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Anybody any advice re interviews?

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Gem
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Anybody any advice re interviews?

#1

Unread post by Gem »

Had my 1st ever interview a couple of weeks ago, very daunting, 4 other people (mostly with experiance) were applying for the same job (telesales for charitys). It was a group interview with 1 person interviewing us all. Got very nervous when it was my turn 1 from last, all jumbled up and think i fluffed it up abit. That was 2+ wks ago and not heard back so guess it was a no.

Ive got an idea where i went wrong, but i havnt been able to get hold of where i had the interview to ask for feedback of areas i need to improve. All experiance at the end of the day whatever the outcome Image

Couple of day ago i applied for jobs online and 2 companys have since come back to me. Im well chuffed- seeing as i was getting nowhere in the area i live with jobs so i went to the big city to try my luck! Just to be asked for an interview believe it or not means so much to me. :)

I have an interview on Monday, which is expected to last 40mins for telesales and customer service. Infront of managers and higher people within the company.

A seperate phone interview was arranged for today, lasting about an hour, for another customer servces telesales posistion. It wasnt as bad as being with others in an interview- it was rather relaxed approach  :)

There was a point towards the end of interview i was thinking 'why the hell did you say that Gemma totally irrelevant!' The outcome was i got asked to go to the 2nd stage of the interview on Tuesday! Interview will last 3+ hours, where i will listen in on conversations, participate, recieve presentations, learn more about the company etc.

'business dress esential' those that know me yes i can ditch my jeans for a few days  :P

Oooh errr im rather nervous already! Cant afford to mess these up need the experiance and money.

Nerves do become a problem for me, and i can get stressed if i cant explain exactly what i mean. In day to day life i use alot of 'erm, and, hmmm alot' i noticed i cut back a hell of alot with that whilst having phone interview which is some improvement. :)

Anybody got any hints/tips to help me out?

Thanks, sorry to ramble on
welder
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Anybody any advice re interviews?

#2

Unread post by welder »

There,s a few things here Gem that have helped me in the passed when i,ve attended interviews and its fair to say i,ve been reasonably succesful,. Dress would be Smart/neat, Dont slouch,, be attentive, have some of your own questions readily available, be honest with your interviewer and yourself, let your personality show through, sell yourself but relax. Some people naturally interview well but others have to put some work into it. qualifications only matter to a point in as much as e.g you can have a bog roll full of qualifications but if your hands on ability stinks you,re on a looser. I,ve had Uni guys work with me that can identify and order new parts on a computer but find it alien and sometimes impossible to strip out a machine, trouble shoot a problem and rebuild it. This is all common sense i know but rational thinking can sometimtes take a back seat when the butterflies attack ya tummy. hope it helps though Gem 8-) Image
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TK
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Anybody any advice re interviews?

#3

Unread post by TK »

Hi Gem

You may have already tried it, but if not try googling 'Interview techniques' - there's a raft of advice out there

Eg - here's a few of the first that popped up

http://content.monster.co.uk/section329 ... GOOG_INTRW

http://www.tfpl.com/temporary_recruitme ... rviews.cfm


http://www.alec.co.uk/interview/index.htm

Best of luck Image
frank
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Anybody any advice re interviews?

#4

Unread post by frank »

Gem thats a bit of sound advice from Welder & TK just be yourself gal, they must think something off you as they have gone a step further with interveiws, businesses today dont waste money on probables
Gem
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#5

Unread post by Gem »

Thanks guys, its apprieciated  Image

Most of today i have been looking at links online to help me. Ive been practising how to answer the interviewers questions and how to submit my questions to them.

I have typed them up so i can have a quick glance if need be. Would the interviewers think any different of me if i take out a piece of paper and refer to it now and then or would it show im keen etc? I dont want it to give the impression that i cant remember what i was going to ask etc.

I know ive got to show them i am very willing and keen to learn and would like the oppotunity to progress further, more so as i do not have any qualifications. I have common sense though and hopefully i can prove to the companys that i wont be wasteing there time/money in training etc.

Suit is sorted, ive thought long and hard of how to answer questions thrown at me and examples of good customer service i have given/recieved.

Must have something to eat before the interview as i suffer badly with a loud rumberly tummy! Hopefully my nerves wont be too visible.

Its not till the afternoon and ive got things to do in the morning which will hopefully distract my mind abit.

Thanks again chaps- this is scarey stuff for me and its always better to ask advice of those that have been there before, friends and family. Image
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TK
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Anybody any advice re interviews?

#6

Unread post by TK »

Would the interviewers think any different of me if i take out a piece of paper and refer to it now and then or would it show im keen etc? I dont want it to give the impression that i cant remember what i was going to ask etc.

I wouldn't have thought it should present a problem Gem as long as you are not constantly referring to it and using it as a total crutch.
I've interviewed before and people have pulled out the piece of paper.....
I'd probably introduce it along the lines with a comment 'I've so much I wish to ensure that I tell you about myself, do you mind me having my aide memoir?' plus 'I also have a number of question I wish to ensure I ask you'

However not sure what current business thoughts/practice on people doing this these days.........so I'd google around a bit more and see if you can find a reference to it  Image

If it's deemed to be not the done thing, then it's a few strategically key words written on the palm of your hand!!!!!

Sounds like you are well on the way with your rehersals Image

Good luck
Gem
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Anybody any advice re interviews?

#7

Unread post by Gem »

YES!! :D

Today went well although i didnt think i had done all that good, but with only 1 previous interview i cant really put into catogories a bad interview or a good one!

Got the phone call tonight about the feedback from the interview. Must of made a good impression. Ive been invited back for a 2nd interview, meeting people within the company, given persentations, listen in on calls and given tour of the building Image so chuffed :D Thats arranged for Wednesday, so fingers crossed.

Whilst getting ready for the interview (gawd ive never been so worried about what i look like!). I got an out of the blue phone call for another job i applied for asking if it was convieiant to have a phone interview- much prefered this as i didnt have anything planned to say it just all came out, and i think i done better than previous one Image im noticeing improvements already which its all about learning and gaining experiance Image

So i have another interview next week aswel as the one tomorrow/Wednesday. Blimey ive never been so popular! :D

Feels good to be given a chance with these interviews :)

Sorry rambling on now! HAPPY!!! :D
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TK
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#8

Unread post by TK »

Well done gem..........go for it Image
Gem
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#9

Unread post by Gem »

YESSSSS!![ Image Image/b]

I got the job!

I could of gone today but i had dentist already arranged and the manageing directer understood, so im off to proper work tomorrow morning :D Had a brill time during the 6hrs i was there and out and about with the team!

Spent £30 today on a nice suit/tops/shoes etc to look the part Image already had people thinking im much older than i am at the company! :D

It will be an eye opener and with the training i will definatly improve, finally got there when i thought no-one would employ me, been given a chance and im going to make the most of it! :D Image

YESSSSSS!! :D
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TK
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#10

Unread post by TK »

Well done Gem Image
frank
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#11

Unread post by frank »

Well done Gem

now go and show em what you are made off


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Anybody any advice re interviews?

#12

Unread post by Mugger »

Congratulations Gem.
Well chuffed for you. Image
:cheerleader :cheerleader Watch out, watch out, there's a Mugger about :cheerleader :cheerleader
welder
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#13

Unread post by welder »

Excellent result Gem i,m really pleased for you. You didnt really need our help see!!, If you,ve got it, you,ve got it. Image
Gem
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#14

Unread post by Gem »

Back to earth with a bang guys  :-/ :-X  Image

When a company wants you to sign a contract there and then with bank details etc without reading the 200 pages of clauses etc it makes you very susphious.

Id never sign anything there and then without understanding everything. Commen sense really imo- like signing your life away.

The meeting was held, and the bloke was expaining a rough 5mins guildline of what the booklet entailed. 'Self employment' ears opened very wide. I asked the questions i had, as dad had adviced of questions to ask if that was the case as he read it as. He tried skirting around my questions then the mangerging director came to answer my questions. She was mainly pushing the idea that you get minimum tax etc, and didnt give all the info that was in booklet.

There was 4 of us there, 2 girls no older than 24 signing away without reading all. Me and a man asked questions and queried and thought eh up whys nothing been mentioned about self emplyment till now etc.

So i had a whole new perspective of the job i had got. Although i didnt technically have the job as they later said- because even though we were all told we have the job, it was a case of 'only 2 of you will have the job after a 6 day trial'

Thinks were not adding up. Rather contradicting and something not feeling right. Everybody says 'go with your gutt instint and your heart'

I asked to take the booklet home to understand it fully and not jump into something kind of thing. And to get dad to have a look over it to see his opion of it all. As the papers i took home from the interview dad said it sounds very much like you have to become self employed although it didnt actually say that- it was the way it came across and worded.

Because me and the guy wasnt signing there and then they pushed us aside and said it would be too risky knocking peoples doors as we wouldnt have the proper i.d- yet a couple of days before we did go out knocking doors with the leaders. So we got told to go home and read the booklet and get back to them.

After dad telling me in simple terms the pro's and cons of the technical jargen, i feel it really is not worth it for me going self employed etc.

So im back to the drawing board- i am gutted and annoyed as it didnt turn out to be exactly what was advertised. But live and learn and its experiance. Good job i didnt cancel the interview for next week at a t-mobile call centre. Very much hope that goes ok.

It felt great to be given a chance but im so glad i have abit of commen sense and didnt sign nothing there and then.

So thats the story of that. Not very cheery at the mo to be honest. If it wasnt for the self emplyment bit i think of would of liked the job and with training would of improved. (Which later states in the booklet that you pay for your own training- but we was told training is free?)

Went into a few agencys in Cardiff see if they have anything. I dont mind what it is. 'what experiance and qualifications do you have' Arghhhh brick wall again. 'we have these call centre jobs but they require minimum 6months experiance' so inside im shouting 'how are you meant to get experiance when you need experiance in the first place?'

Anyone got a simple job i can do or know someone in this area?

Hitting head on that popular brick wall

Sorry guys was such a buzz and now its all changed. I know it wont be the only knock back or owt and its probs happened to the majority but found it soo frigging annoying to be honest.

Cuppa tea time!
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#15

Unread post by welder »

Image Image :'(
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