Interview for job I'm already doing as a temp!

Katgoddess

I have a job interview in 2 weeks for a job I am already doing as a temp. I work for a temping agency, and I am assigned as an admin assistant for the local council. A lot of my application form was based on the fact that I'm already doing the job now, as I had limited office experience before that.

Any tips? Esp from anyone working in admin, or for the council.

I can't think of any questions I would need to ask because I know them all from working there already. I know about the department, and all the HR type stuff and I think I would look stupid to ask about it. So any clever questions?

The interview is going to be in my offices, so I have to go work in another office on the 2 days so everything is done properly. And I don't poison any other interviewees teas.

I am 95% sure that my manager wants me to have the job. Also it is a new position in a new department and building, and I have set up the office, and made the job my own, as they say in the recruitment ads.

I'm still nervous though. I've only ever had one successful interview before and that was for a supermarket.

Help!!!!!

Astaroth

Having to apply for your own job is very awkward in my experience I found both the application form and interview aspect tricky... most people slightly extend the truth on these things but when it is your current boss that will be interviewing you and they know all your relevant experience is going to be coming from the work you have done for them it simply can be done which almost makes you feel disadvantaged.... the other odd one is the "tell me of a time when" type questions because I found myself saying things like "my line manager said..." - thankfully my boss was finding it equally difficult and did make a couple of jokes about how great my line manager must be etc (unfortunately HR didnt seem to approve too much)

My main piece of advice would be not to become too over confident and do treat it like any other interview you have had. In another department I worked in someone applied for the job they had been doing as a secondee and didnt bother turning up in a suit as all the other candidates had, didnt even bother turning up in her normal skirt and top type wear but turned up in jeans and a crop top... needless to say it didnt go down well (the official feedback on why she didnt get the job was that she lacked the professionalisms the role required)

bigspender1971

If you are temping through a recruitment agency, then they should be supporting you and preparing you for the interview.Ask them for advice as they should know what is involved. Re questions to ask, a good one is career advancement. How do they see the job progressing etc. Good luck!

Katgoddess

bigspender1971 wrote:

If you are temping through a recruitment agency, then they should be supporting you and preparing you for the interview.Ask them for advice as they should know what is involved. Re questions to ask, a good one is career advancement. How do they see the job progressing etc. Good luck!

I'm not getting the job though the agency. I had to apply for the job as if I had seen it in the local newspaper. The council has to do its recruitment properly so there is equal opps for all. All disabled people who meet the minimum criteria will be interviewed for example.

Astaroth wrote:

My main piece of advice would be not to become too over confident and do treat it like any other interview you have had.

Thanks! I'm going to buy a new suit. Probably from Next or M&S, which is a few steps up from the Matalan stuff I normally wear.

jobbingmusician

A good question (which always throws them, although it will probably become commonplace once people see it on this forum! ) is

What do you see as the most difficult part of this job, and what do you see as the greatest opportunity for the postholder?

It's a good question not only because it throws them, but also because when they tell you what the most difficult part of the job is, you can treat it as an extra interview question and demonstrate back to them how well you can do this difficult thing.

Remember, you are not just there for them to interview you, it's also a chance for you to interview them, and find out more about the company and the job. You know some stuff already, so you might be able to ask things like 'what are the opportunties for closer working with the administrators in the other department, to share working practices and learn from each other?'

Good luck!

Katgoddess

jobbingmusician wrote:

A good question (which always throws them, although it will probably become commonplace once people see it on this forum! ) is

What do you see as the most difficult part of this job, and what do you see as the greatest opportunity for the postholder?

I like that question. Also implies that I haven't found anything too difficult over the past 3 months.

A_Nice_Englishman

Is there a job description and 'person requirement' form?

Make sure you address every point you can on each of these in both the application form and the interview.The selection panel should give each applicant points based on this and points make..... not prizes in this case but appointments.

That's the theory, anyway. Doing the job already and having your Manager's backing must give you a fantastic head start but someone really clued up on the selection process could win on points if you let them.

hjb123

Hi,

Good Luck with the interview, I know from experience that its hard going for an interview at somewhere you already work but keep your chin up - its all part of the proper procedures that they have to advertise and equal opportunities etc.

I always end up struggling when it comes to any questions! I guess theres questions like is there any scope for advancement - would there be the opportunity for advancement etc

gelato_cat

Best of luck for the interview. I was in a similar situation in June.

Have you looked at the job description and person specification and made sure you can demonstrate, in an interview situation, all/most of the competencies and experience required? If this is your first office job then preparation is paramount as it is possible that they will be interviewing others with more experience.

What I have found with public sector employers is that they have a strict marking scheme for grading candidates and they then offer the job to the person with the most points. Have you asked your manager to go through the recruitment process with you ie do you know whether or not this is the case with your council? Basically this means that doing the job already does not necessarily mean you are the best person for it - so definitely spend the next two weeks thinking about how you fit the job description and person specification and make sure when you are answering the interview questions that you bear this in mind.

Hope that helps - and good luck!

Suze

Katgoddess wrote:

I have a job interview in 2 weeks for a job I am already doing as a temp. I work for a temping agency, and I am assigned as an admin assistant for the local council. A lot of my application form was based on the fact that I'm already doing the job now, as I had limited office experience before that.

Any tips? Esp from anyone working in admin, or for the council.

I can't think of any questions I would need to ask because I know them all from working there already. I know about the department, and all the HR type stuff and I think I would look stupid to ask about it. So any clever questions?

The interview is going to be in my offices, so I have to go work in another office on the 2 days so everything is done properly. And I don't poison any other interviewees teas.

I am 95% sure that my manager wants me to have the job. Also it is a new position in a new department and building, and I have set up the office, and made the job my own, as they say in the recruitment ads.

I'm still nervous though. I've only ever had one successful interview before and that was for a supermarket.

Help!!!!!

gelato_cat

On the other hand, you are able to quote examples directly relevant to the job, rather than someone coming in from outside who has to stretch theirs to fit (as it were).

I agree that it's awkward though - especially when they offer it to someone else :eek:

Suze

Astaroth wrote:

Having to apply for your own job is very awkward in my experience I found both the application form and interview aspect tricky... most people slightly extend the truth on these things but when it is your current boss that will be interviewing you and they know all your relevant experience is going to be coming from the work you have done for them it simply can be done which almost makes you feel disadvantaged....

gelato_cat

I like your thinking - however, I'd steer clear of the word "difficult" as that's very subjective and a bit negative ("challenging" would be better).

If someone I was interviewing asked me that, I'd be inclined to say that it would depend on the postholder (eg they might find writing articles difficult whereas I may not). In fact I would probably turn it around and ask them "based on what you know about the job, what would you say you would find most difficult?" and that is a hard question to answer without being negative about yourself.

Suze

jobbingmusician wrote:

A good question (which always throws them, although it will probably become commonplace once people see it on this forum! ) is

What do you see as the most difficult part of this job, and what do you see as the greatest opportunity for the postholder?

It's a good question not only because it throws them, but also because when they tell you what the most difficult part of the job is, you can treat it as an extra interview question and demonstrate back to them how well you can do this difficult thing.

Remember, you are not just there for them to interview you, it's also a chance for you to interview them, and find out more about the company and the job. You know some stuff already, so you might be able to ask things like 'what are the opportunties for closer working with the administrators in the other department, to share working practices and learn from each other?'

Good luck!