Support Each Other In Looking For Work?

Stew68

richpoortyke wrote: »

Hi hope everyone is well. Been following this thread since it started. Have been unemployed for a month and finally got a job interview next week (Clerical work).
It could be an hours interview and several people are interviewing me. Its only part time and not near to where i live but im desperate for work.
My concern is what am i going to be asked in the interview. Im a bit out of practice so im not sure what will be asked. Im fine with nerves, body language etc but its the actual questions im concerned about.
Basically the job involves admin support, data input, dealing with phone calls, filing, organising paperwork and basically supporting advisers to make sure everything runs smoothly.
It seems like its a backroom job so i wouldnt generally have direct contact with customers as far as i am aware (more likely to be dealing with other agencies with the sounds of it).
Can anyone give me any tips?

A couple of weeks ago Drea posted the questions below that she'd put together which I've pasted in again for you to look at.

Hope they help.

Drea, would it be a good idea to paste these questions into your original post so we could direct people to them easily in the future.?

Questions to Ask:

• Why has this vacancy arisen?
• How do you review performance?
• How was the job handled in the past?
• What would you expect of me in the first six months?
• What do you see as my key long-term challenges?
• What is the expected career path for this position?
• Do you expect me to develop new expertise in any areas?
• What are the characteristics of successful people in this firm?
• Where would I fit into the overall structure?
• Will anyone report into me?
• Who would I report to and what is the line of authority?
• Is any training required as part of this job?
• What are the opportunities for advancement/promotion?
• What is the firm’s long-term strategy?
• Is the firm looking to expand into new areas?
• What is the largest challenge facing the firm at the moment?
• How would you describe the firm’s values?
• Is there likely to be any relocation in the future?

Questions you might be asked:


Questions where you can sell yourself

Tell me about yourself.

• Why do you want this job?
• What would you expect to accomplish here?
• Where do you want to be in five years time?
• Do you consider yourself to be a natural leader?
• What attracts you to this role?
• What does success mean to you?
• What are your career aspirations?
• What have been your major accomplishments?
• How would members of your team describe you?
• What really motivates you?
• What special skills do you have?
• What is your greatest strength?
• What do you do on your days off?

Questions where the interviewer is seeking informative answers:

• What do you know about this firm?
• What is a typical week’s work in your current job?
• Describe your greatest challenge so far.
• What are you looking for in your next job?
• How long have you been looking for another position?
• Why do you want to work for this firm?
• What can we offer that your current firm cannot?
• Do you deal with any of your firm’s top 10 clients?
• How do you determine priorities?
• Why should I hire you?
• How do you handle criticism?
• What makes a good manager?
• How do you run a meeting?

Questions where you may need to turn a negative into a positive:

• Why do you want to leave your current employer?
• What has been your greatest challenge in business so far?
• What are your key strengths or weaknesses?
• What thing irritates you most in the workplace?
• Describe your toughest client.
• How do you work under pressure?
• Describer a difficult work situation and how you managed it.
• What do you dislike about your current role?
• Which tasks don’t you like to do?
• Is there anyone in your current organisation you really don’t get on with?
• Do you make your opinions known if you disagree with a more senior member of staff?
• How do you feel about working weekends?
• Why aren’t you earning more at this stage of your career?
• Why were you made redundant/fired?

Blue-sky questions

• What would you do if you won the lottery?
• If you became Prime Minister what would be the first thing you’d change?
• What do you think of me as an interviewer?
• If you had to move to another industry, which would you choose?

richpoortyke

Thanks for that. I will wade through them in preparation. My first job interview for a couple of years so if nothing else it will be good practice.

Stew68

richpoortyke wrote: »

Thanks for that. I will wade through them in preparation. My first job interview for a couple of years so if nothing else it will be good practice.

No worries, it's thanks to Drea really as she posted them initially, I always go through them before I have an interview and try to put answers to as many as I can.

Don't forget to do your research on the company you are interviewing with. They always like it if you show an interest in their company, personally when I get to where I am being interviewed I try to find something where I am waiting that I can mention to the interviewer when they come to get me and take me for the interview.

Best of luck.

Fruitloops

Good morning all! I'm feeling pepped up at the moment, let's hope it lasts the week All the best to those with interviews or new starts this week... go get 'em! :j

Let's get this show on the road! *does superhero pose*

Sharon87

Today's my last day of this temp job - for now at least. I'm hoping to get more work from it in a week or 2, or 3 lol. Only worked 3 days at this job, but I'm enjoying it, much better than not working!

Stew68

Fruitloops wrote: »

Good morning all! I'm feeling pepped up at the moment, let's hope it lasts the week All the best to those with interviews or new starts this week... go get 'em! :j

Let's get this show on the road! *does superhero pose*

Wow, that's a good positive first post for the week.

Mind if I go back to bed now? It's a bit much for me on a Monday morning....... :rotfl:

lexilex

Good morning you lot. Hope this is a great week for you all. I have my fingers crossed for anyone with interviews in the next few days.

I start work in credit control tomorrow and I'm nervous as hell. It's worse because I'm still not sure I can do the job. I've just had to turn down the events job too, they couldn't wait for a decision from me Really sad about it, I wanted that job so badly, but at least somebody else will get the phone call today that they have been succesful.

Just doing the daily search, it's lucky I found work when I did because there hasn't been a single thing to apply for around here since!

It's funny, I have had nothing to do pretty much all day every day since finishing work in October. Now it's my last day of freedom I feel like I have to cram loads in!

stephyt23

Good luck Lexilex! :T

I've only had the two days of work from the agency so far. I can only really do half days with them as sitting on the floor all day has started to trigger off a recurring back problem so it's made me more determined to find a permanent job either in a school or back in Admin til a school job comes up

Good luck to everyone with interview this week

Fruitloops

Stew68 wrote: »

Wow, that's a good positive first post for the week.

Mind if I go back to bed now? It's a bit much for me on a Monday morning....... :rotfl:

Hey, no going back to bed! 20 star jumps and a coffee will sort you out

lexilex wrote:

I start work in credit control tomorrow and I'm nervous as hell.

All the best for tomorrow lexilex

Sharon87 wrote:

Today's my last day of this temp job - for now at least.

Sharon - hope you find something else soon, I'm sure you will!

stephyt23 wrote:

I can only really do half days with them as sitting on the floor all day has started to trigger off a recurring back problem so it's made me more determined to find a permanent job either in a school or back in Admin til a school job comes up

Stephy - sorry to hear that your back is hurting I hope it doesn't get too bad for you and you find something that will make things easier.

stephyt23

Thanks Fruitloops, I hope so too! It wouldn't have been an issue if I could have been sat at the tables doing activities with the children, but I was made to sit on the floor all day last Tuesday just watching them run around, it was chaos. Reminded me of the first Nursery I ever worked in where there was no structure at all and the children just spent all day running round. Hardly money well spent from the parents point of view