My Apprenticeship: 1 year on

As our first apprentice approaches the end of his first year we take a look back at his time with us.

How has your first year been at Shine Interview?

My first year here at Shine has been great; I have loved every minute of it. I have learnt so much from my colleagues.

What is your role at Shine and is it what you expected it to be?

I’m a Technical Support Executive, yes it is. I took on some different responsibilities early on, but I have found my comfort zone and I have ended up where I am supposed to be, doing what I enjoy and contributing to the company’s success.

How has your role changed over your first year?

The company was pretty young when I started and I feel as though my role and responsibilities have grown as the business has. We’re an agile business, adapting with our customer’s needs and my role has to fit with that. Sometimes I’m focussed on testing new features before they go live and other times I spend more time in technical support, handling queries.

How did you know this was the right company for you to complete your apprenticeship with?

I was looking for a company big enough to offer me opportunities and small enough for my contribution to count. Shine is a young company with a great product that has the potential to become big, so it instantly appealed to me.

The environment I would be working in was was also important to me, since I would be spending so much time there. The Shine office felt great when I first visited, with a positive atmosphere and a small team who all work together and support each other.

Once I understood what my role would be at Shine and the potential they had, I knew it was the right place for me.

Do you enjoy your time at college?

Yes, I have good Assessors that help me with the learning side of the apprenticeship and are supportive. I’ve also met lots of new people while I’ve been at college, made some good friends and I have fun.

How do you think this helps in your role?

At college I’m learning valuable skills that I might not necessarily learn at the work place. This means I come into work with fresh knowledge and understandings. It’s also good practice to be completing written work, as much of my work at Shine is practical, and it’s good to keep my hand in for report writing.

What has been the highlight of your year?

I enjoyed the months where the company exhibited at big events.  Although I didn’t attend them myself I really enjoyed the preparation phase, ensuring the demonstration accounts were set up and everything was running smoothly. Seeing everyone prepare and getting things ready was always exciting.

Had you heard of video interviewing before you applied for a job at Shine Interview?

No, Video Interviewing was something I had never come across, but then I hadn’t applied for many jobs previously. Applying at Shine definitely opened my eyes to the modern recruitment process and the different tools available for people to apply for jobs in a comfortable way.

You had to complete a video interview as part of your application, how was that?

Initially I was sceptical. I wasn’t sure how I would come across on video and whether I would be comfortable with it, but once I downloaded the app and went through the practice question I felt better about it. It wasn’t so different from making a video call, only no one was talking back to me! I guess I have the unique opportunity to watch my interview back, and I am pleased with how I came across. I felt relaxed about it because I recorded it at home, there wasn’t so much pressure and I think this shows in my interview. When I did later come in for a traditional face to face interview I felt more confident, as though they had already bought into me and what I have to offer.

What advice would you give to anyone being asked to complete a video interview?

Treat your video interview just as you would a regular face to face interview. Prepare, do your research and be positive. How you respond to being asked to try something new can be just as important as how you answer the questions. Show the recruiter that you are confident and enthusiastic, and don’t worry about the camera, it won’t bite!