Now that the dust has settled on last months hugely entertaining Junior Apprentice television finale, it is worth assessing the result and what it says about youth unemployment in the UK. The series, which sees young and aspiring entrepreneurs compete for a grant to fund their activities, concluded in December as the articulate winner Zara Brownless saw off the challenge of her more instinctive and abrupt rival James McCullagh. However, as viewers suggested that style had been allowed to triumph over substance, is there cause for concern with regards to the perception of young job seekers and the requirements of employers in the UK?

The Junior Apprentice: Seeking Raw Talent or Polished Gems?

With youth unemployment at it highest ever levels in the UK, the Junior Apprentice show held additional significance in 2011. Not only did it boast the potential to launch a youngster’s entrepreneurial career and create an employer of the future, but it also offered a portent of hope to the million young job seekers who found themselves unemployed. The result may have come as a disappointment to some however, especially given that the eventual loser undoubtedly displayed the highest levels of craft, creativity and leadership skill throughout the entire televised process.

While winner Zara Brownless may not have been portrayed as a naturally gifted entrepreneur, she did present a more professional look throughout and was incredibly articulate for a girl still in her teens. This clean, composed and polished image was in stark contrast to her rival’s often-unkempt appearance and abrupt manner, and was in no doubt some way responsible for her eventual success in the boardroom. With this in mind, it is worth addressing whether employers in the UK are looking for the right attributes when interviewing young workers, or whether they are favouring more rounded individuals ahead of those who boast a more creative and yet inconsistent spark.

Youth Unemployment: Are Employers Prepared to Train Young Workers?

Though it is fair to say that Zara Brownless was a credit to both herself and her parents in the way that she conducted herself, her appreciation of language and ability to communicate with industry professionals was far beyond those boasted by many of her peers. In fact the majority of enthusiastic young job seekers in the UK are far more similar to James, in so much that they offer a raw and unpolished skill set and are yet to learn the intricacies of presentation and professional communication. 

If employers are more inclined to hire polished and well spoken youth candidates ahead of those who boast a natural if raw commercial potential, then this goes some way to explaining the high levels of vast youth unemployment. Where such a gap exists between employer expectations and candidate skill sets, there is bound to be a significant short fall in the number of job vacancies that are filled. Unless the hiring organizations of today are willing to train and nurture raw youth talent, then the employment market could well remain stagnant for a significant period of time.

With apprenticeships and entry-level roles being key to reducing youth unemployment in the UK, employers must ensure that they are seeking the right type of attributes in their candidates. By favouring genuine commercial talent over presentation and committing to train, educate and develop the potential of their young employees appropriately, the current stalemate can be broken and young job seekers will be able to prosper in 2012 and beyond.

While the portents of economic gloom often darken the vast majority of job markets and industries at one time or another, some remain able to prosper in even the most trying of financial circumstances. After it was announced this week that payday loan company Ferratum anticipated huge growth during 2012 and 2013, it became clear that high unemployment and poor job security would in no way hinder the brand’s operation over the next 18 months. Yet this is contrary to all perceptions of the payday loan, and more specifically the debt it can encumber citizens with during a recession.

What is a Payday Loan?

For those who are not familiar with payday loans, they are short-term financial agreements that allow consumers to borrow money while they are waiting for their next pay cheque. There are not many stipulations for potential consumers, except for the fact that they must be in some form of employment and in many cases cannot borrow more than £1000. Often the terms of the loan demand that the money must be repaid in full within a calendar month of the agreement, with a regulated level of interest heaped on top for good measure.

On the face of it payday loans sound like practical solutions for those suffering from reduced cash flow, and this should indeed be the case so long as consumers use them sporadically and only borrow sums that they are able to repay comfortably. When surrounded by the ill winds of an unstable economy however, these agreements can suddenly seem as unflinchingly inflexible and ultimately serve to burden individuals and families with unwanted debt. So what exactly are the risks of a payday loan, and who should strive to avoid them at all costs?

The Perils of the Payday Loan

While those out of work cannot qualify for a payday loan and can rest easy, anyone in employment can secure a loan from one of the thousands of lenders throughout the UK. The primary issue with these loans is that they are likely to escalate if they are rolled over, and given the already perilous state of the economy this can trigger a cycle of extensive borrowing and debt accumulation. Consider the following: 

• The short term nature of the agreement means that debts must be repaid promptly, and given the pressing nature of paying bills in a strained economy consumers are often forced to renew their loan agreement over a period of consecutive months.

• While this cycle of debt can be damaging enough, a missed payment can trigger extensive debt escalation in line with the exalted levels of interest affiliated with payday loans. These may range from 100 to 4000%, and can turn a small repayment into a significant debt.

• The current economy only serves to make the payday loan even more of a risk factor, especially for those in short term or long term temporary work. Even those employed on a permanent basis cannot be sure of their futures, and any sudden job loss or unpaid redundancy could force you to renege on your payday loan agreement.

Regardless of your needs or your confidence in being able to repay your payday loan, remember that the current economic climate makes it extremely difficult to follow even the most well laid of financial plans. While those in short term employment should avoid payday loans at all costs, even permanent employees should think twice before they commit to such a financial commitment at the current time.

While the all too obvious response to this question would be to simply name whichever role you were interviewing for at the time, in reality this would cut no ice with your potential employer. Never underestimate an experienced interviewer’s ability to distinguish honesty from unnecessary boot licking, especially at a time where positions of employment are sought after by an unusually high number of applicants. So how exactly should you approach this question, and what answer should you offer in response?

Why Do Employers Ask Candidates This Question?

On the face of it, this may seem like a fairly spurious question, especially given that your dream job is likely to be far removed from the one you have applied for. However, there are several reasons why employers pose this question, and many facets of information that it draws from the applicant. Remember: 

• Your dream job gives an indication as to your level of ambition and appreciation of real world goals, and whether you have developed a suitable understanding of the two. They can therefore determine driven candidates from those who are detached from the detail of reality.

• Your answer also reveals the type of industry and environment that you would like to work in, and give an insight into your preferred work place arrangement. This allows employers to decide how compatible you are with both the role and the individual work place.

• Employers are always keen to hire those who can articulate their thoughts honestly and in a professional manner, and this question tests your ability to remain true to yourself in an interview situation. Is your answer a genuine reflection of your interests and value, or something that you believe the employer wants to hear?

How to Answer This Question Effectively

With these points in mind, it is clear that any potential employer can gain a great deal of insight from your response to this question. It also emphasises the need to ensure that your answer is as honest and effective as it can possibly be without blurring the lines between fiction and reality. So: 

• While ambition is one thing, it is nothing if it is steered toward impossible or simply unobtainable goals. Employers are unlikely to hire someone who states that their dream job is to manage an experience company based on Mars, simply because they would appear to be unfocused and unable to channel their ambition with significant drive.

• Similarly, you should attempt to consider whether your dream job has anything at all in common with the role you have applied for. Your answer must draw at least some correlation to the job you are seeking, as otherwise employers will conclude that you will ultimately be dissatisfied in your post and seek new pastures.

• It goes without saying that you should avoid sycophantic answers at all costs, and stay as true to yourself as possible when contriving and delivering your response. As we have already discussed, interviewers are only too aware of the contrived sound bites that blight interviews, so the answer you offer must reflect your true goals, values and opinion.

Do you have any thoughts on how to answer this question? If so then we would love you to tweet your thoughts @simplyhireduk.

While job interviews can be daunting experiences, imagine how much more difficult they would be if employers posed a dazzling array of unusual and unpredictable questions? Well imagine no more, as various high profile companies and technology based firms have decided to introduce the element of surprise for candidates seeking employment with them. So now is the time to embrace the world of the strange interview question, and make thinking outside of the box outside of crucial part of your interview preparation.

What Unusual Questions Are Being Posed by Interviewers?

Various unusual interview questions have emerged over the last year One premier example is asking an interviewee whether or not he thought that "Mahatma Gandhi would make a good software engineer." Other examples include candidates being interviewed for Google roles asked direct questions about competitor Facebook, and technology based companies asking their applicants "how they would attempt to cure world hunger." Despite their seemingly light-hearted nature, these questions have been specifically designed to test aspects of your psyche and suitability as a candidate.

While anyone who has ever attended a job interview will have a preconceived notion of how they are conducted and the type of questions that can be expected, unusual questions have the advantage of making job seekers respond instinctively and think outside of their normal realm. Employers are increasingly aware that the business and technological worlds are subject to constant change, with the result that staff must be able to react to any given work place or external situation and respond appropriately. These unusual questions provide an insight into whether candidates are capable of this or not.

How to Respond to Unusual Interview Questions

While you cannot prepare for unusual questions that are conceived in the mind of an industry expert, you can at least understand the nature of strange interview questioning and the best possible methods for dealing with it. With the above examples in mind, consider the following as key to your success: 

• Begin by assessing the industry that you are applying to work in, and what skills companies are likely to seek from their employees. Taking the technology sector as an example, it is well known that problem solving is a much sought after skill amongst candidates, and so any unusual question will be posed to challenge your thought processes and the way in which you tackle, assess and plan to resolve even the most ridiculous of problems.

• Thinking is the key to successfully answering these types of unusual questions, and more specifically, whether you think in narrow or broad terms. While the former restricts you to addressing each question or challenge in its most rigid sense, it is the latter that encourages you to think beyond the wording of the question and understand exactly what the employer is seeking from you.

• By adopting a broad viewpoint of the challenge in hand, you are in a position to consider the general process of problem solving while even posing questions of your own to help showcase your level of understanding. Employers are looking for someone who is able to remain calm and think largely on their feet, while possessing the awareness to address interviewers and make their task easier.

Have you ever been asked an unusual interview question? If so, please tweet us your thoughts @simplyhireduk

Part time work becomes something of a Godsend during times of economic hardship, not least because erstwhile job seekers are desperate to keep their feet firmly grounded in the world of work. It is an entirely different kettle of fish to a full time role however and as such boasts interviews that have an altogether more relaxed and less intense atmosphere. This does not devalue their importance however, but simply requires a different mindset for you to succeed.

What Questions Will I Be Asked in a Part Time Interview?

Aside from the generic questions that permeate full time and part time interview questions alike, there are some significant examples that apply only to part time vacancies. The following are core components of the part time interview, and demand your focus to deliver a quality response:

• Would you prefer full-time employment to part-time if a job were available?: This question pulls no punches, and is designed to assess whether you are keen on part time work because of your circumstances or because it provides an avenue back into full time employment. It gives the employer a clearer indication of your motivation to work and long term goals.

• Do you have any activities that would prevent you from working your schedule?: Part-time jobs often require you to work as part of a team, so employers will want to gauge whether you are able to commit to the hours of work that you are given. This question helps them to achieve this, without addressing your personal circumstances directly.

• How would you describe the pace at which you work?: With part time work prominent in busy shops and call centres, there is a clear emphasis on the pace at which you work and whether you can effectively maximize your time. Employers want their part time staff to be organized and especially efficient in their time management skills.

How to Deliver Your Part Time Interview Answers

These questions can be challenging if you are used to the bustle of full time work, and more crucially the interviews which precede the, Consider the following as key to a well thought out response, and answers which can help to take a huge step forward into employment.

• The key to answering the 1st question is to be entirely honest, both with yourself and a potential employer. Citing your circumstances and motivation for seeking part time work provides the foundations of open communication in the interview, and leaves the employer confident in the integrity of your application.

• You must be flexible in your approach to hold down a part time job, and more importantly you must take great care to sell this quality during your interview. The nature of part time work often demands a transition between alternative shifts, so it is important that you relay your commitment to work as and when required.

• While some of you will be faster and more efficient when it comes to completing physical tasks, others will be better at organizing a workload and its priority in the first place. Both are methods of ensuring a quick and desired pace at work, so emphasise whichever is relevant to you. Adapt the question to suit your strengths, and deliver your answer boldly.

Do you have any advice when it comes to handling the part time job interview? If so, our job seekers would love to hear your comments @simplyhireduk.