Advice for job interview please

Fiver29

I have an interview tomorrow for an admin job. They're bound to ask why I want to go back into admin after training and working as a teaching assistant.

Should I say something along the lines of

"Due to single status, a lot of very experienced TAs are being made redundant at the end of this term. So I'm not naive enough to think the agency are going to continue placing me in schools over and above the far more experienced TAs" (I've only been doing it a year)

or

"After working in the school for over 18 months, I've realised that working with children is not really for me, and I much prefer the hustle and bustle of the office"

or something else completely?

DCFC79

Depends why you dont want to do TA anymore, is it because of the cuts then if it is then why not just be honest

bluenoseam

"with the current climate of cuts within the education budget, it's made TA's positions very uncertain, while i did enjoy the job i feel for my own benefit it would be prudent to seek a more secure form of employment"

Fiver29

DCFC79 wrote: »

Depnds why you dont want to do TA anymore, is it because of the cuts then if it is then why not just be honest

I am not bothered either way, I just want a job with full time hours (outside the house), rather than 3 part time jobs. So I can spend quality time with the kids, instead of having to continually say to them 'we can't do xxx because I'm working'.

ferien_uk2011

Fiver29 wrote: »

I am not bothered either way, I just want a job with full time hours (outside the house), rather than 3 part time jobs. So I can spend quality time with the kids, instead of having to continually say to them 'we can't do xxx because I'm working'.

I think you should just say that. Seems a valid reason to me.

Not the 'I'm not bothered either way' part though!

You just need to make sure they don't think you're only going to do the job for a short period then return to being a TA as they won't want to invest money in training someone who is not planning on staying with them very long.

Fiver29

ferien_uk2011 wrote: »

I think you should just say that. Seems a valid reason to me.

Not the 'I'm not bothered either way' part though!

You just need to make sure they don't think you're only going to do the job for a short period then return to being a TA as they won't want to invest money in training someone who is not planning on staying with them very long.

That's the thing that worries me, that they'll think I see it as a stop gap job.

ferien_uk2011

This is the issue I'm having at the moment too. I went to an interview a few years ago where they asked why I wanted to get into admin when I have a degree and experience in other areas. I find it difficult because the truth is, whilst I enjoy admin work and would like a job in admin at the moment, I'm not 'trying to get into admin' in terms of making it a career. I just want an admin job in a company I'm interested in progressing in.

I think as long as you've got strong reasons for wanting to do the job long-term and you come across as sincere in the interview then you should be ok. This is why it's best to be honest with your reasons. Talking about wanting to spend quality time with your children seems like a good idea because that's something that's not likely to change, whereas saying that you're changing jobs because you're worried about redundancies does suggest you'll jump back into it given the opportunity.

DCFC79

Fiver29 wrote: »

I am not bothered either way, I just want a job with full time hours (outside the house), rather than 3 part time jobs. So I can spend quality time with the kids, instead of having to continually say to them 'we can't do xxx because I'm working'.

thats a good answer re spending time with the kids

paulwf

Fiver29 wrote: »

I much prefer the hustle and bustle of the office"

Yes, keep it positive. Give a positive reason for everything (after trying alternatives I now know I love admin work most - and say what specific bits you love the most) not a negative one (my current job is uncertain).

When I interview I look for positivity in people, it generally shows they are motivated. Some candidates just come out with an endless string of excuses for why their previous jobs ended, no one likes negativity in a candidate.

By all means include that the job hours and stability are something that fits in with your current lifestyle, do that rather than going on about why your current job doesn't. Employers want to know why you want to work for them, don't make them feel second best and that you only want to work for them because it isn't as bad as the alternatives.

DCFC79

paulwf wrote: »

Yes, keep it positive. Give a positive reason for everything (after trying alternatives I now know I love admin work most - and say what specific bits you love the most) not a negative one (my current job is uncertain).

When I interview I look for positivity in people, it generally shows they are motivated. Some candidates just come out with an endless string of excuses for why their previous jobs ended, no one likes negativity in a candidate.

By all means include that the job hours and stability are something that fits in with your current lifestyle, do that rather than going on about why your current job doesn't. Employers want to know why you want to work for them, don't make them feel second best and that you only want to work for them because it isn't as bad as the alternatives.

thanks, ill use this to my advantage for tomorrow and thursday

Emmzi

to me as an interviewer all your answers tell me why you don't want to keep doing what you are doing but not why you are excited and commited to work for me in my office.

tell me all the things you enjoy about "my" job and how your current role is fulfilling but just doesn't offer them.

and, I would not talk about your home life commitments at all. Is just a reason for people to discriminate against you.