Interview Questions and Answers

1. What would you do if I wanted to spend all my savings on a wide screen TV?

It’s your choice pal but don’t come crying to me when you can’t have a holiday next summer.

I would remind you of other things that you wanted to do with the money. I’d say if you spend it all on a big TV you won’t have any money for a holiday or to buy anyone Christmas presents. But if you still want to buy it then it’s your money not mine so it’s your choice.

2. What are your hobbies?

I love ballroom dancing I go to a class every week. At the weekend I am a member of a gliding club which is fantastic. I am thinking about buying a share in my own glider. I also enjoy sailing and photography.

I like fishing. Every year I go to Scotland for a week to fish for salmon. I also like coarse fishing which I can do closer to home. I used to be a keen weaver and I still have my old loom in the garage.

3. Please tell us about a time when you had to be good at communicating?

Answers –

I used to work with a man who did not speak. I had to learn to understand how he felt and what he wanted from his facial expressions and things he did. For example if he made a single loud shout it meant he was really happy but if he continued to make the same sound it meant he was uncomfortable and I needed to do something about it.

I went to France for my holiday last year to an area where no one spoke much English. I found that talking very slowly and pointing helped.

4. Please tell us about a time when you needed to be understanding.

A friend of mine phoned me a few days ago. She was really upset because her partner is talking about going back to his wife. They had been planning on buying a house together and they had found somewhere really nice. Now at the last minute he has got cold feet and it looks as though he might change his mind. Jane’s house has already been sold so she’ll have nowhere to live. I listened to her for ages and I said she can stay with me for a couple of weeks if she wants. Really though what does she expect if she gets involved with a married man!

Last year I went to the funeral of one of my aunties. I did not like her very much but my parents wanted to go and they don’t drive so I went along as well. She really was not a nice woman, though she did have her problems admittedly. She deserted her children, she got into debt she was a racist and homophobic. I really did not like her and had avoided seeing her for years. I had to sit and listen to the vicar talking about what a good woman she was and how popular she was. Afterwards I just kept quiet when people were saying how much they would miss her. I felt like a hypocrite but it was not the time for honesty as it would have upset my family.

5. If someone shouted names at us in the street what would you do?

Answers –

I’d call the police, then wait there until the police arrived. People like that should not get away with it.

I would ask how you felt and what you wanted to do. It’s probably not a good idea to shout back as it could make things worse, but it’s important that people like that don’t upset you.

6. Not many people with learning difficulties have paid jobs, why do you think that is?

Well I think some of them are lazy I guess. I don’t know really I have never thought about it. It’s a good question. I suppose there aren’t many jobs that people can do, are there?

I think there are a lot of reasons. The benefits system makes it hard for people to work without risking losing their benefits. Also some employers are prejudiced against people with learning difficulties and don’t believe that they will be any good. With the Disability Discrimination Act it should be easier to get employers to adapt jobs to make them fit people better. The problem with benefits does not look likely to go away.

7. Please tell us about a time when you helped to sort out an argument.

Last week I was in a pub and 2 people started to argue because one man thought that the other had taken his drink. I noticed that the 2nd man had left his drink on the bar. So I went over with the drink and quietly pointed out the mistake. I did it in a light hearted way to help reduce the tension.

Some time ago 2 of my friends got into an awful row. It became so heated I thought that they might actually start to fight. I took one of them into another room and talked to her about her issues. I then went back and did the same with the other person. I then got them back together and helped them to listen to each other calmly.

8. How do you feel about mucking in with the cleaning?

It wasn’t in the job description you sent me, so no I don’t think I should do it. Perhaps you need to employ a cleaner if you don’t want to do it.

It’s part of the job and it has to be done. I don’t mind giving a hand but I don’t think that I should do it for you. It’s your home are responsible for keeping it clean. I am happy to support you to do it, but not to do it for you.

9. Tell us about a time when you had to solve a problem.

Recently I have noticed a clicking noise in my house. It’s a bit like a dripping sound or an electrical click it’s hard to tell. At first I thought it was water dripping off the roof but I looked outside and there was no sign of water. Then I looked in the bathroom to see if the shower was leaking but it isn’t. Next I thought it could be one of the cats toys that has a battery in it making a noise like smoke alarms do when the batteries get low, but it was not that either. I have checked the pictures on the walls to make sure they are not rattling. I still don’t know what it is.

Last year I had a smoke alarm that fitted into the light socket in the hall. It was really good because there were no batteries to replace. I had had it for years with no trouble. Then last year it started to make a high pitched wailing noise, so I took it down to throw away. But it did not stop making the noise and did not dare put it in the bin outside as passers by might have thought it was a bomb. I could not leave it in the house as it was a really annoying noise. I decided to try drowning it. I put it in a bowl of water and gradually it started to gurgle and eventually the sound stopped so I took it out and put it in the bin. After an hour or so it began to dry out and the whining noise began. Eventually I had to take a hammer to it, which was probably not a good idea but it worked.

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10. Would you mind telling us about a time when you showed you were honest?

Once I was in Primark and I heard something fall to the floor. When I looked I saw that it was a huge roll of foreign notes. I quickly picked them up and ran after the woman who had dropped them to give the money back.

A few weeks ago I bought a few things in my local corner shop. When I got home I realised that I had not been charged for a Mars bar. I went back and told the shopkeeper and he said I could have it for free because I had been honest.