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!
Interviewers will want to hear about your motivations for getting into childcare, it’s good to be honest about why you want the job and to show your potential employer that you genuinely care about your vocation.
Again, this is a personal question so have a think about what it is that you actually enjoy about the role and be honest about it, interviewers are going to value people who show some passion for their work.
Think about the role of a nursery assistant and how you’ll be impacting the children you’re working with. Try and centre your response around how you’ll be benefiting the children and the wider workplace and the impact that you’d like to have.
Make sure that you’re aware of best practice for working with misbehaving children in a childcare environment. You can impress the interviewer if you demonstrate the right knowledge for the job and reassure them that they aren’t hiring someone unprofessional or unaware of proper procedure. Of course policies can vary so it’s good to read up on your potential employer first. If you have experience with children bringing up an example of how you have dealt with poor behaviour in the past would be a great idea! Using the STAR method is a good way to keep your answer short and concise. Of course policies can vary so it’s good to read up on your potential employer first.
Similarly to other questions, this one requires a personal response. Highlight the strengths and skills that are going to be useful in a childcare environment with an emphasis on what makes you uniquely suited to the position. Can you think of ways that you stand out from similar applicants? Let the interviewer know!
This will differ for everyone but it’s important to let your employer know that you’re highly motivated for the position and won’t collapse under the sometimes challenging scenarios you’ll be dealing with on a regular basis.
Talk about both your qualifications and experience here. It’s important to not just emphasise the knowledge that you have from study, but also any practical experience you might have. If you don’t have any experience then keep the focus on your studies. Emphasise particular strengths you have that will apply to the workplace.
Employers are going to favour those who have been qualified for longer and have more experience but this shouldn’t be an obstacle. Just be honest and ensure they know you’re fully ready to enter a career in childcare.
This is important if you’re working in a specialised setting but can also apply to any nursery. You might not have any experience in this which is totally fine, if you do have no experience then talk about your willingness to learn instead and how past experiences or knowledge from your study might help in this situation.
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 nursery assistant career advice, or find out how to revamp your nursery assistant 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.
