'Workshop' interview

Mizz_Pink

Hi,

I have my 2nd interview on Friday :j:j

It will last for 4 hours :eek: but that includes a buffet lunch

The candidates are all capable of completing the tasks set by the management but what kind of things will I be needed to do ??? :eek:

they have asked me if I can use Excel and I told them I am a beginner ( I have used it about once 4 years ago), they job will entail spreadsheets and phone work. So maybe they will set up a mock phone call.

I am worried cos I want the job its the case of not knowing, also 4 hours sound scary :eek:

Its an admin job in the technical office of Financial Administrators

jobbingmusician

Get on to Excel and play with it! Do you know how to do sums on Excel? How to program cells so they update automatically when you change the value in another cell? DO you have a friend who could show you? It's very easy, once you have been shown

Mizz_Pink

Yes someone else has suggested that, I might have a play today.

Thanks

Mizz_Pink

I have opened up Excel on my pc, version 2003. I can follow a training course that Microsoft offer but I need version 2007 :mad:

Have read a bit about it but am keen to follow the 30 min the course:mad:

jobbingmusician

Version 2007 is quite different from 2003, although if you are fluent you will see that all the same facilities are there. OK, here's a few tips.

5 minute Excel course.

type some numbers into some of the cells, including the first one (A1). Type some random numbers down the first column.

Now, in a new cell, B1 for example, type =A1 and hit enter. You will see that the new cell now has the same value as cell A1. If you change the value in A1, this cell will change too.

in C1 type =A1*2 and hit enter. You will see that the new cell now has value A1 x 2. Gettting the idea now? Now click on cell C1. If you click carefully on the corner of the cell, you will get a thing with arrows going side to side and up and down. Pull this arrow down the column. You'll find all the cells in col c are now following the same formula, and should be twice the value of the cells in A1.

If you'd like these all to be in pounds and pence, (shortcut) press control and 1. Select currency, and either 2 decimal places or none, depending on whether you want to display pence or not.

If you'd like a total at the bottom of the col, position your cursor where you would like the total. Then look on the toolbars and find an epsilon sign (google this if you don't know what it looks like). press this and drag the dotted line so it surrounds the numbers you want to add up, then press epsilon again.

HOMEWORK -

1. set yourself up a spreadsheet with a list of costs, in pounds and pence, in col A. Now set col B up to add 17.5% VAT to these costs, with a total at the bottom.

2. Explore addition, subtraction, division (=1/2 or a1/d5 for example).

Go play!

bristol_pilot

A four-hour second interview for an admin job using basic Excel skills? This Company is having a laugh! This says something very bad about the Company, I wouldn't work there.

Mizz_Pink

Hi,

I'm back from my interview, it went ok actually. I ended up doing a course on Excel at work, it only took 40 mins and its a good job I did.

We had lots of tasks to do like write a report, letter, spreadsheet, explain a spreadsheet organise a seminar and 4 role plays.

Fingers crossed ! :j

cazziebo

bristol_pilot wrote: »

A four-hour second interview for an admin job using basic Excel skills? This Company is having a laugh! This says something very bad about the Company, I wouldn't work there.

Are you saying an admin job isn't that important? When the candidate is going to spend a lot of their time with the company, and the company is going to make a significant investment in terms of time and money in the individual. I used to recruit call centre people and would spend at least 4 hours with them including competency based telephone interviews, assessment centres and final interviews. Our retention figures were the best in the industry and we won several awards for being a good place to work.

A job isn't just about skills, and what can you tell about people in a twenty minute interview? Not a lot with everyone on best behaviour. This sounds like a really thorough company that cares about getting the right people into the right roles and an intensive process like this suggests good working practices. Of course, it also lets the candidate know what they are getting into.

Very best of luck Mizz pink - glad it went well! Got my fingers crossed for you.

Mizz_Pink

I got the job :j :j :j :beer: :beer:

Had a phone call at 3pm saying it went really well and they really want me to work for them!!

Thanks to everyone who supported me on my job hunt, it only took 2 months, especially to Jarvisma who helped me greatly with my CV

:beer:

cazziebo

Fantastic! Well done!

:T :T :T :T :T :T :T :T :T :T

bristol_pilot

Well done Mizz - glad you got the job. :j

I wasn't having a go about admin jobs, but commenting on Companies that carry out four hour interviews. Research has consistently shown that you make a better decision in a reasonably short time than if you spend ages poring over every detail. What can you tell about people in a twenty minute interview? Well, I prefer an hour but that should be plenty of time to do a searching examination of each candidate's past track record, which is ideally the best basis of selection rather than an ability to answer "interview questions". If you go on longer than that you will simply end up appointing the person you like the most (or the person the HR manager likes the most).