Hi, I have my 3rd & 4th professional interviews for Older People's services next week and just wondering if anyone can offer advice on how to approach interviews for adult services? And likely questions to be asked? I did ok in the first two interviews (from feedback given) but didn't land the jobs so just want to make sure i'm spot on with these two. Any advice greatfully received! Ta :)
depends on what type of older people's services you are looking at but a decent knowledge of the fully funded continuing health care stuff would be useful I would imagine. Similarly a significant cause of tension in older people's services is often the breakdown in communication and the different goals between health and social services and it may be beneficial to have a think about your feelings in this area and be able to demonstrate your knowledge of the Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc) Act 2003.
I would also have a think about the impact of personalisation (Direct Payments, individualised budgets etc) on social work in general and then specifically about the implication of implementing it in older people's services, when it can often be the case that service users may lack a certain level of capacity or cognition about the assessment process, and as such find additional information about personalisation overwhelming. There is a tendency in many Local Authorities to tackle the issue of personalisation with older people by using the get out of giving the older person the choice to have their individual budget 'care managed' by social services.
That leads me on to having a few answers ready about your understanding of both care management and case management.
Be well versed as to the demographic make up of the area in which you are applying for a job, is it an affluent or deprived area, what is the ethnic make up and what are the social problems experienced by the area.
Understand enough about Safeguarding Adults things to be able to answer a question on your understanding of it. Perhaps try and get hold of their public information leaflet about reporting procedures. Revise the procedure of what it is they would expect you to do if you were presented with a Safeguarding issue.
Finally, and this applies to any job interview situation, they will often ask what training you would like to have if you got the job. This is not an excuse to let them know your wish list of training i.e ' I really want to have some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Training, and some Sign Language Training'
First and foremost outline any mandatory training needs 'I have not yet completed any equality and diversity training and feel that this would be a priority'
Then outline any training that have already received that is relevant or mandatory to your job and then how you may be able to expand on this i.e, 'I have completed my level 1 Safeguarding vulnerable adults training but I feel to be competant in this I need to access the Carrying out Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Investigation Meetings training'
it is important you outline the training you have already received as you have to work under the assumption that they havnt read your application form and don't know what training you have received, so you need to promote it yourself.
Then, and only then and only if it is appropriate mention one or two wish list things under the premise that you feel it would benefit the team if you had those skills.