Woo Hoo. - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

ghis · Senior Member

Woo Hoo.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Excellent news Ghilslane, We'll all have our fingers crossed for you on Wednesday.

ghis · Senior Member

Thank you,
any tips or advice for the interview. What will they look for

Helz · Senior Member

Well done Ghislane - brilliant news!

Remember you are selling yourself - so be confident!

Best of luck

Helen

Don Tax · Expert

Good luck, Ghis.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Ghislane.

My interview advice is that to get as far as the interview you have already impressed them with your CV and any other correspondence that you have sent them.

At interview they are looking for someone who is as impressive as the view that they have already developed of you.

Be smart.

Be on time.

always maintain eye contact. actually, just to reemphasise the importance of that one "ALWAYS MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT".

smile and nod at the right times.

Have all of your relevant documents with you in a folder and photocopies of those documents for their records. (they would take copies but it always seems better prepared when you come already with them prepared).

Be prepared for an impromptu test on Excel as this seems to be a favorite. The test will cover all of the basics plus pivot tables and maybe Vlookups. Don't worry if your not fully conversant with pivot tables yet as from Excel 2007 they became much simpler and you should be able to pick them up in an hour or so of playing with Excel.

If the position uses Sage be prepared for questions about which nominal code would you use for X.

Never speak badly about former employers.

Be prepared to answer questions about why you left any former employer.

If you have any short positions on your CV these will be singled out for you to justify why the position was so short.

Gaps in the CV are not as frowned upon as they once were so if you have those don't worry too much about them. Short positions without good reason are generally considered much worse than short gaps.

Don't be caught off gaurd. If there's a question that you can't answer don't guess at it but say that you can't remember the answer off the top of your head but know exactly where to find the information.... Don't use that too many times in the interview though. Think of it as a joker card that you can play once.

I've been on both sides of the desk for interviews and from the employer perspective the main thing that you are thinking when another candidate walks through the door is "Can I sit opposit this person for at least the next six months of my life".

In a situation that comes down to two candidates, one that gave perfect answers but came accross in an unfreindly manner and one who gave excellent but less than perfect answers but was very freindly and outgoing, to my mind I would accept one that I felt more comfortable with over the one with the perfect answers. (So I would consider Neil to be very employable).

All employers are different. Whats right at one interview is totally wrong at another so taking everyone's advice into consideration just be yourself, give the best answers that you can... Oh, and always maintain eye contact!!!

Sure that there are more things that I've forgotten to write. If I remember them I'll post a follow up,

All the best for the big day,

Shaun.

p.s. edited to emphasise that this one was the reply to Ghislane rather than Neil.

-- Edited by Shamus on Sunday 25th of March 2012 01:06:52 PM

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Neil,

interview stories biggrin

1) Worst interview that I gave was to someone who at phone interview stage came accross as perfectly but on the day of the face to face interview brought an A4 pad with him into the interview room then answered all questions (again perfectly) whilst holding a pen clenching in a fist drawing patterns on the A4 pad as he slowly rocked backwards and forwards on the back two legs of the chair.

He stared at the pad the whole time and never made eye contact.

The image floating around my head during the interview was if we give this guy a job how long would it be before he turned up on a Monday morning with semi automatic weapony.

Mmm, think that guy has a great future ahead of him in the American postal service!

2) In Thailand (Isaan region) I interviewed several people for a minor office role. One of the key criteria was the ability to speak English so thankfully after initial niceties the whole interview was conducted in English (Which probably saved me from things like asking them how big there wardrobe was or whether their hovercraft was filled with jellied eels).

I had seen several people all of whom were excellent and I would have hired any of them.

About the sixth interview in girl comes in we have a chat to put her at ease, ask her the technical questions then hit her with the "Why would I want to hire you over the other candidates?" to which she took off her blouse and unclipped her bra... Now why can't all interviews go that way! Actually, considering some of the people who have sat accross the desk from me I'm glad that they haven't!!!!

3) At the end of an interview asking a candidate if there was anything that they wanted to ask me, implying about the work environment, what was expected of them, etc.

To my surprise they started asking technical interview questions!

I actually enjoy interviews so much to the guys surprise that a manager new what they were talking about answered them anyway rather than just calling time on the interview... Think that I scored pretty well for someone unprepared for the interview to go that way around. (I didn't give him the job though).

4) As an interviewee I was interviewed for one position where I answered all of the questions but wasn't feeling the love at all from the other side of the desk.

I figured that I wasn't going to be coming back to this role so when we got to the question "What do you feel that you can bring to this position" my answer was "Awful ties and alcohol abuse".... I got the job and worked there in a management position for nearly eight years!

Right, think that's enough for now. Just off to try and think about how I can get myself back into a management role in Thailand wink

All the best,

Shaun.

p.s. just edited for minor spelling and gramatical errors.

-- Edited by Shamus on Sunday 25th of March 2012 12:32:13 PM

Spamkebab · Expert

Good luck Ghis.

My tip would be..............

I had an interview for the position of Accounts Assistant but it was 20 miles up the motorway so not too far but not a bus ride.

Anyway, the day of the interview came and i set off in my trusty car, wearing my old Adidas trainers for comfort. I have a thing about being late, i hate it and late

comers really wind me up, but on this occasion i arrived at the industrial park where the business was located about 40 mins too early. Took out my phone to have a play

only to find a message from the recruitment agent saying my appointment had been put back half an hour, so now i was just over an hour early. 5 mins went by and i needed a wee,

15 mins went by and i was busting so i left the car and started looking for a toilet. I even asked the man at the bacon butty van what he did in this situation, he wasn't very helpful and

there was a row of bushes near by so i think i solved his dilemma. Anyway there were no toilets or places where i could use the toilet as i wound myself around the park. I ended up at

my place of interview, thought 'bugger it' and pressed the buzzer. A bloke came to open the door , asked me what i wanted, told me 'you do know that your interview isn't until 12:30?'

i replied 'Yes, i'm a little early, got caught short waiting in the car and can i please use your toilet?' there seemed to be no problem, and he led the way. I tell you what, that was the best

feeling ever, i had visions of squirming in my seat while trying to get through an interview. Washed my hands, made myself pretty in the mirror and left the bathroom. I was just out of said

bathroom when a lady popped her head out of a big glass office door and said 'Neil i can see you now'

So i'm in the interview.

All suited up.

Old comfty Adidas on...................................

ghis · Senior Member

Spamkebab wrote:

So i'm in the interview.

All suited up.

Old comfty Adidas on...................................

O no how awful!! How can you be so over prepared than caught short at the last moment..

Especiallly woman always look at shoes. I take it you did'nt hear back from them.

Admittedly a funny story smile

ghis · Senior Member

Thank you guys for your wise wisdom and support.

Shaun-- This role advertises for Excel, although i once used Excel i haven't used it in years and not for book keeping. so will have to go on you tube and re educate myself.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Don't worry Ghislane, it's like riding a bike. Once you've used it you never really forget, you might just wobble about for a bit for while.

Getting up to speed on Pivot tables is certainly going to be worth an investment of your time just in case they hit you with a techy test on the day.

All the best,

Shaun.

BannanaMan · Veteran Member

ghis wrote:
WOO HOO!!! Today i have confirmation of a job interview on weds for a part time book keeper. So excited

Good luck Ghis!

ghis · Senior Member

Well interview went O.K up until they asked me to do some bookkeeping task on there laptop.

Not only did they have a windows computer they used Excel ( which i knew prior) I have never used Excel for bookkeeping but i assumed if you know one software you should be ok with others. How i was wrong.

Also I have not used windows in years so i couldn't find where things were allocated simple things like adding more rows in Excel. The Sum button would not work as there was gaps between rows, so I struggled adding figures up. I was all fingers and thumb it was like i had never used a computer in my life....so embarrassing.

By this point i was quite flustered, I was than asked to post suppliers invoice, i thought here we go i can do this. So i started posting them i got to the 3rd one when i realised they were not in date order. So i asked "did you want this in date order" Off course he does. it was a school boy error. I know i should have checked dates that is suppose to me by job....

I will hear tonight, it will be a miracle if i get it
so not really holding my breath

Alfred · Senior Member

Am so sorry it turned out like that, sometimes nerves gets the better of us all. keep hoping as miracles still happen and am sure it wasn't as bad to them as you might think.

Dangermouse · Veteran Member

They could have given you something they knew was awful to see what you would do.

ghis · Senior Member

Wow! Miracles do happen, they have offered me the job. Hoping to start next week after they obtain my refrences.... woooo hooooo

so excited but so nervous

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Congratulations Ghislane.

Sure that you actually did much better than you thought that you did but because of the pressure you were only seeing the bad things.

Excellent and well deserved news.

kind regards,

Shaun.

ghis · Senior Member

Thank you very much.

Yes i think all my downfalls seemed magnified to me as i was under pressure.

He's feedback was he was i interviewed very well, and i coped very well under pressure. Plus they are moving to Sage from Excel.

I am very pleased. I now have my foot in the door.

I just need to keep studying

semsley · Guru

Well done

Alfred · Senior Member

congratulations, well done told you miracles do happen

Spamkebab · Expert

What a cracking story, congratulations.

Helz · Senior Member

Congratulations, brilliant news!

Amanda · Expert

Congratulations glad it worked out well.

ghis · Senior Member

Thank you,

I start on Tues i am feeling rather apprehensive now..

Spamkebab · Expert

Not apprehensive, that's the wrong word. EXCITED is what you mean lol.

Good luck, i'm sure it'll go smoother than you're thinking.

Neil

ghis · Senior Member

I know i know!! i've been looking and applying for jobs for ages and now i got it i'm thinking ' can i do this' wrong attitude to have. i'm sure it will be fine. it's SCRAY but EXCITING