Leadership and Management

Level 3 & Level 5

Leadership and Management Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to move up any business, whether you are applying for the outside or within the business. If you are looking to gain more skills and progress through the business, completing one of these qualifications is a fantastic opportunity; known as up-skilling. Employers looking to give a candidate or employee the opportunity to achieve a Leadership and Management qualification are looking for someone well presented with great decision making and transferable skills.

Leadership Apprenticeship training will include an number of duties and roles such as:

  • supporting, managing and developing team members
  • managing projects
  • planning and monitoring workloads and resources
  • delivering operational plans
  • resolving problems, and building relationships internally and externally

For Management Apprenticeship qualifications there will be some duties from the leadership role. But these duties will be implemented into a management position that can lead to:

  • Operations Manager
  • Regional Manager
  • Divisional Manager
  • Department Manager and specialist managers

When it comes to applying for the Leadership or Management qualification, each employer is looking for someone with previous experience in working with or managing teams in a business setting. Communication, time management, organisation and team work skills are essential for these apprenticeships.

 

Always Be Prepared

Before attending any interview you must always prepare! You should never arrive to an interview without doing any research into the business or job description. Attending without any prior research will damper you chances of being accepted.

One way to help you prepare is to look at practice questions ( You can view some example questions to the right side with hints and tips on how to answer ), as this will help you understand what the employer may ask.

Other ways to help you prepare can include:

  • Writing notes about your skills, how you will be a great fit for the position, why they should choose you etc.
  • Print off your CV –  can use this to help you for answers. Print off 2 copies, can offer one to the employer
  • Plan what to wear the night before – Get you into the right mindset for the next day
  • ALWAYS plan your journey – check travel times, traffic etc.

The more you prepare, the higher the chance that the interview will be successful be on your way to start the business administration apprenticeship.

Don’t be afraid to talk about yourself when asked. Talk about your hobbies and interests, what you like to do on weekends etc. Mention awards and achievements you have gained over the years, whether they are from school or clubs. Make sure that you don’t overshare, but don’t give too short an answer.

Give an overview of the company and what they specialise in. Mention some facts that you learned about them whether this be awards they have won, when they were established etc. By doing this it will show the employer that you were willing to go out of your way to understand the business.

This is where your research on the company is important as you can implement this in your answer. Mention a success story of theirs and what you like about their processes and the way they work compared to their competitors. It is also important to have ideas of things you feel you could bring and incorporate into the business.

Reflecting on an example of prioritising tasks during a heavy workload is a positive way to show competency in a role. This will help demonstrate your organisational skills and problem solving. Explain how and why you made the decision and why it was the right one.

Talk about any relevant software packages you have used, for example Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Any technical office systems that you have had previous use or an overview of would also be advantageous.

To answer this question you must first have an understanding of the difference between management and leadership. Managers handle tasks and responsibilities whilst ensuring others complete their tasks. A leader is there to motivate and guide the team toward achieving goals and reaching targets. Think about an experience where you showed leadership capabilities, this does not have to be limited to workplace experience if you have interests outside of work that show strong leadership skills.

Mention how you would try to notice underperformance as soon as possible, then would try to correct it before it develops into a wider problem, being specific when discussing the issue and giving as much feedback as possible.

You could then discuss how you would look at how staff training can be improved and understanding what motivates your team, using this as a tool to improve future performance as this shows you are not only fixing the current issue but preventing it from happening again.

Strengths – Mention two or three strengths (for example, communicating effectively, time management and organisational skills) and give an example of one of them.

Weaknesses – This is where you can show you are honest, can self-evaluate and are keen to improve. Choose a positive aspect of your personality and mention how this can be slightly detrimental.

Although this is slightly personal this gives the employer an insight into yourself as a person as well as the roles you may wish to progress to. For example, motivation to build a successful career in the sector or your passion to work with children and young people, mentioning what makes you want to work with them.

Be honest about your reasons for leaving your last role but mentioning wanting a career with more opportunities for progression or how the role you are interviewing for is a much better fit for you and why is often in line with what the employer is looking for as an answer.

Use this time to ask questions about the business, daily operations or their expectations of you as an employee in this role. Do not ask questions about the company that could have been answered previously with an online search. Aim to ask open ended questions that won’t result in the employer just giving a yes or no answer.

Think about the business as a whole and positions you could progress to within, taking into account your wider ambitions. Most employers want to hire someone with drive and determination so don’t be afraid to set your goals high.

Before the interview be aware of how much the role offers on the job description and research salary expectations in this sector based on those in positions that have similar experience to yourself.

Personal Presentation

An essential part of making a good impression in an interview is dressing smart. Dressing formally shows that you are serious about the role, ambitious and respectful of the business itself. Even if the interview is informal you still need to make a good impression; so if you are applying for a position in a within a new business, always research the type of company you are applying for.

For example, when attending an interview for a corporate business you should wear attire such as:

  • Men – smart shirt (ironed) and trousers, shirt and tie, smart business shoes, clean and styled hair (shave if needed)
  • Women – smart trousers/shirt, suit, dress or skirt, smart shoes/boots, clean and styled hair

(or any smart business attire that you feel comfortable in)

If you are attending a more informal interview you don’t need to look as corporate, so you can choose attire that is a bit more comfortable and casual. However, you still need to look smart so avoid jeans, trainers and casual t-shirts. No matter what  role you apply/attend interview for, dressing appropriately will increase your chances of securing the perfect apprenticeship and give you the confidence to have a successful interview.

 

Make an Impact

First impressions are key when it comes to an interview; if you arrive looking unpresentable, late and with an attitude the employer will automatically decide that you are unsuccessful. Arriving in suitable attire (as stated above) and at least 10 – 15 minutes earlier will already increase your chances. Other ways to make an impact include:

  • Having a bubbly and optimistic personality – always have a smile and say hello
  • Give a firm handshake – shows confidence and professionalism
  • Always go into detail when answering questions – avoid one word answers
  • Sit upright – never slouch when sitting down
  • Ensure you don’t fidget or mess with objects – looks like you’re bored or nervous
  • Always say ‘thank you’ when the interview is finished

Interview Preparation Tasks

 

1. Read the Interview Confirmation email thoroughly – Familiarise yourself with the location that your interview will take place at. Check transport times. Read through any extra details or helpful advice in the email ton help you prepare.

2. Research the company you are interviewing for the position at – Look at their website and social media accounts. Find out who founded the company and when, what the company does, who their clients or customers are. The employer will ask what you know about the company, so find out as much as possible.

3. Have 2 open questions prepared to ask the employer about their company – After you have researched the company prepare at least two questions to ask the employer about the company. Make sure you aren’t asking questions that are already answered on the website.

4. Study the Job Description and think about what your transferrable skills are – Consider what would be expected of you in the role on a day to day basis. Work out which skills you have that would benefit the company and keep these in mind when you are talking about how you are the perfect candidate.

5. Research the company’s competitors if they have any – Being able to give suggestions and ideas for improvement at the company is a great way to show you are informed and proactive.