02.09.2021

My top tips for interviewing an apprentice

My top tips for interviewing an apprentice

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My top tips for interviewing an apprentice

First of all, when interviewing an apprentice you need to remember how nerve-racking it must be for them, and possibly their first-ever interview so their aim is to make them feel as comfortable as possible. 

I choose to go for an assessment center rather than an interview - I find doing a range of activities together really helps to see how they work as a team, how they problem-solve and deal with challenging scenarios, and hopefully, it’s more fun (as fun as an interview can be) to take the pressure off. 

Top tips:

  •  Make sure they fully understand the role and what the apprenticeship will be like if they are successful including the challenges. It is a big decision for them. You want them to have as much information as possible. 

  •  Let them know you are open to their questions and there is no such thing as a silly answer. 

  •  Wear name tags - it's one less thing they have to remember and have a bottle of water ready for them in case they need it.

  •  Do some ice breaker exercises to get to know them better, and some group activities to see how they work in a team - this can tell you more about a person than any interview can.

  • Short and snappy interviews - break them up so they are interviewed by different people and focus on them as a person why they want the apprenticeship and what they think the skills are that they can bring to the role.

If you are interested in finding out more about conducting apprentice interviews or would like a copy of the questions/ exercises and icebreakers just let me know!

  • #hr
  • #recruitment
  • #apprenticeships

I help business owners to tackle their people problems and grow their business 

Running a business is hard and employing people comes with its own set of challenges. You may feel…

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