Interview tips and hints

Preparing for an interview can feel daunting, so we’ve created a practical guide filled with tips and hints to help you feel ready, confident, and well prepared.

Interview overview

Are you applying to join Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service as an apprentice wholetime firefighter or an on-call firefighter? Here’s what to expect from your interview and how to give yourself the best chance of success.

• Duration: Around one hour 30 minutes

• Format: Interview panel will introduce themselves and explain the format of the interview. 5–6 set questions will be asked, the same for every candidate with an opportunity for candidates to ask questions at the end.

• Preparation time – You will have 30 minutes on arrival to review the interview questions and prepare written notes. You may take these notes into the interview and refer to them when responding.

• Interview Panel: 3 members of staff who will take it in turns to ask questions and make notes throughout the interview.

• Atmosphere: The panel will do their best to help you feel relaxed so you can perform at your best.

You’ll receive a link to our online booking system so you can choose a date and time for your interview.

What we’re looking for

The interview is your chance to show us:

• Who you are: your skills, experiences, and values

• Why you’re a good fit: how these make you a strong candidate for the role

• Your understanding of the job: what a firefighter does at Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service

We recommend you look at our website before your interview to learn about:

• The work we do

• Our Community Risk Management Plan

• Our Core Values

You can find out more about the roles and Service here:

• Apprentice Firefighter

• On-call Firefighter

• Our service

Hints and tips for your interview

• Understand the role and our communities Make sure you know what firefighters do and how we support different communities. Try to link this understanding into your answers.

• Connect your experience to our values Think about your skills, knowledge, and experiences, and how they relate to:

  • Our Service values

  • The criteria for the firefighter role

• Think ahead What kind of questions may the panel ask you and how you would answer these questions.

• Answer the question fully Listen carefully to each question. Choose an example that clearly fits and fully answers what you’ve been asked.

• Use a range of examples Include:

  • Times when things went well

  • Times when things didn’t go so well, but you learned from them. If you haven’t experienced a particular situation, explain what you would do.

• Stay calm Don’t be afraid to ask the panel member to repeat a question. Pause, take your time in answering, checking your notes to ensure you have covered all the points you have written down as part of your preparation.

• Use STAR to structure your answers

S - Situation: Set the scene. What was happening?

T - Task: What needed to be done?

A - Action: What you did - this is the most important part, even if the question is about teamwork, focus on your personal contribution using the word ‘I’ as opposed to ‘We’.

R - Result: What happened? What did you learn? How does it link to the firefighter role?

Using STAR helps you stay clear, structured, and gives us enough detail.

• Take your time Don’t feel rushed. Pause, think about the question, then answer.

Final tips

• Speak with purpose: be confident, calm, and reflective

• Do your research: know our values and priorities

• Practice out loud: this helps with clarity, structure, and confidence

• On the day Ensure you know your interview time, date and location, route you will travel (allowing plenty of time for your journey), parking arrangements and contact details for the Recruitment Team should you encounter any delays/ issues in attending or if you can no longer attend.

• Attire Candidates should be smartly presented in business/ office wear.

Reasonable adjustments In accordance with the Equality Act 2010 and the Service’s Core Values, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require adjustments to the recruitment process to enable you to fully demonstrate your skills and experience you will be asked to notify recruitment@cheshirefire.gov.uk at the earliest opportunity so that reasonable measures can be can be implemented in good time. Please be reassured that disclosing the need for an adjustment will not negatively impact your interview in any way. 

Please ensure you bring with you the appropriate form/s of identification - Prove your right to work to an employer. Upon arrival you will be asked to present photo ID.

After the interview

If you are successful at interview, we will let you know by email.

We won’t share your interview score with you, as we use these scores at the end of the process to select the best performing candidates for the limited number of places available on the training course.