Preston College Apprenticeship Course Guide

INTERVIEW DO’S & DON’TS DO > Dress smartly and get your outfit ready the night before > Find out where the interview is and plan your route the day before > Read the job and person specification so you know what’s expected in the role > Prepare answers with examples to demonstrate the skills required in the person specification > Stay calm, take your time, speak clearly and confidently, answer truthfully and use examples > Sell yourself and your skills to the employer, keep things positive and focused > Prepare a few questions to ask the employer at the end of the interview > Ensure you know your own CV and be able to talk about it DON’T > Be late > Criticise former employers or colleagues > Slouch in your seat or do anything that makes you look uninterested > Lie, the interviewer may ask further questions relating to this answer and you may find yourself in an awkward situation > Discuss controversial topics such as religion, politics, and gender relations > Fail to attend your interview. If for any reason you can’t make it, please inform the Apprenticeship Team at the earliest opportunity What do I talk about if I‘ve never had a job before? Highlight any positive activities you’ve been doing, such as voluntary work, work experience and/or courses you are doing or have completed. Be honest and sell yourself to the employer, ensuring you give good examples of why you want the job and why you would be perfect for the role. Everyone has to start somewhere and many employers will understand that as an apprentice, this could be your first job. What if I get asked about skills or experience I don’t have? Don’t worry if you haven’t got one or two of the required skills. You need to be able to show that you have the potential to develop these gaps. Describe how you would act if you were placed in a situation. For example, if you had to deal with a difficult customer you could explain how you would approach it: “stay calm, be polite and clear…” What do I need to prepare? Before your interview, find out as much background information as possible. Start by checking out the company’s website and then ask yourself the following questions: > What is their business/product/service? > How many employees do they have? > Are they part of a large group? > Do they own other companies? > Who are their competitors? > What is the company’s mission or philosophy?