Q: My friend is going for an interview in a fortnight as a community development worker with a youth organisation. The role will involve helping young people growing up in difficult circumstances to get involved in activities such as sport, drama, art, volunteering and the like. She is newly qualified in this area but hasn’t a breeze what kind of questions to expect in the interview. I’ve agreed to put her through a mock interview next week and would like to have an idea of questions I could ask her - and possible answers for them in general terms? (LC, email ).
A: As her friend, you are doing a good turn by supporting her in her preparation for the interview – practice makes perfect. Here are some potential questions you could ask her, along with tips on how she might bring into her answer:
What inspired you to pursue a career in community development?
This question is designed to help the interviewer understand your friend’s motivations. Motivation is crucial in such a demanding arena. A good answer will demonstrate a passion for helping others and a desire to make a positive impact in the world. Your friend can talk about personal experiences or challenges that led her to pursue this career path, as well as any relevant volunteer work or internships she may have undertaken.
What experience do you have of working with young people?
Get her to highlight work experience, volunteer work, or internships she has undertaken. Go deep – even a week on a summer camp could be of value here. The answer will be much richer if she has specific examples of how she has helped young people in the past, such as coaching a youth sports team, mentoring a young person, or organising a community event.
Slí Nua Careers (www.SliNuaCareers.com ) offer full online services, including CV preparation, LinkedIn profile optimisation, interview training and mock interviews. Email your questions to [email protected].
