Armed Forces Covenant - ERS Gold Employer

CANDIDATES

We are delighted to hear from candidates from all any veteran irrespective of your length of service or type of contract.

We understand the employment difficulties faced by former military personnel, and we look to offer guidance and advice to support you get the right role, the first time.

To listen, understand and advise; we promise to be completely honest and transparent and do our utmost to secure you the role you are looking for.

We will proactively seek roles for you and we will keep you informed every step of the way.

Have a look at our help sections:

Interview Preparation

Increase the chance of success in securing the role that you want by following some simple but proven techniques and methods of which some you will know, and others may be new to you.

COMPANY AND JOB RESEARCH

Preparation & research are essential – “By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail”

Using knowledge gained through research enables you to:

  • Convey your interest in the job & the company.
  • Convey your enthusiasm about working for the company.
  • Demonstrate that you have invested time & effort in finding out about them.
  • Approach the interview with more confidence.
  • Find common ground with the interviewer & gain credibility.
  • Demonstrate that you are the best person for the job.

The more you are able to show that you want to work for the Company, the more the Company will feel that they want you to work for them.

THE COMPANY

Try to find out as much about the company before your interview, check out their website, look at the people who are interviewing you on LinkedIn, what background do they have, have they progressed within the business. Have there been any announcements a bout the company recently.

Other things to consider:

  • How long it has been established?
  • How many people does it employ?
  • How many offices, factories, branches & sites are there?
  • Who are its main competitors?
  • What is its standing in the market place?
  • What about the future plans? What is the Company Vision & Mission statement?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

How well you answer the questions put to you by the interviewer will obviously have a great bearing on the outcome of your job application. Interviewers often ask the same questions, so there is no excuse for being unprepared for many of them. Remember that the ability to listen is a key interview skill – to pay attention, to absorb & understand what the interviewer is saying without misinterpreting, assuming or jumping to conclusions.

ACTIVE LISTENING 

  • Tilt the head to one side to show you are listening
  • Concentrate
  • Look at the interviewer to demonstrate that you are listening intently
  • Pay attention to the tone & inflection of the interviewer’s voice – where is the emphasis?
  • Seek clarification if you are not exactly sure what is being asked
  • Don’t decide upon your response until you have listened to the entire question
  • Don’t focus so much on what you want to say that you lose track of what the interviewer is saying
  • Don’t jump in if the interviewer is merely pausing.

ADVICE ON ANSWERING QUESTIONS

  • Practice your answers
  • When asked what YOU have achieved in your career to date, or what YOUR responsibilities have been in a particular role, answer “I did this “ or “I am responsible for this” - after all, the interviewer is looking to establish how deep YOUR skills go. The biggest mistake people make at interview is to effectively “hide behind” the achievements of others or the workings of a team, and reply with “we do this” or “we did that” – not what the interviewer is looking for!
  • Identify the question areas from the job description & advertisement & consider what questions you would ask to confirm a candidate’s suitability
  • Take your time before answering a question
  • Stay calm & collected
  • Talk at a comfortable pace & use the volume & tone of your voice to sound confident & believable
  • Avoid “Umm” & Ahh”. · Do not ramble – be clear & concise.
  • Be positive and enthusiastic.
  • Have examples ready to back up your assertions
  • Do not “wing it” – if you do not know an answer, it is better to admit you don’t rather than give the wrong answer
  • Tell the truth

QUESTIONS TO ASK when given the opportunity to do so as the interview comes to an end:

  • Do not say “No I don’t have any questions”
  • Always write down your questions – this is evidence of preparation & interest. Even if you believe all your questions have been answered during in the interview, still double check your list in front of the interviewer
  • Ask a minimum of 3 or 4 questions
  • Be careful not to talk too much and outstay your welcome
  • Do not have questions about salary, holiday, sick pay etc the top of your list
  • Genuinely seek information to assist in your decision making – do not ask questions just for the sake of it

When you are at interview – remember to

  • Get a good nights sleep before the interview
  • Consciously slow everything down on the day of the interview
  • Remember you have prepared well & can only do your best
  • Remember most interviewers want you to perform well
  • Smile
  • Be positive & imagine the interview going well – and feel confident about your appearance
  • Allow plenty of time to get to the interview and arrive 10-15 minutes before the interview time
  • Breath slowly & calmly
  • 1/3 of your message is conveyed through your words 2/3 of your message is conveyed through your non-verbal communication

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression”

Most people, including interviewers, make initial judgements about others based on their appearance. Interviewers from up to 90% of their opinions within one & a half minutes of meeting people.

If you make a poor first impression you have built a hurdle that you have to get over during the interview, in order to convince the interviewer that you are the best person for the job.

Psychologist’s research shows that the % contribution to first impression judgements is:

  • 55% What people see-appearance, posture, body language, facial expressions, eye contact
  • 38% What people hear- tone, pace, volume, pitch, clarity of speech, hesitation
  • 7% The words people use

What you look & sound like are initially far more important that what you say

ARRIVAL - some useful things to remember

  • Your interview effectively starts when you enter the Company’s premises, and you should act accordingly
  • The receptionist & other staff you meet in the reception area are part of the organisation you are looking to join.
  • The interviewer may seek their opinions about candidates, and you have a good opportunity to create the right first impression even before you meet the interviewer

DO

  • Be pleasant & polite to Company employees
  • Smile
  • Read the Company literature available
  • Look over your preparation notes & mentally prepare
  • Be patient & calm if the interviewer is running late
  • Prepare your introduction/greeting
  • Relax

DON’T 

  • Smoke, eat or chew gum
  • Wear sunglasses
  • Bring shopping bags or gym bag to the interview
  • Use your mobile phone or ask to use their phone
  • Check your appearance in public
  • Bring anyone with you

GREETING THE INTERVIEWER 

  • Smile, stand up when the interviewer approaches and stand up straight with shoulders back, don’t slouch
  • Make eye contact and offer a firm, “dry” handshake!
  • Project your voice, don’t mumble – and walk alongside the interviewer
  • Be prepared for the small talk-did you get here OK? Did you find us ok? How was your journey? How did you get here? The weather!
  • If the interviewer is not talking, initiate the conversation with your positive first impressions of the Company

THE CLOSE

You must ensure that you & the interview end on a positive note to reinforce the good first impression you made at the beginning. It is very important to make best use of the closing moments in an interview, if an interviewer is seeing a number of candidates with similar qualifications & experience, their decision regarding appointment may be greatly influenced by the candidate’s behaviour at the end of the interview

Remember the more you show how interested you are in the Company, the more interested they will become in you.

Advice for Candidates

If you have any particular concerns about your new life out of the forces, there are many organisations that can assist you.

Just ask us and we will try to point you in the right direction.

Please visit these links which may also be able to assist you:

For most issues please contact https://www.veteransgateway.org.uk/ and they will be able to offer advice on pensions, benefits, housing