Going for an interview can be daunting. And when it’s for an apprenticeship, there can be a few more things to consider. However, if you try to stay calm and prepare as much as you can, there is no reason why you can’t succeed.
If you have managed to secure an interview for an apprenticeship, make sure to celebrate the achievement. Even if you don’t get the job, doing interviews is excellent practice for the future. They might even be able to provide you with feedback on how you could better succeed.
Before the interview, it can be a good idea to practice with a friend or family. Even if you think you know how to answer a question, you will be surprised by how hard it can be. The more times you try answering questions out loud, the better prepared you will be for the real thing.
Top Tips for an Apprenticeship Interview
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Think About Your Skills
Because you are applying for an apprenticeship, you might not have much experience in the industry, and that’s okay. An apprenticeship aims to train you on the job and help people gain experience while learning how to do the role.
So instead of focusing on your experience, think instead about your transferable skills. What have you learnt, either in school or in a hobby, that you might be able to bring to the role?
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Research the Company Before the Interview
Before any interview, you must research the company, who are offering the job. Knowing information about the business and how they work will help you to answer any interview questions. As well as showing the employer that you are proactive and care about working for them. Some things to look out for are the people who work there and the people who will be conducting the interview, how long the company has been running, and what kind of tasks they undertake.
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Research the Apprenticeship
As well as finding out information about the employer, it’s important to be brushed up on the actual apprenticeship too. Each apprenticeship has something called an apprenticeship standard, which acts as a blueprint for the role—the standard outlines how the apprentice will be assessed and what they will learn. Before the interview, make sure you understand the apprenticeship and structure of the role. Access our apprenticeship standard search tool here.
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Think About Why You Want to do an Apprenticeship
It’s important to remember that an apprenticeship is different to a standard job. As well as working for the company, you will be off-the-job training for part of your time. Because of this, it’s a good idea to think about why you want to do an apprenticeship, as well as why you want to work for the company. Your employer might ask you about your decision to start an apprenticeship, and they will want to see you are committed.
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Ask Questions
An easy way to show you are interested in the role is to prepare questions to ask the employer at the end of the interview. This shows you are taking an active interest in their work and the role. You might ask them what a typical day looks like in the business or which other team members you will be working with.
If you are searching for an apprenticeship, have a look at our jobs board.
