Exam Invigilator Interview Questions
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Interviews can be daunting and hard to prepare for but we’re here to help. We’ve compiled a list of common questions that you might be asked in yours and how you might go about answering them, as well as some questions you could ask your interviewer to help show your interest in the position!
Questions your interviewer might ask
Your motivations
- Why do you want to be an exam invigilator?
The interviewer is looking for genuine reasons why you want to be an exam invigilator. You could mention why you think the job fits well around your lifestyle, maybe you have retired and are looking a job with less hours. You could also mention your enjoyment of the tasks involved in the role as another motivation.
- Why do you want to be an exam invigilator at this school/organisation?
If you have any personal reasons for wanting to work at this organisation this is the perfect chance to mention them. Things like being close by the organisation or being a pupil of the school in the past could be good reasons.
This would also be a good time to show off any research you have done on the organisation. Maybe you could say you saw an award they won and it impressed you or maybe they have great employee satisfaction rates.
Your personal approach to the role
- How would you handle an instance of cheating within the exam room?
The key to this question is to show discretion. Remember there will likely still be candidates taking their exams so you need to deal with the issue while mitigating any disturbance to the other candidates. Asking the suspected cheater to stay behind after the exam is a way of keeping disruption low while still giving yourself an opportunity to deal with the issue.
If you have experience as an exam invigilator it might even be good to recall a time when you have dealt with cheating. Using the STAR method to structure your answer could be useful.
- What would you do if you suspected someone was cheating during a toilet break?
This question is the interviewer testing not only your investigative skills but also your discretion. You need to discuss how you would collect evidence and what evidence you would collect, while also not compromising the candidates privacy as they could just be using the toilet. If you have experience as an exam invigilator and have dealt with this before recalling the experience using the STAR method would be ideal.
- How would you ensure no internet use is taking place in a computer-based exam?
This question is testing your surveillance skills as an exam invigilator. The answer to this question would change depending on if you were present in the room with the candidate or invigilating them remotely. When invigilating remotely the candidate having a webcam is key to up holding the integrity of the examination. The candidate have a mirror behind them is could also be useful in remote exams as it allows you to see the candidates desk and screen. If you have been in a situation like this before be sure to use the STAR method to better structure your answer.
Qualifications and experience
- What skills do you possess that make you a good choice to be an exam invigilator?
You should not only make sure your answer here matches with the skills you have listed on your CV but also only mention skills that you think are relevant to being an exam invigilator. Ideas of good skills to mention for exam invigilators could be having good attention to detail, being a good communicator and being able to work well as a team.
- How long have you need qualified?
Employers usually are going to favour those who have been qualified for longer, but this isn’t always the case, depending on the qualifications you have. The Joint Council for Qualifications states quite broadly that “training must be held for new exam invigilators”, this means the qualifications required to be an exam invigilator can vary depending on the organisation you are working for. Ensure that you’ve got the right qualifications before applying and there shouldn’t be an issue, organisations might even offer training before you start!
When applying for positions in schools it’s good to have some supporting qualifications too. Even though you won’t be teaching, it’s still important to have a robust knowledge of safeguarding.
- How confident are you in your IT skills?
Having good IT skills can be useful in most modern jobs but for exam invigilators, having IT skills would stand out if the exams you’ll be invigilating are conducted on computers, as you’ll find navigating the virtual invigilation process harder.
As part of some invigilator roles you may be expected to undertake administrative duties or assist admin staff if they are unable to keep up with the workload. If you’d be carrying out this work on computers then IT skills would be vital.
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Questions for you to ask your interviewer
- What is a typical day like at your school?
- What's the best part of working at your school?
- How do you measure success? Does the school have any goals or targets to meet?
- What would my day-to-day responsibilities be in the role?
- Are there any particular challenges in this position?
- Are there any opportunities for progression in the role or within the school?
- What are your most valued qualities in your employees?
- Is there anything else that you need from me?
- When can I expect to hear back about this application?
Final note
Reading through some of our common questions should help get you in the right headspace for your interview, but don’t stop here–have a think about what kind of questions you could be facing, as well as how you might answer them on your own!
Make sure you have everything else you’ll need to land that dream job by returning to our exam invigilator career advice, or find out how to revamp your exam invigilator cv or cover letter. Have you got a job in mind but don’t have the right qualifications? If so, check out our courses page and take a look at some of our valuable qualifications.