Interview questions for new Practitioner & Manager

[Guest colechin]

Morning everyone,

 

Please could you help me.

I am stepping down as Manager of a committee run nursery. The chair, who is new (3 weeks) has asked that I join her to interview for my replacement and also for an additional practitioner.

 

Does anyone have interview questions that I may look at please. I haven't had to interview in the past due to the long service of my practitioners and I have been in the Managers post for 12 years.

 

As the chairperson has been on holiday for the last week and half, I have asked the prospective candidates to visit the nursery, meet the staff and spend a little time with us. This helped us and the candidates decide which role they wanted to apply for and also helped us to see if they would be capable. We will now have the candidates in for a different day next week. So my staff and I can see how they interact with the children etc.

 

Should I been doing anything else? I thought about them writing a narrative of an observation to see their writing skills. My chairperson is back from holiday on 30th March. The interviews are set for 1 and 2nd April.

 

If anyone could help me, I would appreciate.

 

Karen

[Running Bunny]

I've attached two (dated) copies from my records. They go back to 2007, so legislation quoted will have changed and the Manger is for a Neighbourhood Nursery (!) but you'll get the idea of the questions.

The manager's one has some * for prepared questions, so I guess you give the candidate a 'heads up' on these so they have time to think about a good example of past practice.

They are a starting point, if nothing else.

RB x

Interview Question Examples.doc

Neighbourhood Nursery Managers Interview Questions.doc

[finleysmaid]

interview questions.docx

A few from me!

[finleysmaid]

Hilarious....just read running bunnies...guess we must have checked out the same info!

[Guest colechin]

Thank you running bunnies and finleysmaid. I appreciate your quick response.

Do you usually ask candidates to bring a copy of their highest qualification certificate along to the interview?

Also when do you apply for references? is this when they are offered the job - subject to references and DBS check?

Sorry for the questions everyone.

 

Karen

[Running Bunny]

Haha Finleysmaid - they must be preschool learning alliance or NDNA versions? I lifted most of my hard drive from my last job as a development officer at a local council, so no idea where they came from originally!!

[Running Bunny]

I haven't done interviews for ages (as you can see by the questions!) but you could ask them to bring their certificate, so you can validate what they have put on their application form.

I'd apply for references after you have offered them the job as it could put the applicant in an awkward position - applying for a job then not getting it etc.... although having said that, one of our practitioners recently applied for a job and we received a letter requesting a reference before she even went for interview.

[blondie]

TRY THE SURREY CC.GOV.UK SITE - I PUT IN INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR NURSERY MANAGER AND THIS SITE CAME UP -

HAS LOTS OF QUESTIONS/IDEAS - SORRY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO LINK

Edited March 21, 2015 by blondie

[finleysmaid]

References are taken up after job offer for us (offer subject to references being suitable)

Yes they bring certificates along ( i dont take copies until they start)

The scores are really useful...we both score after the interview then compare only people over a certain score will be asked to attend a trial session.

[Guest colechin]

Thank you blondie for the website, I will have a look now.

Finleysmaid, my husband mentioned about the scoring. He said it is best to do just in case someone asks questions later ie why they didn't get the job etc.

[finleysmaid]

Finleysmaid, my husband mentioned about the scoring. He said it is best to do just in case someone asks questions later ie why they didn't get the job etc.

Exactly ....you can of course have a section for dispositions and attitudes which would allow you to have more free range in the final decision.

[Running Bunny]

 

The scores are really useful...we both score after the interview then compare only people over a certain score will be asked to attend a trial session.

Scores are a great tool - we used them when interviewing for deputies and went into the process thinking one was definitely stronger than the other and guess what - they both scored the same!! There were strengths and weaknesses across the board and we ended up splitting the role and employing them both!

[Guest colechin]

Would someone be able to show me a scoring system please?

[finleysmaid]

Would someone be able to show me a scoring system please?

On the example posted above there is a score section 1-6 the central box contains an ideal answer to your question ...the more information the candidate gives you and the more clear the answer then you would score them highly. In our setting we have 2 people interview then we compare notes and scores ....this ensures you are treating everyone fairly. For us we then have a dispositions and attitudes section if they come and have a trial which does give me tha ability to think more about the dynamics of the team and whether they would cope with us!!!!