Types of interview

We receive around 70,000 applications and hire around 6,000 people each year so well done if you've been invited to an interview.

We've pulled this together to help you prepare for your interview and hopefully to remove as much of the unknown as possible.

There's quite a bit of information here but don't forget you can always contact your Resourcing Consultant for more. Their contact details will be on the invite to interview email.

The interview

These are structured interviews based on a mix of the skills and behaviours considered to be important to do a job. All candidates in process for a role are assessed against the same set of competencies and given the same amount of time to ensure fairness.

Before you come to an interview you'll have been told the areas that we will be asking you about. This will give you a heads-up about what we feel is important to the role and what we will be assessing you against.

For nearly all of our vacancies there will be an interview component. We find this a really useful way of getting to know you, and gives you the chance to meet people you'll be working with. Just as important it also gives you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Check the invitation to interview we sent you and the attachments included. If there's anything you'll need to prepare in advance we will tell you here. You'll also find the contact details of someone who can help you if you have any questions. Please get in touch if there is something you aren't sure about.

Competencies

Competencies are a mixture of the skills and behaviours that we need to do our jobs, and they’re designed to support us in our aim of building society, nationwide.

There are 16 competencies listed below. Your Resourcing Consultant will be able to give you more insight into these should you need it and let you know which ones are key for your role.

Always learning - Stretching, Sharing, Experimenting

We learn from things that happen every day and actively look for new opportunities to 'have a go' and try things out. We share what we learn with our colleagues and help to create a culture where people want to grow.

Be our best - Self-awareness, Self-management, Self-belief

We show self-awareness and confidence, especially when we’re challenged or have a setback. We develop habits and practices which help us to be resilient, speak up and perform at our best during difficult moments.

Build relationships - Networking, Relationships, Promoting

We create lasting relationships both inside and outside the Society, building strong connections and finding common ground with colleagues, partners and members. We champion Nationwide and have our members’ interests at heart.

Create high performance - Managing performance, Developing others, Recognition

Career family B - Sets challenging goals and continuously reviews performance. Addresses underperformance. Supports the team to integrate learning into development plans. Proactively recognises individual value and contribution.

Career family C - Links goals to strategic objectives, sets clear expectations and encourages ownership of development plans. Addresses underperformance even when this creates challenges. Provides feedback on strengths and areas for development. Proactively recognises individual value and contribution.

Decide what’s right - Judgement, Risk-management, Accountability

We take a balanced approach and have good intentions when we’re making decisions. We exercise accountable freedom and take action promptly when we need to. We identify risks and evaluate these within the control environment, making sure we take ownership of any outcomes.

Engage with others - Communicating, Adapting, Story-telling

We communicate clearly and in different ways with members and colleagues. We adapt our style to suit the person we’re speaking to, always in a heartfelt and straightforward way.

Freedom to lead - Developing, Performing, Empowering

We develop and coach our colleagues to perform at their best. We motivate and encourage others to take responsibility for achieving their goals and remember to recognise their success

Get the job done - Planning, Monitoring, Achieving

We plan and prioritise our work efficiently, focusing on what's important. We switch to use Plan B if circumstances change. We make sure our plans are practical, focused and get done so we deliver the best results.

Keep improving - Creating, Improving, Agility

We think creatively and come up with new ideas to increase efficiency and improve how work is done. We seek to build our skills. We embrace change and are agile and flexible to make sure we’re always progressing.

Keep us safe - Conduct, Standardisation, Integrity

We work with our policies, processes and procedures to make sure we protect our members. We adopt standard and automated process to ensure we work efficiently. We act with integrity to keep our Society safe and secure.

Make an impact - Influencing, Negotiating, Gain Commitment

We understand our members and colleagues and find out what’s important to them. We have a positive impact and influence others to make sure they’re committed. We negotiate to agree the best way forward.

Members matter - Delivering service, Distinctive, Advocacy

We simplify our processes and member experience so that we are easy to deal with. We know what matters most to our members and deliver them at pace, removing blockers. We excel at service and make sure we bring 'fair outcomes' to our members

Shape our future - Thinking ahead, Thinking conceptually, Thinking strategically

We create long-term plans and see the bigger picture. We make connections and explore new possibilities so that we can deliver our future strategy.

Think business - Market orientation, Financial acumen, Commercial awareness

We understand what we do, our commercial impact, our market and the wider social and economic picture. We create and manage financial plans and budgets in a way that benefits us and our members.

Think it through - Researching, Analysing, Problem-solving

We research information and analyse data to create new insights. We use these insights to solve problems and make logical and reasoned recommendations to put into practice.

Work together - Collaborating, Caring, Inclusion

We collaborate across the organisation to get things done. We look for people with different perspectives from our own. We listen to and value their ideas so that we reach better outcomes. We share information with our colleagues.

Depending on the position you're applying for, there may be the need for a further interview or assessment. Details of this will be provided to you by your Resourcing Consultant at the appropriate time.