Interview Crisis

Leedsboi86

Hey everyone :j

New to the forum but really needing some advice!

So a bit of back story.
I worked in a care home from 2010 to 2016 where I got my NVQ in health Care and a few other qualifications but last year I had to leave my job due to a family member becoming ill and I spent a year looking after them(luckily a huge improvement in health now) so I’m wanting to get back to work.
Found a great place online that was hiring and called them, the lovely woman I spoke to emailed me a Application form which I filled in and handed in the next day at 11am, same day at 3pm I got a call saying they liked my application and invited me to an interview next week.

Problem is I’ve no interview skills at all!
I have no idea what to wear, say or do..... the last place pretty much hired me on the spot.

Really need some advice, my nerves have gone through the roof!!
It’s a dream job and the care home is stunning and I can honestly see myself been happy working there I’m just petrified I’ll blow the interview

Thanks everyone

PeppaCoin

Dress smartly, shake hands, give eye contact, answer their questions with confidence.

Think of the types of questions they may ask and prepare some answers with examples of your previous experience. A good answer format to follow is STAR
S - what was the situation
T - what was the task
A - what did you achieve
R - what was the result? Ie what did you learn

No harm in calling ahead to ask what format the interview would take.

Learn a little about the home so you look as though you have done some research.

Smile

Relax.

gettingtheresometime

Also believe in yourself.

They liked what they saw on paper enough to interview you.

elsien

You've got the experience, you just need to have a bit of faith in yourself. Plus your time off work is still relevant because it was still caring experience.
Do you have a job specification? The questions are likely to be based on that. So think about the relevant areas and how you do it: not just the words but what they mean you have to do on a practical basis
Showing people dignity and respect
Confidentiality and safe
Record keeping
Health and safety - yours and the residents
Team work - what it means to you and why it's important.
Maybe showing a bit of understanding about CQC.
It's all in your NVQ.
Practice your answers out loud. If you don't want to say it to family then talk to the dog! It really does help.
If you get nervous and don't understand something, don't get flustered just ask them to repeat it. And think about where you can show willing with flexibility around shifts, for example.
Smart casual will be fine for interview clothes. Trousers or skirt, shirt/blouse, that sort of thing. I got a jacket from the charity shop for my last interview.
If they give you the chance to look round, remember that's still part of the interview. And think of a couple of questions about the home or the company. It's ok to ask about holiday etc, but don't make it the first thing you ask.
Good luck.

[Deleted User]

What makes it your dream job?

Just over a week ago I met a parcel company (sister to previous company worked at so you can imagine it was absolutely where I thought I would have wanted to be) turns out we had nothing in common and actually it's brother did nothing but fool us regarding the job function of Customer Service. For the drop everything for next day interview, 9 days on I've never heard anything from them. Turns out the 'head' interviewer gave my CV the glance over before I went in and it wasn't fun to watch 2 interviewers having an argument over their brands and realising the total farce of thinking you knew somewhere. What a sham I'd be in.

Couple of days later at an interview which was nearly cancelled by me because I appreciated I 'knew' nothing about the industry, went along and clicked, next day they phoned and offered job as their CS agent. 1.5k more and 5 days extra holiday more then what the above 'dream' job were offering even..

So always keep an open mind as the dream positions can end up being anything but. In fact dream jobs at particular places can be an absolute let down so keep all options open.

Leedsboi86

Hey

Thanks everyone for the replies.
It’s my dream job as I’ve always worked in care and it’s all I’ve wanted to do.
Kinda runs in the family my mother was a nurse for NHS and my mothers partner owned a care home until they both retired.

I’ve never really had an interview before as the job I was in for 7 years was my only job after college and I was pretty much just handed the job without an interview.

Just super nervous about the interview, I’m gonna assume it’s a good sign that 4 hours after handing application in they called me for an interview..... that or desperate for staff haha

tacpot12

An interview is just a conversation, where you know they will ask you about what you have done before and what skills you have. It is a conversation about you, so you are the expert in the room!. It is also a conversation about the job, where the interviewer should be the expert, so both parties have something that they bring to the conversation.

You should think about whether there are any aspects of the job that mean you couldn't take it, and be prepared to ask about these aspects at the interview.

Good luck!

xapprenticex

I have to interview people so I'll give you some tips.

WE KNOW YOU ARE NERVOUS!! So don't worry about it. By all means, say "Sorry, I'm really nervous", we don't expect perfect answer all the time.

Crazy as it sounds, not being nervous at all can come across as you not really wanting the job, just doing it because you need to pay the rent. (fair enough but don't make it obvious)

Know something about the company, some background info, what they do, who they serve, shows you did research.

Have a look at some common competency based interview questions for care roles (i think you said it was a care role), have examples of how you performed, problems you resolved, experience etc.

Yes, dress smart (if its a care role, is a suit suitable?), shower before the interview and smell good or at least neutral (some people smell badly unfortunately, i assume its the animals they share their house with) .I've never taken on a smelly person because A: i don't want to be going to work and smelling it 5 x a week, B: we have to give the interview room 10 minutes to settle down, hassle before you've started.

Have questions prepared for the interviewee, again shows you put thought into it. Have a look online for good questions to ask, see what sits well with you.

Some of the above may not be PC etc but its how the real world works.

jobbingmusician

You sound lovely. Some of what you have written will work if you just say it! (but don't say it too fast )

'It’s my dream job as I’ve always worked in care and it’s all I’ve wanted to do.
Kinda runs in the family my mother was a nurse for NHS and my mothers partner owned a care home until they both retired.

I’ve never really had an interview before as the job I was in for 7 years was my only job after college and I was pretty much just handed the job without an interview.'

It follows from your obvious enthusiasm that you might want to ask them about training and how you can learn to do your job even better

sangie595

This is going to be stating the obvious, but sometimes it helps to. Tell them you are nervous and why! If you start upfront with this, and explain that you've never had an interview before, that your last employer just took you on but you were so happy there that you never moved on until the family member became sick... Well you just come across as someone reliable and committed who is nervous because they haven't been interviewed before! One of the things that employers look for in interviews is clues to the persons character- honesty is a good one (you are telling them the truth about how you feel), and your story does you credit.

Many, many years ago, a good friend gave me some advice before going to an interview for an important job. She told me that by having invited me for interview they had looked at my record and skills and decided that I was the perfect candidate already - the interview was just to see how well I could screw up that impression, so don't! I got the job! They've seen your application. They think you're ideal. Now you just have to get through the interview without screwing that up!

Mee

Good luck with the interview - try to enjoy it, stay calm, and ask if you don't understand a question.

Worth reading if a social care role:
Seven questions you may be asked in a care worker interview (Guardian Careers)

Social care interview questions (Randstad)

How to... answer competency-based interview questions (Community care) more on STAR...