Sift Interview Advice

[ajmarshall]

Passed my Officer sift interview

Good Afternoon,


I've passed my Officer interview this week. I thought it best to write a few tips from my experience to benefit others.

1) Arrive early and know where your interview/AFCO is. I think it would come across as a poor show if you arrived late. Read the Navy News, especially the first page. This gives you up to date info as to where the fleet is during the month.
2) This is a formal interview, you will be judged on your appearance, manners etc. So act and dress accordingly.
3) Make a list of times you have lead a group/team, held a position of responsibility and faced/set a challenge. They ask about these times so it's worth noting them.
4) Know your stuff - Training pipeline, ships, weapons, return of service etc.
5) Be prepared for the killer question - Why join the RN?
6) Once the interview has commenced, remember the officer interviewing you was in the same place as you once. I was really nervous for the first 10 minutes, but calmed down eventually.

The kind lieutenant has said I should apply for a bursary for my final year at university. Albeit the deadline has passed, they said I may have a chance of a submitting a late entry as i'm applying for X(SM). Does anyone have any experience of applying for a bursary? I'm assuming the pass standard at the AIB is a lot higher though.

Thanks for all the help from RR members.

 

[ollie123]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

The only advice I can say is that the pass mark at the AIB is alot higher for a bursary since the competition for the few available are so fierce.

When I did AIB in March 07 at the ripe age of 17, there was a guy on another board who was your stereotypical Oxbridge student. He said you need 260/300 in the AIB for the type of Engineering bursary he wanted. Needless to say that is the top 5% of all candidate, even lower some years.

THe pass work is 180/300. So the boundaries are very much different. Hope that helps.

 

[sara21]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

Worlds apart from mine.
Note: this was 2 years ago.

I went in via uni, with my MA portfolio in hand, a leather jacket on(suit underneath mind) and semi- dreadlocked hair. Watched a DVD, had a chat about uni, got asked out on a date by one of the Royal Marines in the AFCO, told the ACLO I knew nothing about the RN (v.little) but was uber keen, chatted about the paperwork I'd sent in a few months earlier and that was that.
Bish bosh, I was loaded onto the acquaint and rest is history.

How times have changed.

 

[ex_rubberdagger]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

Worlds apart from mine.
Note: this was 2 years ago.

I went in via uni, with my MA portfolio in hand, a leather jacket on(suit underneath mind) and semi- dreadlocked hair. Watched a DVD, had a chat about uni, got asked out on a date by one of the Royal Marines in the AFCO, told the ACLO I knew nothing about the RN (v.little) but was uber keen, chatted about the paperwork I'd sent in a few months earlier and that was that.
Bish bosh, I was loaded onto the acquaint and rest is history.

How times have changed.

Anyway. Sara. About that date then *cough* :thumright: :thumright:

 

[sara21]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

You've missed your water. Back of the queue.

 

[ex_rubberdagger]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

You've missed your water. Back of the queue.

My queue is very long but unfortunately as of 3 weeks ago i have a ring on my finger. So many heartbroken women!! :thumright: :thumright:

 

[sara21]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

My day is going from bad to worse. Sniffle. ^^^

 

[ex_rubberdagger]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

My day is going from bad to worse. Sniffle. ^^^

Get a grip woman
:thumright: :thumright:

 

[andyrik]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

So the killer question: "Why join the RN?"
Does anyone actually know the killer answer? I mean, do they like it when you suck up to the royal navy, i.e because i think the Royal navy is the best armed force. etc etc.

I suppose the answer needs a personal touch to it, but generally, what do they look for when answering this question?
AnDy

 

[Karma]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

I suppose the answer needs a personal touch to it, but generally, what do they look for when answering this question?

That it looks like you mean it and you've not copied someone else's thoughts from a web forum

Search for it, there have been a couple of threads on the topic.

 

[andyrik]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

Search for it, there have been a couple of threads on the topic.

ahh, the magic search button.

 

[Jenny_Dabber]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

So the killer question: "Why join the RN?"
Does anyone actually know the killer answer? I mean, do they like it when you suck up to the royal navy, i.e because i think the Royal navy is the best armed force. etc etc.

I suppose the answer needs a personal touch to it, but generally, what do they look for when answering this question?
AnDy

Unique answers with self-initiative'ness'...................look things up, do your research, when you talk, speak like you mean it.

It may help by adding 'the Royal Navy is the senior service blah blah blah' at some point. If you have the gift of the gab, bull sh*tting can come easy :thumright:

BUT DO NOT MENTION that you want to fire big guns and shoot people :afro:

 

[alfred_the_great]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

Surely the obvious answer is:

"To deliver violence on Her Majesty's enemies".....

or is that not PC?!

 

[drunken_engineer]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

Andyrik, be honest and state why you really want to join. Try to stear clear of saying you want to kill people (if you do - don't know many that actually want to). The board will have heard loads of answers to that question. Most importantly, be enthusiastic about it. Writing as one who sees AIB feedback, that is the biggest problem. Enthusiasm for the job and Service.

Don't PM me for more. You won't get it.
Nuff sed.

 

[ChrisW]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

Hi all, Im new to this forum and I passed my officer sift interview last week, the advice on this thread proved very useful so I thought it would only be right if I made my own contribution.

Heres a few things that helped me (without wising to restate other points already mentioned),

1) make sure you know about all branches of the navy, I applied for warfare officer (surface) and was asked questions about submarines, tHe fleet air arm and the royal marines.

2) Get your hands on the lastest copy of Navy news, or download it (just type navy news into google) and read up on any current deployments and why they are there. The map on the inside front cover and the fleet focus section are particularly usefull.

3) This has been said before but I think its important enougth to say again: they like to ask about time when you have showed leadership and responsibility, so it helps to prepare answers before hand so you are not caught off-guard.

4) as for the killer question, just be honest, think about it in advance and give your own genuine reasons for wanting to join. There is no killer answer because everyone is different and wil have there own unique reasons for wanting to join

5) Know your training pipeline. I was asked to tell all I kow about the AIB, inital officer training at dartmouth and training as a sub-lieutenant. Including approximate times of courses.

I hope this helps, I'll be putting together a similar post after my AIB

 

[Guns]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

So Guns why do you want to join the Navy?

My Mum wants me out of the house sir.

You'll do.

 

[dave_88]

Re: Passed my Officer sift interview

If I said that I'd be pretty spot on. Hah

 

[Lynx101]

advice for SIFT interview

Hi, I revently did my SIFT interview for officers. I have some advice for others who are getting a bit worried, or just need some advice.
1. RELAX, don't fidget at all. Sit perfectly still with your hands on the arms of the chair on on your lap. Don't ring your hands or fiddle with anything. Just keep still.
2. EYE CONTACT!!! Try to give eye contact the whole way through, my interviewer actually complimented me on this, so it shows that its very important.
3. Dress very smartly. I was wearing a suit with a tie, and I was complimented on that as well, that it all shows your attitude to the recruitment process and how seriously you are taking it.
4. Try to alter the pitch of your voice, if you are like me, when you are talking to a group or at something similiar, your voice tends to go a bit monotone, try to vary it if you can. Might not happen to all.
5. Depending on the interviewer, try and slip a light hearted joke in, but make sure you do it subtly.
Thats about it really, above all enjoy yourself, I really enjoyed mine, I got to talk to someone who actually cared about why I want to join etc, unlike my friends who are sick and tired of me going on and on about the navy every 5 seconds!
Good Luck,

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Re: advice for SIFT interview

Good stuff.

Not sure about trying to slip a joke in, but it's up to you. Generally if someone at interview were to start off with: "I say, I say, I say..." they could count themselves lucky not to wake up with a circle of onlookers looking downwards at them.

The Sift interview covers 3 main areas, Communications, Leadership & Motivation. They are not expecting the "finished article" but the more preparation you do, the sooner you will attend AIB because you are a stunningly well versed individual, smartly dressed (jacket & tie or equivalent), shiny shoes, prompt, attentive, etc.

The areas covered break down as follows and the 100% "Ideal candidate" will posses all of the following qualities (very few tick all the boxes, rest assured):

COMMUNICATION
Positive body language
Good Power of expression
Appropriate language
Enthusiastic
Confident
Good eye contact
Able to articulate sentences clearly

LEADERSHIP
Demonstrates can lead team to success/achieve positive results
Capable of Planning ahead
Motivates team
Learnt from mistakes/experience
Good level of commitment to team
Good examples of leadership/taking charge/organisation skills and
likewise from school, university, part-time work, clubs, societies etc.
Teamplayer and team leader.
Trusted & responsible

MOTIVATION
Good level of Fitness.
Family/partner support.
Sound, logical reasons for joining RN/RM
Well thought out career choices
Good awareness of RN/RM; branch; terms and conditions; training pipeline
Realistic expectations
Reasons for joining RN/RM.
Length of interest.
Knowledge/Preparation for RN/RM.

 

[supermario]

Re: advice for SIFT interview

Very good stuff Ninja.

If only we could get a few more to tick a few more boxes


SM

:nemo: