Discovering Higher and Degree Apprenticeships with UWE Bristol, get free advice >>

I have a interview pre recorded In 3 days with dwp work coach

Shah muaz

Any help and ideas how I should answer and how my approach should be. Very nervous.

Dwp head coach

Reply 1

SharonMoxon

Original post by Shah muaz

Any help and ideas how I should answer and how my approach should be. Very nervous.

Dwp head coach

What do you need to know, that isn't already in the candidate pack.
General advice, you will have a set of Behavioural Q's and a set of Strength Q's on the subjects listed. Prepare well. Have notes handy. Practice timing yourself as if you over-run, the camera will cut off and your key points will be lost. Consider printing out in large type, tape them to a cereal box and have on your desk (ie they stand up by themselves) so that you are still looking vaguely at the camera.
For the strengths, there will be an initial 'baseline' Q that measures what 'engagement' looks like for you, then the strengths are marked against that between 1-4. Behaviours marked 1-7. You need at least 4 to 'pass'. See the notes further up this page from @Interv as he has been through it. Use the STAR format or similar, try not to ramble, succinct structure and EMPHASISE THE 'HOW' on each example, as people usually fall down on that. Not just what the result was, 'how' YOU achieved it.
Making Effective Decisions is actually all about risk (yes, really) so be sure to show what options you considered, what you rejected and why you chose the one you did . So, 'I considered/one option was doing xx but I rejected this because xx, the only other option I considered was xx but this would have been less effective because, so I decided to xxxxx'.
Quality Service is all about establishing and delivering on the customer's needs, not just what you think they want. EG 'I was working at xx cafe, I could see that xx was struggling to read the menu board on the wall so I approached them and offered help. I asked what they needed help with, the customer advised they had a sight impairment and I was able to offer a menu with large print/braille (or whatever). Think being discreet, respectful, making the customer feel comfortable and enhancing the reputation of the business and thereby encouraging cust to return.
Communicating & Influencing is just that, look at the descriptors on the Success Profiles Behaviours (sorry, tried to attach but too big but it is in your pack), then craft your example around the things described, always remembering 'how'
Some 'typical' Q's that may come up (no guarantees!)
QS-tell me about a time when you delivered excellent customer service
C & I-tell me about a time when you had to adapt your communication so that others can understand
M eff D-tell me about a time when you had to make a difficult decision and how you went about it?

Strengths-tend to give a statement and may ask if you agree. Sometimes hard to tell what they want so if in doubt, pitch in the middle ('do you prefer working in a team or alone'), always throw in a 'mini-example'. So, 'how do you feel about xxx' 'yes I agree with that, that's something I always do, for example when I am working with customers, I observe body language/facial expressions but feel it's really important to ask what support they need, not just assume'
Good Luck!

Reply 2

jennyhaine1

really useful, thank you!