Stakeholder pensions are a new type of low cost pension introduced by the Government. Whatever your age, it offers you the opportunity to plan for your retirement with a value for money pension that you own.
To help in choosing the right Stakeholder Pension Scheme from the many available, RPR have chosen the Friends Provident Stakeholder Pension.
Reasons why we choose Friends Provident include:

• It is easy to start a Friends Provident Pension.
• Friends Provident aims to ensure that your money works hard for you both by keeping charges low and by investing your money in its expertly managed funds.

Some important things you need to know about our pension scheme are:

• You can join anytime after completing 13 consecutive weeks of service and it is up to you to decide if you want to join.
• Payments can be taken from your bank account directly.

If you are interested in joining the pension scheme, please contact us.                

Competency-based interviews work on the principle that past behaviour is the best indicator of how people will behave in the future. Potential employees are required to show how their previous experience and expertise can be used to meet the challenges facing a potential new employer. For an employer, this means allocating key competencies to each role within their organisation and then assessing candidates against these competencies and each other.

Competencies can be split into five areas; each having its own drivers for the business:

Individual competencies – these refer to the personal attributes required for a role and focus on key areas such as decisiveness, integrity, independence etc.

Managerial competencies – as the name suggests, these refer to a person’s ability to manage others and focus on key areas such as leadership, planning and project management.

Motivational competencies – these are the things that drive you and qualities that will be required to succeed in the role. Behaviours such as motivation, initiative and resilience are vital in this area.

Analytical competencies – analytical skills, numerical problem solving, attention to detail and other decision making abilities are explored here.

Interpersonal competencies – these refer to how a person deals with others and covers areas such as communication, openness and the ability to work as part of a team.

Preparation

While each interview will have its own competencies, it is beneficial to prepare answers to questions you anticipate being asked. Reviewing the job description and/or advert will provide the basis on which to structure your answers and show examples of where you have been able to illustrate success in each competency.

The STAR model is a particularly good structure on which to build your responses and will provide an effective way to structure your thoughts.

Situation – describe a situation or problem you have encountered.
Task –  outline the task that was required to resolve the issue or problem.
Action – describe the action you took to overcome the issue or problem.
Result – highlight the outcomes achieved.

At the interview

Always be honest about your attributes as you will inevitably get caught out – if not before you start the interview, then very soon afterwards.

Take the time to consider your answers. Don’t think: I’ve already prepared this response so I’m going to continue with it regardless. Ask yourself whether you are using the best example to illustrate the attribute they are interested in. You might find it useful to take notes into the interview; this is not a memory test and notes will allow you to better prepare, giving you more courage in your convictions.

If you are unsure as to what the interviewer is asking you, don’t be afraid to ask them to clarify what they mean – they will not think any less of you. Rather than say “I don’t understand what you mean”, try, “Do you mean such-and-such?” This will show that you have at least tried to interpret what they’ve said.

Finally, make sure you take time to ask the interviewer about the environment, culture and people in the company. The competency process is not only about them evaluating your attributes, but also you evaluating whether the company is right for you.

Although it can safely be said that no two interviews are the same, there are areas that a recruiter will always focus on to draw the best comparison between competing candidates. As “typical” questions, you can safely assume that some, if not all, of the following will feature at some point during the interview. Before you arrive, make sure to plan ahead and prepare answers to these frequently asked questions.
                                                                    
Why do you want this job? Why do you want to work here?

Stress the aspects of the role which have encouraged you to apply, focusing on the issues that matter. Avoid referring to things such as better pay, shorter hours etc. Avoid referring to the negative aspects of your current or most recent role.

What qualities do you think will be required for this job?

Although the job advert will provide a good basis for your answer, use your knowledge of the role and the industry to understand what will help you succeed in the role.
You might want to refer to the personality traits you have that will add value to the technical aspects of the role. Leadership, communication and interpersonal skills will always stand you in good stead.

What do you know about us?

This is your chance to show the employer you are serious about your application. Your interview preparation will have given you a great foundation on which to talk about their products and services, sales figures, news etc.
Talking about any challenges the company faces will also provide further brownie points and increase the likelihood of you standing out from the crowd.

Why should we employ you?

Your aim when answering this question is to show how well you fit the requirements of the job.
Refer to your previous experience and achievements; show how they are relevant to the company and/or role in question and highlight where you can add value.

Why did you join your previous company? Why are you looking to leave now?

Always be positive about your reasons for joining and leaving a company. Avoid saying anything negative about your present or most recent employer. If you are willing to criticise them, this does not bode well for the future and the recruiting company might wonder what you will say about them when you leave.
To say you are looking for a new challenge is always a good way to approach this question. Explain the challenges you faced in your previous role, how you successfully managed them and how these qualities will add value in your new role.

What will you bring to the role/company?

The key to getting the most from this question is to try and anticipate what your future objectives would be if you were to get the job. Your answers should then focus on how you would satisfy these objectives.
Try to also focus on the particular requirements of the role. Look at similar roles inside and outside the company and use this information to show how you will be able to hit the ground running and add immediate value.

Where do you want to be in 2/5/10 years time?

For most people and most roles this question refers to the type of situation they’d like to be in over the specified period. This question therefore provides the opportunity to reinforce your experience and expertise and further make your case.
Employers will respond best if they can see where you will make a positive contribution.

What were your key achievements in your last role?

Focus on one or two achievements that are specifically linked to the role you are applying for.
Either position yourself as the driver of these initiatives or as the person who was able to affect change.
Make sure the examples you use delivered tangible results and you have the figures to support them. The examples should show significant organisational benefits, whether it be making/saving money, increasing efficiency, improving quality etc.

What are your strengths?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions in any interview and you should expect to be faced with both this and the question that follows.
The aim of this question is to convey your level of self-awareness as well as showing you can identify the particular strengths associated with the role.
Avoid merely telling them how great you are and prepare two or three strengths that are particularly relevant to the requirements of the role and/or company. 
You should also look to analyse why you are strong in these areas and how you can make a difference.

What are your weaknesses?

This has the potential to be a really tough question if you’ve not carefully considered how to answer it.
A strong answer starts by saying you are not actually weak in any area but then lists areas for improvement that could be interpreted as strengths, for example not giving up on something when you strongly believe in it.
This question will inevitably prompt follow-up questions, enabling you to show how you are working on managing your weaknesses.

Tell me about a big challenge or difficulty you faced and how you dealt with it?

This question allows the opportunity to show you can achieve results in the face of adversity and that you are professional regardless of the challenges you are faced with. It also allows the interviewer to explore your definition of difficult and whether you can show a logical approach to problem solving. Again, this will provide you with an opportunity to show how you can shine and will reinforce your ability to negotiate and navigate choppy waters. Make sure you are not overly critical about your former/current colleagues/company, and again focus on where you were key to the resolution.