‘Be positive, be prepared, be yourself’ is nextstep’s top tip for Burton on Trent jobseekers

This time of year is traditionally all about new starts – children moving up to senior school, students moving up to university and school leavers joining the jobs market.

But that doesn’t mean further education is the sole preserve of the young and it doesn’t mean that the job you’re in now is necessarily a job for life.

nextstep, the impartial advice service on learning and work for adults, has advisors all over Staffordshire ready to offer help and advice to adults who are looking to improve their job prospects, embark on further education or both.

One of the key skills jobseekers need is the ability to present themselves well at interview and nextstep believes that a little preparation goes a long way, particularly in knowing the kind of questions prospective employers are going to ask and the answers they expect to receive.

nextstep advisor Brian Morris said, “Generally, questions fall into a few main categories. Employers want to know about you directly, who you are and what experience you have; they also want to know what you know about them and the job you’re applying for.

“They might ask about your plans going forward and how you think they might fit into them. And, occasionally they will throw in a question that doesn’t appear that relevant at all, but may actually be designed to test how quickly you can think on your feet.

“And on that score, it’s always worth having a question or two of your own to come back with when the interviewer inevitably asks you if there’s anything you want to know.”

These are probably the questions a prospective employer will most often ask:

·    Tell me about yourself? – This is all about first impressions. Be brief but thorough. If it helps, use your CV as your guide. This is likely to be the first question and there will be many more to follow!
·    What are your strengths? – Keep your answers relevant to the job. And remember that while this may be a licence to brag, modesty is a strength too.
·    What are your weaknesses? – Turn this into a positive. Use it to show that even if you struggle in some areas, you’ve made efforts to improve and can show that you have done so.
·    What made you apply for this job? – Again, be positive and be prepared. Employers want to know what you know about them and that you have made a choice to join them, not that you didn’t get on with your previous boss.
·    Why should we hire you? – This is a “what’s this job all about” question and what’s required is an indication that you know at least something about what’s involved. Otherwise, why bother?
·    Where do you see yourself in five years time? – The interviewer will already have an idea of your previous employment history. Do you flit from job to job? Are you ambitious in this job or already looking down the road?
·    What salary are you looking for? – Be realistic. A little research should tell you what the guideline figures would be for the type of job you’re being interviewed for. But be firm, too. Don’t undersell yourself.
·    What interests do you have outside work? – Be honest. There’s no point in inventing some fanciful background story only to discover your interviewer is an expert in the field.
·    Do you have any questions for us? – “Um, no” is not the best answer you could give. Turn the tables a little. Why does your interviewer like working for this company? What will be your promotion prospects?

And there’s always:

·    If you were an animal in a zoo, what type would you be? – Go ahead, fill your boots. There is no right or wrong answer and in a sense it’s not the actual question, but the challenge to your speed of thought and creativity that counts.

Brian added, “These questions are just a guide, obviously, but the key messages remain relevant: Be prepared; be positive; be yourself.

“The prospect of any job interview can be daunting, so we would encourage jobseekers to give themselves the best chance of success. And that’s where we can help.”

nextstep, which is funded by Staffordshire Learning and Skills Council and managed by Connexions Staffordshire, provides impartial advice and guidance on learning, training and the world of work.

Targeted at people with few qualifications, it offers one-2-one support on a range of issues, including advice on training and qualifications, interview preparation and advice on CVs.

It can even provide information on financial grants that might be available to help people embrace learning opportunities.

For further information call the free Helpline on 0800 2980234 or visit www.nextstepstaffs.org.uk

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