Top Tips - Interviews

Tips from an Interviewer

Firstly, we asked colleagues who have plenty of experience conducting interviews for their advice. If you apply for a role with us, you may well be interviewed by one of them!

Nigel Taylor - Head of Marketing

When interviewing what ONE question do you always like to ask?

Talk to me about a project or event at work that you felt really proud of and passionate about delivering and how you did it. On the flip side tell me about a project that didn’t go well that you had direct involvement in and why?

What tip(s) would you give your younger self going into that all important interview?

Prepare, prepare, prepare.

What should candidates do (behaviours) or say?

Be yourself and be confident. Don’t bull dust or embellish things, just talk from the heart and from your experience.

Alison Muir - Shared Services and Arrears Manager

When interviewing what ONE question do you always like to ask?

Why have you applied/ why do you want the role?

What tip(s) would you give your younger self going into that all important interview?

Show that you really want the role, so think about what the role is, if you’re not sure, or you need more information don’t be afraid to ask. When talking about your experience, use the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and mention what you might have done differently upon reflection.

Phil Horner - Head of Treasury

When interviewing what ONE question do you always like to ask?

What do you know about the organisation? Do you follow the recipe for a meal exactly, or do you adapt it to your own taste (i.e. are you prepared to bend the rules)?

What tip(s) would you give your younger self going into that all important interview?

Have a good answer to the above organisation question, know at least five unconnected facts about the company being applied to (e.g. financial, culture, Board, risk appetite, Head Office location), try to have a minimum of 3 questions for the interviewer.

What should candidates do (behaviours) or say?

Make an effort to be smart and clean, fully engage with the interviewer (i.e. look interested).

Joann Titheridge - Head of Digital

When interviewing what ONE question do you always like to ask?

What would you see being the biggest challenge for this role?

What tip(s) would you give your younger self going into that all important interview?

Talk more slowly and take your time.

What should candidates not do or say?

Be nonchalant about the role, I want to employ someone who wants to be here.

What should candidates do or say?

Listen to the question, take time to answer and ask if you need question repeating or need a bit of time.

Paul Halliday - Head of Engineering

When interviewing what ONE question do you always like to ask?

It’s not necessarily a specific question, but the one thing I always ask when a candidate is talking about a project they worked on is ‘so what part did you play?’, ‘what element did you do?’ etc and then press for the specific details.

What tip(s) would you give your younger self going into that all important interview?

For me it would be preparation is key and, most importantly, think about what questions you might be asked and then prepare and learn the appropriate answers.

What should candidates do or say?

Be passionate, be authentic and sell yourself. Don’t leave the interview wishing you’d told the interviewer some vital information.