Support Each Other In Looking For Work?

richpoortyke

I have a job interview on Friday and feel a bit out of my depth. Only my 2nd interview since ive been out of work. Im not sure why they have called me in for the interview as i dont feel qualified to do it but applied anyway as there are few job opps here.
Its working for the council. Does anyone have any tips? Any idea how councils handle their interviews? Its to do with benefits although the criteria is a bit vague. Not sure how im going to get through this one

franticflyerSue56

Hi everyone,
Thought I would subscribe to this thread as I will be joining the ranks of the unemployed in July. I work in the Library Service, and like many departments in Local Authorities, the cuts are affecting us too. My role is being made redundant. I decided to go voluntarily as I cannot stomach the whole battling for my own job scenario again. As I am fairly long in the tooth I am considering looking for part time work, perhaps as a Teaching Assistant. I am marking time at work now and wish that it was all over!

FFSue

November5th

richpoortyke wrote: »

I have a job interview on Friday and feel a bit out of my depth. Only my 2nd interview since ive been out of work. Im not sure why they have called me in for the interview as i dont feel qualified to do it but applied anyway as there are few job opps here.
Its working for the council. Does anyone have any tips? Any idea how councils handle their interviews? Its to do with benefits although the criteria is a bit vague. Not sure how im going to get through this one

This is an opportunity to look very interested, ask lots of questions about the job, get really detailed, this also puts off questions about you, where you perhaps feel under qualified (and probably aren't!).

This is going to be my strategy tomorrow, as the company is just too large for me to get a real grasp on it, so I need to focus on getting precise details of my actual role in the team from the interviewer.

TGWTARN

richpoortyke wrote: »

I have a job interview on Friday and feel a bit out of my depth. Only my 2nd interview since ive been out of work. Im not sure why they have called me in for the interview as i dont feel qualified to do it but applied anyway as there are few job opps here.
Its working for the council. Does anyone have any tips? Any idea how councils handle their interviews? Its to do with benefits although the criteria is a bit vague. Not sure how im going to get through this one

Congrats on getting an interview! :T

Try to think of questions to ask them to explain the job as much as possible. Think of situations where your skills could match what they are looking for. Try to interview them as much as they are interviewing you! See if you can find a website where you can practise answering interview questions, so you can be fully prepared.

Hope that helps! (Never got as far as a council interview...)

katkim

richpoortyke wrote: »

I have a job interview on Friday and feel a bit out of my depth. Only my 2nd interview since ive been out of work. Im not sure why they have called me in for the interview as i dont feel qualified to do it but applied anyway as there are few job opps here.
Its working for the council. Does anyone have any tips? Any idea how councils handle their interviews? Its to do with benefits although the criteria is a bit vague. Not sure how im going to get through this one

Congrats on getting an interview.

I've had a few interviews at the Council.

Councils kind of have a points system method of recruitment, you gained points based on meeting skills/personal qualities listed in the job description and person spec, and normally whoever gets the most points through their answers gets the job.

It really is about telling them about your skills/qualities, how they match up and giving examples, so I would read through the job description, person spec and advert and link/prepare your answers/examples based on the criteria listed. If the job criteria is a bit vauge, I would email them and ask for clarification. In your answers, don't be modest!! It's not really about personality, so don't be shy. Even if you've given examples on your application / personal statement, you still need to verbalise them at the actual interview to get the points.

Most of them are panel interviews - so expect at least two people interviewing you.

Good luck

TGWTARN

franticflyerSue56 wrote: »

Hi everyone,
Thought I would subscribe to this thread as I will be joining the ranks of the unemployed in July. I work in the Library Service, and like many departments in Local Authorities, the cuts are affecting us too. My role is being made redundant. I decided to go voluntarily as I cannot stomach the whole battling for my own job scenario again. As I am fairly long in the tooth I am considering looking for part time work, perhaps as a Teaching Assistant. I am marking time at work now and wish that it was all over!

FFSue

Hi FFSue,

I'd recommend that you start looking asap.
There are some TA jobs being advertised in my area at the moment, so I'd guess that most schools would be looking around the same time, possibly to start in September.
Good luck with the job hunting.

TGWTARN

richpoortyke

Thanks all. I dont think ill lack enthusiasm. Im not usually too nervous either with interviews but i think i just lack the skills what they are actuallt asking for.
Oh well we will have to see what happens. Its good practice and i think its a 6 month contract on fairly decent money so its worth a go

EndlessStruggle

I found a Call Centre job to apply for at Specsavers that's about it for today, all ready to post will post that tomorrow I have good days and bad days, the important thing really is to just keep yourself busy.

Good luck all with interviews coming up

asparagusnextleft

My husband has just told me that he's just spoken to someone about a job. They have been struggling to find someone and need someone who can start immediately (he can).

The only problem is, the job is in Manchester. We live in Leeds, on the opposite side (we're towards York). I've told him that the commute to Manchester will be awful whether he does it by train or by car and he will possibly spend half his life on the M62.

Would you all consider a commute from Leeds to Manchester as being easily do-able? The thought of it for me fills me with horror (I have previous experience of commuting via the M62), but as my husband quite rightly pointed out, a painful commute is better than losing the house.

Would you do it?

TGWTARN

asparagusnextleft wrote: »

Would you all consider a commute from Leeds to Manchester as being easily do-able? The thought of it for me fills me with horror (I have previous experience of commuting via the M62), but as my husband quite rightly pointed out, a painful commute is better than losing the house.

Would you do it?

Probably yes. Would there be any flexibility with the hours to avoid hitting the M62 at peak times? Or would the company pay towards the train fare? Can he do trial runs to see if he can cope with it?

It seems do-able, but not easily so!

I'm currently looking further afield than I thought I would have to.

Good luck!