Application forms

• Motivational questions

  Motivational questions are designed to assess why you have applied for the job. The employer wants to know why you are interested in them and not another organisation. They also want to know why you have applied for this particular job, rather than another role.

  You may be asked questions like:

  • Why have you applied to this role?
  • What made you apply to this organisation?
  • Why do you want to work in this industry or area of work?
  • Why do feel you are suited to a career with this company?

  To answer these questions, you should evaluate why this organisation is different, and what interests you about it and the job you’ve applied for.

• Competency-based questions

  Competency-based questions are designed to assess whether you have the knowledge and skills for the job. The employer wants to know whether you can do the job successfully.

  Examples of this type of question include:

  • Describe a time you worked in a team to achieve a shared goal. How did you resolve any issues or challenges?
  • Provide an example of a time where you used effective time-management to meet a strict deadline.
  • Describe an occasion on which you used initiative or creativity to meet a target. What would you do differently now?
  • Tell us about a time when you had to motivate another member of a team. What did you find most challenging about this?

  To answer these questions, provide examples of previous experiences where you have demonstrated the required knowledge or skills.

  The STAR technique

  It may be helpful to structure your answers following the STAR technique. This stands for Situation (S), Task (T), Action (A), Result (R). For example:

  Situation (S) and Task (T): What was the situation you were in, and what was the task you needed to solve? Pick a specific occasion when you demonstrated the desired skill. Give enough information to allow someone to understand the context of your example.

  Action (A): This should make up most of your response. What was the action you took to complete the task? What specifically did you do? How did you handle the situation? What were the challenges you encountered when completing it? Remember that if you are discussing working in a team, don’t overuse 'we': the interviewer wants to know what you did.

  Result (R): What was the result of completing the task and overcoming the challenges? Try to make this as specific and positive as you can: can you quantify it? Regardless of the outcome, what did you learn? How would you handle it differently next time, to improve upon your performance?

  Example STAR answer

  Situation
  “In my second year at university, when I founded the Teach Society…

  Task
  …I worked as part of the committee to increase the number of paying members to enable affiliation with the Students’ Association, so that we could access their resources and financial grants. While we had 200 members already, to become affiliated we needed a minimum of 24 members who paid the membership fee of £3. We aimed to achieve this by the end of the first semester, but then the Society’s Secretary became very ill. This put myself and my fellow committee members under extra pressure to complete this task by the end of the semester…

  Action
  …. As President, I took on the additional duties of the Secretary while he was ill. I got up to speed with the paperwork and I was able to draw on the organisational leadership skills which I acquired from captaining the University rowing team. I motivated the team by arranging incentives, including competition prizes and two Thai food evenings to enable us to work effectively and attract more paying members…

  Result
  …Under my leadership, we successfully acquired 24 paying members and achieved affiliation by the deadline. This ensured that we were able to benefit from the funding and training provided by the Students’ Association in time for our first Careers Talk event in the second semester. Looking back, I would have recruited more committee members as early as possible to ensure all tasks were covered in case of absence.”

  Try to relate your answers to the job description and refer closely to the person specification, as well as the essential and desirable criteria lists. Demonstrate your skills using examples from your recent life, whether your academic studies, voluntary work, work experience, sports activities, societies, clubs or even hobbies or interests. The point is to portray your skills in a positive manner and to provide specific examples of how and when you used the skill that you are being asked about.

• Strength-based questions

  These questions are designed to assess what you are good at, what you enjoy doing and your overall character. The employer wants to know whether this role will make the most of your abilities and personality.

  Examples of this type of question include:

  • What do you like to do for fun?
  • What are your biggest weaknesses?
  • In this role, what strengths of yours would be most useful?
  • Would you prefer to work as part of a team or on your own?
  • How would the people you know best describe you?

  Answer questions sincerely and keep the job description in mind as you answer.

• Open-ended questions or supporting statements

  Application forms will sometimes ask questions that are open-ended or ask you to provide any other information that you think supports your application.

  To answer these questions, focus on the job description, which outlines the essential and desirable skills and experience required for the role. Use the question as an opportunity to address every point on the job description, outlining especially any strengths that you have not mentioned elsewhere.