- How will I be contacted for an interview?
If your skill set matches the requirements of the Job Description and Person Specification and you are shortlisted for interview, a HR representative will contact you via phone or email to arrange an interview and discuss next steps.
- Will my interview be held in person or virtually (remotely)?
The majority of our interviews are run virtually, but this will ultimately depend on the role you have applied for. You will be given further information and guidance at the time should you be successful in securing an interview with us.
If you have been offered an interview and require any reasonable adjustments to support your attendance, please contact us. All requests will be dealt with in confidence.
- Can I request a reasonable adjustment?
Absolutely. We ask every candidate to consider, and let us know, if they require reasonable adjustments at any stage. This won’t have any negative impact on your selection for the role, we just want you to have everything you need to perform your best.
Reasonable adjustments can include (but not limited too) extra time to complete a task, the location of the interview, alternative format for materials, an interpreter or bringing a personal assistant with you, specific equipment and technology etc.
If you want to have a chat with us about any specific arrangements or adjustments you may need during the recruitment process, please contact us. All requests will be dealt with in confidence.
- How can I prepare for my interview?
There are a number of things you can do to prepare for your interview including:
- Find out as much as you can about Independent Age. Lots of information is available on our website, which you may find useful to read before you meet with the selection panel.
- Familiarise yourself again with the Job Description and Person Specification so that you are clear on what the job entails. The selection panel will be looking for evidence that you meet the criteria for the job as outlined.
- Based on the Person Specification, come up with some specific examples from your current and previous work, volunteer and / or academic experience that demonstrates your experience to the selection panel.
- Read through your application form and CV and be prepared to explain or elaborate on details you provided when applying for the job.
- If your interview is virtual (remote), check your connection and set up – make sure you have a quiet space, a stable internet connection, and the right equipment for your call.
- If your interview is in person, plan your journey – make sure you know where you are going for your interview and plan in advance your route to get there, allowing for any potential transport delays. Bring the contact details for the person who invited you to the interview just in case you are lost or running late.
If you have been invited to a virtual (remote) interview and you would like to have a test call, for example, if you are not familiar with the calling software the panel is using, please contact us and we would be happy to support with this.
- Who will the interview be with?
We will let you know who you’ll be meeting with when offering the invite to interview. They are usually conducted by the line manager of the role and at least one other person to counter unconscious bias and to give an alternative perspective. In line with our commitment to Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI), wherever possible we will have diversity represented on the panel. In any subsequent interviews, atleast one panel member will be different to the first interview.
- What types of questions will be asked at the interview?
Questions will be based upon the advertised job description and person specification and our company values. You will be asked the same set of questions as the other candidates being interviewed for the role, but it is expected that there will also be a tailored discussion around these questions to get a better understanding of your personal skills and experiences.
You should also feel free to ask questions throughout the interview if anything is unclear. We encourage you to come prepared with two or three questions.
- How should I dress for my interview?
At Independent Age, we follow an office casual dress code, which means our employees are able to dress in comfortable, informal clothing. We want our employees to wear what they feel good in whilst still looking professional. So feel free to follow this dress code for your interview. (However, if you feel great in more formal workwear, such as a suit, we welcome this too!)
A reminder that, whilst our employees' comfort is a priority, certain standards are required — clothing must be appropriate and still professional. So divisive or offensive slogans/graphics or clothing that you would wear to go exercising, lounging at home, to the beach or to a dance club probably isn’t suitable.
Remember: If you’re still not too sure what to wear and need a little more direction, there’s nothing wrong with asking. Please don’t hesitate to contact us so we can support.
- How do you support equal opportunities in your recruitment practice?
We celebrate diversity at Independent Age and champion the differences that make each of us unique. We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We aim to attract a wide range of talent and create an environment where everyone can feel safe, protected, welcome and included. You can read our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) statement here.
We are committed to maximising the diversity of our candidates and employees and reflect this in the way we promote, recruit, and select candidates.
For example, it is mandatory for all our managers to attend training on Interviewing without Bias, an interactive session which supports attendees with managing the interviewing and selection processes without bias, in order to ensure an effective and fair hiring decision.
We ask every candidate to consider if they may require reasonable adjustments for the interview process. This won’t have any negative impact on your selection for the role, we just want you to have everything you need to perform your best. Visit 'How are applicants shortlisted for interview?' for more information on the shortlisting procedure.
We do not ask our applicants to tick a box for any prior convictions at application stage, to ensure we work to the Fair Chance Recruitment Principles.
Other actions we take to ensure equal opportunity for candidates during the recruitment process include:
- An accessible Head Office environment.
- Offering alternative forms of application format.
- Trialing anonymous shortlisting.
- Collecting Equal Opportunities data at application stage (visit 'What is the Equal Opportunities Form used for?' for more information).
- Using a standard scoring framework at shortlisting and interview stage.
- Using a panel of at least 2 people at shortlisting and interview stage.