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Interview tests?

Hi

I have an interview for a library assistant job on Friday and I've just checked the details. I have to do a 10 minute customer observation test and 10 minute trolley test to test alphabetical and numerical filing before the interview. Can anyone help as to what I would need to do and how to prepare? For the interview as well?

I find the equal opportunities questions tricky- I always go blank. I bought a new outfit for this interview and I am a total bookworm so I would literally kill for this job!

Any help is appreciated!
Up and onwards to the future!

:j
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Comments

  • wiggywoo9 wrote: »
    Hi

    I have an interview for a library assistant job on Friday and I've just checked the details. I have to do a 10 minute customer observation test and 10 minute trolley test to test alphabetical and numerical filing before the interview. Can anyone help as to what I would need to do and how to prepare? For the interview as well?

    I find the equal opportunities questions tricky- I always go blank. I bought a new outfit for this interview and I am a total bookworm so I would literally kill for this job!

    Any help is appreciated!

    I certainly hope you wouldn't "literally kill for the job" , certainly don't tell them that at the interview!
  • Show enthusiasm though, hey? :)

    Seriously, libraries practically raised me and I'm there for a lot of things. It is the best job that I could possibly be suited to.
    Up and onwards to the future!

    :j
  • wiggywoo9 wrote: »
    Show enthusiasm though, hey? :)

    Seriously, libraries practically raised me and I'm there for a lot of things. It is the best job that I could possibly be suited to.

    I wish you every success but was serious in suggesting that you don't blow your chances by misusing language in this way.

    I'm a bookworm myself but I'd bear in mind that, for good or not, libraries are about so much more than books these days.
  • Eliza_2
    Eliza_2 Posts: 1,333 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Libraries are about people and the information the need for leisure, learning and work. You need to convince them that you're an out and out people person. If you go on about being a bookworm that will not do you any favours unless you can show all the other stuff first - you must have done something right to get as far as an interview anyway. You have to show you like people and want to help them find what they need.

    If you've worked in a shop, or somewhere else people-based like a hairdressers (ideal - the perfect candidate) or customer services then you will pposs have that ability anyway.

    The key to the interview is preparation, preparation, preparation, go through the essential and desirable bits on the person spec and try and turn those round into a question. So for example if the person spec says 'An ability to understand customers needs' or something, then the question could possibly be 'give us an example of how you have shown an understanding of customers needs' - not a great eg but you get the drift. And write down what your answers would be (handwriting implants it into your memory, typing doesn't).

    I was a senior librarian in my life-career (ok, so Knowledge Manager but what's in a name!) and appointed loads of assistants. You can teach computer systems, Dewey, how to alphabetise, but the candidate would need to demonstrate total empathy with people and a real wish to go to the n-th degree to find what they want. That has to be built in, I really don't think you can teach it if it isn't in you.

    It would also be worth checking out the plan for that library service (is it public? College? charity? - funding is really being cut back in all sectors and services are looking for good ways to still develop and deliver despite this, there are some creative ideas for doing this floating around so they might ask for your ideas too.

    Good luck, it's great to hear some places are still appointing!
  • Thank you, yes I am a people person- must be in my current role and I have a lot of experience with customers too. I love to help people- at the moment, my job focuses on that and is very important. I'm just not sure about the Dewey system or (feel stupid saying it) photocopiers! I haven't had to use one and don't know how! Suppose some careful Googling may help... :)
    Up and onwards to the future!

    :j
  • Yorkie1
    Yorkie1 Posts: 11,788 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    They won't expect you to know the Dewey system by memory, nor how to use a photocopier.

    Good luck!
  • Eliza_2
    Eliza_2 Posts: 1,333 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Absolutely, but an awareness that materials are classified and shelved in a way that aids retrieval would be good though. It's only really public libraries that use Dewey anyway - is it a public library that you're applying to?

    As far as the photocopier goes, once you're in post just say that you've not used that type before and can someone show you, they're all different anyway. A bit of secret observing of others using it can be good too.

    Plenty of stuff on google about the equal opps questions, just run through it a few times, it'll only be a very small part of the interview. If you've already said stuff about providing a service for older people or those with disabilities (such as audiobooks, large print etc) or in other languages then they might even comment that you've answered that, and move on.
  • floss2
    floss2 Posts: 8,030 Forumite
    The main thing to remember about filing whether alpha or Dewey is the second & third characters, for example:

    MacQueen will go before McQueen and after Mackie
    1.031 will be before 1.31 - the decimal places determine the exact topic within a subject.

    Good luck!
  • paulineb_2
    paulineb_2 Posts: 6,489 Forumite
    Saying you'd kill for a job is just a turn of phrase and I honestly don't think anyone would be daft enough to say it in an interview just because they've said it on a forum.

    You can use a photocopier in my library, why don't you go along and photocopy something before the day of the interview.
  • Thing to remember about equal ops that it is not about treating everybody the same, but about providing equal access to services eg say you're providing a reading group on the first floor then treating everyone equally simply means everyone can come - but everyone would have to walk upstairs, so any disabled users could not come easily, so you would provide stairlifts/lifts to ensure disabled had equal access or rearrange on the ground floor, similarly providing materials on white paper is not easily accessible to people with Irlene's, so you would provide the materials on different paper to make sure all had access - and so on. Legislation covers every aspect you could think of really, and is gathered together under the Equality Act 2010 - just google a summary of it. Libraries are a lot about IT now - not just books - maybe show an interest in that - and plenty of people use the public pcs for stuff like jobsearch - some libraries offer assistance/some don't - guess you know what this library offers - be keen on whatever it is they are promoting :) Best of luck - I too would love that job - maybe even kill for it!
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