Hertfordshire County Council Interview Questions
& Process

It was a really standard interview process, nothing out of the ordinary. They asked the usual safeguarding questions, some scenarios about engagement and behaviour, and some questions to check my subject knowledge. It was all pretty standard for a teaching job, no surprises or trick questions at all.

The interview process was not disability friendly and felt disrespectful of my time. I had informed them about my disability and requested reasonable adjustments beforehand, but HR did not accommodate them. I had to bring up my adjustments right before the interview started, which made me anxious. One adjustment was handled quickly, which I appreciated, but the overall situation felt like it could have influenced unconscious bias. The interview was conducted by a panel of three people, all at the supervisor or managerial level, including the hiring manager. The interview questions were repetitive and overwhelming, requiring me to repeat myself often. Some questions felt odd and irrelevant, requiring specific prior experience in the role to answer effectively. I received the job specification less than a business day before the interview, which raised concerns about transparency. Apparently, the work schedules were provisional and could change weekly based on staff availability. I would not have applied if this crucial detail had been clearer during the application or initial invitation stages. It’s also difficult to prepare adequately without the job specification provided in a reasonable timeframe. After the interview, I received a standard unsuccessful email without any apology from HR regarding the adjustment issues. It was a disappointing experience that highlighted the ongoing barriers faced by disabled and neurodiverse individuals, despite many employers claiming to be 'disability confident'.

The interview process was pretty straightforward. It involved three stages, with questions coming from three different panel members. It kicked off with a general question about a previous task that you'd be given the day before the interview. They wanted to know what you'd do differently, etc. Then, they moved on to a question about a study, asking what you observe and can summarize from the plots provided. Finally, the last set of questions were more general, focusing on your experience and what you could contribute.

First you submit a personal statement explaining why you're a good fit for the job description, and fill out an online form. No CV needed at this stage. Then, you might get invited to an interview. For some jobs at HCC, a DBS check is needed. Some interviews at HCC are competency-based, but this Finance Assistant role wasn't. The questions were more straightforward, like asking about your skills and experience, what makes a good team, and why procedures are important, instead of asking for specific examples of when you used a skill.