5 Popular Social Work Interview Questions

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Congratulations! Your amazing CV and cover letter worked – you landed an interview! Now the pressure is on for you to stand out from all the candidates and impress the interviewer. [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Wanting to make a positive difference to people’s lives is a great thing, but you need to be able to demonstrate in your interview how you plan to achieve this. To help you get fully prepared, we have put together some of most commonly asked interview questions with tips on how to answer them.

Prepare, prepare, prepare!

As with any interview it is vital that you prepare yourself. Whether you’re an experienced care worker or going for your first ever interview in the care field, it is essential that you read up on current policy and do some research into the responsibilities you will have in the role. As a support worker, there are some key policies you should be aware of, ones which will directly affect how you provide support for a support worker. Demonstrate your understanding by highlight key legislation such as:

• The Care Act 2014 
• The Children Act 1989
• The Children Act 2004
• The Mental Capacity Act 2005
• Crime & Disorder Act 1998
• Working Together to Safeguard Children

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]What do you know about working for your local authority?

This question presents you with the opportunity to express how much you already know about the local demographic. It is imperative that you research your local authority. Explore the social care section on its website, check for press coverage and read any recent Ofsted reports. If you acknowledge this in your interview, it shows you’ve been demonstrated a strong appreciation for the type of work involved, which increases your chance of being successful.

How would you load your prioritise your caseload?

Craig Davis, head of social work at Sanctuary Social Care says: “Try to have one or two examples that show you had to make an important decision while managing caseloads in previous roles. This will show how adaptable you are at managing your time and meeting the need of service users.”

 Could you tell us about how you approach case recording?

Here, your interviewer will be looking for an answer that shows you can work in a timely manner with an evidence based approach. You should emphasise your understanding of meeting legal requirements and draw on relevant examples of successful case recording.

Tell us about something you are particularly proud of in your social work career?

This is your chance to showcase yourself to be the best candidate for the position. Use stories of how you have managed complex cases. Bring in examples of how you assess and address risk, and try to cover which models of practice you use and why.

Why did you decide to become a social worker?

Here you can give the interviewer a further insight into where your interests and passions lie. Use anecdotes to really show them the reasons why you have chosen this career path. Be sure to highlight what you enjoy about social work and what you feel that you can bring to the organisation.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]We hope that after reading through these questions you feel a lot more prepared and ready to take on your interview. Click here to see a previous blog post on interview tips and tricks.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title=”” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-handshake-o” i_color=”orange” add_icon=”true”][vc_cta h2=”Are you currently searching for jobs in social work? Browse our job listings or sign up to our E-News for the latest Social Work job vacancies and career advice. ” add_button=”bottom” btn_title=”Social Work Jobs” btn_shape=”round” btn_color=”warning” btn_align=”center” btn_button_block=”true” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.onestopsocial.co.uk%2Ffind-a-job%2F|||”]

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