Preparing for the interview

Anticipate the questions and work out your answers:

• Do not assume that because you have provided the information in your application you don't need to provide it again - whether you get the job or not depends on what you say in the interview.
• Do assume that you will be asked a question on each area of the employee specification and work out a short answer using an example from your past work. You need to use a different example for each question; otherwise it will appear that you lack experience.

Before the interview:

• practise your answers
• write them down,
• read them aloud,
• remember them, but, during the interview process, remember to listen to the question. It will more than likely be different from what you expected it to be, so adjust your reply accordingly - the example you thought of should still carry you through.

Some standard questions you might want to prepare answers for:

1. Why are you applying for this job?
   
   Why this particular role in this particular team/authority or with this particular client group.
   
   
2. What does the term "Equal Opportunities" mean to you?
   
   This is a question to test your commitment to and understanding of equal opportunities and how you would apply it to the role for which you're applying.
   
   Look carefully at the advertisement and job description, this should tell you what the interview panel would like you to focus on. e.g. do not assume that equal opportunities just applies to providing services to minority ethnic communities, what other disadvantages affect people and how might this be relevant to the job for which you're applying.)
   
3. What are your strengths and/or what are your weaknesses?

Above all...

The act of preparing for an interview should make you think very hard, but remember, the better your preparation, the more likely you are to succeed.

Related Information

 Finding a vacancy

 Filling in an application form

 The interview itself