Social worker interview questions and answers

About the job itself

Why do you want to work as a social worker?
What drew you to this work, what you already know about it, and something from your past that shows you will be good at it.
What do you have that this job asks for?
Employers usually look for: Social work degree and Social Work England registration. Say what you hold, with expiry dates where there are any, and bring the proof (cards, certificates, a portfolio): it is checked before you start.
What pay are you looking for?
A figure you can justify. Adverts for this job usually pay £36,000 to £48,000 a year, so check the advert, know your number and give it calmly.

Questions for care & support work

What does person centred support mean to you?
The person decides as much as they can; you support their choices, not your routine.
Tell me about a time you supported somebody to do something for themselves.
Patience, encouragement, and a result that mattered to them.
How would you handle behaviour that challenges?
Stay calm, keep everybody safe, follow the support plan, and learn what triggered it.
What would you do if you were worried a person was at risk?
Report to the manager or safeguarding lead straight away and write it down.
Can you drive, and do you have a car for community visits?
A straight answer; many community roles need it, and some pay mileage.

The questions every interviewer asks

Tell me about yourself.
Two minutes, about work: what you do now, what you are good at, and why this job is the next step. Not your life story.
Why are you leaving your current job, or why did you leave the last one?
A reason that looks forward (more hours, a shorter journey, a step up), never a complaint about the old boss.
Tell me about a time something went wrong at work and what you did.
A real example: what happened, what you did yourself, how it ended, and what you do differently now.
Where do you see yourself in a couple of years?
Ambition that fits the job: getting better at it, a ticket or qualification, perhaps leading a team.
Do you have any questions for us?
Always have two ready. See the list further down this page.

Questions to ask them

At the end you will be asked whether you have any questions. Have two ready:

What does a normal day or shift look like?
What would good work look like after the first three months?
Who would I work with, and who would I report to?
What training will I get at the start?
When can I expect to hear back, and what is the next step?

For the employer: what you must not ask

The same questions work from your side of the table. These do not, because UK law forbids them or makes them a risk:

Age, date of birth or when somebody left school. Age is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. Ask whether they meet any legal minimum age, nothing more.
Marriage, children, pregnancy or plans for a family. Protected characteristics. Ask everybody the same question about whether they can work the hours.
Health or sickness absence before a job offer. Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 bans it, except to make adjustments for the interview, to check they can do a task that is intrinsic to the job, or for monitoring.
Religion, nationality or where somebody is "really" from. Protected characteristics. Check the right to work for every candidate in the same way, after the interview, not by guessing from a name or an accent.
Spent convictions. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 a spent conviction need not be disclosed, except for roles exempt from the Act, where a standard or enhanced DBS check applies.
Trade union membership. Refusing work because somebody is or is not in a union is unlawful (Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, section 137).

Ask every candidate for the same job the same core questions, and write the answers down. It is fairer, and it is your best evidence if a decision is ever challenged.