The interview is the most important part in the recruitment process. From looking at your application form we already think you might be able to do the job – we would not call you in otherwise. The interview will give us a chance to ask you questions and find out whether you actually can. It is your chance to convince us that you can, and that you are the best person compared to the other people we might be interviewing for the job – so be prepared.

Preparing for the interview:
Even people who have been interviewed many times can find interviews daunting, and if you have never been interviewed before it would be quite normal for you to feel nervous at the prospect. We hope the following notes will help you.

Read through the job description, person specification, recruitment advertisement and anything else that may have been sent to you with the application form. Are there any areas you do not understand? Make a note of these and ask for clarification at the interview.

If you can, try to find out more about the job you are to be interviewed for. Are there any current/topical issues affecting that area of work?

Read through and understand the council’s Employment Equality leaflet that was sent with your interview letter. You will be asked questions on it.

Write down any questions you have to ask us and bring them with you to the interview – you might forget them otherwise.

Think about the questions we might ask you to find out how well you can do the job. What questions would you ask if you were carrying out the interview? Think about how you will answer those questions. If you can, get someone to ask you the questions you think might come up, and practise saying the answers out aloud.

Know your positive points. What can you tell us about yourself that might make us choose you for the job? What skills, knowledge, experience or expertise do you have that will help you carry out the duties of the job.

Get there in time! Make sure you know exactly where the interview is to take place, how to get there and how long it will take. You should aim to get to the interview at least 10 minutes early. This will give you a chance to relax and compose yourself – it is better to arrive early than late and flustered! If we are running a little bit late, don’t worry – there will be a reason for this but we will not rush your interview.

What to expect at the interview:

Friendly but fair interviewers. All council interviewers are specially trained and ‘authorised’ to carry out interviews for the council. They will try and put you at ease, but will have to ask searching questions. Try and relax.

At least two people asking you questions. This is to help ensure fairness. Sometimes there will be more than two people interviewing you. This is usually only for the council’s more senior jobs or where the duties of the job cover a wide range. Do not let this put you off.

All interviewers will take notes throughout the interview. This is done so that we can be fair to you and the other interview candidates. The notes will enable the interviewers to recall which candidate said what, and thereby determine who is the best for the job.

Only to be asked job-related questions. All interview candidates will be asked a set of standard questions designed to find out who is the best for the job. You will not be asked questions about your domestic or personal circumstances which have no relevance to your ability to carry out the job.

To be asked questions about the council’s Employment Equality policy. You will not be expected to be an ‘expert’ on equal opportunities (unless you are being interviewed for a specialist equal opportunities job) but we will expect you to have read the leaflet sent with the interview letter – make sure you have!

To be asked questions about the information you have given on your application form.

What you should do at the interview:

Relax and pay attention and look at the interview panel. Concentrate on what is being said and do not let your mind wander.

Speak clearly, answer concisely – do not ‘waffle’.

Listen to the questions. If you do not hear a question properly – ask for it to be repeated. Do not try and guess what was said.

Answer the question asked. If you do not understand a question, ask for it to be rephrased. Do not try and guess what was meant.

Be honest. If you do not know the answer to a question say so, but do not make up an answer.

Be ready to ask your prepared questions if they have not already been answered. If you have written them down, ask to refer to them.

Make sure you understand the job fully and ask about anything of which you are not sure. Get all the information you need to know to decide whether you will accept the job if it is offered to you.

After the interview, the panel members will look through their notes (and the results of any test you may have been asked to do) and decide who best meets the person specification for the job. The person specification is prepared, and checked, right at the very start of the recruitment process – even before the job advertisement was placed. Only people who meet the criteria shown on the person specification will be considered for appointment and the person who meets them best will be offered the job.

Additionally, all paperwork is sometimes double checked by ‘independent’ personnel officers to make sure the decision on whom to appoint is absolutely fair.

All interview candidates will be notified in writing about the outcome of the interview. We aim to do this within 10 working days.

Finally, if you are not offered the job, do not be too disappointed. Our jobs are usually advertised widely and there is often a lot of applications for most of them. You will have done well to get to the interview and maybe, next time, you will be offered the job. Keep on trying. Ask us why you were not appointed and we will tell you.

Tests and submissions:
You may be asked to undertake a test, either before or after the interview (perhaps on a different date from the interview), or you may be asked to prepare and submit something prior to the interview. Whatever form the test takes, it will always be job-related and will be just one of the many factors taken into account when making the final decision.