Preparing for your interview
We want to make sure we get the best out of you, follow our tips to find out how.
The interview invite
Congratulations, you have been invited for an interview! If you are unable to attend the available times, please reply to the email sent to you requesting an alternate time. We can’t guarantee that this will be available, but the interview panel will make every effort to accommodate your request.
What to expect
Your interview will consist of a formal discussion with our hiring team. We'll review your application, get to know you a little better, and give you the chance to ask us any questions about the role, or about working for us in general.
All interviews will be with a panel of two or more people. At least one of the panel members will have had recruitment and selection training and, for positions involving working with vulnerable people or sensitive information, recruitment training which specifically addresses safeguarding needs.
We use competency-based questions which ask you to talk about practical examples of your experience.
Your examples might be from a previous job, but they can be from any part of your life: your education or training, for example, or extra-curricular pastimes, such as sports teams or groups you are part of.
The interview panel will keep written notes of each interview, recording reasons for the decisions they take. Try not to feel put off if you find that while you are answering one person's question, another is writing things down. The panel will make their selection decision based on the evidence collected during the entire recruitment process, assessing it against the Job Description and Person Specification for the post.
Your examples might be from a previous job, but they can be from any part of your life: your education or training, for example, or extra-curricular pastimes, such as sports teams or groups you are part of.
The interview panel will keep written notes of each interview, recording reasons for the decisions they take. Try not to feel put off if you find that while you are answering one person's question, another is writing things down. The panel will make their selection decision based on the evidence collected during the entire recruitment process, assessing it against the Job Description and Person Specification for the post.
Face to face interviews
- Please try to arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled interview time. This gives you time to check in with reception
- Please report to reception. They will issue you with a temporary pass
- Consider your dress code and what is appropriate for a job interview
- If you need additional assistance to access the premises or to take part in the interview, please let us know in advance
- Try your best to stay calm, take a deep breath and take your time when answering the questions
- Don't be concerned if the panel members are taking notes or looking at the other documents during the interview
Online interviews
If you have not experienced an online interview before it is natural that you may feel a little nervous, however try to relax as much as possible and be yourself.
- Try to join the meeting a few minutes before the scheduled time - you will be held in a virtual room until the panel are ready
- Make sure that you won't be disturbed or distracted during the interview
- Check your internet connection to make sure that you have a stable connection
- Make sure you are well-lit and consider what is in the background during the meeting
- Please make sure your device has sufficient power and turn off any notifications to avoid distractions
- Keep a drink nearby to keep hydrated
- Treat this interview as you would any face-to-face interview and consider your dress code
- If you are giving a presentation, have this open and ready
- Read the following guidance for what to do if you do not have a Teams account >
- Although we do not record meetings, we do ask you to make sure that your camera is working
- Test your device to make sure that the system works as expected
- Have the interviewer’s contact details to hand in case of any issues
There may be a little time lag between you speaking and the panel, don't worry about this. Take your time and stay calm
What documents to bring
The information below sets out the important documentation you will need to provide if you are invited for interview.
Face to face interviews
If you do not bring the necessary documentation to the interview this will delay the recruitment process.
Face to face interviews
If you do not bring the necessary documentation to the interview this will delay the recruitment process.
Please take a few moments to read the information carefully before collating your documentation. Please bring original documents with you to the interview as we cannot accept photocopies
Online interviews
For the majority of these checks, we cannot accept photocopied documentation. This is because we need to see original documents so that we can verify them.
Online interviews
For the majority of these checks, we cannot accept photocopied documentation. This is because we need to see original documents so that we can verify them.
We would usually ask you to bring these documents to any face to face interview. However, as your interview has been arranged online, if you are successful, the recruiting manager will arrange an appointment with you so that you can provide your important documents in person.
Right to Work
To work for any employer in the UK you will need to show evidence of your eligibility to work here.
If successful, we will conduct a full check with you before your first day of employment but in the meantime we will need to see your ID documents at interview. The Home Office has a list of documents you should bring >.
If successful, we will conduct a full check with you before your first day of employment but in the meantime we will need to see your ID documents at interview. The Home Office has a list of documents you should bring >.
If you are a non-British or non-Irish citizen, you may have registered for a Home Office online check, if so please let us know your status at interview.
If you do not currently have the Right to Work in the UK, but are in the process of applying for a visa which is dependent on a job offer, you will need to confirm that our role meets the requirements of the criteria your visa is based on – please view https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work
If you do not currently have the Right to Work in the UK, but are in the process of applying for a visa which is dependent on a job offer, you will need to confirm that our role meets the requirements of the criteria your visa is based on – please view https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work
Criminal Records Disclosure - Self Declaration
All applicants are required to provide us with a declaration about unspent criminal convictions.
A Criminal Record Self Declaration form will have been attached to the interview confirmation email. Please complete this form and email it back, following the instructions set out in the email. If you do not have this form please can contact us.
A Criminal Record Self Declaration form will have been attached to the interview confirmation email. Please complete this form and email it back, following the instructions set out in the email. If you do not have this form please can contact us.
Qualifications
Within the job description and person specification, the recruiting manager may have set out qualifications that are essential for you to hold. Where this is the case, the recruiting manager will need to see the highest level qualifications that are listed on the job description.
What kind of evidence might I need to provide?
Where the highest level of qualification is Degree Qualification plus a management qualification, you should bring in your original Degree qualification and evidence of your management qualification. There is no need to bring in qualifications obtained at a lower level (e.g. GCSE and A Level documents).
If you don’t have the level of qualification, but consider yourself to have equivalent experience (e.g. you hold A’ Levels but did not attend University to obtain a degree, however, you have significant work experience to show you are at an equivalent level), you should bring with you the highest level of qualification that you have formally obtained. The recruiting manager will discuss with you as part of your interview, how your experience and skills demonstrate the “equivalent” experience.
The recruiting manager will take a copy of your qualification certificates and may make contact with the awarding body to verify them. If you are not successful at interview, copies of these documents will be securely destroyed.
The recruiting manager will take a copy of your qualification certificates and may make contact with the awarding body to verify them. If you are not successful at interview, copies of these documents will be securely destroyed.
DBS Check
This is only required for certain roles and will have been specified in the advertisement and job description. Discover what the DBS check involves >.