9 Common Job Interview Questions to Get You Ready for Working in Mental Health!

Mental Health Job Interview questions –

Q: Tell me about yourself:

This might seem like a straightforward question, however where would you begin? Would you start at the start of your very first job or move onto when you were attending college or even university?

The best thing to do is to focus on what the interviewer would be interested to hear. Mention some important job specifications and experiences that are relevant to the job description.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

When answering this question, there are a few key pieces of information that the employer wants to hear:

• What are your interests?
• Do you see yourself in this company within the next 5 years?
• Do you have a sense of ambition and drive?

Try to incorporate these questions into your answer to really stand out to your interviewer.

Q: Why did you choose to become a Mental Health Worker?

State why you have an interest in Mental Health, and also ensure you talk about why you have a passion for working with older people/clients.

Q: What about this role appeals to you?

When answering this question, it is best to talk about your priorities and preferences that you will gain from being employed in this role.

The interviewer wants to know why you are interested in this company, as well as why you chose to apply for this role. A strong answer will cover both areas!

Q: How did you handle a difficult situation?

Employers ask this to see whether you can handle difficult situations between clients or even teammates. The best way to respond is to use the STAR technique:

• Situation/Task: Describe the situation/task that you needed to deal with.
• Action: What action(s) did you take to remedy things?
• Results: What were the results of your action(s)?

Note: In this answer, do not speak poorly of former employers/employees as that does not reflect greatly on your future Supervisor.

Related: 5 tips for better mental health in 2021!

Q: Do you have any questions for us?

This question is very common at any job interview whether it is related to Mental Health or any other industry. When you hear this question, you may feel like everything has been covered, however, ensure you ask something, rather than nothing as that can reflect poorly on the result of your job interview.

Try to keep a list of prepared questions to ask at the end of your mental health job interview so you look prepared. Here are some sample questions:

• How would you describe the management style of this organisation?
• Talk to me about the company culture?
• What is something that makes you happy about coming to work?
• How would I progress in this role? Such as moving forward in this company.

When preparing for the interview, it is ideal to also do your homework about the company as they may also ask what you know about the company and see whether you have looked at the website/socials or not.

Related: 7 Job interview tips to land your dream job

The first few moments of your mental health job interview will create an everlasting impression on what your interviewer thinks of you.

Make sure you arrive on time and allow yourself some extra time to sit down and relax before the mental health interview. This could help ease your nerves and remain level-headed when answering questions.

Also, make sure to sell your smarts and expertise, your experience is the main thing driving you to complete your mental health interview successfully!

SUPPORT WORKER DAILY TASKS AND DUTIES:

A career in Mental Health is a very rewarding path to take, allowing you to help those suffering from mental health issues and use your compassion and skills to help them build a better life for themselves.

When you are successful in your interview and you get the job, your daily duties and tasks will involve:

• Assisting clients with their needs
• Monitoring client progress and maintaining records
• Liaising with other community groups and social services
• Delivering counselling to your clients

A Mental Health Support Worker delivers counselling and refers patients to other social service’s programs.

Sound exciting? Chat to one of our friendly Course and Career’s Advisors today!