Help/advice on WSO "interview" please

Adult Staff Staff Development
1

Ok chaps I’ve got a quick (and possibly urgent) question for you.

My OC has got the forms for me to apply for a commission and has arranged a provisional “interview” with my WSO (who I am led to believe must complete an appraisal as part of the application). The only problem is I only found out today and the “interview” may well be tomorrow night (i.e. Wednesday).

I know that this is more of an informal chat than an actual interview, but I don’t want any surprises thrown at me, so was wondering what sort of questions I am likely to be asked by my WSO?

Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

2

Why you’re going in to uniform, what you want to achieve.

What do you do on squadron, talk about your life outside of cadets - your hobbies etc.

3

Make sure your knowledge up to date on the RAF. What group does what, where they are operating around the world etc.

Also knowledge on the ATC. Key posts in your wing and the structure of the corps etc

Why you want to be an officer and the diffrrence between an nco or ci

Your acps of course

With this and your experience in your current &/or previous roles (and what pEp said) you should do fine.

Good luck

4

Thanks guys. Looks like I’ve got a lot to swat up on before tonight…

5

Why you want a Commission vs SNCO is always a fav, along with explain the difference between the uniformed roles.

6

Sorry for the delayed reply - I’ve been busy with Sqn activities over the past couple of weeks.

Thanks again for all your advice.

When I saw my WSO, I explained that I had been informed at (almost) the last minute that I would be having the interview, so he instead used the opportunity to see how much I know already and explain the process from start to finish. He did ask me why I wanted to go for a commission, but didn’t seem too convinced by my answer, so I may need to work on that as well…

He is going do the interview when I am more prepared, in a month or so.

7

Whilst I would not disagree with what has been said I would not be overly worried about RAF knowledge etc at this stage. That will come for the Wing Interview and Cranwell Selection Course experience should you get that far.

I do agree with knowing the difference between a VRT and SNCO though. Ensure you know how Officers are meant to fit in with a Squadron and how your skills would benefit that role. i.e. management, observation, ability to motivate, delegate not abdicate. Buzz words.

At the moment the WSO will be interested in your personality, ability to understand what will be involved and to a certain extent ensure your not some maverick fire cracker liable to blow up in peoples faces.

As to what you will be doing if you get your commission? There are only two roles on a Squadron for Officers just out of OIC to mention IMHO. Training Officer or Adjutant. You DON’T have to do them. Just say these are areas you will be looking at encompassing. Make sure you chat to the people in those positions though. I chose training Officer as my possible role on Squadron and that gave me an opportunity to look at the role and talk about how my skills base would benefit it. I eventually did become Training Officer after my commission but I did do my Development Course first so doubled up in various areas such as Adj, H&S amongst others for a while.

Good Luck with it.

8

That’s what we are here for - why do you want to go for a commission over SNCO or CI? Answer truthfully!

9

[quote=“briank” post=13481]Whilst I would not disagree with what has been said I would not be overly worried about RAF knowledge etc at this stage. That will come for the Wing Interview and Cranwell Selection Course experience should you get that far.

I do agree with knowing the difference between a VRT and SNCO though. Ensure you know how Officers are meant to fit in with a Squadron and how your skills would benefit that role. i.e. management, observation, ability to motivate, delegate not abdicate. Buzz words.

At the moment the WSO will be interested in your personality, ability to understand what will be involved and to a certain extent ensure your not some maverick fire cracker liable to blow up in peoples faces.

As to what you will be doing if you get your commission? There are only two roles on a Squadron for Officers just out of OIC to mention IMHO. Training Officer or Adjutant. You DON’T have to do them. Just say these are areas you will be looking at encompassing. Make sure you chat to the people in those positions though. I chose training Officer as my possible role on Squadron and that gave me an opportunity to look at the role and talk about how my skills base would benefit it. I eventually did become Training Officer after my commission but I did do my Development Course first so doubled up in various areas such as Adj, H&S amongst others for a while.

Good Luck with it.[/quote]

Thanks. I know knowledge isn’t as important, however my WSO has said that he wants to test me on this as well, so that he knows that I am ready for my Wing interview. I do roughly know the difference between VRT and SNCO but I think I need to brush up on that a little bit.

As it happens, I have been talking to the OC of a nearby squadron who has offered me the role of either Training Officer or Adjutant - although the way things are going, I may even end up transferring before I reach OASC or possibly even before I am boarded at Wing.

[quote=“Foley” post=13489][quote=“RightOn” post=13480]
He did ask me why I wanted to go for a commission, but didn’t seem too convinced by my answer, so I may need to work on that as well…
[/quote]

That’s what we are here for - why do you want to go for a commission over SNCO or CI? Answer truthfully![/quote]

I believe that my skills are more suited to VRT than to an SNCO. In my time away from the ACO, I have been serving on my local RAFA committee and helped run the local RAFA Club until it closed, so (and I know it’s not the same) I do have some “management” experience as well as organising and motivating volunteers. In my day job, I sit behind a desk completing paperwork in a highly regulated industry, so I am well-versed in keeping up-to-date with policy and procedures (and filling in forms!).

I would also like to think that, a few years from now, I would be running a squadron (though, as my WSO pointed out, with the lack of officers in my Wing that could come a lot sooner - which is why they are more attentive to ensuring that they are getting people who have the right motivation and skills).