You’ve sent your fantastic CV off, gone through the application process and then you get the phone call from your consultant informing you that you have an interview for one of your desired roles!! Once the elation subsides the nerves may start to kick in. It’s completely natural to feel nervous about an interview or the interview process in general.
The key to doing really well in a social work interview is to harness those nerves and turn them into an energy that shows off your biggest strengths and proves to the interviewer that you’re deserving of this exciting new position.
In today’s blog, we’re going to show you how to prepare for these next steps to ensure you ace your interview and advance your well-deserved social work career.
#1 – Have Confidence In Yourself, You’ve Gotten This Far!
Often, people get a sense of imposter syndrome when they get invited for an interview. But, it’s important to remember you’ve been offered an interview for plenty of good reasons. From your prior experience to your educational qualifications, you’ve clearly achieved or expressed something that has matched the job description or person specification that the local authority made. The fact you have succeeded in the application process should give you loads of confidence when you’re preparing for your social work interview.
#2 – Lean Into Your Biggest Strengths
Whether it’s your thoughtfulness, critical thinking or the fact you’re an excellent communicator with people. Whatever your biggest strength is, lean into it before and during your social work interview. You’re unique and so are your strengths and your weaknesses, an interview is about both parties getting a good picture of each other before deciding on the next steps. By promoting your strengths in a positive way, whatever they are, you’re bound to have a good interview.
#3 – Practice maintaining eye contact!
Keeping eye contact with your interviewers is such an essential part of a successful interview. As a social worker, you’ll be spending a lot of time talking to all sorts of different people, as you know. It’s vital then that you are able to show your ability as an excellent communicator through maintaining eye contact. It may seem like a small thing but it could be the difference between a yes or a no!
#4 – Read The Latest Ofsted Report From The Local Authority You’re Applying For
Going into an interview after reading up on the latest Ofsted reports on the Local Authority puts you in a great position. It shows the interviewer that you are serious about the work you are doing and that it means something to you. Many hiring managers will be impressed to hear that you already have good background knowledge on the Local Authority and the surrounding areas and the chances of them wanting you to skyrocket!
#5 – Get To Know The Area
Understanding the local area will give you a significant boost when interviewing for roles, it shows the interviewer you have done your homework and you would be comfortable driving out to visits within your jurisdiction without fear for getting lost or not knowing the area in which you visiting.
#6 – Read The Job Spec Fully
Before going into the interview process, make sure you have complete knowledge of the job role and what it will entail. Interview questions will be formed around it so it’s important you can apply your experience to the specifications laid out in the job description. If you can show this, you’re halfway there to showing the interviewer how you’d be able to do this role.
#7 – Have Your Own Questions Ready For The Interviewer
It’s not all one-sided in an interview! Make sure you come armed with a few questions yourself. An interview is about having a conversation with a potential employer. It’s as much a test of you as it is of them. Some good questions to ask include:
- What is the average caseload?
- What is the size of the team I’ll be in?
- How will I be supported in this role by this local authority?
Looking For A New Social Work Role? Get In Touch With Portman Recruitment Today!
We hope these tips were helpful and will put you at ease the next time you go for a social work interview. Here at Portman Recruitment, we work night and day to ensure our social workers are best placed to succeed in their interviews. From CV optimisation to regular updates about their application and other palliative support. We do everything we can to ensure a successful interview process.
If you’re a social worker looking for a new role at a local authority in places like Manchester, Liverpool, Cumbria, Bolton, The Wirral or anywhere else in the North West or nationwide want a recruitment agency that has got your back, then get in touch with Portman Recruitment today! We can’t wait to hear how we can help you with your next steps in your social work career.