Job Interview Advice Needed

[Wizard]

I have an interview for a position in the Fitness and Leisure industry this week and need a little advice on one part of the format.
They have sent me two questions that i need to answer in advance so i can prepare something for it.

Dry Area Programming
Dry programs and Memberships are a key business unit within Council’s three indoor leisure centres. The position is required to drive this critical income stream including program delivery, staff management and development, customer satisfaction and retention, operational efficiency and promotional ideas.

In your role as Programs Coordinator, outline how you would contribute to reaching the membership target of ???? by June 2010? Please provide strategies for promotion (internal and external), member retention, operational improvements, staff development and customer service?

Leadership and Planning
The Coordinator positions are key leaders in the day to day delivery of service at our Leisure Centres. Accountability, ownership and initiative are key attributes required to succeed in the position and to drive continuous growth and improvement of our facilities.

Explain your immediate actions and priorities upon assuming the Programs Coordinator role including short term (3 month – 12 months) and medium term (1 – 2 years) plans and objectives. What systems would you implement to deliver and measure the success of these plans?

Question 1 i think i have covered pretty well but the format for Q2 has me buggered. Does anyone have any advice or any idea of how to take this on?

 

[richskee]

LOL, I'm going for a job interview at 4 o'clock today!

I've basically been going through questions they are likely to ask, there's heaps of good websites.

Questions you should comfortably answer:

Tell me about yourself?
Don't ramble on make it quick and snappy and make sure that there is relevance to the job you are applying for.

Why do you want to work here?
Research the company, find out about there history. Then cap it off with what you personally can bring to the company.

Why should i hire you?
Talk about your background and experience, talk about your qualifications and point those out.

What did you like/dislike about your last job?
Be honest but end with a positive.

What would you like to be doing 5 years from now?
Don't act to cocky just outline that your a team player that wants to be apart of the growth of this company. You might also have leadership qualities that could apply now the track.

What are your biggest accomplishments?
Keep your answers job relate, start off with "Although I feel my biggest achievements are still ahead of me" I am proud of my involvement with... and contributions...

Can you work under pressure?
Don't just say yes or no! Say something like, I beleive in planning and proper management of my time to reduce panic deadlines with my area of responsibility.

How do you take direction?
Outline that you are a open minded and a team player, also this question can also be asking, how you take criticism? So maybe, I take direction well and recognize that it can come in two varieties.

What are your weaknesses? Don't freeze up on this question everyone has weaknesses, Out line what they are, but make sure you describe what your doing to fix these elements. eg: reading, courses, research.

Also when the interviewer says, that's all my questions, do you have any for me?

Make sure you have questions to ask them.

Possibles:
What are some of the broad challenges that your orginization faces?

What might be some of the future career options for someone working in this position?


good luck

 

[Royal Flush]

Remember that a job interview isn't just an interview of just you, you are also interviewing your potential employer.
Research their business/company and ask questions of them also.

Like;

Who you report to, very important. Because as a new person and if your not high up the rank your going to potentially have lots of people wanting to boss you around in some way. It's not always intended with malice, just human nature.

Your KPI's
How will they help you achieve them, support, training, mentoring. Unless you’re highly adaptable you don't want to be thrown in the deep end with only a paddle. Review's how regular? Their expectations of you.

Training; you want to show enthusiasm by wanting to continually improve personally/professionally. How are they going to help you achieve that and what will they provide?

Why did the position become available? You don't want to take the risk of going into a position where they have had 5 people in 12 months.
Must be something wrong.

Earlier on ask what they are looking for and the type of person that would fulfil their role? Let them answer this, then respond to all questions emphasising the qualities you have that they are looking for.

Finally at the end of it all, ask them what they thought of you? Strengths weaknesses. Then finish of reiterating your strengths and providing explanation with solutions to perceived weaknesses.

Finally after your interview send an email (next day) thanking them for their time and reiterating your interest and abilities.
If you do that then you’re pretty much assured of getting the job, because almost everybody else will not do that. That is provided you have the basic skills they are looking for.
Remember after 5 interviews in a day or more, you all blur into one person, so you need to stand out.

 

[raff23]

The most important thing to consider when going for fitness jobs is that they are always looking for a person who is assertive in what they are saying. Selling yourself is crucial. Having the knowledge and skills for the job is not looked at as much as this particular aspect. They are looking at you to be a leader of a team one day so my advice to you is make sure you have very good social skills and you are very good at communicating with other people. Dont be afraid to show passion in your job interview, they will be impressed that you are 100% focused on being successful in the job.

 

[RustyHawk]

Leadership and Planning.

You could talk hitting the ground running, learnig the job, about benchmarking the current position in terms of members and programs so that you know the base at where you are starting.

A key could be getting to know the staff, customers and culture to ensure retention of staff and customers before implementing new programs that meets the needs and aspirations of not only the current clients but potential clients as well

Setting milestones to mark how the improvement is going or in worst case scenario it isnt.

You could talk about some events that you planned from start to finish.

You could talk about a team you captained or leadership role in any organisation be it boy scouts to footy to the drama club.

Anything that can show you can take a group of individuals and mould them into a team. Any examples would be good.

Try and avoid saying how YOU achieved this and YOU achieved that. More showing how the TEAM won the game or the GROUP put on the play that was successful etc.

Good luck.

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

I'm sure there's a more recent thread but oh well

Have secured a job interview this Thursday - and of course I'm shitting my panties about it (5 on the panel fml) - but I have booked an overseas holiday in late October. Do I tell them at the interview that I've already booked one in? Or wait until I'm offered a contract? Anyone been in a similar position?

 

[Bombers_Forever]

How long is the trip for? If it is more than a month, I would tell them straight up. If it is only a week or so, just leave it until the offer.

 

[Dagless]

I'm sure there's a more recent thread but oh well

Have secured a job interview this Thursday - and of course I'm shitting my panties about it (5 on the panel fml) - but I have booked an overseas holiday in late October. Do I tell them at the interview that I've already booked one in? Or wait until I'm offered a contract? Anyone been in a similar position?

If you're tall, mention your height. You will be a shoo-in'.

 

[Drakescoffeecake]

How long is the trip for? If it is more than a month, I would tell them straight up. If it is only a week or so, just leave it until the offer.

18 days!

 

[Bombers_Forever]

18 days!

Yeah tell them. Mention it at the end when they ask 'do you have questions'. Just say something like 'I have a trip planned and paid for in October which I can't delay. Would this effect my chances?'

Just be honest, no matter what.

 

[poweredup]

Yeah tell them. Mention it at the end when they ask 'do you have questions'. Just say something like 'I have a trip planned and paid for in October which I can't delay. Would this effect my chances?'

Just be honest, no matter what.

I wouldn't, I would tell them if and when they call to offer you the job, be up front at that point for sure. If you tell them at the interview it may very well influence their decision, but once they have decided it is you that they want it is unlikely that they will change their mind for an absence of this length.

If it is important to them that you don't have leave in the first few months they will ask you the question.

I went for a job, in Govt dept and they asked this question specifically at the interview and I was told that leave would not be approved in the first 6 months due to training / probation requirements etc

Unfortunately I got that job, but that is another story........

Good luck!

 

[Miqar_Baqfhied]

Just talk about setting KPI's and shite.

But them asking questions like that for a fitness coordinator role at a local council - Who do they think they are!

Get on board in the resources industry or something. From experience I can tell you you'll be wasting your time in the fitness industry, especially at a local government level. The money is terrible, as is the staff turnover.

 

[Wizard]

Just talk about setting KPI's and shite.

But them asking questions like that for a fitness coordinator role at a local council - Who do they think they are!

Get on board in the resources industry or something. From experience I can tell you you'll be wasting your time in the fitness industry, especially at a local government level. The money is terrible, as is the staff turnover.

Nearly three years ago mate, i'm now running Parks and Leisure for local council elsewhere.