Training Programme

Stage 2 Interviews

Our business mentor, Alan was kind enough to offer his support for a second time for interview training and to provide advice on areas that were good as well as areas that we could improve on.

Stage 2 involved understanding standard interview questions that are often asked at interviews. We were all given weeks of notice in order to practice our answers to those interview questions in order for us to be able to give the best possible answers to the questions that were asked.

Examples of Interview Questions:
• Tell me about yourself.
• Why would you be suitable for this post?
• What do you know about the organisation?
• Do you have any questions?

DWP Universal Job Match

Weekly opportunity to job search with support:-

Website Link

National Careers Service

Working in partnership to offer one to one support :-

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1 to 1 Mock Interviews

As a group, we identified interview planning as an area to develop. The group agreed that planning for an interview would be a key area for the development as it would help the group members develop their skills and knowledge when it comes to an interview. As a result, we got in contact with our business mentor, Alan who has a history of experience in interviewing people.

Before the mock interviews, Alan discussed with the group about his and his company’s history and about the past experiences he has had when interviewing members of staff for the organisation.

Following this, each member then individually took turns to go for the interview when called up. The interviews were informal and involved discussing about our backgrounds and who we are. Other things discussed in the interview included selling ourselves to show why we would be suitable for the role of Admin Support for Skills 4 Work.

After the interviews, we got our feedback and discussed as a group about it as well as filling individual forms reflecting on whether the feedback was reflective of our performances.

Following on from that session, we will be planning further mock interviews where the group will get more advanced preparation and the questions asked will also be more advanced including personality trait questions.

Shaun Vinnicombe

Better Off Calculations

A better off calculation is used to determine out of various options which one would be the one where the individual would be better off financially and identify the financial benefits of work.

Each group member identified what their benefits were such as Jobseekers Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance and added them into the calculation. We then calculated based on age. After all calculations were put into place, we worked out how much better off we would be in paid employment on a 16 hour part time job on minimum wage.

After calculating how much better off each group member would be in employment, we were then able to print out the full calculations on paper for each group member who have completed a better off calculation.