NHS Interview for a communications role

SA_taxrefund

Morning, I have been invited to interview for the NHS for a role in the communications department at a local NHS trust - it’s Band 4 role. 

I’m just wondering if anybody has any advice - in terms of type of questions? 

I’m across their social media and have noted down how different platforms could be utilised and improved, the NHS Trust values I’ve started to embed in my answers - do I also need to discuss the wider NHS values as well as the specific trust ones would you suggest? If so, how much attention should be given to each set of values? 

If you have any experience around NHS interviews, and even better if it’s for a communications role, I’d appreciate any feedback. 

Just to add that I passed the first stage which was a writing task, so this is the final stage of the process. 

Thank you! 

Emmia

Not NHS but a civil servant, and I think there is a danger in preparing answers too much as they come across as rehearsed and somewhat inauthentic (and as a result tend not to score well)

There's also the risk your carefully prepared answers don't actually answer the question being asked - but rather the question you expected to be asked.

I interviewed someone recently who in response to a question on one of the CS Behaviours, gave us an answer which was fine in itself, but didn't actually relate to the actual question very much (they scored poorly). They would have scored better (very well in fact) if I'd asked a more generic question... Which is why I didn't ask a generic question.

Finally, whilst it's good to refer to values etc., I wouldn't build my answers by essentially parroting them. It would be better if you think about how you can express the values more in your own words, rather than those lifted off the website - especially for a communications role.

Edit: is the interview on Teams / Zoom etc., or in person? There's a great temptation in having your answers written out when on video conference, but it can be obvious to interviewers when you're just reading them out.

LightFlare

The questions will almost certainly depend on what banding the job is as well

Flugelhorn

definitely depends on the band etc 

haven't sat on either side of the table at an NHS interview for years but used to be a lot of :

"tell me about a time when:
- things went well / badly - what worked well and what could have been done differently 
- you worked as part of a team
- you identified something that could be changed / improved and what you did 
- you overcame a challenge"

Not sure that they would be expecting you to memorise trust values - though they might ask you what you consider are good qualities for someone doing this type of job (depending on what it involves of course)? eg teamworker, empathy, accuracy, responsive, enthusiastic to learn

SA_taxrefund

Emmia said:

Not NHS but a civil servant, and I think there is a danger in preparing answers too much as they come across as rehearsed and somewhat inauthentic (and as a result tend not to score well)

There's also the risk your carefully prepared answers don't actually answer the question being asked - but rather the question you expected to be asked.

I interviewed someone recently who in response to a question on one of the CS Behaviours, gave us an answer which was fine in itself, but didn't actually relate to the actual question very much (they scored poorly). They would have scored better (very well in fact) if I'd asked a more generic question... Which is why I didn't ask a generic question.

Finally, whilst it's good to refer to values etc., I wouldn't build my answers by essentially parroting them. It would be better if you think about how you can express the values more in your own words, rather than those lifted off the website - especially for a communications role.

Edit: is the interview on Teams / Zoom etc., or in person? There's a great temptation in having your answers written out when on video conference, but it can be obvious to interviewers when you're just reading them out.

It’s a face to face interview. 

I think the idea for me here is to try to focus my responses and areas beforehand, as opposed to use it to rehearse answers but this is helpful advice. 

Good advice about the values too. 

Thanks! 

SA_taxrefund

LightFlare said:

The questions will almost certainly depend on what banding the job is as well

This is Band 4. 

LightFlare

Last time I interviewed for a B7 it was very obvious between the prepared answers and the instinctive ones.

Be wary of over preparing as you can’t anticipate everything and the temptation is to try and answer a question with one you have prepared but isn’t really relevant 

LightFlare

Some “tactics” you can use to give yourself a little breathing/thinking space (but can only be used once - maybe twice depending on the interviewer):

ask if you can come back to that question. Even if refused it can give your brain a vital few seconds 

ask for the question to be repeated - dont use this too often or it will probably irritate the panel

ask for confirmation on how you are interpreting what they are asking - especially if it’s a long,rambling question

pause - think - speak - don’t ramble

Andy_L

"what do you understand this job to entail"

SA_taxrefund

LightFlare said:

Last time I interviewed for a B7 it was very obvious between the prepared answers and the instinctive ones.

Be wary of over preparing as you can’t anticipate everything and the temptation is to try and answer a question with one you have prepared but isn’t really relevant 

Would you say those who were prepared or instinctive performed better, in your opinion?