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Match South Yorkshire Support Guide 2

Version 1 January 2014

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Understanding the Selection Process

Application Forms, Online Applications, CV’s, CV Screening Software, Covering Letters, Interviews, Assessment Centres, Presentations, Psychometric Tests.

Understanding the Selection Process

Click Ctrl and Page number

Introduction

Page 1

Application Form/Online

Applications

Page 2

How to complete a CV

Page 3

CV Example

Page 6

Covering Letters

Speculative Letters

Page 7

How CV Screening software works

Page 10

Interviews

Page 12

Assessment Centres

Page 18

Presentations

Page 21

Psychometric Tests

Page 23

Match South Yorkshire Support Guide

Understanding the Selection Process

Introduction

When you’re applying for a vacancy, you need to find out exactly how the selection process will work, and how you can give yourself the best chance of being successful

Although processes will differ from one organisation to another, most will use some form of application process;

• Application form

• On-line application form

• Curriculum Vitae (CV)

And continue the selection through;

• Interviews (first stage and maybe second stage)

• Assessment centres

• Presentations

• Psychometric testing

This booklet describes some of the most common approaches, and gives advice on best practice.

Speculative Letter Example

John Simms

61 Lawn Street

Barnsley

S70 1DR

Telephone: 01226 345 6789

Email address: johnsimms24@

23rd October 2013

Mrs Jennie Jones

Headteacher

Slate Lane School

34 Slate Lane

Barnsley

S70 1NB

Dear Mrs Jones

Do you currently have any teaching assistant opportunities within your school, particularly supporting children with complex learning and behaviour needs?

Slate Lane School has an excellent reputation with local parents for supporting children with learning difficulties. Your recent Ofsted Report suggests your designated unit for pupils with severe autistic spectrum disorders has strong pool of teaching assistants who provide support. I believe I can make a valuable contribution to this team and continue to develop my own skills and knowledge.

During my two years on maternity leave I have undertaken voluntary work in my local Surestart Centre, working with children up to the age of five. The most rewarding aspect of this role was working on a one-to-one basis with children with challenging behaviour. I recently completed an introduction to teaching assistant course, which has provided me with a good understanding of the role and responsibilities of a

Teaching Assistant.

I have enclosed my CV and would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss my skills and experiences with you and to learn more about your school. I will call next week to see if we can arrange a convenient meeting.

Yours sincerely

John Simms

Application form/On-line applications

Whether it is an internal or external paper or an online application, best practice suggests that you should:

▪ Be informative, detailed but concise in your answers - give the essential detail.

▪ Keep in mind the qualities that the employer is looking for, and answer the questions in ways that will show that you have these qualities.

▪ Don't dismiss anything as irrelevant without careful thought, especially for internal vacancies. You cannot assume that your work is self-explanatory to another manager in the organisation.

▪ Don't make lists of tasks – it’s better to take one important aspect and describe/demonstrate it, rather than describing your working day.

▪ Ensure you match your skills, knowledge and experience to meet the essential requirements of the job description and person specification.

Competency-based questions are the hardest part of the form for most applicants: questions usually begin "Describe a time when you …" or "Give an example of ..."

These skills will be the ones that are essential for success with that employer – these questions are the most important on the form.

The examples come from your current and previous jobs, but also from clubs and societies; voluntary work; study at school or university; holidays and travel or personal and family experiences.

Compose a paragraph or so for each situation, outlining what happened, how you approached it and what the outcome was. The focus should be on you – even if the situation involved a group, employers will want to know what your specific role was in achieving the desired result.

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TIPS:

• Give yourself time to complete it

• Do not leave it to the last minute

• Watch your spelling and punctuation

• Ask someone to proof read it

• Make it about what you have achieved not what you think you can do

• Give recent/current examples

• Use different examples

• Be concise and focus on what they want, not what you think they want

How to complete a Curriculum Vitae (CV).

What is a CV?

A CV is the most flexible and convenient way to apply for vacancies. It conveys your personal details in a way that presents you in the best possible light. You need to “sell” your skills, abilities, qualifications and experience to employers.

Presentation

Use good quality paper and no more than 2 pages in length.

What information should be included on a CV?

The top of the CV should include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address. (Ensure that this is a business address). You do not need to include your date of birth as the Age Discrimination Act states this is not required as an employer should not judge you on your age.

Personal Profile

Many candidates struggle with writing this part of the CV but it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you may think. A well written statement should be concise and to-the-point: it is important not to ramble. This is the part of your CV that you must be prepared to alter according to the job specification/description. Therefore, it is important to read the specification carefully and ensure not only that your skills and experience match, but you reflect this in your statement.

Key points on writing a dynamic statement

Get straight to the point- avoid lengthy descriptions and make your testimonies punchy and informative.

Match person specification and job description-employers are not interested in generic profiles. They have taken the time to provide a description of the job and they want to see that you have the qualities they are seeking.

Use action words-put yourself across by describing yourself confidently and highlighting your strong points.

Be concise; the best CV’s tend to be fairly economical with words, selecting the most important information and leaving a little something for the interview. Avoid clichés like “hardworking”, “reliable”, “trustworthy”. These qualities are important but employers skip over them as they see them so often. Instead qualify what you mean-for example, you can show you are hardworking by saying “willing to work overtime and complete tasks to set targets”.

Qualification/Skills

Take your lead from the employer description in terms of which of these you include first. If the employer is emphasising skills then these should take priority. The best way to list these is in bullet points.

Academic qualifications should come first if, for example, a degree qualification is a mandatory requirement.

Work Experience

List the most recent first and then work backwards. Most employers are particularly interested in recent skills, therefore, you may wish to summarise any work you have done more than 6 years ago, unless there is anything particularly relevant to the job you are applying for.

Try to relate the skills to the job. A job in care will involve supporting, helping, mentoring skills, whereas if you are going for a job in sales, you would emphasise your negotiating skills and persuading skills.

Use phrases that convey that you are a dynamic person. For example, instead of “I did end-of-year accounts “, it is more impressive to put “I took responsibility for completing end-of-year accounts to high standards and within strict time deadlines”

Interests/Hobbies

Keep this section short and to the point.

Emphasise the skills that demonstrate you have the personality for the job. For example, if you list your interests as reading, watching T.V and playing on-line games, this does not suggest a suitable candidate for a job in retail.

Show a range of interests. Avoid boring statements like “socialising with friends”

References

Many employers do not check references at the application stage so unless the vacancy specifically requests this, it is fine to put “References are available on request”

Normally 2 references are enough, including 1 from a recent employer.

Finally

Applicants sending C.V’s and letters without spelling mistakes are 61% more likely to get a reply and 26% more likely to get an interview. If you are mailing your C.V. ensure it goes to the correct person. 60% of C.V’s are sent to the wrong person.

Ensure you are able to talk about everything you have put in your C.V. should you get an interview.

You are twice as likely to get an interview if you include a covering letter with your application.

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USEFUL WORDS

We’ve put together this list to help you make your experiences stand out from the

crowd. Impress employers by using a variety of appropriate words when writing your

CVs, covering letters and applications.

Positive description words to highlight your best attributes…

Ambitious Efficient Practical Thoughtful

Able Energetic Prestigious Tolerant

Active Enthusiastic Proficient Understanding

Capable Excellent Punctual Useful

Competent Exclusive Qualified Versatile

Comprehensive Experienced Reliable Vital

Confident Fair Resourceful Vivid

Conscientious Honest Responsible Wide

Consistent Honourable Sincere

Dependable Humorous Stringent

Distinctive Imaginative Substantial

Diverse Loyal Successful

Economical Notable Technical

Effective Permanent Thorough

Other key wording to include;

• Communication – being able to communicate by speaking, in writing, or by e-mail, in the right way for the audience.

• Teamwork – being a constructive team member, contributing practically to the success of the team.

• Leadership – motivating and encouraging others, while taking the lead.

• Initiative – seeing opportunities and setting and achieving goals.

• Solving problems – thinking things through in a logical way and prioritising the most important issues. Solving problems often also includes creative thinking.

• Flexibility and being able to adapt – changing and adapting to new situations.

• Being self-aware – knowing your strengths and skills and having the confidence to put these across.

• Commitment and motivation – having energy and enthusiasm when carrying out projects.

• Interpersonal skills – relating well to others and building up good working relationships.

• Numeracy – understanding and using information such as numbers, statistics and graphs.

Qualification/Skills

Take your lead from the job description/person specification in terms of which of these you include first. If the employer is emphasising skills then these should take priority. The best way to list these is in bullet points.

Academic qualifications should come first if, for example, a degree qualification is a mandatory requirement.

.

List the most recent first and then work backwards. Most employers are particularly interested in recent skills, therefore, you may wish to summarise any work you have done more than 6 years ago, unless there is anything particularly relevant to the job you are applying for.

Try to relate the skills to the job. A job in care will involve supporting, helping, mentoring skills, whereas if you are going for a job in sales, you would emphasise your negotiating skills and persuading skills.

Use phrases that convey that you are a dynamic person. For example, instead of “I did end-of-year accounts “, it is more impressive to put “I took responsibility for completing end-of-year accounts to high standards and within strict time deadlines”

Interests/Hobbies

Keep this section short and to the point.

Emphasise the skills that demonstrate you have the personality for the job. For example, if you list your interests as reading, watching T.V and playing on-line games, this does not suggest a suitable candidate for a job in retail.

Show a range of interests. Avoid boring statements like “socialising with friends”

References

Many employers do not check references at the application stage so unless the vacancy specifically requests this, it is fine to put “References are available on request”

Normally 2 references are enough, including 1 from a recent employer.

Finally

Applicants sending C.V’s and letters without spelling mistakes are 61% more likely to get a reply and 26% more likely to get an interview. If you are mailing your C.V. ensure it goes to the correct person. 60% of C.V’s are sent to the wrong person.

Ensure you are able to talk about everything you have put in your C.V. should you get an interview.

You are twice as likely to get an interview if you include a covering letter with your application.

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Work Experience

List the most recent first and then work backwards. Most employers are particularly interested in recent skills. You may therefore wish to summarise any work you have done more than 6 years ago, unless there is anything particularly relevant to the job you are applying for.

Try to relate the skills to the job. A job in care will involve supporting, helping, mentoring skills, whereas if you are going for a job in sales, you would emphasise your negotiating skills and persuading skills.

Use phrases that convey that you are a dynamic person. For example, instead of “I did end-of-year accounts “, it is more impressive to put “I took responsibility for completing end-of-year accounts to high standards and within strict time deadlines”.

Interests/Hobbies

Keep this section short and to the point.

Emphasise the skills that demonstrate you have the personality for the job. For example, if you list your interests as reading, watching T.V and playing on-line games, this does not suggest a suitable candidate for a job in retail.

Show a range of interests. Avoid statements like “socialising with friends”

References

Many employers do not check references at the application stage so unless the vacancy specifically requests this; it is fine to put “References are available on request”

Normally two references are enough, including one from a recent employer.

Finally

Applicants sending CVs and letters without spelling mistakes are 61% more likely to get a reply and 26% more likely to get an interview. If you are mailing your CV ensure it goes to the correct person. 60% of CVs are sent to the wrong person.

Ensure you are able to talk about everything you have put in your CV should you get an interview.

You are twice as likely to get an interview if you include a covering letter with your application.

You can get advice and support at; nationalcareersservice..uk/advice/getajob/cvs/

This website also has a CV Builder.

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Andrew Smith

9 Primrose Avenue

Mexborough

South Yorkshire

S64 8JK

Tel - 07774 316712

Email-a.smith369@

Personal Statement

I am an articulate, enthusiastic and approachable person and can show high levels of empathy, which enables me to have a positive impact and communicate effectively with colleagues and students alike. I am an extremely reliable individual of robust integrity who is a strong team player that has a proven track record of strong leadership and managing staff. I can work alone to achieve vital targets and have demonstrated my commitment to developing myself through completing qualifications alongside employment and this, with my work experience, has shown that I can prioritise and plan effectively as well as being able to work under pressure.

Education

1984 to 1990, Jordanthorpe Comprehensive School, 9 GCSEs including Maths, English and Chemistry.

Key Qualifications

▪ Certificate to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector at Level 4

▪ NVQ Level 3 in Safeguarding Children and Young People

▪ NVQ Level 3 Information, Advice and Guidance

▪ Specialist Military Police Courses

In addition to these I have been Home Office trained in Police Interview Techniques, I am a BIIAB Level 2 Personal License holder and I am Emergency First Aid trained.

Work History

Jun 2009 to Present, Tinsley Vocational College, Tutor:

Roles include developing, planning and delivering learning sessions, creating lesson plans and schemes of work, identifying young peoples’ strengths and weaknesses and offering pastoral care for a cohort of young people with difficult personal and social backgrounds. I am engaged across a range of programmes including Skills for Life, Key Skills, Life skills, initial Assessment, Literacy and Numeracy and ASDAN / BTEC delivery, where 4 weekly progress reviews are carried out against pre arranged targets. Supporting learners to overcome personal and social barriers that prevent access to education and employment. In conjunction with Managers identify and implement systems to ensure continuous quality improvements as defined by the Ofsted Inspectorate as good provision.

May 2007 to May 2009, Jinx Ltd, Field Mill, Mansfield, Field Sales Agent:

Roles included identifying and developing new business clients through establishing and maintaining positive interpersonal relationships, updating monthly sales figures against National targets and reporting directly to a Sales Director.

Mar 2006 to May 2007, Henrys Bar & Grill, Sheffield, Owner/Licensee:

Roles included being responsible for the overall running, ordering, and organising of a busy pub/restaurant, with an annual turn over of £200,000 and its staff. Organising and running successful functions and charity events, motivating and training of all staff members in the pub and book keeping and maintenance of all pub accounts.

Oct 1990 to Mar 2006, GB Marketing, Contact Centre Team Leader:

Roles included Business to Business Sales, contacting companies promoting telecommunications packages. Leading a team of call handlers, training staff and working to targets.

Interests and Activities

I am interested in most sports, having played football and Rugby Union to a middling standard, whilst in the Military, and swimming to a high standard. I am a keen reader of crime fiction and autobiographies and I enjoy spending my spare time.

References

Mr Ben Winstanley, Centre Co-ordinator, Tinsley Vocational College, Silver Street, Sheffield, S8 0JN, (0114) 2356897

Mr Charles Fisher, GB Marketing, Hansley Road, Barnsley, S70 1 DR (01226 345567)

Covering Letters

Twice as many people who include a covering letter with their CV are invited to interview than those who just send their CV

A good covering letter takes time and effort because it makes you think hard about the job you are applying for. Try to think about the letter from the employer’s point of view. A good letter saves the employer valuable time as it tells him what you have to offer that is directly relevant to the role.

Your covering letter needs to be no more than four or five paragraphs. If you can’t say what you want to say in that space then you are waffling and haven’t understood the requirements of the job.

The first paragraph needs to tell the employer what you have to offer that is directly relevant to the role.

The next paragraph needs to inform the employer about your skills, experiences and achievements relevant to the essential requirements of the job. For example, you may have put in your personal profile on your CV that you have excellent customer service skills. You may like to include in your covering letter why you are passionate about providing a good customer service.

Drop in a paragraph on why the organisation interests you and give information that supports your statements if possible. Most companies have a website where you can find their “mission statement” or information regarding career structure.

Lastly, thank the reader for their time and consideration-be bold-actively state you would welcome the chance of an interview.

As usual, ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors. Look over your covering letter and your CV and make sure they do not contain duplicated information. One should complement the other.

Finally; make sure you have addressed or e-mailed the information to the correct person.

Speculative Letters

If you would like to work for a particular organisation/company and they don’t have any vacancies currently advertised you could send them a Speculative Letter accompanying your CV enquiring if they have any suitable positions. This enables you to be one step ahead as the employer could be considering advertising and it may save them the intial costs, by considering you for the vacancy.

You will need to be prepared for disappointment as many employers do not reply. However if you get one positive response from the large number you send out it is definitely worth the effort.

See over the page for examples of letters.

Covering Letter Example

David Griffin

34 Thirwell Road

Sheffield

S8 2NM

Telephone: 0114 237 4658

Email address: dgriffin@

31st January 2013

Mrs Lucy Watts

Personnel Officer

The Grange Hotel

Manchester

M17 1BB

Dear Mrs Watts

Re: Hospitality Manager Vacancy, ref 234hosp

Please find enclosed a copy of my CV in response to the advert for the vacancy advertised in the Sheffield Star on 21st October 2013.As you will notice from my CV, I am currently working as Assistant Hospitality Manager at Hellaby Hall Hotel in Hellaby. I have five years experience within the hospitality industry at various levels, including four years in management roles.

This allowed me to develop my skills in a range of areas including food and beverage operations; accommodation management; marketing; conference and event management; financial management; food safety and human resources. This experience, combined with my HND in Hospitality Management, has provided me with broad-ranging skills.

As the Grange Hotel is a new venture, I feel that my experience of the whole hospitality operation would be a valuable asset in this role. Building up the client base of Ibis Hotel in Sheffield taught me about the particular importance of effective marketing in making a success of a new business. I hope this experience can help The Grange to become one of Manchester’s leading hotels.

I am now looking to use these skills and progress to a more senior role. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my experience with you in more detail and look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Yours sincerely

David Griffin

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How CV Screening Software Works

• It is largely due to unqualified candidates applying in great numbers that companies of all sizes have been forced to resort to CV screening software.

• They typically include a module that extracts data from CVs, and an HR or recruitment system that uses the extracted data to evaluate and rank qualified candidates.

• The CV extraction tool scans the CV, identifies text information, and categorises it using the rules of standard CV formatting. Data such as your name, address, telephone number, education, professional experience, years with each job, and keywords will be extracted and fed into an HR database.

• Factors that will go into the ranking of a CV include where the candidate lives, their years of experience, and most importantly, the appearance of specific keywords - the more keywords, the better the ranking.

What you can do to maximise your success with CV screening software

There are specific measures that candidates should take to ensure that their CV gets scanned properly and makes it to the top of the candidate pool.

Submit your CV in a text format- a surprising number of candidates use graphics-based PDF files, which are viewed by the scanning software as nothing more than pretty pictures. It is recommended that you stick to Microsoft Word as it is universally recognised meaning that it is least likely to cause reading problems for CV extraction software.

Don't use graphics -on CVs being submitted electronically-extraction tools work on the basis of text recognition, so graphics don't get scanned, and can actually mess up the scanning process for the surrounding text.

Don't forget your address-some candidates think that not including their address they won't be geographically limited, but in fact the opposite is true. One of the first screening parameters that employers use is often the post code, and if it isn't present on your CV, you fall to the bottom of the candidate pool.

Don't use Microsoft Word's header or footer options for key data such as contact information. These are outside of the scanned areas, and won't get read.

Use conventional formatting for things like your telephone number, no spaces between the numbers, no fancy characters as separators.

Use reverse chronological formatting - e.g. your last job first or your most recent qualifications first.

Tailor each CV to the specific job - one size most does not fit all in today's job market. Read the job posting carefully, and look for the keywords that are used to describe the job and the qualifications. These are an indication of the company's thinking and will most likely be used to rank candidates.

Incorporate keywords directly into the body of your CV, so that a context is provided for the word. Research your area of work and look at vacancies.Often the same key words are used in job vacancies.Ensure these are included in your CV.

Understand the principle of CV fatigue. Keep your CV easy to scan visually when it finally does get seen by an employer, and avoid look-alike formatting that you get from off-the-shelf and online CV templates. Providers also need to be aware a CV is individual to that person the same should not be used for every single person they see.

Get your CV in early. In fact the earlier you are in the submission process (provided that you are qualified), the more likely you are to become the gold standard by which the qualification threshold is set for all subsequent applicants.

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CV Screening Software (Continued)

Stick to standard layouts-while CV extraction software has greatly improved over the years in terms of the ability to recognise and read a variety of formatting conventions, if you are too creative, the software may not read your CV properly

Incorporate keywords into the body of your CV-so that a context is provided for the word. Research your area of work and look at vacancies. Often the same key words are used in job vacancies. Ensure these are included in your C.V.

Understand the principle of CV fatigue-keep your CV easy to scan visually when it finally does get seen by an employer, and avoid look-alike formatting that you get from off-the-shelf and online CV templates.

Get your CV in early- the earlier you are in the submission process (provided that you are qualified), the more likely you are to become the gold standard by which the qualification threshold is set for all subsequent applicants.

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Interviews

Types of interview

The interview format used by an employer will vary but is likely to include one of the following:

• Face-to-face - an interview with one person.

•

• Panel - an interview with two or more representatives of the organisation.

•

• Telephone - often used as a way of screening candidates before a face-to-face interview. Telephone interviews are usually pre-arranged, but not always. You should prepare for a telephone interview in the same way as a face-to-face interview - often the questions asked are very similar.

•

• Skype - increasingly used as an alternative to the telephone interview.

•

• Presentations – maybe a topic of your own choice but more often you will be given the subject to present

•

• Psychometric Testing – this can be an opportunity for employers to assess the candidates’ personality/potential in relation to the job role.

The structure of the interview may be:

• Competence-based - you will be asked to provide examples of the skills or competences that are key to the job.

• Strengths based – some recruiters are now starting to use strengths-based interviews rather than competence-based. These interviews focus on your natural aptitudes and strengths and seek to find out what you ‘love to do’, rather than what you ‘can do’.

• Technical - you will be asked questions about specific technical skills relevant to the job, for example programming skills.

• Academic interviews – as part of you r interview for a position as a lecturer or postdoctoral researcher you may be asked to deliver a lecture or presentation.

• Postgraduate study - the focus is likely to be on your academic skills and interests. The University of Leicester's Career Development Service has some advice on preparing for interviews for postgraduate study.

TIPS:

• Look at websites to find out more about the job you’ve applied for and e opportunities for progression

• Know how you are going to get to the interview and how long it will take

• See about arranging a practice interview, or ask someone if they can run through some questions with you beforehand

• Dress smartly

• Try to stay calm

• Come prepared to ask questions

• Maintain eye contact

Interviews

Preparing for interviews

• Confirm that you are attending the interview and be certain of the date, time and the name of the person to ask for when you arrive.

• Find out as much as possible about the organisation through their website, brochure or any other means.

• If the organisation is in a particular industry (e.g. catering, hospitality, IT, etc.) research what’s going on in that area by reading newspapers or online news stories.

• Think about any questions the employer might ask you along with reading the person/employee specification for the role and prepare some answers.

Some questions come up time and time again; below you will find a list of the most common topics covered at interviews.

Skills – know your strengths and mention ones relevant to the job, quote examples when you have used the skills; it is not enough just to say you have them.

Weaknesses – choose a minor flaw that is not essential to the job. Turn it into a positive such as how you have worked on it.

Knowledge of the organisation – the employer wants to think that you particularly want to work for the company. Therefore, ensure you have done your research and remember to focus on what you can do for them, not want they can do for you.

Example of a good answer would be “The quality of my work is important to me. Hendersons is a respected firm with a reputation for high quality work and I would like to contribute to that success.”

Understanding the job – the employer wants to be sure that you fully understand what the job will involve. Make sure you read the job description thoroughly and research how the organisation operates.

Your ambitions – the interviewer is looking to see how enthusiastic and ambitious you are. Talk in terms of short term and long term goals.

Previous Employment – focus on the positives and never put your ex-employer in a bad light. If your previous job was mundane you can make it sound more impressive by focussing on the tasks and responsibilities.

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The Interview

• Arrive at least ten minutes before the start so you’re not hot and bothered.

• First impressions are important as are non-verbal communication such as eye contact, the sound of your voice and how you act can say a lot about you. Interviewers will understand if you are nervous, but using confident body language will make you appear more relaxed and in control.

• Interviewers are not out to make life hard for you. They want to fill the position and genuinely want you to succeed.

• Look interested and maintain a business-like manner.

• Answer questions honestly, carefully and thoughtfully. Wherever possible, give examples from your own experience. Don’t just answer Yes or No.

• Speak clearly and confidently

• Don’t criticise previous employers

• Ask about job conditions, training opportunities, prospects – think of what you want to know.

• Be prepared to say why you want to work for them, and what skills you can bring to the organisation.

• Remember an interview is a two way conversation; have questions prepared and be confident enough to ask for clarification of anything you do not understand.

• At the end, thank the interviewer and check what will happen next, and if you’ll receive feedback.

Further information can be found at nationalcareersservice..uk/advice/getajob/interviews/

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Common Interview Questions and answers

1) Tell me about yourself?

This question or something similar usually starts every interview. Your answer should be well rehearsed, confidently delivered and last between 3-5 minutes. It should also:

Focus on the areas of most relevance to the job in question

• Include some impressive achievements e.g. improvements made

• Convey your enthusiasm for the job

• Avoid personal or irrelevant information e.g. your children, un-related jobs

2) What are your key skills strengths?

Focus on what you know they are looking for, even if it has been a smaller part of what you have been doing to date. The job advert or person specification form will give you the information you need about their requirements.

3) What are your weaknesses?

Choose a weakness that:

• Doesn’t matter for the job e.g. languages for a UK firm.

• Is positive e.g. “I like to make things happen and get frustrated if too long is spent sitting around discussing it without action”

• Used to be a weakness but which you have improved e.g. presentations, customers service. Telephone call.

4) Why did you leave your last job?

Your answer should be positive and upbeat even if the circumstances were difficult. If you were made redundant, depersonalise it by talking about company restructuring rather than your individual circumstance. Never criticise a previous employer no matter how tempting.

5) Why do you want this job?

Your answer should reinforce why you are such a good fit for the job and then convey your enthusiasm for the role e.g.

• Good match between your skills and their requirements

• Interested in the product/market/sector

• Company’s excellent reputation, exciting challenge etc.

Do not say even if it’s true, that you just need a job

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6) Tell me about a difficult scenario at work and how you dealt with it?

They are testing how you cope under pressure as well as your problem-solving and communication skills. Good examples are where you:

• Helped resolve or improve a difficult situation

• Were resilient in adverse conditions

• Showed emotional intelligence and cool headedness

Avoid any examples which still feel sensitive, because in a high-pressure interview situation, old emotions can easily resurface and throw you off balance.

7) Tell me about an achievement of which you are proud?

Choose work-related examples that shows a tangible benefit to the business. Personal achievements should only be included if they are very impressive or prestigious.

8) What are your career goals?

They are checking if you are likely to stay and if so, for how long. Reassure the employer that the role you are applying for fits your career plan and your longer term commitment to the company.

9) What do you know about our organisation?

You need to know the following:

• Company structure, finances, products and services, key staff

• Customers and competitors

• Market trends and challenges

10) Have you any questions

(See next section)

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Questions to ask at the interview

Jobseekers are always being advised to ask one or two questions in an interview. But what will impress an employer-and what will undo your good work?

Below is a list of possible questions. However, before you pick and choose from the following, be sure to consider the culture of the organisation you are hoping to join and the nature of the person doing the selecting. Adopt the right tone and convey a positive attitude- you want to ensure this opportunity works for you, not against you.

1) I notice that you have recently introduced a new product/service/ division/project. How will this benefit the organisation?

We get feedback from employers saying that the reason they have rejected an applicant is that, although they came across as being interested in a job, they failed to convey to them that they particularly wanted to work for their organisation. This question shows that you are interested not just in the job, but the employer behind it. You have done some thinking about the job and are keen to hear more about the organisation.

2) Is there a chance for promotion in the future?

This can emphasise a determination to make progress and to do so over the long term.

3) In what way is performance measured and reviewed?

This question demonstrates you understand the importance of delivering good results- you understand the value of commitment, reliability and producing results.

4) When did you start with the company and why have you stayed with them?

This encourages the employer to talk to you directly which can strengthen your relationship with them just that little bit more.

5) What are the company’s plans for the future?

This can be a great question as it will allow management to boast about their plans and you may be able to pick up some information which will give you the opportunity to explain further why you are the best candidate to help them achieve this.

6) Do you have any doubts about whether I am suited to this position?

This suggests you are open to constructive criticism and willing to learn from the experience of others. It gives you a chance to address any weaknesses the employer might think you have. Finally, you can finish on a high, re-stating why you think you are the right person.

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7) Do you offer any training in the role? This question is often asked at interviews, so there is a danger that the employer will have heard it a few times before. However, it can highlight that you are keen to advance your skills and add value to the company.

Finally; this is not an exhaustive list of the questions you can ask. By understanding the job description and the skills/attributes of the job, you may well be able to ask a particularly relevant question.

Further information can be found at nationalcareersservice..uk/advice/getajob/interviews/

Selling Yourself

Remember during discussions (and in your letter / application form) employers look again at people who:

• work on their own initiative;

• work well as part of a team;

• have an understanding of the section they are going into, for example, housing; and

• have a real enthusiasm for getting the job.

• Employers also like to hear instances of how you can:

• cut costs;

• get it done more quickly;

• avoid potential problems;

• improve appearance;

• increase productivity;

• make the workflow more efficient;

• use old things in a new way;

• provide more information;

• cut down time;

• reduce the risks;

• meet deadlines easily;

• develop employee performance;

• turn round a bad situation;

• introduce new systems; and

• improve teamwork and relationships.

Remember the interviewer is hoping that you will have the experience and qualities which are being sought. Talk about I, not we. Most importantly, tell the panel what you as an individual have done successfully, not what you did as part of a team – your contribution could have been tiny.

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Delivery

• Be conscious of your body language - how you deliver your presentation is as important as what you say. Smile, maintain good posture, act confidently, speak clearly, keep good eye contact and try to relate to each person individually. If you tend to fidget, try and control this, staying natural and composed.

• Pace yourself. Introduce yourself and your presentation confidently.

• Do not read from a prepared script - bring notes or prompt cards with bullet-pointed headings to glance at if needed.

Have a few relaxation techniques to use should you find yourself getting anxious. If you find that nerves overcome you just say so. Ask to stop for a few moments whilst you gather your thoughts

Wind down your presentation confidently, rather than stopping suddenly when you run out of things to say. Even if you are nervous and glad it is over, make a brief and clear conclusion.

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Assessment Centres

If you have reached this stage in the application process, well done! The Assessment Centre is often the last stage in a company’s recruitment process and although they can seem daunting, if you know how to handle them they can be almost enjoyable. Companies only invite candidates to Assessment Centres if they have serious interest in them so use this knowledge to feel positive.

This guide provides useful hints and tips to help you to know what to expect from an Assessment Centre, how to avoid potential pitfalls and how to prepare and perform effectively.

What can you expect at an Assessment Centre?

Assessment Centres can be anything from half a day to two full days including an overnight stay, and will usually consist of between 6 - 25 candidates who are involved in a variety of exercises.

They can include any of the following types of activity (in any order):

• Interview

• Group Exercise

• Role Play

• Psychometric/Aptitude Tests

• Personality Questionnaires

• Written Exercise/Report

• Presentations (by candidate)

• Social Event

• In-tray Exercise/Case Study

Let the organisation know before the Assessment Centre if you have any special requirements e.g. if you have dyslexia or English is not your first language, so they can make any necessary adjustments to their selection process.

It is also a good idea to read your invitation carefully to see if there are any aspects of the event you can prepare in advance e.g. a presentation.

Each company will have its own set of criteria based on the job description and will seek evidence of these during the different parts of the Assessment Centre. Some companies are very open about what they are looking for and may even have a list on their web site.

Please see the career guide ‘How to Sell Your Skills’ for some examples of the types of skills companies look for.

How do I benefit?

Assessment Centres are a better way of predicting your potential than a single interview, as they give a number of assessors a chance to see you over a longer period of time and in different situations. It is more representative of the actual environment in which you may be working and the situations you will encounter. They also allow you to demonstrate your strengths in a variety of exercises, meaning that if you perform less well in one exercise, you have the opportunity to compensate in another. In addition, they are often held on company premises, so you will get a feel for the atmosphere and work culture of the organisation.

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It’s not a competition!

You will usually be assessed against a specific set of competencies, rather than against the other candidates, so don’t waste your energy trying to compete against them, but ensure you demonstrate the qualities the assessors are looking for.

Psychometric/Aptitude Test (see Page 23 for more detail)

You can usually expect two types – aptitude tests and personality questionnaires.

Aptitude tests will test your ability in numerical, verbal, logical reasoning and sometimes in spatial and diagrammatic reasoning. You can prepare for these tests by sitting practice tests - please read our career guide ‘Psychometric Tests’ for more information.

Personality Questionnaires (see Page 23 for more detail)

Personality questionnaires seek to define the type of person you are underneath e.g. how you relate to people, or how you might react in a certain situation. Unlike aptitude tests, there are no right or wrong answers. The best policy is to answer the questions as honestly as possible and don’t try to second-guess what you think an organisation is looking for. Additionally, don’t over-think the answer. Such questionnaires are not timed, but you should not take too long.

Written Exercise/Report

If written communication is important for the job, you may be asked to produce a piece of written work such as:

• A summary of one or many documents

• A short report

• A business letter e.g. a letter of complaint

• An explanation of complex issues in everyday language

• Justification of a decision you made in a previous exercise

Here are some ideas to help:

• Structure the time you are given

• Try to keep your writing legible

• Provide an opening paragraph and summary at the end if appropriate

• Keep your work concise and don’t waffle

• Be prepared to present your report verbally without just reading it

In-tray exercise

These words probably make you think of a cramped office with an overflowing, never-ending in-tray and a constantly ringing phone. This exercise is about how effectively you manage the work.

You will be given a range of memos, messages, reports and correspondence, together with information on the organisation. You will be asked to make decisions on each item, including drafting replies, delegating and recommending action to supervisors.

The exercise assesses your problem analysis and judgement skills, together with your communication and resilience. It is a good way to see who can get a grip of the main issues under time pressure.

Make sure you manage your time effectively - read though all the documents quickly at first then prioritise the most the important information. Try a practice at .

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Social Event

There will probably be a more informal event, such as lunch, at some point in the proceedings. You will normally be told whether or not it is a formal part of the selection process, but either way, make the most of this opportunity to meet other candidates, employees and assessors and to find out more about their own experiences in the organisation. For more help on how to small talk see ‘Professional Networking- A Beginner’s Guide.’ Remember that even if it is not officially part of the assessment you are always being watched and judged.

Role-Play

It’s not what you think! Role-plays are another business simulation exercise where you are given a brief and assigned a role to be maintained throughout the exercise. This is usually a 1-to-1 exercise, where the assessor also assumes a role. In some organisations, actors are used while the assessor observes. This can be a popular method of assessment for sales and customer service roles but could be used for any type of job where you might be expected to take on a role similar to the job on offer.

For example, if you are applying to HR, you may be asked to simulate a review meeting with a poor performer and to decide whether you should take disciplinary action.

Assessors are watching the way you analyse the situation in order to get to the heart of the issue. They also assess they way you express your ideas, whether you develop a relationship with the other person, and the extent to which you are able to influence them.

One word of warning, don’t get so carried away with acting your role that you forget to remain focused on the brief you have been set - it is still YOU who is being assessed.

Group Exercise

As most jobs involve working with others, the majority of Assessment Centres include an element of group work.

Group exercises can take different forms. The task you may be asked to complete could be a leaderless task, a leadership exercise, a group discussion or a scenario related to the job. In this part of the process, the assessors are looking for participation and contribution, the ability to present reasoned arguments, effective communication, listening skills, negotiation and co-operation.

You don’t have to be the person who shouts loudest to perform well in a group exercise. In fact, often the candidate who takes time to reflect on the problem and involve others comes out on top.

What are assessors looking for?

Whether you are completing a practical task (building a bridge out of straws and elastic bands), or taking part in a leaderless group discussion, the assessors are looking for your ability to analyse a problem, develop creative solutions, and work well with other people. Your own contribution to the team process will normally be more important than the outcome of the exercise.

• Get a good grasp of the information but don’t waste time on minute details

• Decide on your priorities

• Be assertive but don’t be afraid to compromise

• Work with the group

• Make positive contributions and encourage contributions from others

• Keep your cool and use your sense of humour -but not too much!

• Keep an eye on the time.

Useful links:

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Presentations

Presentations are the ideal way for organisations to assess your confidence, problem analysis and communication skills. They range from pre-prepared presentations where you need to research and prepare a talk around a particular topic, to case study presentations where you are presented with information to analyse on the day.

Giving presentations can be challenging; but practice and preparation can help a great deal. The length of time you are given to prepare for the presentation can vary from several days before the Assessment Centre to a short preparation period on the day. The duration of the actual presentation may also vary, often ranging from 2 to 15 minutes and can be on a given subject or one of your own choice

Designing and delivering a presentation may be part of the selection process. You may be told the topic in advance, be asked to select your own or be given a topic on the day and a little time to prepare it.

Preparation and research

• Find out what format the presentation may take, what technology and materials will be available to you and how long you will have

• Establish who the audience will be – if it will just be the selectors or if other candidates will also attend

• Unless instructed to use PowerPoint or other visual aids consider the strength of a verbal only presentation.

• Practice your presentation – ideally in front of a careers advisor or just someone who can offer constructive criticism and help you to sharpen your performance.

Design

• If you have a free choice of topic, choose a subject you know well – you will be asked questions about your presentation.

• Think about what you will do to keep the audiences attention. Pitch the content at a level appropriate to them.

• What core concept/concepts do you want the audience to leave with? It is better to expand on 2 or 3 memorable points than to have a long rambling narrative.

• Think about the purpose – whether you want to persuade/educate/inspire/inform/influence or all of these.

• Your presentation should have a clear introduction, a main body and a conclusion. Assessors will be looking for something well structured and with a logical flow.

• Be brief with PowerPoint slides or transparencies.

• Avoid too much detail. Be clear and concise and build your presentation to a strict time frame.

• If you are thinking of having some audience participation, remember to prepare and bring any materials you will need to use.

• Think about any supplementary information: do you want to give out notes to the audience? When will you distribute them?

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If you have any comments or questions on this booklet or the support available, or need any further advice please contact baileycourt.lmra@dwp..uk or speak to a staff member.

Published January 2014

Psychometric Tests

Many employers now use psychometric testing to assess the abilities and personal characteristics of job applicants. It can be very helpful if you practise tests and know what to expect before you have to sit the tests for real. Trying out some of the tests can also help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses, and can allow you to consider aspects of your personality and how this might be important in your career choice. Some good FAQ’s for test takers can be found at:



Useful Links

SHL

SHL offer a range of online practice tests including verbal and numerical reasoning tests and personality questionnaires.

Cubiks

Verbal and numerical practice tests.

Assessment Day assessmentday.co.uk

Online community forum offering practice numerical and verbal reasoning tests, but there is a charge.

Psychometric Success psychometric-

Personality tests

Personality tests are used to discover your typical reactions and attitudes to a range of situations. These questionnaires don’t usually have right or wrong answers and are not timed. However, employers who use them will know the profile of their ideal candidate. It is generally best not to try to second-guess what the employer wants. Your first reaction is likely to be the best one. Do you really want a job that doesn’t suit your personality?

Useful Links

The Enneagram Test

The Keirsey Temperament sorter user/ktsintro.asp

Muscle Diagram Indicator teamtechnology.co.uk/mmdi-re/mmdi-re.htm

People Maps

Personality tests, IQ tests and entrepreneur tests online index.php

Personality Test Centre

Psychology Today pto/self_tests.php

The Barbarians online test page

The Institute of Psychometric Coaching

Further Information:

Psychometric Test Centre (British Psychological Society) .uk

Prospects prospects.ac.uk/links/onlinetests

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