Steps to success

Be prepared

Well done! The CV has opened the door and now comes the 'Interview'. This makes some people weak at the knees at the thought of being put on the spot. The fear of interviews often comes down to the fact that you will say the wrong answer to a question.

Your first interview will be with our consultant at esupportstaff. This will be an initial interview and may possibly be at the school where you have applied to work, it could also be at another location as it depends on the timetable and facilities of the school. This initial interview is for esupportstaff to find out more about you and to see how your skills and experience can support the needs of the school.

esupportstaff will then present a 'shortlist' of candidates to the school for them to arrange their own interviews with you.

If you are invited for an interview, preparation in the following areas will assist and it will depend on the quality of your preparation as to how successful you will be

The areas to concentrate on are:

• The job description
• The company
• Selling yourself
• Preparing interview questions

The job description

The job description will highlight the key skills and experience the school requires for the role. It is essential that you have read and understood all aspects of the job description. If you are unsure about any duties then speak to the consultant at esupportstaff. Relate all key criteria with your own knowledge and experience so you can draw upon these factors at interview.

The School

All schools have a website and you should try to take time to read it. This will also allow you to gain a picture of what the school is trying to achieve and the opportunities that they offer to their pupils. You could be working as part of this and contributing to the pupil's education in the support role. Eupportstaff will be able to provide more information on the school, especially if we have placed candidates in the school before.

Selling yourself

Try looking at yourself objectively. Look at your strengths, weaknesses, your potential and achievements. Your strengths lie in your skills, usually outlined in the CV. Think about examples and achievements that provide evidence that you have used or developed certain skills. Relate these skills to the job description and don't waffle as the interviewer may lose interest.

Weaknesses should be shown as areas where training can improve the skills of the individual. For example you may have no experience on the school's computerised management information system, and why should you if you have never worked in a school before. Simple training can turn a weakness into a strength.

Your potential lies in the opportunities the school has to offer and this should be explored during the interview. You must feel confident to ask why this role has arisen. Will this role develop in time or are there opportunities for progression? Some roles are exactly what they say they are i.e. Receptionist and will not change very much over time, so be careful about asking these questions if they do not apply to the type of role you are being interviewed for.

Preparing interview questions

Interviews are two way and you must make sure you are making the right decision if you are offered the job. By asking questions either throughout the interview or at the end you must be satisfied that you have enough information. We always advise candidates to take a notepad with questions already written down. This not only shows to the interviewer that you have prepared for the interview but it prompts you to ask the questions rather than running for the door!

Also have a look at the section 'The interview', so that you can prepare some answers to likely interview questions that may come up.