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51�Թ����App and Bute Council’s candidate assessment approach &�Բ�����;

We use competency, behavioural and situational interview questions to assess a candidate’s suitability for the role, ensuring individuals are recruited based on their relevant experience, skills and abilities.  &�Բ�����;

We believe that a person’s past approach to work is a good predictor of their future job performance. The questions we ask are a way to discover how a candidate’s behaviour in previous roles or situations can contribute to their performance in the job that’s being interviewed for. Candidates will have the opportunity to utilise real life, work and voluntary experiences to evidence how they are able to apply their knowledge and abilities in a role with us.  &�Բ�����;

All candidates being interviewed for the same available role are asked the same non-discriminatory questions, ensuring fairness and consistency in the selection process.  &�Բ�����;

In addition to the interview (and depending on the role), candidates may also be required to undertake additional assessment activities including presentations, skills tests, psychometric tests. These can simulate on-the-job tasks and scenarios, which gives the interview panel insights into how candidates may perform in the role and how they fit with our culture. &�Բ�����; &�Բ�����;

Preparing for your interview  &�Բ�����;

The first stage in preparing for your interview is to revisit your application and collect evidence. You can use evidence from outwith the workplace if you feel it better demonstrates your competency in a particular area i.e. through voluntary work. &�Բ�����;

Make a list of these examples and jot down some notes following the STAR technique described below. 

It’s beneficial to spend time reflecting on the job description and person specification, particularly the essential criteria. Consider your best work achievements over recent years, for instance; when you felt you went the extra mile to deliver a service or how you managed to turn around a difficult situation.  

In addition to the competency-based questions, if you are being interviewed for a specialist role, you’ll likely be asked technical related questions to assess your knowledge level in a certain subject area. &�Բ�����;

The interview is a two-way process and it’s also your chance to ask questions (during or at the end of the interview) and the panel will be happy to answer these. You may want to ask about the role, team, department, duties or perhaps what it’s like working with us.   &�Բ�����; &�Բ�����;

How to answer interview questions  &�Բ�����;

In responding to interview questions, it’s important to think about the key competencies and behaviours that you are likely to be asked about and prepare some structured examples (using the STAR technique below) to relate your experience to the role.  &�Բ�����;

Don’t talk in broad terms about how you generally tackle situations or what you would do in a hypothetical situation. You need to be able to talk about a specific example and focus on what you did in the past. &�Բ�����;

A common mistake is that candidates have a pre-planned answer that they want to give, even if it does not directly answer the question. Pre-planned answers are great if they answer the question but if they don’t the interview panel will have difficulty scoring you.  &�Բ�����; 

A good way to structure your answers is by using the STAR �ٱ𳦳�Ծ���ܱ�: �į

• S - Situation - What was the situation you were in?
• T - Task - What was the task you were faced with?
• A - Action - What was the action you personally took? What were the challenges / obstacles you faced and how did you overcome them?  
• R - Result - What was the outcome following your intervention / input?

Remember to use ‘I’ statements when using the STAR model. The interview panel want to know what you did, not what you did as a team, and will want to understand what changes happened resulting from your actions and what the effects of these actions were on others.  &�Բ�����;

You may be asked to reflect on your actions and could be asked questions such as “if you had to deal with a similar situation again, what would you do differently?”.  &�Բ�����;

When providing your evidence, the interview panel may at any point follow up with supplementary or probing questions to gain a better understanding of what you did.  As a result, any candidate who did not actually experience the situation relayed to the panel, will find it difficult to provide enough detail.  &�Բ�����;

You may find it useful to research more about this style of interviewing and find some examples of the types of questions that could be asked by the interview panel. 

Online interviews  &�Բ�����;

We operate a hybrid working model and interviews can be held remotely if required, via MS Teams. The following checklist provides some tips and useful information for candidates preparing for and participating in online interviews. &�Բ�����;

Preparing for your online video interview &�Բ�����;

1. If you do not already have the MS Teams app you will need to download this on to your device. 
2. We use the video function during online interviews so please think about your location, lighting and background when on video.  
3. Should you require any adjustments or support with participating in an online interview please contact the interview organiser for assistance prior to the interview date.  
4. Log in to MS Teams before the interview to test the link and check that the audio and video functions are working.  A contact will be provided to assist you with any technical difficulties which may arise on the day of the interview. 
5. Remember to speak clearly during the interview as it might be more difficult to hear each other compared to a face-to-face interview. 
6. Gather any paperwork or notes that you require for yourself and the panel including ID for verification. 
7. Prepare suitable clothes in advance of the interview.
8. Make sure you minimise distractions to present yourself in the same way as you would during an in-person interview. You can do this by letting others in your environment know that you are participating in an online interview and give timings. Consider what you can see around you and ask - could this be distracting?
9. Before the interview you will receive an Outlook calendar appointment via email from one of the interviewers inviting you to join a MS Teams meeting. Please let them know that you have received this. 
10. The invite will include a link to join the interview via MS Teams  ‘Click here to join the meeting’. When you click on this link on your interview date and time, MS Teams will automatically open and you can join the meeting with the interview panel. &�Բ�����; 

On the day of your interview  &�Բ�����;

• Relax beforehand – it’s normal to feel nervous 
• Dress suitably for the interview  
• Plan to arrive or log on to MS Teams 5 minutes before the interview starts 
• Switch your mobile phone off or on silent and place it out of sight so it is not a distraction 
• Stay hydrated and have a glass of water at your side during the interview 
• Get off to a good start, be polite, smile and be mindful of your body language and tone  
• Take your time, listen to the questions carefully and think before you answer 
• If you need to, ask the interviewer(s) to repeat or explain any question
• Finally, be yourself, be curious and enjoy your interview experience with us