Common Asked Housing Officer Questions

A housing officer will often be employed for housing associations or the local authority, supporting clients with the assessment of needs in terms of housing applications.

The housing officer may also specialise in working with homeless people and/or service users with additional needs.

How competitive is a Housing Officer job Interview?

Medium in competitiveness

Interview Specifics

Structural job interview last 45 minutes with 8 interview questions being asked

This article will list the commonly asked job interview questions for a housing officer.

By understanding the job interview structure and by knowing the commonly asked housing officer interview questions, applicants can prepare answers that highlight their level of competencies within this industry.

Common Asked Housing  Officer Interview Questions 

Can you tell me about your housing officer experience?

This housing officer interview question is asked for two reasons; 1 it is an open question to get you talking/feeling relax at the job interview start. 2, to gain a general overview of your experience (generic because the follow-up questions will go into more detail)

To answer this job interview question, start by summarising your experience as a housing officer, your relevant qualifications and a key unique skill relevant to the industry – something that makes you stand out, this could be a specialism you have IE working to house homeless service users.

How do you assess the needs of a client?

This interview question is key because this is the crux of the job role.

Split this answer into two sections. Section one is your people skills; explain how you build rapport, how you use effective listening skills, how open and closed questions have a powerful impact, and how you remain calm in stressful situations. Give a short example to highlight your level of expertise and competencies.

Section two should explain the interview structure; the questions you should ask, the information you need to collate, and how you follow GDPR, data protection and confidentiality legislation.

What does customer service mean to you?

You may be asked several customer services-related interview questions.

In the housing association sector often the service users can be stressed or angry. Some service users may have alcohol or drug addiction. In some cases, you will be speaking to clients who are struggling with finances and have been turned down for financial support.

When answering interview questions relating to customer service and communication,  explain how you can handle these situations;

What was the situation – why was the service user angry or upset?

How did you handle the situation – what did you say or do to help calm down the client?

What was the positive outcome – how did the client respond to you?

What do you look for during a housing inspection?

Competency-based job interview questions require you to fall back on your experience.

Give an example of when you have carried out an inspection that had issues (you need to pick an inspection with issues to show that you can deal with this in a professional way)

In the example explain what you look for during a general inspection, the inspection process you follow and quote safeguarding regulations, and how you, when required, challenge a service user.

Follow this up with the example “one time during an inspection I saw…” Give details of what you found, the potential safeguarding issue, and what you did to address this

How would you have a positive effect on your colleagues and team? 

A big part of the housing officers’ job criteria is to have the ability to work as part of a close-knit team. You will be asked one way or another about your ability to work within a team.

Open the teamwork answer by simply explaining how you enjoy working as part of a team and how in all previous housing roles teamwork has been an important aspect of the role. This opening confirmation statement shows how you have this required skill.

Now you have ticked the ‘teamwork’ box, you need to give a real-life example. A good frame for this job interview answer is to give a ‘helper’ perspective.

Describe how a colleague was having a problem with a housing issue and how this problem affected the output of the whole team.

Go on to describe how you took action and explain the action you took. Follow this up with the positive outcome focusing on how the whole team benefited from your quick actions.

You can also talk about the larger team – in this role, you will need to work with a range of agencies and stakeholders, including social services, jobcentre plus, citizens’ advice service.

Which other agencies would you refer a service user to? 

Part of a housing officer’s job role is to work with the tenants to help them to be successful.

To be effective in this job duty you will need to work with, signpost or refer to a large number of partner agencies from social services to the local job center, from doctor surgeries to career advice officers.

In your answer list the relevant agencies you would partner with and give an example of when you would make a referral compared to signposting.

The example has to be specific. First, explain the service users situation and the key block that was holding them back. Explain the limitations of your roles and how the service user required expert advice.

Go on to explain how the service user had attempted to get support but had failed. End the interview answer by stating what you did to ensure the client got the support and advice they required.

Do you have any questions for me?

A guaranteed question is the “do you have any questions for me?” question. And your answer should be YES! Always ask a question.

Good questions to ask in a housing officer job interview are;

  • What is your approach to supporting service users with their many barriers?
  • What development opportunities do you have to help upskill a housing officer?
  • How many hostels/houses do the organisations look after?
  • What is the best part of your day?

Common Asked Retail Questions

 

Retail is one of the biggest industries in the UK, recruiting entry-level to senior leadership staff, with lots of opportunities for progression for motivated employees.

 

This article will give you the commonly asked job interview questions in retail (sales staff, check out operators)

By understanding the job interview structure and by knowing the commonly asked retail questions you can easily prepare for a winning job interview, securing you the job.

On average you will be interviewing against  10 other applicants (also be aware that many large retail organisations will first host a group interview selection day)

 

dealing with criticise

Common Asked Retail Job Interview Questions 

  1. Can you tell me about your retail experience?

This retail question is asked for two reasons; 1 it is an open question to get you talking/feeling relax. 2 to gain a general overview of your potential as an employee

Answer this question by summarising your retail experience and state your unique selling point

2.  What is do you know about this organisation?

This question is rarely asked in other industries but is still a commonly asked interview question in the retail industry.

The reason is, retail companies have a brand, a brand that the customer buys into. They are looking for staff that fit this brand, staff that believe in the brand and staff that have a passion for what they sell.

If you know (and are enthusiastic) about the brand you will sell more goods

3. What does customer service mean to you?

You may be asked several customer services related interview questions. The customer is king, as the old saying goes.

If an interviewer asked this question then you are applying for a retail company that values its customers. Many retail companies will want to build a relationship with their customer base as this increase customer loyalty which increases sales

You need to answer this question by explaining how the employee’s customer service skills have a direct impact on sales because customer service increase sales as we have described above

4. Give an example of when you have turned around an angry customer?

A typical customer related job interview question for most retail job interviews. The approach here is simple; first, make it easy for the interviewer to understand the situation – so many interviewees miss this section of the interview question strategy.

Explain in one or two sentences what happened, the reason the customer was unhappy.

Next, give 3 actions you took to resolve this situation and finally explain the positive outcome, often the best perspective for this part of this strategy is to tell it from the customer’s point of view

5. How would you have a positive effect on your colleagues and team? 

A big part of the job applicants’ job criteria is to have the ability to work as part of a close-knit team. You will be asked one way or another about your ability to work within a team.

Start this answer by simply explaining how you enjoy working as part of a team. Now you have ticked this box you need to give a real-life example. A good frame for this job interview answer is to give a helper perspective.

Describe how a colleague was having a problem and how this problem affected the output of the whole team. Go on to describe how you took action and explain the action you took. Follow this up with the positive outcome focusing on how the whole team benefited from your quick actions

6. What would you do if you saw a co-worker being rude to a customer?

Retail job interviews are full of “what if..” questions, often relating to teamwork and/or customer service.

A good way to approach the what-if question is to state how this has happened to you, before going on to explain how you handled the situation.

Again like the questions above, state the situation, the actions you took and the positive outcome you achieved.

7. If a customer brought a product and wanted a refund what would you do? 

Another example of the “what if” question.

To approach customer service questions, think about the situation from the customer’s perspective. What service would you want to receive in this situation?

Start by explaining how good customer service is important to you and how good customer service has a positive impact on the profit of the organization – this shows you understand the business as well as the customer service side of things

A reference that you would follow the companies processes and procedures but no matter what they are you would make the customer feel valued and listened to.

8. Do you have any questions for me?

A guaranteed question is the “do you have any questions for me?” question. And your answer should be YES! Always ask a question. Good questions to ask in retail job interviews are;

  • are you looking to expand
  • what is your approach to customer service
  • how do you develop staff
  • what is the team like
  • what is the best part of your day

8 Job Interview Questions for a Supply Planner

8 Commonly Asked Job Interview Questions in a Supply Planner Job Interview.

A supply planner’s role is to work with customers, suppliers and partners to transfer required goods from the suppliers to the customer. Key duties include planning delivery times often from global companies, taking and monitoring inventories, negotiating with suppliers and customers and overseeing the whole supply chain process

During the supply chain job interview you need to give examples to identify that you possess these key skills and experiences. The following supply planner job interveiw questions and example answers can be used to help you prepare for your next interview.

The key to passing job interviews in preparation and practice, this sounds obvious but is often overlooked, with the average interviewee spending around only 60 minutes preparing for their job interview.

This article will help you to prepare and to pass your next supply planner job interview in 2 separate ways.

1. You will learn the 8 most commonly asked interview questions for a supply planner position.

2. You will be given an explanation of the type of answer the interviewer is looking for ( a guide to what the employer wants you to discuss )

Job Interview Questions for a Supply Planner.

Job Interview Question 1: 

“Please tell me about your experience in the supply chain industry” 

To answer this opening job interview question, start with a general opening statement which should include yoru duration in the industry, your highest relevant qualification and your specialism

Next, summarise your supply planner experience and have a focus on the key skills required for this position;

  • Your expertise (niche)
  • Your values 
  • Your key skills (as discussed above) 

Finish by explaining why you enjoy working as a supply planner.

Job Interview Question 2: 

“How do you ensure you have enough stock in readiness for potential customers?” 

You will be asked several situation interview questions. Start answering this question by explaining how you have experience completing this duty “this is a common situation that I deal with on a regular basis…”

Next, follow this up with an example

“..in my current role in X, we know that X product will always be in demand. In preparation for this I…(add what you currently do to maintain a regular stock balance)

Job Interview Question 3: 

“Give an example of supporting a customer who had a last-minute request”

When asked a ‘customer support’ interview question, the organisation you are applying for a position with deem customer satisfaction as important.

For situation interview questions you can use the storytelling technique:

Start by stating the customer’s demand and why they required X.

Next, explain what you did (not the company) to support the client; negotiated with suppliers, communicated actions with the customer, resolved the issue

Finally, give a positive outcome – how you solved the issue and how the customer increase orders due to your ability to solve issues.

Job Interview Question 4: 

“Give an example of negotiating with a supplier”

Start by setting the scene. Why did you need to negotiate? Was this a new or current supplier?

Next describe a 3 step negotiation process that you used (3 steps makes it simple for the interviewer to follow your process ) “I use a 3 step model, first I X, Then Y and finally Z..”

An example of this is: step A – I discussed previous collaboration, Step B – made an offer for the supplier, stating that if we got the goods at the stated price I would start to use the supplier as an approved supplier increasing orders and Step 3 – confirmed details; order number, delivery date.

End by giving a positive outcome from your negotiation skills.

 

Job Interview Question 5: 

“Have you ever had to problem solve?”

This question is commonly asked in a supply planner interview, as this skill is highly desirable.

Open by stating how you have had to problem solve on a regular basis, as this highlights a level of competencies.

Follow this with a real-life example – make this relevant to the organisation you are applying to.

State problem, the actions you took and the outcome.

Job Interview Question 6: 

“How do you keep an accurate inventory?”

You will have a well-embedded process for this task in your current supply planner position.

Don’t just state that everything is recorded on a PC, the employer here is looking for how you ensure accuracy.

Many organisations have shut down weeks or monthly stock takes. You need to explain how you search for errors, the quality check process, and how you resolve problems and project demand.

Job Interview Question 7:

“Do you know anything about this organisation?”

Often one of the first questions you will be asked during a supply planner job interview.

Employers want employees who will stay with the company – your answer will show the employer that you know the company’s history showing that you have applied for the position because you want to work for their organisation. 

It also shows the employer that you think ahead and can conduct research. Answer this question with:

  • The length the organisation has been operating for.
  • How the company started
  • What services the company offers
  • Where they are going (have they won any new contracts

All this information is normally found on the internet; on the company home page or about us page.

Job Interview Question 8:

“Do you have any questions for me?”

Good interview questions to ask interviewers at the end of the job interview include questions on the company growth or expansion, questions on personal development and training and questions on company values, staff retention and company achievements.

Interview Preparation Resources

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8 Job Interview Questions for an Advice Worker

Job Interview for an Advice Worker 

The advice and support sector is a growth industry, often with the advice worker specialising in a particular niche.

Advice workers need to have a high level of knowledge in the niche they specialise in and will be required to have the skills; rapport building, communication, listening, empathy and ideally IT, multilingual (depending on your niche) strong literacy and numeracy

This article will reveal the commonly asked advice worker job interviews that you will need to prepare for

The key to passing job interviews in preparation and practice, this sounds obvious but is often overlooked, with the average interviewee spending around only 60 minutes preparing for their job interview.

This article will help you to prepare and to pass your next job interview in 2 separate ways.

1. You will learn 8 common asked interview questions for an advice worker position

2. You will be given an explanation of the type of answer the interviewer is looking for ( a guide to what the employer wants you to discuss )

Advice Worker Job Interview Questions 

Job Interview Question 1: 

“What experience do you have as an advice worker?” 

To answer this opening job interview question, start with a general opening statement which should include yoru duration in the industry, your highest relevant qualification and your specialism

Next, summarise your experience and have a focus on the key skills required for this position;

  • Your expertise (niche)
  • Your values 
  • Your key skills (as discussed above) 

Finish by explaining why you enjoy working in this industry

Job Interview Question 2: 

“Why is contracting at the beginning of a session important”

When asked specific questions such as this one, you know that this will be an essential duty that you will have to complete. Even if you don’t contract at your current role you will, if asked this question, need to explain the importance of contracting.

  • Give 3 reasons why contracting is important – this sets the scene and covers the organisation’s policies and procedures; duration of the session, GDPR and data protection, confidentiality, follow up process, form filling 

Job Interview Question 3: 

“Give an example of supporting a client or service user with a problem” 

When asked questions about your client or service users you should be excited – this is your bread and butter.

For situation interview questions always use the storytelling technique. Start by explaining the client’s barrier/problem – make this real for the interviewer, by explaining what they wanted to overcome.

Next explain what you did (not the company) to support the client; how you listened to the client, used guidance techniques to gain more details and the advice you gave.

Finally, give the positive outcome. How did your advice add value to the client’s situation?

   

Job Interview Question 4: 

“How do you make a client relax and open up?”

Your example, which you should use when answering this type of interview question, should cover:

  1. how you listen patiently to the client to build rapport
  2. your approach – friendly and professional
  3. your attitude/manner
  4. the totality of you use to create the feeling of relaxation
  5. how you communicated to create a relaxed atmosphere

Job Interview Question 5: 

“When should you signpost or make a referral?”

This question is commonly asked. As an advice worker, your knowledge is often limited (as clients and service users require expertise from various professionals)

Explain how you have a list of relevant potential agencies and expertise that you refer to – this shows that you 1) have potentially useful contacts 2) that you already signpost.

Give an example of a client you made a referral for. Explain the client’s situation, the support you gave and the reason you made a referral. From this end with the outcome – how this helped the client.

Job Interview Question 6: 

“Why should we employ you?” 

Think again about the job specification and the skills needed for this role. Have a paragraph prepared highlighting how you will be able to do the job and what you can bring to the team. Talk about your work ethic, your passion, your natural qualities – being able to relate to others, your friendly manner and your natural rapport building skills. 

You also need to stand out; what is your unique selling point? what can you offer that others can’t? what expertise do you have?

Interview questions and answers

Job Interview Question 7:

“Do you know anything about this organisation?”

Often one of the first questions you will be asked during the interview, employers want employees who will stay with the company, this question and answer will show the employer that you know the company’s history and feel they will be a good employer to work for.

It also shows the employer that you think ahead and carries out research. Answer this question with:

  • The length the organisation has been operating for.
  • How the company started
  • What services the company offers
  • Where they are going (have they won any new contracts

All this information is normally found on the internet; on the company home page or about us page.

Job Interview Question 8:

“Do you have any questions for me?”

Good interview questions to ask interviewers at the end of the job interview include questions on the company growth or expansion, questions on personal development and training and questions on company values, staff retention and company achievements.

6 Job Interview Questions for a Brewery Worker

Brewery Worker Job Interview

The brewery industry is a growth sector with a rise of microbreweries in the UK.

Brewery workers work throughout the whole process of beer-making process which includes weighing and mixing ingredients, quality control of ingredients, monitoring ingredients, the temperature of the beer and the equipment.

In smaller breweries, you will also be involved the packaging and preparing for the delivery of the products (packing and warehousing duties)

Brewery Worker Job Interview Questions 

Job Interview Question 1: 

“What experience as a brewery worker do you have?” 

So, the first question you are likely to be asked, one – to put you at ease and the other more important reason, is to find out if you have the required essential criteria, is “what is your experience?” This key interview question is like that tasty first sip of a light beer – amazing!

The reason is that this open question gives you the opportunity to really sell yourself.  In a bar there will be several beers on offer. Which one to buy? Well, you will buy the beer that sounds the best. It’s the same in the job interview, you need the best beer on sale.

Use this question to summarize the number of years in this sector, your key skills and qualities and the reason why they should hire you. Sell, Sell, Sell.

Job Interview Question 2: 

“What is your favorite beer?”

Early on your interviewer will ask you to name your favorite beer.  Don’t fall in the trap of stating “your beer” Instead compare two brands giving an explanation of the brewing processes for each brand and how the different ingredients create a different taste.

This question allows you to highlight your knowledge while others will use this question to create a humorous answer.

Job Interview Question 3: 

“What are the day to day duties of a brewery worker?” 

A great question. Split your answer into 3 sections. The first section is the pass-over from the previous shift. Explain what you do, discuss and check before the other shift leaves for the day.

Next give an explanation of the main duties of your job role; checking the beer, quality control of the ingredients. Be confident here, use technical terms but don’t waffle on, as this will bore the interviewer – short and snappy.

Finally, talk about any additional duties. Maybe you work in the warehouse section or creating new beers. Ideally, you want to state a task that the employer would require

   

Job Interview Question 4: 

“How do you keep up to date information on ingredients?”

This interview question is very important. A big part of this role is quality control – the beer has to taste nice. Give a step by step process of how you monitor, test and quality control the ingredients. This answer should include physical checks, record keeping and random testing.

Job Interview Question 5: 

“Is it important to keep equipment sterilised?” 

In all food and drink industries, hygiene is of the highest importance. You will be asked the above question in one guise or another. You need to have a prepared answer ready for a hygiene-related interview question.

When answering these questions, explain the theory of hygiene, the reason why sterilization is of high importance and your cleaning duties.

Interview questions and answers

Job Interview Question 6:

“Do you have any questions for me?”

  • What new beer flavors are you thinking of releasing next?
  • Do you have an internal training programme?
  • What is the likelihood of the business expanding over the 5 years?

3 Job Interview Questions

3 Job Interview Questions

 

3 Videos to help you prepare for your next job interview. Preparation is key for success

 

Below you can also access 101 Interview Questions and techniques to Influence the Job Interview. Good luck with your next job interview.

 

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Need helping to pass your next job interview? You can book a SKYPE Interview Coaching Session and/or a Mock Interview with an interview coach by e-mailing employmentking@gmail.com

  • Learn How to Structure Your Interview Answer
  • Interview Confidence Session – Boost Your Interview Confidence
  • Mock Interview – Practice and Prepare for Your Next Job Interview 

 

 

Interview Question 1 – how would your colleagues describe you?

 

 

 

   

 

 

Interview Question 2 – Are you applying for other jobs?

 

 

 

Interview questions and answers

Interview Question 3 – why should we hire you?

 


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5 Job Interview Questions to Prepare for 2018

5 Job Interview Questions to Prepare for 2018

 

The new year is looming and job hunters are getting ready for fresh new jobs available in 2018

 

Employers in 2018 are looking for a new set of skills from their applicants. How does this effect the job interview? It means that employers will be asking a new set of interview questions in 2018

 

Below you can also access 101 Interview Questions and techniques to Influence the Job Interview. Good luck with your next job interview.

 

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Need helping to pass your next job interview? You can book a SKYPE Interview Coaching Session and/or a Mock Interview with an interview coach by e-mailing employmentking@gmail.com

  • Learn How to Structure Your Interview Answer
  • Interview Confidence Session – Boost Your Interview Confidence
  • Mock Interview – Practice and Prepare for Your Next Job Interview 

 

 

Interview Question 1 – give me an example of critical thinking?

 

Critical thinking is one of the most desired skills in 2018. Employers recruiting in 2018 for high skilled positions will require an element of critical thinking in their roles. be prepared to answer this question by stating the situation, your approach to critical thinking and the outcome from the situation

 

 

   

 

 

Interview Question 2 – how will you beat global competition?

 

The world in 2018 is becoming smaller with competition for goods and services being on a global basis.

In 2018 job hunters will need to understand the wider competition and have strategies ready available to combat this competition. When asked about beating global competition, you need to answer with a 3 step strategy. Each step needs to build on the last and show a well thought out plan for this situation.

 

Interview questions and answers

Interview Question 3 – are you creative?  

In the list of employer desired skills, creativity and innovation, climb the ladder year on year.

 

You may be asked about your creativity directly or indirectly. But be sure to mention, at some point throughout the job interview, that you possess the ability to think out of the box, to create new ideas, give examples of your light-bulb moments, explain your suggestions that have made a key difference in your previous organisations and state your creativity processes

 

 

Interview Preparation Resources

 

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5 Most Important Questions to Ask Yourself before a Job Interview

5 Most Important Questions to Ask Yourself before a Job Interview

 

Job interviews require a lot of preparation but there’s one aspect that some people underestimate – self-reflection. Thinking about what you want and how you’re going to get there is one of the key aspects to being seen as a successful candidate and eventually landing your dream job.

 

 

Preparing for the questions you’re going to be asked is undoubtedly very important. The preparation, however, should also involve a number of questions you’ll have to ask yourself in advance. Here are a few of these questions.

 

Below you can also access 101 Interview Questions and techniques to Influence the Job Interview. Good luck with your next job interview.

 

Sponsored Ad


 

 

Need helping to pass your next job interview? You can book a SKYPE Interview Coaching Session and/or a Mock Interview with an interview coach by e-mailing employmentking@gmail.com

  • Learn How to Structure Your Interview Answer
  • Interview Confidence Session – Boost Your Interview Confidence
  • Mock Interview – Practice and Prepare for Your Next Job Interview 

 

 

5 Most Important Questions to Ask Yourself before a Job Interview

 

 

Why am I Applying to This Particular Job?

Disappointed that you haven’t gotten your dream job right from the start, you may start sending resumes and applications automatically. You are not going to think about the reason why you’re applying to the respective job. As a result, you may end up seriously disappointed with the outcome.

Take some time to analyze the reasons for the application.

Are you desperate to start a job, any job? Do you fancy the company? Is this your dream position, the one that will help you build the career that you desire?

Any reason is acceptable when it comes to applying for a job. The reason, however, should be in line with your intrinsic motivation and desires. If you’re simply applying for a job without considering what’s important to you, chances are that you will not get fulfilment from the position for a very long time.

What do You Want to Change?

There are many reasons why people may want to leave a job. Before moving on to a new employment opportunity, you will need to do a bit of self-reflection in terms of your past occupation and what you’d like to change about it.

Some reasons for leaving a job are pretty obvious – no growth potential, poor relationships with a manager or coworkers, lack of professional challenges, lack of recognition and no opportunities to use one’s skillset are pretty obvious. In other situations, it may be a bit more difficult to pinpoint what has gone wrong.

For some people, the lack of meaningfulness in a job is a big problem. For others, the occupation does not follow their intrinsic values and beliefs. Think about the most important element that made you quit. This is the one thing you probably do not want in your new job.

Searching for a new career is all about changing something you’ve been dissatisfied with so far. People who can’t determine what they’ve been dissatisfied with will find it incredibly difficult to look for positive change in the future.

 

   

 

 

What Skills Make You Better than Other Professionals in the Field?

Some professional confidence will help you perform incredibly well during a job interview. To build that professional confidence, you need a unique selling point.

Sit down and think about the skills and personal qualities that differentiate you from your colleagues. You may even write an essay about it to organize your thoughts. Do some brainstorming and dig deep.

Don’t focus on something shallow and superficial.

Through the years, you’ve probably identified your biggest strengths. You have also developed a skillset to address the practical dimensions of being employed in a particular sector. These are the exact skills that will make it easier for you to get a job and that will need to be identified in advance.

Where do You Want to be Five Years from Now?

It’s funny that you’ll probably hear this question during at least one job interview. The question is a very important one because it reveals a lot of information about your long-term goals and ideas.

Even if you’re not asked about your future plans during a job interview, you may want to ask yourself this question.

Where do you see yourself in five years? In 10? Would career still be your primary focus or would you have the desire to start a family? Do you see yourself as an employee or a small business owner? If you manage to be honest with yourself when attempting to answer the question, you will get to apply to relevant jobs that will help for the fulfilment of that long-term dream.

Don’t be afraid to fantasize, even if your plans for the future seem outrageous at first. There’s nothing wrong with being bold and daring. You can always scale things down on the basis of your knowledge and current level of experience.

 

Interview questions and answers

 

 

What can a Certain Company Give You in Terms of Career Development?

The final question is a bit more application-specific than the previous ones.

When applying for a job, most people explore the position and the reputation of the company that’s seeking workers. Once you have this information, ask yourself whether the respective company can give you exactly what you need.

The question goes the other way, as well. Can you give the company something valuable, something that turns you into a highly desirable candidate? If you can answer both questions, this is a match made in heaven.

Don’t hesitate to take a deep look at your professional and personal motivators before applying for a new job. Otherwise, you will suffer from some confusion that will potentially cloud your judgment. Changing your job is a major, very important step that you can’t make without the proper preparation. Unless you’re incredibly financially challenged, it’s certainly a good idea to take some time and think about your long-term goals, strengths and weaknesses before hitting the “apply” button.

Author Bio

Articles written by Laura Buckler are very easy to digest, and teach people a lot of interesting matters. Her childhood taught her that life is actually not that complicated as many people think, so she helps her peers understand that too. Follow Laura on twitter for more information.

 

 

Interview Preparation Resources

 

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Aristotles Teaches How To Persuasion in a Job Interview

Aristotle’s Persuasion Technique

Persuasion is the goal of the job interview.

In the job interview, you need to influence, persuade and motivate through the answers of your job interview answers. You naturally persuade all the time, through the words you say and how you say these words. The problem is you may persuade people not to recruit rather than persuade them to offer you the desired job position.

Aristotle was a master of the persuasive language. We have taken the leanings of Aristotle’s rhetoric and made it relevant to the job interview.

Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Ethos is your character, how you come across to the interviewer. In a job interview, you need to be seen as credible, an authority. If the job interviewer believes in you, they will listen to you, if they listen to you, they will want to buy you (offer you the position) Aristotle said “We believe good men more fully and more readily than others.”

An example of an ethical appeal: “What I have learned from working in this industry for over 28 years is…” Your duration of experience has a direct path to your Ethos.

Pathos creates an emotional response from the interview panel. In the job interview situation, you need to appeal directly to the interviewer’s emotions. The great interviewee controllers the employer’s emotions throughout the job interview, taking them on an emotional roller coaster.

An example of an emotional interview answer is “have you ever been in a situation when a multi-pound deal was just about to be lost….what I did to turn things around was…” By getting an employer to imagine/remember a negative situation stirs up their negative emotions, before you create a positive emotional pull, by explaining your positive outcome.

 

Logos is a way to use logic; reasoning, data, statistics and even debates and arguments. Imagery creates an emotional pull, logos allows you to give the facts to back up the story. “This technique increased profit by 35%..” “9 out of 10 people benefited from X”

Interview Test

8 Job Interview Questions for Any Customer Service Job Interview

Customer Service Job Interview

Customer service positions are more in demand than ever before. Why? Automation.

More and more customer service roles such as retail positions, garage jobs and generic customer service roles are completed by machines and online automated systems. This means that more people are applying for the same position – competition is high for each customer service role.

The good news is…many customer service applicants don’t practice for their job. They rarely practice job interview techniques, they rarely prepare interview answers, and they never think to sell themselves.

This article will teach you to be ready for your next customer service job interview.

interview prediction grid

The key to passing job interviews in preparation and practice, this sounds obvious but is often overlooked, with the average interviewee spending around only 60 minutes preparing for their job interview.

This article will help you to prepare and to pass your next job interview in 2 separate ways.

1. You will learn 8 common asked interview questions for a customer service position

2. You will be given an explanation of the type of answer the interviewer is looking for ( a guide to what the employer wants you to discuss )

Customer Service Job Interview Questions 

Job Interview Question 1: 

“What experience do you have in customer service?” 

In all customer service job interviews you will be asked, often at the interview start, to summarize your experience in customer service roles. There are a couple of key elements that you need to discuss during the job interview. Everything you say here has to be told from a positive perspective. 

Summarise your experience and have a focus on the key skills required for this position;

  • Customer service skills – how you make customers feel special 
  • To communicate with different people, while building rapport 
  • Able to up-sell, increase loyalty card membership and promote special offers 
  • To turnaround angry customers into complaint customers 
  • IT skills, use of retail technology 

Job Interview Question 2: 

“What would you say to an angry customer to make them stay loyal to the firm?”

Customer service example questions are common in customer service job interviews.

Most interviewees answer how they would listen to a customer and help to solve their problem. What you need to say when answering this interview question, to stand out, is a sentence about the situation.

Don’t just say the customer was angry, instead give detail of the circumstances (this was the interviewer will visualize the potential problem)

For situational job interview questions, answer using a real-life story or example

  • state the situation – why the customer was angry/difficult 
  • explain how you remain calm and how this calmed down the customer
  • discuss what you did to support the customer while following processes and procedure 
  • explain the outcome of the situation *ensure this is positive 

Job Interview Question 3: 

“Give an example of when you have up-sold to a customer?” 

Up-selling in many customer service roles is a key job criteria. Employers want customer service staff to sell without selling. Your example here is when you have an up-sold to a customer by being friendly. A good example to use is selling customer loyalty cards/store cards. The reason why this example is strong is because you are getting a customer for life (or for as long as they keep the store card) which means the sales keep coming. 

   

Job Interview Question 4: 

“How do you make a customer relax?”

Many customers are wary of salespeople and customer service staff as they believe they are out to steal from them. Employers know this and want to employ staff who understand how to make a customer relax. This situation arises in situations when you as a customer service staff member doesn’t have a goal to sell.

Your example, which you should use when answering this type of interview question, should cover:

  1. how you listen patiently to the customer
  2. your approach – friendly and professional
  3. your attitude/manner
  4. the totality of you use to create the feeling of relaxation
  5. how you communicate

Job Interview Question 5: 

“Give an example of how you have supported customers with disabilities?”

This question is commonly asked only in certain customer service niches, often a company that offers a service to the general public (not retail)

When answering a question about supporting customers with disabilities include how you checked what support they required, how you informed other staff members and if there is any additional information you need to be aware of

Job Interview Question 6: 

“Why should we employ you?” 

Think again about the job specification and the skills needed for this role.

Have a paragraph prepared highlighting how you will be able to complete the customer service duties and what you can bring to the team. Talk about your work ethic, your passion, your natural qualities – being able to relate to others, your friendly manner and your natural rapport building skills. 

For customer service roles with a sales aspect, you need to discuss your ability to sell and meet targets. Always think about the job criteria and use these criteria as part of your job interview answer.

Job Interview Book

Job Interview Question 7:

“Do you know anything about this organisation?”

Often one of the first questions you will be asked during the customer service interview, employers want employees who will stay with the company, this question and answer will show the employer that you know the company’s history and feel they will be a good employer to work for.

It also shows the employer that you think ahead and carries out research. Answer this question with:

  • The length the organisation has been operating for.
  • How the company started
  • What services/products the company offers
  • Where they are going (have they won any new contracts)
  • All this information is normally found on the internet; on the company home page or about us page.

Job Interview Question 8:

“Do you have any questions for me?”

Good interview questions to ask interviewers at the end of the job interview include questions on the company growth or expansion, questions on personal development and training and questions on company values, staff retention and company achievements.