Teacher Job Interview Questions

The number of applications for teacher positions is on the increase with the rate of applications up by 91% compared with 2019.

There are a range of teaching roles, including:

  • Primary school teacher
  • High school teacher
  • Teaching in further education
  • Teaching in higher education
  • Special schools for children with disabilities and special needs
  • Pupil referral units for pupils who have been excluded from mainstream school
  • Education in prison’s
  • Supply teacher
  • Teaching assistant

In the main, most schools recruit applicant with a QTS – qualified teacher status

Source: train to be a teacher

How competitive is a teacher job interview?

medium level job interview

The medium rating of competitiveness was given due to the scope of schools recruiting teachers, as we as the long interview process.

As an example, applying for a teaching job in a rural area compared to a large city center increases or decreases the number of applications.

Also, the teaching subject makes a big difference to the number of applicants, with schools often struggling to recruit STEM teachers.

And location, applying in the North or South of England drastically changes the number of advertised teaching positions.

Source: reddit

The type of school; primary, high-school, college or higher education also effects the number of applications with primary schools having a high number of applications.

In a recent Guardian post, they said: “Figures released by Ucas, the university admissions network, showed more than 21,000 graduates had applied to teacher training programmes since the start of the coronavirus lockdown, a rise of 65% on the last five years.”

Interview Specifics:

interview duration 45 minutes. Average number of questions 8. Type of job interview: structured.

A teacher interview, as discussed above, is part of a larger recruitment process which can consist of:

  • An interview with school pupils to see how well an applicant can communicate and build rapport with the pupils
  • Assessment centre for psychometric test and/or literacy and numeracy assessment
  • Group exercise with other job applicants
  • The marking of pupils work
  • Delivery of an assembly, presentation and/or class

The teaching job interview is often a whole day recruitment event ending, with a structured job interview where candidates are asked job interview questions relating to the day-to-day tasks of a teacher.

Can you demonstrate the relevant knowledge and experience to pass a teacher job interview?

  • Prepare, plan and deliver engaging lessons to pupils of different ages and abilities
  • Mark pupil work and maintain records of pupils’ progress
  • Embed a range of learning resources into lessons to increase pupil engagement
  • Prepare pupils for examinations
  • Manage pupil classroom behaviour
  • Meet with parents and carers to discuss pupils’ progress
  • Collaborate with learning mentors, careers advisers and educational psychologists and social workers

Check the average pay for a teacher job role.

Below is a list of commonly asked job interview questions for a teacher role.

Each summary comes with an explanation of the interview question and an example interview answer.

It is important to tweak each interview answer template, making it relevant to the interviewee’s own skills, qualities, experience, and knowledge.

An interviewer’s perception of a job applicant, their interview identity, is made up of the interviewee’s perceived level of knowledge/experience vs their level of confidence during the recruitment process.

The first stage, when preparing for a job interview, is to recognize your own ‘interview identity’.

Job Interview Questions and Answers for a Teacher

Prior to the job interview, the panel of interviewers (often 3 staff members, including a direct line manager) will make small talk to help relax the interviewee.

The hiring manager will start the interview by explaining the process of the structured job interview.

Including, the number of questions that will be asked, who on the interview panel will ask which questions, and how the applicant can ask for a question to be repeated.

They will go to explain the post-interview details; when each candidate will be told if they have been successful or not.

The job applicant, who prior to the recruitment day has made ample preparation, is expected to answer the questions by showcasing how they meet the job criteria.

There are a number of job interview questions for teachers. In this article, you will be given an explanation of how to answer the most commonly asked teacher questions.

Tell me about your teaching experience?

The ‘experience’ interview question is asked at 9 out of every 10 teacher job interviews.

For trainee teacher roles the question may be phrased as: “why do you want to be a teacher?” and some schools ask: “why did you apply for a teaching role at this school?”

To start the job interview on the right footing, the answer to the opening question must create a strong job interview identity.

A positive interview identity comes from highlighting a high level of teaching skills and experience through confidently delivered interview answers.

Here the employer is interested to hear:

  • Number of years in the teaching sector
  • Any specific roles/leads IE led on GATSBY benchmarks, head of yr10, career advisor
  • All teaching qualifications and relevant CPD
  • Pupil groups worked with (SEND, primary/high, yr 7,8,9 etc, young carers, FE/HE)
  • Teaching skills and qualities
  • Any standout achievements

In short, the openness of the first job interview question gives the applicant to state any selling points they deem as important.

The three rules of a successful job interview explain the importance of:

  1. Understanding the job criteria – the teaching duties and culture of the school
  2. Self-promoting any key achievements, teaching style and personal skills
  3. Confidently communicating competencies

“I am a passionate teacher with over X number of years teaching (add various age ranges/pupil cohorts)…

…In my last role I was (add selling point IE head of year 11, SEND coordinator, etc where I was responsible for (list 3-5 duties)…

…my X number of years experience as a teacher I have consistently been able to (add unique selling point) which was achieved by my ability to (add actions), an example of this was (give short example)…”

…My qualifications include (list qualifications)”

What is your knowledge of school data systems?

The following ITC skills are commonly required by teachers:

  • SIMs or other school databases
  • Whiteboard technology and teaching apps
  • Microsoft Office
  • Spreadsheets
  • Email communication
  • Data visualization

The ITC question is asked for two reasons, to confirm the interviewee has a basic understanding of ITC systems, including emails, excel, word documents. And, more importantly, any teacher-related ITC systems.

Schools are becoming more reliant on teaching technology, requiring teachers to be skilled in a variety of ITC.

To answer the technology question, start generic and become more specific, highlighting awareness of the applicant’s level of industry ITC systems and products.

“I am very skilled in a range of ITC skills, including the basics, excel, word, publisher. In fact, my level of (IT system) is above average – I am able to (explain school-related technology such as a teaching app)…

Because I have worked in the sector for X number of years, I am fully conversed with (school database system) where I (add actions…

….I have experience of (add ITC system) that I use for (relate this to the classroom)”

Give an example of dealing with a disruptive pupil?

Having a range of techniques for dealing with a variety of difficult situations is a must for a teacher – as every day is different.

The ‘disruptive’ pupil question is commonly asked in teaching job interviews. The hiring manager is looking for the applicant to highlight their classroom management techniques.

In an article on handling brazen behavior, Michael Linsin, talks about the need to:

  • Be calm
  • Be Patient
  • Be stealthy
  • Be thorough

When answering the interview question, it is important to set the context allowing the employer to understand and visualise the past situation.

The key to receiving a high-scoring interview answer is to state the steps taken and the outcome from the stated actions.

Start the answer by listing the types of disruptions you have handled throughout your career:

“As an experienced teacher I have dealt with various descriptions from pupils shouting out in class to other pupils refusing to complete a task. From (add disruption to add second disruption)

Explain why context is important:

…It is important not to just jump in and discipline a pupil as this could easily escalate the situation. For example, a pupil may be angry because of a recent home incident which requires a different approach from when a pupil is disruptive on a regular basis..”

Next, give a real-life example:

“One example that comes to mind is when I was working as a teacher at (school name). I was teaching (subject) and set (task) when a pupil (disruptive behavior) which resulted in (escalation). Initially I (first action to control disruption), but this didn’t have enough effect. Instead, I (second action) which resulted in (positive outcome)…”

End, with a summary:

“…To summarise, I have much experience supporting disruptive pupils and with classroom management. When there is a disruption I will first think about the pupil and the potential reason for the negative behavior. I then use various techniques such as (A, B, and C) which has a (positive effect)”

Tell me about a time when a child or young person behaved in a way that caused you concern. How did you deal with that?

In an article on Headteachers-update they explain the principles of the NICE approach:

  • Take a child-centred approach to all work with children and involve them in decision-making to the fullest extent possible according to age.
  • Use a range of methods for communicating with children, e.g. drawing, books, activities where appropriate.
  • Explain confidentiality and when you might need to share specific information and with whom.
  • Always do what you say you are going to do and if circumstances change and this is no longer possible, explain why as soon as you can.

Safeguarding questions come in all teacher job interviews, often frame as above: “Tell me about a time when a child or young person behaved in a way that caused you concern.?”

The answer to the question can be split into two sections. The first is a general overview of your knowledge of safeguarding and second, an example of reacting to a pupil’s behavior.

“As a teacher safeguarding is paramount. A common sign of concern is a change in a pupil’s behavior. A pupil who in the main is calm and then randomly turns angry requires investigation. If for example, I discipline the pupil I might miss the reason for the change of behavior…

…I always keep an eye for indicators of abuse, which include:

  • Indiscriminate contact or affection-seeking.
  • Being over-friendly to strangers.
  • Excessive clinginess and persistently seeking attention.
  • Habitual body rocking.
  • Being withdrawn and reluctant to communicate.

…An example of this is when I was teaching at (institute) One pupil that I knew well came to school (with a sign of abuse or neglect). Instead of (potentially escalating action) I decide to (action). I also (positive action taken which could include referrals, parent meetings, additional support). This resulted in (short term outcome and long term outcome).”

Give an example of getting all pupils involved in a lesson?

Pupil participation, not only creates a more enjoyable lesson for the pupils and teacher but also helps individuals pupils understand the lesson.

There are numerous ways to engage pupils from the ‘jigsaw’ technique – allow a student to learn a specific topic before teaching other students, to allowing the pupils themselves to choose a learning style, as discussed on a recent article on Kaplanco.

When answering the ‘involvement’ interview question, is is important, before giving an example, to highlight a working knowledge of engagement techniques.

“Research shows the importance of getting pupils engaged in lessons, from pupils measuring their own distance travelled in the classroom to putting students in charge of the lesson….

…An example of this was when I was working at (school) I was teaching (lesson) to a group of (pupils) and the lesson wasn’t going well (give brief description). To improve the session I wanted to increase pupil engagement. To get the pupils involved I (add steps)…

…This first helped (add positive engagement outcome) but more importantly this achieved (positive outcome)…..

…When planning lessons I always look at different ways to get the pupils engaged in the classroom, as this increases (benefit).”

What are your core strengths in terms of teaching?

Each teacher can bring a new strength to the classroom.

Brightnetwork list the 10 teaching skills as:

  1. Communication
  2. Patience
  3. Creativity
  4. Enthusiasm
  5. Confidence
  6. Dedication
  7. Conflict Resolution
  8. Organisation
  9. Leadership
  10. Adaptability

Interview questions that ask about strengths skills or teaching styles give the job applicant a chance to create a powerful self-promoting answer.

Start the interview answer with ‘confident statement’: “I am a highly skilled teacher who always (unique selling point)…

…the reason I have X number of years of successfully (unique selling point) is my ability to do (action)…

…My core strengths include (A, B and C) which I use when (school related problem)…

Make the answer more specific: “…An example of this was when (faced a problem) I (took action) which resulted in (positive outcome).”

Give an example of being GDPR compliant?

GDPR is a fairly new regulation that has a large impact how schools hold and share pupil data.

If GDPR is unknow to a job applicant, the teacher must familiarize themselves with the GDPR regulations in preparation for the job interview.

Many schools will list their GDPR and data protection policy on the school website.

In the job interview, the interviewee can cover 3 points to help create a high-scoring answer:

  1. GDPR Training
  2. Daily actions taken not to breach GDPR
  3. Any additional knowledge

“In all my previous teaching roles I have had handle sensitive pupil data…

I have undertaken a range of GDPR and data protection training, which include (name training courses)

As a teacher I follow GDPR regulations by ensuring that all personal data is kept in lockable cabinets including pupil data, medical forms and sensitive information. When using IT systems I always create unique passwords, and lock my computer when I’m away from my desk.

Because we work in education, we deal with (sector-related sensitive data) I am also aware of the need to (add actions relating to the sectors sensitive data)”

Evolve the mind book on Amazon

How would you prepare for an OFSTED inspection?

All schools are asking the ‘OFSTED’ question.

Understanding this allows the job applicant to research and prepare their job interview answer.

The interview answer can start by highlight prior research: “I saw that in your last OFSTED inspection you received a (grading)…”

Before, moving to explaining previous OFSTED inspection experience: “…I myself have had to prepare for X number of OFSTED inspections. while at X school I was reasonable for (OFSTED role/reasonability)…

End the interview answer by giving specifics: “..When preparing for an OFSTED inspection I (actions – these can include proactive actions before the OFTED visit notification and re-active actions once an inspection has been announced). These actions has previously resulted in (positive outcome)”

Do you have any questions for the interview panel?

Each hiring manager during all job interviews will ask each interviewee if they have any questions for the employer.

Knowing that the final ‘ask me’ question will be asked, a set of questions needs to be prepared.

  • How does the school support vulnerable pupils?
  • What is the schools strategy for maintaining a good OFSTED outcome?
  • What have been the progression and NEET rates for the past 3 years
  • What makes you want to work at this school?
  • How would you describe the schools culture?
  • What CPD is on offer for new teachers?

This site uses the ‘LMI for All’ online data portal to access official government ‘big data’ sources. This powers the labour market data provided on this site.

Receptionist Job Interview Questions

50% of all advertised receptionist job positions are part time roles?

This is due to the large scale of reception jobs. With positions being able in a number of job sectors, from education to construction, from finance to the health sector.

Receptionist jobs are advertised throughout the world, with various salaries and responsibilities, depending on the job sector the receptionist role is being advertised in.

How competitive is a receptionist job interview?

Interview Specifics:

Can you demonstrate the relevant knowledge and experience to pass a receptionist job interview?

  • How to greet visits in a professional manner
  • Data inputting, using a variety of IT skills
  • The process for allocating security passes
  • Answer enquiries in person, by phone and email
  • Experience of booking systems
  • Administrational skills and experience
  • Knowledge of GDPR

Check the average pay for a receptionist job role.

Below is a list of commonly asked job interview questions for a receptionist role.

Each summary comes with an explanation of the interview question and an example interview answer.

It is important to tweak each interview answer template, making it relevant to the interviewee’s own skills, qualities, experience, and knowledge.

An interviewer’s perception of a job applicant, their interview identity, is made up of the interviewee’s perceived level of knowledge/experience vs their level of confidence during the recruitment process.

The first stage, when preparing for a job interview, is to recognize your own ‘interview identity’.

Job Interview Questions and Answers for a Receptionist

Prior to the official job interview, the panel of interviewers (often 3 staff members, including a direct line manager) will make small talk to help relax the interviewee.

The hiring manager will start the interview by explaining the process of the structured job interview.

Including, the number of questions that will be asked, who on the interview panel will ask which questions, and how the applicant can ask for a question to be repeated.

They will go to explain the post-interview details; when each candidate will be told if they have been successful or not.

The job applicant, who prior to the recruitment day has made ample preparation, is expected to answer the questions by showcasing how they meet the job criteria.

Tell me about your experience working as a receptionist, and what you can bring to the team?

The opening question for a receptionist interview is always an open-style interview question.

The question may be framed slightly differently:

  • “What is your understanding of a receptionist duties?”
  • “Why did you apply for a receptionist job role within our company?”
  • “How does your work experience apply to this position?”

All opening questions, compared to the forthcoming more specific interview questions, allow an applicant to choose how the answer the question.

This ‘choice’ can result in a clever interviewee focusing their answer on their own unique selling point, what they can bring to the team and how they fulfill the job criteria.

It is important, therefore, to be aware of the three rules for a successful job interview.

In short, the initial question is designed for the employer to gain a general overview of the applicants suitable for the receptionist job role.

Start the interview answer with a standout point that will create interest:

  • A long duration in the industry, as time served is associated with talent: “I have worked as a receptionist for over 12 years…”
  • A required but rare skill to create interest: “One of my key skills is my ability to (add rare skill)….”
  • A reference to the industry the receptionist job role is in, which highlights sector knowledge and understanding: “Throughout my career I have always worked in (sector), throughput this time I gained the knowledge to (industry related receptionist task)…”

Next, be more generic list other receptionist duties, being detailed on any duties that the applicant is highly skilled in:

“I have a wide range of experience working as a receptionist and in administrational roles which include: diary management, making appointments over the phone, data inputting, customer service, and in my last role I led on (highly skilled task) where I (add detail)…”

End the interview answer, with a short summary:

“To summarize, I have X number of years and experience and my skill includes A, B, and C.”

What is your knowledge of ITC systems?

In an article on Indeed, they state the following ITC skills are commonly required:

  • Analytics
  • Social media
  • Graphic design
  • Microsoft Office
  • Spreadsheets
  • Email communication
  • Marketing automation
  • Data visualization

For certain sectors a particular database may be commonly used, requiring the job applicant to not only be aware of the database but to reference the specific database tasks during the interview answer.

An example is the use of ‘Sims’ in schools or ‘autocad’ in civil engineering.

The ITC question is asked for two reasons, to confirm the interviewee has a basic understanding of ITC systems, including emails, excel, word documents. And, more importantly, any specific sector-related ITC systems.

To answer the technology question, start generic and become more specific, highlighting awareness of the applicant’s level of industry ITC systems and products.

“I am very skilled in a range of ITC skills, including the basics, excel, word, publisher. In fact, my level of (IT system) is above average – I am able to (add specifics details). Because I have worked in the sector for X number of years, I am fully conversed with (sector-related ITC system). I have experience of (add ITC system duties).

An example of this, was when I worked at X organization. We were tasked to X. Because of my knowledge of (ITC system) I personally (action taken) which resulted in (outcome).”

What would you do if the computer system failed?

Most offices are becoming paperless, with digital documents replacing paper, and storage cupboards becoming obsolete as businesses move to storing information in the cloud.

The risk, therefore, is system failure.

Employers need receptionist staff to be able to pro-actively respond to difficult ITC situations.

ITC system failure questions may be more specific depending on the sector the advertised receptionist job role is in:

  • “How would you gain customer information if the database crashes?”
  • “How do you recover lost documents in Word?”
  • “How do you backup databases to prevent loss of information encase of a hack?”

The best way to answer the specific ITC question is via a real-life example. Stating a past experience highlights the skills the applicant possesses to deal with the stated problem.

“This has actually happened to me. While working at X organization, I arrived early one day in the office to find that (ITC failure). The timing was terrible, as the company had (a deadline, audit, inspection, customer/client meeting, etc).

My manager was stressed and nobody had any idea what to do.

Because of MY excellent ITC skills, I was able to (add actions taken).”

Give me an example of dealing with an awkward customer?

A key task for a receptionist is taking a customer or client’s phone calls, responding to emails, signing for office deliveries, making/confirming appointments, communicating face to face, and screening external stakeholders who are requesting meetings with senior staff members.

This task requires various skills:

  • Communication
  • Listening
  • Assertiveness
  • Confirming
  • Professionalism

Customers become ‘awkward’ or frustrated due to many reasons:

  • Feeling unwell – this especially important to understand in NHS receptionist roles
  • Having previously trained to get through to a certain person time and time again
  • Time constrictions – commonly happens with delivery drivers
  • A customer with a complaint/unhappy customer
  • Stressed/anxious/annoyed

Start the interview answer, by explaining the reasons a customer or client would be awkward or annoyed (relating to common industry problems).

Follow the opening statement by giving an example of what you would do if a future customer was being awkward.

“In our industry customers can become awkward when X, Y, and Z happen.

In this situation, the best course of action is to remain professional, polite, and to listen to any complaint. It is also important to understand the customer’s point of view and to find common ground. This is because an annoyed customer may leave bad reviews online which could affect the image of the company.

An example of helping an awkward customer is when I was working at X company as a (job role). A customer was (complaining/being angry/being awkward) because (reason).

First, I listened to the complaint without interrupting, as it’s important to let me let the anger out. I then asked specific questions to understand the situation without making assumptions.

I then asked what was the best way to resolve this and shared the options I was able to do there and then. This helped the customer to relax as they felt they were being listened to and supported, resulting in (positive outcome).”

What information would you take from a client who is looking to book an appointment?

Accuracy is key for a receptionist job role.

The specific interview question around what information to take from a client appointment booking could easily be asked for a number of receptionist job duties:

  • “How would you confirm a meeting request?”
  • “In what way would you ensure the accuracy of a data inputting task?”
  • “When speaking to a customer on the telephone what information do you need to take?”

A receptionist is often the first point of call, an information receiver, and giver, and often for many businesses the gatekeeper – deciding which persons get put through to senior staff members, and which don’t.

It is the information gained that allows the receptionist to the decision of who speaks to who. The wrong decision can result in either, an annoyed senior staff member due to having their time wasted or an outraged stakeholder for not being let through the ‘gate’.

To answer the ‘information’ interview question, state the required steps, specifying what information is needed:

“I am highly experienced in booking client appointments. When a client telephones for an appointment I first check who the client is; their name, DOB, and address. Requesting the DOB and address is a check to ensure that the person calling is the client and not a fraud caller.

Next, I check the reasons for the appointment. And the availability of the department. Once a date and time have been agreed, I would send a reminder to each of the appointment attendees via email.

This strategy ensures the accuracy of the appointment and reduces any errors.”

How would you arrange your working day?

Receptionists either work within a small team of receptionists (commonly seen in the healthcare service) or on their own initiative (receptionist in a small office).

Either way, the receptionist has to manage their own workload.

The time management question is really asking – how do you prioritise your workload?

For each receptionist, there will be a list of regular daily and/or weekly tasks, plus additional ad-hoc duties that randomly pop up depending on workload.

When answering the interview question: how do you arrange your day (or workload). Split the interview answers into two sections – regular tasks and ad-hoc duties.

“Each day is different. Generally speaking, I will have a set of regular tasks; checking emails, confirming appointments, updating finance information, taking phone call,s and completing a range of administrational tasks.

For these duties, I prioritise each task depending on the level of urgency and importance. As all these tasks happen weekly, I can easily split each task over a period of a week.

In addition, throughout my working week, new urgent tasks will land on my desk. This could include the month-end finance report that needs double-checking, or an influence of customers due to a new promotion.

When new ad-hoc tasks present themselves, which are urgent, I will delegate some of the regular duties to other staff while I prioritise the new job which often has a short deadline.”

Give an example of being GDPR compliant?

GDPR is a fairly new regulation that has a large impact on the responabilities of receptionists.

Therefore, it is important for receptionists to familiarize themselves with the GDPR regulations in preparation for a job interview.

Most employers will deliver GDPR and data protection training for all new recruits. For the job interview, hiring managers want to ensure that the successful interviewee has enough awareness to not breach the GDPR regulations.

In the interview answer cover the following 3 points:

  1. GDPR Training
  2. Daily actions taken not to breach GDPR
  3. Any additional knowledge

“Due to my previous roles requiring me to handle sensitive personal data I have undertaken a range of GDPR and data protection training.

I am fully versed in (add GDPR regulation related to the sector you are in)

On a daily basis, I follow GDPR by ensuring that all personal data is kept in lockable cabinets, using unique passwords on the various IT systems, and locking my computer when I’m away from my desk.

Because in our (sector) we deal with (sector-related sensitive data) I am also aware of the need to (add actions relating to the sectors sensitive data)”

Evolve the mind book on Amazon

Do you have any questions for me?

Each hiring manager during all job interviews will ask each interviewee if they have any questions for the employer.

Knowing that the final ‘ask me’ question will be asked, a set of questions needs to be prepared.

  • How many staff members work in the reception area?
  • What percentage of the job is customer facing?
  • What does an average do look like?
  • Why do you like working for X company?
  • What CPD is on offer for new staff members?

This site uses the ‘LMI for All’ online data portal to access official government ‘big data’ sources. This powers the labour market data provided on this site.

How Can I Prepare Myself for a Job Interview?

Job interview preparation is key to a successful job interview outcome.

I know that statement sounds obvious, but research shows that unsuccessful applicants spend an average of 45 minutes in interview preparation, whereas a regular winner of job offers will spend at least 4-5 hours in dedicated interview research, writing answers and practicing public speaking.

The minimum 4-5 hours, for high skilled job roles, should be extended to at least 10 hours due to the level of ability of the competition. For high paid positions other job applicants, with a high level of experience and confidence, will be viewed as a charismatic interviewee.

It is hard to beat a competitor who is seen as highly employable, without adequate preparation and practice.

Each job applicant should first reflect on their past job interview performances and take the interview identity test to understand how they are viewed by an employer.

The 3 Areas of Interview Preparation

  1. Understanding the type of interview they will be attending
  2. Delivery of job interview answers
  3. Content of interview answers

Types of Job Interviews

The duration of the job interview can often hint about type of interview the employer will perform.

Knowing the type of job interview gives a prepared applicant an advantage as they can prepare for specific interview tasks.

A 20 minute interview is often an informal job interview, where there are no set questions – the interview is more of a natural conversation.

The common 45-60 minute recruitment process is a panel interview – a structured job interview, where answers to questions are marked against a set of specific job criteria.

Full-day job interviews consist of an introduction and walk-around (of the premises). A group activity, a practical test, and a panel interview.

These long interview days can be tiring and need additional preparation. Simple tips like eating a healthy breakfast and keeping hydrated can really pay off.

Multiple day interviews are rounds of interviews, where successful applicants are invited back for a second, third, or even fourth interview.

Each interview round is delivered by a specialist who can include an HR member of staff, the direct line manager of the applicant, and an industry expert.

In addition some job interviews will consist of:

  • A presentation or introduction
  • Literacy and numeracy test
  • Demonstration of technical skills
  • Role play – very common for leadership roles
  • Problem solving tasks to observe stress resistance
  • Psychometric test – practice with example tests

Delivery of Answers

The confident communication of competencies can be the tipping point to the offer of the advertised position.

The interview medium affects the level of confident communication.

Generally speaking, applicants will either communicate interview answers:

No matter the type of interview, the key criteria for a successful job interview outcome is the candidate’s level of confidence.

A confident delivery of answers, the data shows, increases job offers.

Confidence creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. The applicant believing in themselves will give a more detailed answers, will have stronger eye contact and their relaxed appearance is the platform for building a natural rapport with the hiring manager.

Confidence is an expression in non-verbal communication, such as the use of gestures and the candidates posture.

Relaxation increase confidence and confidence improves relaxation (or calmness).

To be more relaxed in a job interview:

  • Gain job interview exposure

Exposure therapy shows how being exposed to the same stimuli, in our case the job interview environment, reduces the associated anxiety.

The exposure of a job interview – attending a high number of recruitment days and/or mock interviews with an interview coach creates familiarity and familiarity leads to the feeling of control.

This is why preparing interview answers for predicted job interview questions is a key pre-interview preparation. It creates a familiar feeling – I know the answer to this question!

In fact, this is why the career professional who spends 4-5 hours, or more, preparing for the forthcoming interview is more successful than the under-prepared 45-minute applicant – the longer interview preparation often equates to higher number of times to applicant has repeated their interview answers.

  • Become a skilled orator

The structure of the interview answer, plus the tonality, volume, and pace of the speaker is just as important as the content.

In short, practicing public speaking will give an interviewee an advantage over other job applicants.

To practice public speaking:

  • Attend a public speaking group
  • Join a debate club
  • Get involved in improv classes
  • Book an interview coach session
  • Read prepared interview answers outload

Content

Recruitment research, time and time again, shows how a structured job interview helps to predict the job performance of the pool of interviewees.

This is why a high number of hiring managers have turned to behavioral and situation job interview questions.

Each of the applicant’s answers are marked against the scoring criteria on the employer’s job interview scorecard.

In simple terms, to gain a satisfactory score the job applicants must reference the job criteria.

This is why content is king.

There are three ways to present content:

  • As a story (giving an example)
  • Using facts, figures and data
  • In a logical sequence

Ideally, the savvy interviewee will use a mixture of ways to showcase how they meet the criteria for the position.

A job interview identity is a mixture of content and delivery. An employer will have a positive view of a job applicant who they perceive to have a high level of knowledge and experience and who delivers answers with confidence.

Job Interview Stories

Research using MRIs shows how two people’s brains synchronize when one person is telling a story to another.

Job interview successes come down to the communication of competencies, which is influenced through likeability, unconscious bias, and rapport. “The stronger the coupling, the better the understanding,” said Uri Hasson, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Princeton University.

Giving examples, or stories, activates the brains ‘social interactions’ regions, where the mind becomes focused on what the character is thinking and feeling rather than the sequence of events itself.

In short, the employer when listening to a story or example, will be more able to predict the motivations, emotions, and beliefs of other people – the suitability of the applicant vs the culture of the company.

Facts and Data

Facts, figures and data shouldn’t be ignored.

The conscious part of the mind can process 50 bits of information per second, but the brain receives around 11 million bits of information per second.

The mistake career professionals make, when presenting data, statistics and figures, is that they overwhelm the employer with numbers.

Most information received, is stored in the short-term memory for around 20-30 seconds. The short-term memory is limited to the amount of data it can store. Psychologist George Miller found that people can store between on average 7 items in short-term memory, give or take 1 or 2 items.

Numbers don’t create high-scoring interview answers, stories do. The data, is the evidence to make the story believable.

When presenting data during a job interview, the applicant needs to first give context – the beginning of the story.

Percentages, statistics, data and facts and figures are valid tools to use in a job interview, as the numbers given can shock, inspire or create intrigue.

The framing of data creates a short-cut that influences how the employer hears the evidence, as a positive or negative. An example of this is the marketing frames food products use. One yogurt brand states “This yogurt contains 20% fat” and the other: “This yogurt is 80% fat-free Same information, different frame.

Humans like the numerous ways numbers are presented, as the data makes it easy to understand complex information.

The employer’s assumption is: ‘the numbers speak for themselves even though specific evidence may be missing.

Evolve the mind book on Amazon

Logical Sequence

A second barrier, during a recruitment process, for the short-term memory is being able to follow the interview answer and therefore understand the point the job applicant is making.

The lack of preparation, alongside the anxiety created in an interview environment, often results in interviewees vomiting meaningless information that doesn’t make logical sense.

When asked a question, the human brain is hard-wired to find a response.

In an article on Medium they said: “With the conditions set for the brain to respond to the question, there’s a rush of dopamine. This can have two opposite effects. On the one hand, it might trigger our reward mechanism and we are motivated to go in search of the answers. On the other hand, we might fear giving the wrong answer which makes it more difficult for us to think in a way that will help us provide a worthy response to the question.”

Once asked a question, it is hard for the mind to focus on anything but the question.

The rule of thumb is that an interviewee will be nervous, attempting to find a suitable response that won’t be rejected by the hiring manager.

It is the fear of rejection and the pressure of time, needing to respond to the question instantly, that results in a mind-dump. A mind-dump is when an applicant says whatever comes into their heads.

The problem here, is that humans think of options. If I ask you what restaurant would you like to eat at for your Birthday? You would probably think of several options.

This same thought process happens in a job interview. Once asked a question, the candidate will have several scenarios popping into conscious awareness.

A prepared and practice interviewee doesn’t suffer from a mind-dump, as the repetition of answering predicted questions creates an automatic response; the interviewee starts the delivery of the interview answer without conscious awareness.

What is often misunderstood is the logical sequence required for a high-scoring interview answer.

The nonsensical answer, is created by a splatter-gun approach of random bits of information, data and parts of stories, all confusing the employer.

By having a logical sequence, not only does the employer follow the answer clearly, the interviewee feels more confident.

The easiest format to follow is to:

  1. Always state a problem or barrier
  2. Explain specific actions taken
  3. Give a positive outcome of the actions taken

Job Interview Course in Manchester

Employment King delivers a number of job interview courses, including face-to-face courses in Manchester, virtual training sessions, and 1-2-1 online job interview coaching sessions.

The job interview workshops are designed around the 5 key aspects of a successful job interview:

The 3 Rules of a successful job interview

Increasing job interview and public speaking confidence

How to create high-scoring job interview answers

The psychology of job interviews – how to build rapport and the barriers of unconscious bias

Understanding your interview identity – how an employer views you during the recruitment process, based a new book of the same name

Job Interview Workshop Locations

Employment King delivers three types of job interview workshops

Job Interview Workshop

The course will cover the 3 key areas to create a successful job interview outcome:

  1. Identifying the job criteria
  2. Be a self-promoter
  3. Communicate with confidence

Sessions are delivered by Author and career advisor Chris Delaney will host a job interview workshop to help career professionals increase job offers, based on his new book ‘What is your interview identity‘.

Delaney will share his 20 years of experience to help you improve your job interview performance.

Identify the job criteria

  • Learn how to predict the job interview questions – gain the advantage of preparing high-scoring interview answers that meet the job criteria on the interview scorecard
  • Learn how to structure any interview answer – the interview structure, how you present your answer or example, is the key to gaining a high-scoring answer
  • Learn how the take advantage of the structured job interview – 99% of employers use a structured job interview process, by understanding the steps an employer goes through can help give better-scoring answers
  • Also, learn about the new style of 1st round job interviews, delivered by AI interview bots.

Be a self-promoter

  • Learn how language can impact the interview outcome – increase job offers by framing your experiences in a more positive way, showcasing your unique selling point
  • Learn how the interviewer perceives you – take the interview identity test, get feedback on how you are viewed as confident or nervous, professional or unprofessional, skilled or needing development
  • Learn how to sell yourself with each interview answer – job interview promotion is key to winning job roles. Gain an insight to what an employer views as being important

Communicate with confidence

  • Overcome interview anxiety quickly – increase confidence when speaking in job interviews using techniques from hypnotherapy, NLP, and solution-focused therapy
  • Increase communication confidence in face-to-face and virtual job interviews – mock interviews are the number one way to increase confidence. Feedback and reflection can double job interview confidence
  • Build rapport with interviewers to increase likeability – understand the psychology at play and what actions can improve rapport building

Chris will share research on the job interview process and explain the hidden psychology in play that neither the applicant or the interviewer is aware of, and how you can use this knowledge to your advantage.

Understand:

  • How unconscious bias affects the interview scorecard
  • What ‘what is beautiful is good’ bias is
  • Why a structured interview is better placed to predict job performance over an unstructured job interview.

Finally, you will get the chance to ask questions to help you pass your job interview.

Job Interview 1-2-1 Coaching

Employment King also offers 1-2-1 job interview coaching, delivered virtually by a video platform.

Who should attend a public speaker workshop?

  • Anyone who constantly fails job interviews
  • Anyone who fails to present their knowledge and experience
  • Anyone who lacks confidence
  • Anyone who struggles with public speaking
  • Anyone who can’t express themselves during their interview answers

Check for upcoming dates for the next job interview workshop here: upcoming workshops.

How to Answer Government Job Interview Questions

The UK government is one of the largest UK employers, recruiting career professionals in a range of industries from civil engineers to job center plus staff.

Government jobs include:

  • NHS jobs
  • Council jobs
  • Civil service positions
  • Law enforcement
  • Administration
  • Science and technology
  • Teachers
  • and many more

Source: Indeed Use the employmentking search box to find specific industry job interview questions and answers.

Total jobs stated that the average government job salary is £37499 but this is broad average and salary potential depends on the position and job location.

In short, there are a high number of government jobs across the UK with varying salaries.

For a successful job interview outcome, job applicants need to understand how the interview panel views them as employable or unemployable – the job applicants interview identity.

For high skilled roles; engineering, scientist, councilor, teacher, interviewees must be seen as high experience with a high level of confidence – a self assured interview identity or higher.

Step one: take the interview identity test.

For most government positions, applicants will be asked several questions to check elgibaility:

  1. Do you have a criminal record?
  2. Are you a UK resident?
  3. How long have you resided in the UK?
  4. Does any of your family work for (government) department?
  5. Do you have a (sector related) qualification?

Government hiring managers use a panel interview to create a fair recruitment process, all following the structured job interview process.

It is the structured job interview process, asking each applicant the same interview question in the same order and cross-referencing each answer against the job criteria on the interview scorecard, that helps the employer predict the job performance of each interviewee.

The interview panel, often 3-5 hiring managers, will receive a blind application. Information that can create an unconscious bias; applicants age, gender, religion, name of university, disabilities, attended is deleted from the application form.

The removing of non-job related information is designed to create a fairer interview process.

Government recruitment processes can have at least 3 interviews:

  1. Shifting interview – often a quick 15 minute telephone or video interview to check suitability
  2. Panel interview – a structured job interview often consisting of around 8-10 job interview questions
  3. Final interview – delivered often by a senior staff member to check skill level for the advertised role

Each individual position will have various job interview questions. Governemnt recruiters are trained to put job applicants at ease by creating a conversation prior to the start of the job interview.

The following questions that may be asked wont be scored on the interview scorecard. Instead, they are designed to get the job candidate to relax.

  • Did you have any trouble finding the office?
  • How was the drive over?
  • How was your weekend/week?

The hiring manger will then explain the government interview procedure. they will cover:

  • The duration of the interview
  • The number of questions that will be asked
  • The structured interview process
  • Who in the interview panel will ask what
  • That questions can be repeated
  • And that there will be a chance for the interviewee to ask the interview panel questions

There will be a mixture of generic and job specific interview questions.

Generic job interview questions

  • Tell me about your experience and how to relates to the role?
  • What are your greatest strengths?
  • Where do you see yourself in 5yrs time?
  • Tell me why you applied for this position?
  • What have you done to develop yourself in the past 12 months?

Industry specific job interview questions

  • Give me an example of completing (job task)?
  • What would you if (sector related problem) occurred?
  • Do you have an example of collaborating/working within team?
  • What does (sector related term/technology) mean to you?
  • If you where working on (job task) and (problem) happened, what procedure would you follow?

Why a government role interview questions

  • Tell me about your first government position? (often used internal progression job interviews)
  • What has inspired you to work for the government?
  • What do you think working in a government department would be like?
  • Do you know the mission of this government department?
  • How did you find out about the (government) department?

Government interview questions and answers

Why have you chosen to apply for a government position?

Hiring managers want to hire skilled applicants who have an ambition to work for the government, compared to just wanting the role, as the outcome is often a highly-motivated team.

Interview Template:

“I have always wanted to work within a government department, so that my skills can be used to make a difference to improve the lives of the public. I have a wide range of experience related to the (position) which includes (detail experience related to the job criteria). I know that together we will be able to achieve the (department objective)”

What made you apply for a position in this department?

Employers need to know that a potential employee has the skills, knowledge and experiences to be a virtual part of the team. This question is more about the actual duties, rather then answering the question focusing on why you applied for a government role. As an example, a civil engineer would answer by relating to engineering experience more then wanting to be part of the civil service.

Interview Template:

“With over X number of years experience working as a (job role) I am also qualified as a (state qualification). My previous experience include (state job duties and responsibilities) I am always drawn to roles that meet my skills and experiences, but that can also challenge me. I applied specifically for this department because (give reason).”

What do expect to do on a daily basis?

Questions relating to business-as-usual tasks are designed to test competencies and knowledges. Only a skilled and experienced career professional will have a deep understanding of the role. The more an applicant can express knowledge of the job role the higher they will be scored on the interview scorecard.

Interview Template:

“The 3 main responsibilities for this role include (A, B and C) To ensure that I meet my job objectives I would, on a daily basis, focus my time and energy on (duty one – detail required actions, duty two – detail required actions, duty 3 – detail required actions). In addition, I know there will be times when i will be required to (additional task), for this part of my job I would reply on my previous experience of (add past experience) with will allow me to (actions you will take) Overall I am highly experienced in this line of work and can take on any tasks relating to this position.”

Evolve the mind book on Amazon

Do you have any questions for us?

  • Could the department be effected by any upcoming elections or budget cuts?
  • How do collaborate with other government departments?
  • How is success measured within the department?
  • Do new staff undertake any training?
  • Why do you enjoy working in a government department?

5 Most Common Asked Interview Questions for a Christmas Job

As Christmas approaches, the number of advertised, temporary and part-time, jobs shoots up the Christmas chimney.

In a recent article in the Mirror, they explain how some well known brands are hiring thousands of Christmas staff:

  • Amazon to recruit over 20,000 extra staff
  • Royal Mail, as they do each Christmas, are taking on another 17000 roles in England, 1,800 in Scotland, 650 in Wales and 500 in Northern Ireland
  • And Tescos, Morrisons and Aldi to hire a collective 55000 staff members

This article will teach you how best to answer Christmas job interview questions.

When to apply for a Christmas job?

Applying for a temporary Christmas position is relatively easy.

With employers often recruiting high numbers of staff within a short period of time, the hiring manager will make the application process as simple as possible.

Most organizations will request a CV before inviting candidates to an informal job interview or even a group recruitment day.

Recruitment periods, for Xmas jobs, are between September and November, with some employers hiring all the way into December – especially retailers who also recruit for the increase in shoppers during the January sales.

The golden rule for applying for festive position, is to apply early.

How long does a Christmas job last for?

On average, temporary Christmas roles last around 3-4 months, with a variety of full or part-time hours.

For some employees the part-time position can be the gateway to be offered a full time role. But this is only for a small percentage of workers.

Temporary job roles, recruiting for the lead up to Christmas include:

  • Delivery drives – this is at the highest this year
  • Retailers
  • Marketing
  • Hospitality and catering
  • The voluntary sector
  • Warehouse and packaging
  • Postal delivery workers
  • Ski instructors (working aboard)
  • And of course, Santa Claus in a shopping center

Christmas Job Interviews

Throughout the year, most companies adopt a structured job interview process when recruiting new staff.

As mentioned, employers for their Christmas time hiring may need to boost staffing levels by their thousands. An increase in recruitment over a short period of time, requires a quicker or simpler hiring process.

With time being of the essence, recruiters often adopt the informal, or unstructured, job interview process.

An unstructured job interview, is an informal conversation between the employer and applicant, to check that the interviewee has the required skills and qualities for the advertised role.

Unlike a full-time professional job, where the future employee needs to prove they can add value to the team and business, the temporary Christmas position requires (in most cases) additional staff to keep up with demand – more hands on deck!

During the interview, the employer is looking for the following skills and qualities:

  • Time management
  • Work ethic
  • Team work
  • Multi-tasking
  • Communication skills
  • For many Festive jobs; customer service skills
  • Basic numeracy and literacy

Employers don’t require the following for a temporary Christmas job:

  • Long term project planning skills
  • Creative problem-solving skills
  • Strategic focus

In short, employers are looking for a good fit – someone who can complete business as usual tasks, during a busy period, without requiring to much training and development.

Christmas Jobs: Interview Questions and Answers

Below are 5 of the most commonly asked festive job interview questions and a breakdown of how an applicant can answer each question.

The templated answers, along with a confident interview manner, will result in an increase in job offers.

The interview process

The interview will start with the employer explaining the reason why they are hiring new staff members. Often the interviewer will stat the number of vacancies, which can be in their thousands, the locations of the job roles, the duration of the part-time contract and the potential hours of the role.

Next, the interviewer will state the interview procedure. The duration of the interview, which in most cases for a temporary xmas role, will be 30 minutes. That the interview is informal – they want to get to know the applicant, and when each applicant will be informed of the outcome to their interview – which could be within a few days or, in some cases, a few hours.

Questions and Answers

When using the interview answer template, add your own skills, qualities and experiences to your answer.

What do you know about the role?

The employer asking the ‘what do you know about the role’ question want to check if the applicant has a grasp on the duties they will be required to perform.

Even better, if the candidate can reference their skills, qualities and experiences relating to the business-as-usual tasks in their interview answer, they are more likely to be seen as a suitable fit.

Remember, due to the high number of required staff, job applicants aren’t in competition with other interviewees over one position. Instead, the interviewee only needs to communicate their competencies confidently to gain a job offer.

Interview Template:

“Before applying for (position) at (company name) I looked into the job role and what skills and experiences you would require. I know as an example that the main duties are (A, B and C). As you can see from my application form that I have X number of years experience as a (relevant job role) where I was responsible for (detail relevant job duties) To summaries, I have a good understanding of the role, and various skills that will help me collaborate successfully with you to complete all the required tasks.”

The positions is only for X months, does this suit your situation?

One concern hiring managers have when mass recruiting, is the fact that a percentage of the new staff may potentially leave before their 3-4 month contract is up.

Reassurance, then is key. If an employer believes an applicant has the correct skills and qualities for the role, and is highly likely to stick the job out, they are likely to be hired.

Interview Template:

“Yes certainly. I have been looking for a (X) month contract as this suits my current situation. I am currently (give situation IE on leave from University etc) for 3 months and looking to gain some experience in (add skill relating to the job role IE customer service). I am also very flexible with my contract and hours, so if I am needed for a little longer I would be happy to discuss this.”

How flexible are you in terms of your working hours?

Christmas time for employers is busy.

On top of this staff will ring in sick as the flu cases rise over the winter period. And the nature of part-time and temporary contracts result in staff leaving before the contract end dates runs out.

In short, employer on certain days will need to call on other member of staff to help out.

Ideally, the successful candidates, as well as having the required experience, will also have a flexible attitude towards working hours.

Interview Template:

“I know that this time of year is really busy in (job sector) and that you will occasionally need people to work additional hours. I have a flexible approach and if I can I am always happy to help out. In my last job I would often be called upon to work extra hours during busy times, and i was always happy to be of help.”

Give me an example of doing X

Part of all job interviews for all temporary Christmas jobs will be a number of ‘example’ questions.

To help predict the candidates skills and abilities, interviewers will asked questions based on past behaviors:

“Tell me about a time you did X?”

“Have you dealt with Y?”

“Give me an example of working within a team?”

To answer the various worded versions of the ‘example’ question applicants can use the SAP model:

  • Situation
  • Action
  • Positive Outcome

All you do is describe, in detail, the situation relating to the interview question: “when working at X, we had (situation)…”

Importantly, ensure you state the actions YOU took to solve the situation: “…to solve the situation I did A, B and C…”

End with the positive outcome: “…my actions resulted in (positive outcome)”

Evolve the mind book on Amazon

Do you have any questions for me?

For a professional interview, the questions an applicant would ask at the end of a job interview would be around company growth, company culture and long term objectives.

For a temporary Christmas role, the questions can be short term focused:

  • When are you looking for new staff to start?
  • Is there any training for temporary staff?
  • Where will I be based?
  • Is there any opportunity for working extra hours?
  • What will be my main responsibilities?

How to Answer the Interview Question ‘What can you bring to the team?’

The ‘what can you bring to the team’ is one of the best job interview questions any experienced career professional can be asked.

Why?

The openness of the question allows a skilled interviewee to sell themselves by discussing a skill, quality or experience that would be hard to embedded into an interview answer for a more specific recruitment question such as a ‘give me an example of….’

Open job interview questions, which include:

  • Tell me about yourself?
  • What are your strengths?
  • Why should we hire you?

The barriers and pitfalls to the open interview question

One of the most common mistakes when answering ‘open’ questions, is the tendency to list items.

As an example, for the ‘why do you want to work here?’ open interview question, an applicant may reply with the following list: “Because I like the company, it has a good reputation, and I have always wanted to work.”

It is similar with the ‘strengths’ question: “My strengths include teamwork, the ability to get things done and my work ethic”.

‘Listing’ is a technique that works when embedded into a more detailed job interview answer. As a solo technique it often doesn’t result in a high-scoring answer.

The second pitfall that many nervous job applicants fall into, is the unintentional rambling problem.

Unintentional rambling is common in a job interview because the interviewee knows that they should be giving a longer answer.

As an example, when asked ‘why should we hire you?’ the nervous applicant panics as they search for a high-scoring interview answer.

Initially, they reply using the listing method: “I am highly skilled, experience and qualified.”

Realizing that they need to add more meat to the bone, the candidate adds a second list: “..Also, I’m good with people, a strong communicator and a good listener.”

At this point panic takes over, firing the flight or fight mode, with the interviewee splurting out irrelevant information: “…I am also good at administration, tidying up and making cups of tea!”

You may have done this yourself. You return from an interview and think: ‘What was I saying in there?’

The key to avoid rambling is having a interview answer structure.

Interview Answer Structure

Getting back to the interview question in-hand, before I start going off topic as well!!

Open questions allow the applicant to state whatever it is they want to discuss.

It is key, then, to be a self-promoter during the answering of this question. In fact, all three rules of a successful job interview come into play during the ‘what can you bring to the team?’ interview question.

To plan a high-scoring answer, think about:

  • What does the current employer need, or what problem are they facing (and do you have the solution, skills or expertise?)
  • What is the culture of the company?
  • How can you frame your unique selling point and expertise to be relevant to the interview panel?

To answer the interview question, each applicant must discuss the following three points during the interview answer:

  • An understanding of the job role/duties
  • Sector related experience/knowledge
  • Personal qualities

Below is a breakdown of the interview structure, which needs to be edited to fit the job sector and experiences of each individual job applicant:

Start the answer by referencing a key area of the job role. name a specific duty or industry problem.

Second, explain how you have experience in this area or highlight a relevant skill set.

Finally, end by focusing in on your personal skills and qualities.

Interview Answer Template:

Interviewer: “Tell me what you can bring to the team?”

Interviewee:

“After working in this industry for X number of years, one of the most common problems we face is (add sector related problem) The (problem) is an issue as it (add the negative effects of the problem)….”

“….My experience in (job role/dealing with the problem) has taught me (explain in detail what actions are required to overcome the problem) This is one of the things I can bring to the team, the ability to (summarise how your expertise/experience can overcome the industry problem)….”

“….In addition, I am able to (add second skill or experience relating to the job role/duties). An example of this was when I was working for X organisation and we were tasked to (achieve a goal). To meet the (objective) I (explain steps taken/actions took) which resulted in (outcome)…”

“…To summarise, I can (point 1) and (point 2). And my (add personal qualities/skills, ideally relevant to the company culture)”.

Evolve the mind book on Amazon

What makes an interview answer effective?

Research has shown what elements help to create a high-scoring interview answer, tehy include:

  • A structured interview answer
  • A higher number of words per answer
  • Varying tonality during the interview answer to help maintain interest
  • A confident delivery style
  • Positive language (nervous applicants will self-disclose weaknesses)

A Quick Guide to Answering Job Interview Questions

A large number of job seekers fear the recruitment process, believing that they wont be able to produce a high-scoring job interview answer in the pressurised environment of a job interview.

The truth is, high-scoring job interview answers come from giving specific details. Being confident during the job interview helps with this, as confidence creates relaxation, and being relax helps to stimulate the minds memory functions.

In the main, interviewers across all job sectors follow a similar interview process. By understanding the job interview process, and by predicting the job interview questions, job applicants to prepare high-scoring interview answers.

This article will give a quirk guide on how to answer each of the various job interview questions, a job applicant may be asked during the job interview.

Opening questions

Employers understand that interviewees will be nervous during the recruitment process.

It is also well known that, the more somebody speaks the more confident they become in expressing themselves.

With this in mind, a hiring manager will start of the job interview asking open questions before asking more specific questions, requiring longer and more detailed answers.

Bare in mind, each job interview answer is scored against the criteria on the job interview scorecard. Meaning that each answer, even for the initial opening questions, must reference the job criteria to receive a high mark.

The most commonly asked open-ended job interview question is:

“Tell me a little about yourself?”

To answer the ‘tell me about you’ question, answer using a three point process:

  • State the number of years experience in the industry – as duration is associated with competence
  • Reference any industry-related questions – as having academic qualifications are viewed as being knowledgeable
  • Talk using industry jargon – the use of sector related communication has a strong implication of how the employer views the applicants overall suitability

In addition, explain what you can bring to the team – your unique selling points

The second most commonly asked job interview question is:

“Why do you want to work at this organisation?”

The ‘why us’ question has nothing to do with the applicants suitability to complete the job duties, as other interview questions cover this essential criteria. Instead the ‘why us’ question is about employee retention.

Employers ask retention questions due to the average number of years an employee stays within one company.

Research has shown how most career professionals will job-hop once every 3-5 years.

From an employers perspective, having a regularly changing workforce is bad for business. The first 12 months in any job is about the employee becoming familiar with the company processes, procedures and company culture.

The second year helps the employee become competent with business-as-usual duties.

And, in the third year, the employee then starts sharing ideas and bring new suggestions (or business) If the employee starts looking for a new job by year three, from a business perspective, the employer hasn’t gotten value for money.

When answering the ‘why us’ question:

  • Talk passionately about the company vision, mission and values
  • Quote positive stories about the company from the local media
  • Be specific, explain why you would fit in well to the company culture

To prepare for the ‘why us’ question research is virtual.

“Give me an example of X”

Behavioral job interview questions, are interview questions that are framed as a past behavior:

  • “What did you do in (past) situation?”
  • “Give me an example of (a past time you did X)?”
  • “Tell me about a time when you (completed a previous task/duty)?”
  • “Describe a past project?”
  • “What has been your key career achievements?”

Employers, therefore, are looking for the job candidate to describe a past real-life scenario.

The job interview answers for most behavioral job interview questions will be an ‘example’ or a ‘story’.

One of the biggest mistakes, when using the example storytelling technique, is a lack of specific actions.

What i mean by this, is that the interviewee will forgot to state the actual actions they took as an individual, and instead will talk about the ‘team’ or worse, not even mention the required actions to achieve a goal or objective.

To give a high-scoring example answer:

  1. Describe the past problem or goal to company/team was facing
  2. State at least 3 actions you took
  3. Explain the positive outcome from the stated actions

In the actions section, job applicants can discuss/expain:

  • Their decision making process
  • Influencing stakeholders
  • Delegation
  • Actions taken
  • Reflection techniques

“How would you approach X?”

Competency based job interview questions are part of a structured job interview process. A competency based interview question can take the shape of a ‘behavioral’ question, as described above, or as a future scenario – which is better known as a ‘situational’ job interview question.

Examples include:

  • “What would you do if (industry related problem) happened?”
  • “How would you approach (sector task)?”
  • “How would you handle a disagreement with your manager?”

The idea behind the hypothetical questions, is that it allows the job applicant to share ideas and suggestions from lessons learnt, transferable skills/innovations from a different sector and to describe a new approach they would take, rather then having to describe a past process from a previous role (as required with a behavioral job interview questions).

Hypothetical interview questions can be answered by:

  • Giving options to highlight breath of knowledge – “In this situation there are two choices”
  • State the pro’s and cons for each option to show competencies – “…the positive for choice one is….but the negative is….”
  • Share experience – “…in my experience I would choose (option 1 or 2) because (state reason).”
Evolve the mind book on Amazon

Technical Interview Questions.

Another type of job interview question that is asked under the ‘structured’ job interview process are the ‘technical’ questions.

Technical job interview questions are designed to test the applicants knowledge and knowhow.

They key to delivering high-scoring technical job interview answers is through confident communication.

Industry models, theories and concepts must be explained in an easy to understand (and follow) manner.

It is best to give a logical, sequential and step by step answer (imagine explaining the technicality to a non-expert).

Technical questions look like:

  • “What does (industry term) mean?”
  • “Explain what (industry technology) does?”
  • “When would you (complete a certain duty/task/step)?

It is important to give detail to highlight sector knowledge and experience, which supports the creation of a positive interview identity:

Closing Questions.

Towards the interview end, employers will finish by asking a few questions around the applicants motivation (or working style):

  • “How do you work best?”
  • “What does a successful day look like to you?”
  • “How do you motivate yourself?”

The ‘personal’ questions are asked to check if the candidate is a fit with the organisational culture.

As previously mentioned, employers are looking to hire someone who is likely to stay with the company for a number of years. Research shows, how by hiring an applicant who would naturally fit-in well with the company culture is more likely to stay within that job role.

When answering the ‘personal’ questions, bets practice says to be yourself – be open and truthful.

In addition, to stating preferences, the applicant can gain additional points on the interview scorecard by following up the stated preferences with an example of (interview question).

The final question is always: “Do you have any questions for us?”

Even though job applicants aren’t scored on the the final ‘what would you like to ask us?’ interview questions, it is virtual to ask something. In fact, a good question can make the applicant highly memorable.

Example Questions to Ask:

  • “Do you have any future plans to expand the company?”
  • “Why do you like working here?”
  • “What is the most challenging part of the role?”
  • “What is the projected income for the next 12 months?”
  • “What would I be doing in the first 5 months of the role?”
  • “What is the average duration of an employee working at the company?”
  • “Can you tell me a little bit more about the company culture?”
  • “How do you evaluate success?”
  • “What is the company’s policy on personal development and training?”
  • “Where do you see the company being in 5 years time” 

Public Speaking Course in Manchester

Employment King deliver public speaking courses in Manchester (live) and to the whole world (virtually).

Virtual public speaking is an in-demand skill due to an increase in use of virtual meetings, video job interviews and online recruitment events and conferences.

Full Day Public Speaking Workshop

During the full-day workshop you will learn the 3 key elements to become a confident public speaker:

“Mind, Body and Voice”.

Mind.

Confidence creates a charismatic speaker.

If you are filled with anxiety and fear the though of speaking in front of others, you will never persuade, inform or entertain an audience.

  • Learn how to overcome your inner anxiety and your inner critique
  • Learn how to remove any negative self-talk that kills your confidence
  • Learn how to feel confident and powerful when speaking on stage

Body.

Poster is power.

The way you stand, move and express yourself creates stage authority or stage fright.

  • Understand how to use the mind-body cycle to create confidence
  • Understand how to communicate with gestures, posture and expressions, reinforcing your verbal communication
  • Understand how to create your own power voice to be seen as a compelling speaker

Voice.

Its not what you say, its how you say it.

Motivational speakers engage the audience with the rhythm of their voice, entertaining crowds with their volume, pace and tonality.

  • Create your own speaker voice that will win over an audience
  • Create authority with a confident communication style
  • Create memorable moments through masterful oration

Who should attend a public speaker workshop?

  • Anyone who constantly fails job interviews
  • Anyone who presents on a regular basis in work
  • Anyone who has a big speech or presentation coming up
  • Anyone who lack self-esteem and personal confidence
  • Anyone who is looking for a self-development opportunity

Request a list of upcoming dates for the public speaking workshop via the form below:

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Gen Z and Careers

    Generation Z – Gen Z people, are those born between 1997 and 2012.

    As the first Gen Zs start to progress into the workforce, we ask – “what jobs will Gen Zs apply for?”

    First, to understand the jobs that Gen Zs will have, you need to understand the common barriers Gen Zs will face during their career progression.

    In this article we will cover:

    • The future job market
    • Growth job sectors
    • The global talent market
    • Creating multiple income streams
    • How do I choose a job

    The future job market

    Technology, globalisation, and AI have created a fast-changing job market.

    In the next ten years, Gen Zs will be applying for jobs that currently don’t exist.

    With the likes of Elong Musk and Richard Branson designing, building, and launching their own rockets, jobs in space is no longer a futuristic idea. It’s happening right now.

    Other job roles will disappear.

    Some will simply no longer be required, but others will be automated – completed by robots. A Fortune recent article said that: “robots will replace 40% of jobs in the next 15 years”.

    This could include many low to medium-skilled jobs. Already, Amazon-fresh has opened it’s just walk out’ shop, allowing shoppers to purchase goods without having to wait in a long queue to pay for their groceries, removing the need to hire checkout operators.

    Robots and technology will be used in dangerous industries such as fire fighting, mining, and on the battlefield.

    In many of these sectors, robots and humans will work side by side with the machine tackling the most hazardous part of the task.

    In an article earlier this year on The Guardian, they explained how: “Thirty thousand “robot soldiers” could form an integral part of the British army in the 2030s”.

    Already, AI is used in HR (Human Resources) reducing the number of humans required to complete business as usual tasks. AI is employed to scan job applicants’ application forms and even to conduct online job interviews.

    Growth job sectors.

    To predict what jobs will be available for Gen Z job seekers, forecasters look at future demands, and what jobs will be required to produced the ‘demand’.

    Sarah Dillon in a recent article on the ladders listed 10 possible growth sectors

    1. Data science
    2. Software development
    3. Healthcare
    4. Artificial Intelligence
    5. Mental health
    6. Sales
    7. Digital designers
    8. Marketing
    9. Finance
    10. Education

    Some experts believe that a new industrial revolution is on its way.

    With AI, nanotechnology, genetics, automation, 3D printing, science, and all things STEM creating new ways to solve problems, the world is changing at a rapid rate.

    HR Technologist explained the 5 drivers of change:

    • The rise of technology
    • Social and demographic chnages
    • Connectedness
    • A global talent market
    • Man-Machine collaberation

    The global talent market.

    The job market has always been competitive.

    The difference fro Gen Z job applicants is the number of people applying for the same advertised position.

    Prior to the launch of online applications, job seekers had to handwrite a lengthy job application form. The time this took, as well as the number of hours search then ‘job column’ in a newspaper or traveling to business to physically hand-in your CV, resulted in a lower number of applications per vacancy.

    The average number of applications per vacancy was around 25.

    Once online applications became the new way to apply for job roles, career professionals, uploading CVs and copying and pasting application forms, could quickly apply for a number of different roles in quick succession.

    Today, the average number of applications per role is around 250. But for global companies; Google, Microsoft, Telsa, the average number of applications is in the thousands.

    To summarise, the job marketing is changing.

    But this is nothing new. The job market is a living beast, always shifting, evolving based on a number of drivers of change which can also include global economics, customer demand, and technology.

    These drivers of change can help Gen Z job seekers predict future job growth sectors.

    Applying for a position is more competitive than ever before. And applicants may be interviewed by robots not humans.

    This new era of work is leading Gen Z career professionals to have multiple income streams.

    Creating multiple income streams.

    Having multiple jobs or incomes is the new norm.

    Gen Z’s have grown up with their bedrooms filled with technology, with a virtual set of friends, and half their life spent online.

    For the Gen Z, having a virtual job, either as a second income or a full-time position is an obvious solution.

    The online position may include:

    • Creating a second income from a blog, podcast or youtube channel
    • Selling goods on an Etsy channel is relatively easy, often with low overheads
    • Offering services on fiver or getting finacial backing for an idea or product through kickstarter can create massive earnings

    The days of working in one organization for life have long gone, even among the older workforce. The banking crisis and Covid have shown how unexpected events can kill careers.

    Young people have many interests, many skills, many options. Having multiple jobs can be creative, challenging and creates choice.

    If one job doesn’t work out, the Gen Z worker can leave while still having an income from a second or third career. 

    Gen Z understands the global market and will work for companies in various countries.

    How to choose a job?

    Salary is still a career motivator for many people.

    But Gen Zs are also interested in the ethics of an organization, their values, and mission.

    Whereas an older career professional may have the belief that you should accept the job based on the salary alone, Gen Z job applicants will reflect on their work-life balance, the environment they will be working in, what freedom they will have in the job, and if their personal values meet the values of the employer.

    Evolve the mind book on Amazon

    This new outlook affects employers.

    On average, career professionals only stay in a job for an average of 3-5 years. Compared to the Gen Zs grandparents who would have had a ‘job for life’.

    This is why employers, especially in sectors where there are more jobs than applicants, or in growth sectors, or industries with an aging workforce, will work hard to increase staff retention.

    This is why tech companies looking to recruit the youth, have flexible working hours. In these companies, you can bring your dog to work, have a nap in a ‘sleeping bay’ or take a duvet day whenever you require one.