Interview practice

Maximus_1

Hi folks. Has anyone first hand experience of using a third party to prep for an interview? Worth the investment? I'm thinking specifically the competency based civil service types. Many thanks

DaisysB

Also curious about this...

Jim2007

Maximus_1 wrote: »

Hi folks. Has anyone first hand experience of using a third party to prep for an interview? Worth the investment? I'm thinking specifically the competency based civil service types. Many thanks

No not for these particular interviews, but yes I've had a lot of training courses over the years. From very generic ones in my early days, to very specific training for being interviewed for legal and political reasons....

How much you will get out of it, really depends on the starting point. For general job interviews I'd say that if you have never had the experience then it is most like that you will benefit - they will defiantly be stuff they will pick up on and training they can give you to deal with certain weaknesses you may have.

Likewise if it is a very specific situation that you have no experience of it is worth doing, say giving evidence before the high court. Here you need to learn to think on your feet, see where the questioning is going, slow it down, break the chain etc....

So in general I'd say yes, if you don't have experience of the situation and there is an option for a course in "competency based civil service" interviews, it probably will be of benefit to you.

Maximus_1

Jim2007 wrote: »

No not for these particular interviews, but yes I've had a lot of training courses over the years. From very generic ones in my early days, to very specific training for being interviewed for legal and political reasons....

How much you will get out of it, really depends on the starting point. For general job interviews I'd say that if you have never had the experience then it is most like that you will benefit - they will defiantly be stuff they will pick up on and training they can give you to deal with certain weaknesses you may have.

Likewise if it is a very specific situation that you have no experience of it is worth doing, say giving evidence before the high court. Here you need to learn to think on your feet, see where the questioning is going, slow it down, break the chain etc....

So in general I'd say yes, if you don't have experience of the situation and there is an option for a course in "competency based civil service" interviews, it probably will be of benefit to you.

Many thanks for your excellent reply

OMM 0000

Interviewing is a skill like any other. Also, you'll find the same questions get asked at most interviews.

The more practice you have, the greater your chance of doing well in interviews, so it's definitely worth getting practice in whether that's through an agency you pay or via a friend who's in management.

It's kind of mad we don't learn this skill in school considering how important it is. Interviews literally change your life.

talla10

OMM 0000 wrote: »

Interviews literally change your life.

In an ideal world possibly. In my experience a lot of positions within my organisation are already filled on a temporary basis and when the position is advertised and filled the successful applicant is always the person in situ.

In such circumstances it appears even if you give an excellent interview the process is predetermined.

OMM 0000

talla10 wrote: »

In an ideal world possibly. In my experience a lot of positions within my organisation are already filled on a temporary basis and when the position is advertised and filled the successful applicant is always the person in situ.

In such circumstances it appears even if you give an excellent interview the process is predetermined.

I don't think it's correct to believe companies with fair hiring processes only exist in an ideal world.

It sounds like you're in a crappy organisation and should move somewhere better when you can.