interview

[Celestial]

I have one lined up shortly for a manager at a charity shop and would like to ask what questions would you present that you feel are important for this role. Having downloaded some info, any feedback would be appreciated.

[gammaray]

Going off the "performance" of the staff in any charity shop I've ever been in the following may be useful:

An ability to look down your nose at anybody younger than yourself.

The ability to be totaly ingrossed in a pointless converstaion with work colleagues rather than answer queries from customers.

The unshakable beleive that you know everything there is to know about your charity shops activities - even though you are in direct conflict with your charities charter published on their web site.

To consistently make up prices regardless of the price ticket and claim that the "Item has been priced up wrong... I don't know I wasn't in that day... its not right... do you still want it?"

If you follow these simple suggestions I've no doubt you will walk into the job.... Good luck.

[gammaray]

Just to be clear......My answer represents a tiny number of shops in a specific area. It in no way reflects the attitude of the vast majority of hard working volunteers in charity shops up and down the country

[Dollie]

Worked for a local charity for 12 years in a managerial role until two years ago. We had 4 charity shops in our city!! Ensure that you have read up about the particular charity you are applying to - how they are funded, what is the mainstay of their work. Make sure you vist the shop in advance (incognito as it were) to study how they set things out, what they offer etc, how the staff/volunteers are with customers etc. Tell the interview panel if you think you would bring any changes to the shop such as what you would like to see, how you think you could present things a bit more interesting or exciting !! Ask how many volunteers work in the shop also. Do a check of other charity shops in the area and see what they offer and how well they're doing - a charity shop is like every other, the bosses will want to see profit being made wherever possible and will look for someone with a head for figures, research and marketing experience or at the very least Good Luck