Recruitment hints and tips for colleagues

If you’re getting ready to apply for a new internal opportunity, you’ll find practical tips here to help you feel prepared and confident.

And if you’d like a bit of extra support before taking your next step, our Talent Team is here to help. Just get in touch with the team on talent@amplius.co.uk and they’ll be happy to support you.

Confident interviews

A simple guide to preparing well

What this guide covers

This short guide is here to help you feel calm, prepared, and confident before your interview.

It walks you through how to get ready, what the day will look like, how to approach questions with confidence, and the important steps to take once it’s all done.

Preparation

Preparing in advance can really boost your confidence. Start by reviewing the job description, person specification, and researching the organisation so you understand what they’re looking for.

Make sure you’re also familiar with your CV and comfortable talking through your experience clearly.

Understand the role

Identify the key skills and qualities the manager is asking for in the job description. Then think about how your experience matches.

Prepare a few strong examples that show your skills and strengths so you can share them confidently in the interview.

Common interview questions

You can’t predict every question you’ll be asked, but many interviews follow a familiar structure, so it’s useful to prepare beforehand.

Be ready to cover:

  • A brief self-introduction
  • Motivation for applying for the role
  • Examples of essential skills and experience
  • Strengths and weaknesses.

Use the STAR method

When giving an example, try to remember the STAR method.

  • Start by describing the situation
  • Explain what the task was
  • Outline the action you took
  • Finish with the result.

This keeps your answer structured and easy to follow.

When using STAR, remember to:

  • Use examples that work for you - these could be from work, home or volunteering
  • Keep examples short and to the point
  • Try to get your points across in a conversational way so as not to appear too rehearsed
  • Be prepared to answer follow-up questions about the examples you give.

Example 1 - Leadership skills

Tell me about a time when you have shown leadership skills.

Situation - in my previous digital marketing job, the company wanted to get more people to sign up to a newsletter which was not receiving a lot of attention.

Task - my job was to find a way of getting more people to sign up.

Action - I organised a meeting with other members of the marketing team to come up with creative ideas, and I led the social media campaign to generate interest in the revamped newsletter.

Result - over a period of three months, there was an 25% increase in sign-ups to the newsletter and the approach I took was used by the management team in other departments.

Example 2 - Teamwork

Tell me about a time you have worked as part of a team?

Situation - when I was at school, I was part of the netball team. We needed to raise funds to buy more equipment for the team.

Task - my job was to work with the rest of the team to set up a bake sale to raise money.

Action - I took the lead and found out who wanted to help with the bake sale. I then held a meeting so we could work out dates and what tasks each person would do. I made sure that we were all clear what our role was and everyone who wanted to, got a chance to get involved.

Result - the bake sale was a success due to the team all pulling together. We raised £200 and were able to buy new equipment for the netball team.

Example 3 - Problem solving

Give me an example of when you faced a problem at work. How did you handle it?

Situation - I was working in a florist shop with the manager and we were arranging an order of flowers for 2 weddings. The manager, who had taken the order, had mixed up the customers’ addresses and the flowers were delivered to the wrong venues.

Task - I had to get the flowers to the right place and apologise to the customers.

Action - I told my boss that I would deal with the mistake, leaving her to take care of the shop. I spoke to both customers on the telephone to explain, and reassured them that we would put things right straight away. I drove to both venues, swapped the flowers in time and apologised in person. I gave both customers a voucher for a bouquet as compensation.

Result - the customers were grateful that we had acted quickly. Later on, they both came back to the shop to spend their vouchers and have since recommended us to their friends.

What to ask the interviewers

Near the end of the interview, you’ll usually have time to ask your own questions. It’s a good chance to show real interest in the role and team.

You could ask about the team, how success is measured, or what happens next.

  • What does a typical day in this role look like?
  • How would you describe the team culture?
  • What are the key priorities for this role?

Practical tips for the day

Wear something comfortable but still professional. Plan your journey in advance or check your tech setup if your interview is online.

Bring a copy of your application and any notes you’ve prepared. If you need a moment to think before answering, that’s fine - it’s normal to feel a bit nervous

After the interview

After the interview, take a few minutes to jot down notes while everything is still fresh. Think about what went well and anything you’d do differently next time.

Try not to be discouraged by rejection - any feedback you receive can help you improve and feel more confident for future interviews.

Remember, nobody expects perfection

Just be prepared, honest, and positive. Employers are looking for someone who can do the job and work well with others.

A bit of preparation and self-belief can go a long way in helping you make a strong impression.

Good luck!

We're here to make recruitment simple, fair and a positive experience for everyone.