Is it just my interview technique that lets me down?

Werdnal

I currently work 2 part-time term-time jobs and have been looking for 1 term-time job to replace them for nearly 2 years. In the last 18 months I have applied for 9 school admin jobs (just looked up a 10th which I am sending off for today). Every one I have been shortlist for interview, down from anything from 20 to 60 total applicants - interviews have usually only been 4-5 including me (I always ask!).

But so far, I haven't been offered one :mad: Usually I get told on the 'phone when they ring with the bad news, that I was 2nd on the list - great, always the bridesmaid, never the bride. TBH I would rather be told I was 10th, although I guess sometimes you have to take this with a pinch of salt.

Is it just down to my poor performance on the day? Is my interview technique just Crap? I try not to be nervous, have learned a lot over the duration of these interviews, as all being school based they tend to ask similar questions and some of the feeback has pointed me towards how to embellish my replies to make them more appropriate and a few things I have had to research a little more. I just think I am getting to the last hurdle and letting myself down - what else can it be if on paper I look a good enough candidate to be shortlisted?

I know sometimes its down to "selling yourself" at the interview, but I am not in the habit of making myself out to be something I am not, so what else can I do?

Any advice please?

shmeeko69

An interview is normally about selling yourself and it's your one chance to highlight what you're good at and your main strengths.

Always focus on positive areas and shy away from what you're not good at. Practising your interviewing techniques with a family member is always a good thing and making sure you're properly prepared for the interview should make a difference.

Best of luck

Cycrow

have you tried asking why they didn't take you on ?
most companies wont really say much but you might get lucky and told a reason.

The fact that you keep getting interviews shows you have a good CV and are what they are looking for so you just need to try and improve your interviews.

i was in a simlar position to you, was getting lots of interviews but never getting the jobs.
i also didn't want to make myself out as something i wasn't.
my problem was down to lack of confidence and was pretty nervous, which showed during the interviews.

for years i struggled with this until i started doing volunteer work and had a big boost to my confidence with the boss saying how good i was at the job, this helped alot and the got a job after my next interview.

you need to go into the interview believing that you are good enough for the job and believing you will be the best at the job, if you dont beleive it yourself, neither with the interviewer

Seanymph

You can ask for interview feedback. often when I've interviewed I've really hoped people would ask.

saterkey

My face lets me down I just go bright red and cant stop it, its so frustrating,

my last job interview though she said that they needed more on a particular question they asked on teamworking and needed to give more examples.

sometimes they already have someone in mind for the job

look at the little stuff, getting there on time, shoes, nails, hair and appearance with clothes.

someone I know on a interview panel said it was the person fidgeting with her bra straps and scratching nervously! that put paid to her getting the job.

I always try to make sure I look at all of the interviewers as I have a tendency of picking one and excluding the others a bit, ive found.

occasionally I haven't quite finished the test which goes against you sometimes, other times ive done the same test as someone else and we both got the jobs even though she only did half of it and didn't have spreadsheet etc knowledge.

ive found that I put a lot in the cv or application form, but a lot of the time people on the panel haven't even read it, so even if you feel like your repeating yourself go for it, for example Mike who I worked with on my last post was only called on for the panel about an hour before the interview so he was non the wiser even though I was working with him eventually. I know mad or wot.

just a few ideas - keep plugging away, youll get there