Student Services and Support Officer

It is common for this question to to be asked every time, and you should have questions ready. By asking questions you are able to show that you have enough interest to do some research, and that you want to learn all that you can. You should limit the questions to no more than three or four.

You can try asking questions that focus on areas where you can be an asset. Other options include asking about what your position would be, and how fast they expect you to become productive. Also, asking about the next step in the process and when to expect to hear about the position.

You should do your research prior to the interview. Look into background history of the company, this will help you stick out. Learn about main people, have they been in the news lately? The interviewer doesn’t expect you to know dates and certain people, but showing that you have enough interest to research the company is a positive impression.

Here is your chance to run through all of your experience. Be concise and if you have done multiple roles, mention something specific for each one. Show that you have a lot of experience and are flexible.

This is similar to the strengths/weaknesses questions - what you like least must be turned into a positive trait. Say that you enjoy the challenge of meeting deadlines and of working in a team environment. For what you like least, say that you do not like it when you see disorganised work and a poorly managed diary; you feel the need to help organise and manage the workload.

Translates to: Why should I work here? It would be nice to know the little perks and bonuses you might be entitled to, to help you make up your mind about whether you'd want to work there.

What happened? What was the outcome? Questions about leadership can be academic or otherwise. Consider any roles you might have had in clubs or societies. Maybe you organised events for your university sports team, or you were head boy/girl at school/college and made some good decisions

This question is like a loaded gun, tricky and dangerous if you’re not sure what you are doing. It’s not uncommon for people to end up talking salary before really selling their skills, but knowledge is power as this is a negotiation after all. Again, this is an area where doing your research will be helpful as you will have an understanding of average salary.

One approach is asking the interviewer about the salary range, but to avoid the question entirely, you can respond that money isn’t a key factor and you’re goal is to advance in your career. However, if you have a minimum figure in mind and you believe you’re able to get it, you may find it worth trying.

The best way to stay organised is to keep a log of every request and each task completed so that nothing is accidentally left to go past a deadline. Mention any software that you use for this purpose.

Being positive is important because often a person’s attitude to their work can come across in their writing and presentation. Administrators sometimes provide the first impression a customer has of a business, so a positive and professional outlook is needed at all times.

Translates to: What sort of chance do I have of getting this job? At least knowing it is a highly competitive position will make it less disappointing if you hear nothing back.

This is similar to the tell us about your weaknesses question. You can’t say you have none, and you can’t say something fake like I work too hard. You need to be honest here with parameters: Prepare your answer so it comes across in a positive, productive way and not as bashing your former employer. Choose things that are about the job itself preferably, not your terrible boss, so you’re focusing on things that don’t come across as talking badly about people, which isn’t necessary or helpful. Things like the lack of structure or process is an example of something you could say. Or the lack of direction for your department.

Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.

If you are being asked this question from your employer then you can explain your experience. Tell the employer what responsibilities you were performing during your job. You can tell what programs you developed and what modules you worked on. What were your achievements regarding different programs.

I have been working with computers since 2001. I also have a degree in network support/computer repair. I have built my last 3 computers, have work with Dell as an employee. So I have around 15 years experience working with computers.

Ideally, you have some real work experience that you can talk about. Talk in some detail about what you did and why it was great. If you have no direct work experience then talk about an event where you helped a friend to resolve a problem and that these skills can be used in administration and customer care work.

Here you could pick up on where you left off with "what are your strengths", i.e. relating all your skills and attributes to the responsibilities you would undertake in the role. If you're a clear and confident speaker, for example, and your job will involve answering lots of telephones, then this is the sort of thing you'd need to mention.

As in any negotiation the person who says the number first is at a disadvantage. You can try and say you are interested in the job and you are sure salary is fair and commensurate with industry levels. If pushed you say you are looking for a “total compensation package in the range of ___to____”. In some companies they will insist on a W2 form so don’t lie about current salary.

Mention some incidents where you had to work in a team, perhaps a drama performance, or a sporting event where you had to come together with your teammates.

For me, for unsupervised I would probably talk about writing my university dissertation and not really having any contact hours with my tutor for guidance; while for team work I'd mention when I was in year 11 and as part of a group we had to make a scale model of the small estate where our school was located for a local anniversary.

If pushed too far you would consider speaking to your manager about workloads and expectations and try to resolve the situation.