key words and phrases in the answers. This approach is supposed to remove subjectivity, but in doing so it just biases the process to those 'in the know' regarding the process, perhaps internal candidates. There is a definite 'technique' involved in being interviewed in this way and if you don't know it you are at a disadvantage. For example, any part of an answer you gave to a previous question that is also relevant to the current question must be repeated even though you only just said it.

The private sector has not yet been infected with this nonsense, try a few private sector organisations that may actually be interested in finding the best person for the job.

Ok so I took on board this bit and another thread running around the same time, which gave ideas of where to look for Admin jobs, and I registered my details with an agency at the beginning of last week. I also saw a job on job centre website which I got interview for but within minutes of interview they told me that they wanted someone with SAGE, but they hadn't thought to put that on their job advert nor that they wanted you to cover hours for people on hol/sick I was totally cheesed off and on the point of quitting job hunting. Hubby took me out for lunch to cheer me up, 1/2 way thru my meal my mob phone rang, it was the agency asking me details and was I interested in a job they knew of, I went to interview following day and was offered job this morning. 2 days a week 9-4 on a temp basis with potential for the job/hours to develop over time.

Savvy_Sue

CONGRATULATIONS! Hope it all goes well.

CompletelyLost

Brilliant news, well done Spendless :T

tiff

This has been a very useful thread for me, thanks. Congrats on the job Spendless! (Ive found various threads of yours in my search for interview/job application advice)

I have an interview in a couple of weeks for a school admin job, absolutely dreading there being more than one person interviewing as this is only the second interview I've had like this.

SueC_2

mattcanary wrote: »

Does it really matter where you're working? Surely, it's what you do in your job, how the employer operates and what your colleague/manager/ are like, that matters?

Hell yes! I don't care how lovely my employer/colleagues/managers are, or how great the job, if I'm going to be sat in a stinking, damp, rat-infested, window-less cellar, where we are all crammed in like sardines, and the accoustics make it impossible to concentrate on whatever I'm trying to do, then I am not likely to be half as keen as I would be were the environment more 'comfortable'.

Well done Spendless - glad it all came good in the end!

Sharlee

jimbms wrote: »

These questions and use of key words as someone said are often used in public sector jobs, this is usually because the people interviewing have little experience in how to conduct an interview and read a person, also the job requires a robotic indoctrinated personality where conformity and use of PC keywords comes before individual thinking and originality. On the other hand whenever I am interviewing if an interviewee starts using all these pre indoctrinated key words, they may as well go home because I require free thinking individuals who can express themselves rather than quote fixed phrases, as such I usually ask questions designed to confuse such robots.

So true but you have to know the key words to get these public sector jobs.

I failed at one interview - got feedback, went for another interview with the same organisation but in a different place and they asked EXACTLY the same questions. Bingo I got the job (though it's turned into a poisoned chalice)

Well done on your success.

Regards

Spendless

tiff wrote: »

This has been a very useful thread for me, thanks. Congrats on the job Spendless! (Ive found various threads of yours in my search for interview/job application advice)

I have an interview in a couple of weeks for a school admin job, absolutely dreading there being more than one person interviewing as this is only the second interview I've had like this.

Ha, Ha, is that how long I've been job hunting. :D

I saw my Employment Support Officer today, and fetched up these interviews. She says I'm not the first to be struggling with them and she's going to put together a 1 day workshop to cover this area. Told her I'm interested in going on them cos even though I start work this week, it is temp thru an agency albeit on an on-going basis so would still be helpful to me just in case I need to know for the future.

Good luck tiff.

Spendless

Just to let you know. I've completed my 1st week and so far..........
I love it. :j

It's like taking all your household stuff like paperwork and putting it in an office environment and organising it and being paid. It's a job I've been doing for the past 10 years at home for free:p And unlike at home, once it's organised,it's stopping so, no husband and kids to mess it up.

The office manager took one look at one of the offices, shut the door and said 'that'll be dealt with later' but it doesn't daunt me. My kids bedrooms have been far scarier. :eek::rotfl:

And after next week, I change 1 of my days at work, so I can complete my self development course which I am really happy about.

From this weeks wages me and kids are going to see Diversity. I wanted a treat to show kids what a difference me working means, though I have warned them it won't always go on treats, the shower needs mending next!