Interview for yard job

[SnowPhony]

I've managed to get myself an interview for a yard job. I've done a bit of work previously but it's all been through word of mouth, friends of friends and recommendations etc, never had an interview for one before.

First of all, what should I wear?!

Secondly, what should I expect from the interview? I've had many interviews in the past but for very different jobs.

 

[littlemisslauren]

Be smart and presentable and ready for a days work.

Hair tied back, minimal make up and clean boots. Smart jods and a polo shirt and jumper (No hoody) should do.

Wear riding boots rather than wellies / muckers incase they want you to ride.

What kind of job is it?

If its for general yard work they may want to see you lead / turnout / lunge and muck out /ride.

 

[Perfect_Pirouette]

Be smart and presentable and ready for a days work.

Hair tied back, minimal make up and clean boots. Smart jods and a polo shirt and jumper (No hoody) should do.

Wear riding boots rather than wellies / muckers incase they want you to ride.

What kind of job is it?

If its for general yard work they may want to see you lead / turnout / lunge and muck out /ride.

This^^ depends whether it is a position that involves riding or not.

They will probably ask you about what previous experience you have, what responsibilities you have undertaken in the past, whether you have experience with difficult horses, how many horses you've looked after etc.

Good luck....prepared to be knackered

 

[Jenni_]

Smart jeans instead of jods I normally wear if its for 'yard work' as opposed to riding - I would have asked previously if there was any riding work involved and only wear jods if there is.

I would wear wellies / muckers / country boots and take riding boots with me.

Smart polo shirt, and a blouson jacket.

I just got a weekend job on a yard for extra money on top of my main job and I wore jeans, dubarrys, polo shirt and jacket.

Yard interviews they normally leave you a box to muck / skip out, maybe ask you to catch / bring in a horse. Maybe put a rug on etc. And will talk to you quite extensively about your work experience.

 

[Littlelegs]

Ditto above. Although you do get a sit down interview too, ime its judged more on how you do in a practical assessment. Last yard job I had we interviewed a girl with her ai who could talk the talk, but was useless. Lady that got the job knew her stuff but wasn't very articulate or eloquent, so didn't sound that experienced. But practically was brilliant at all required aspects of riding/yard work required.

 

[Honey08]

I would go for smart jods and a polo shirt with yard boots (and riding boots/hat in car).

Interviews I've had have included riding, teaching a short lesson, a chatty interview, and being told that a horse we were looking at had an ailment - could I find it.. (Was mudrash). I've never had to muck out or groom - usually if you have qualifications you'd expect people to be able to do that (but perhaps things have changed since I did my AI 20 yrs ago?).

 

[Jenni_]

Honey- I've interviewed / been interviewed and mucking out boxes is fairly common these days!

People want to cut down on labour, and save money - so they want people to be even quicker and more efficient. If it came down to a couple of people with similar experience, the quickest / most efficient mucker would get it.

Its funny I know, but I once worked as a groom at a big riding school / activity centre in scotland, and a new girl started. She talked the talk, was qualified up to BHS stage 3 (grrr BHS stages) and had good references from her old employer where she was sole charge for 4 years.

Oh my WORD! she was horrendously slow. 35 minutes to muck out a cleanish shavings box, dittered to fields, and had her own funny slow way of doing everything. She was told on numerous occasions she needed to work more efficiently as the rest of us were 'carrying' her but she unfortunately didn't get up to speed and was asked to find another job. She went back to sole charge somewhere.

 

[SnowPhony]

Riding wouldn't be a major part, would be quite infrequent. I've not any qualifications however that is something I'm planning on working on. It's time I changed careers and crazy as it seems when everyone else seems to be getting out of horses, I'm looking to get into it!

 

[Littlelegs]

Honey- we used to get people to do the very basic stuff just to see how fast they were. Possibly because 20yrs ago there weren't large numbers of colleges giving people a very unrealistic first experience of yardwork. Whereas even 10yrs ago I met people who could do the job, but took as long to do one horse as I did to do 5, in everything from bandaging to haying.

 

[Honey08]

Sounds like its all changed then since I worked with horses, and yes there were hardly any horsey colleges in those days, or degrees, just working pupils!

 

[Batgirl]

I hate to say the obvious but can't you just ring and ask 'What will be involved in the interview so that I can come prepared and dress appropriately?'

 

[SnowPhony]

Of course, but what's the harm asking here?

 

[thinkitwasjune]

I work on a yard and had a very informal interview before I started. It wasn't practical, just walked around the yard and fields with the YO, was introduced to the horses and chatted about the job. I wore smart jeans, clean jod boots, polo shirt and gilet. I had chaps and a hat with me in the car in case I was asked to ride. I've been working there for over a year now so must have done something right

 

[Batgirl]

Of course, but what's the harm asking here?

None whatsoever but you have had several different opinions, how do you know you are going for the right one unless you ask? I wasn't meaning to be arsey (hence the smile at the end). Do as you please.

 

[CobsGalore]

Ditto what others have said. Also, just be yourself and showing that you are committed will obviously go down well.

A friend of mine once interviewed a girl for a groom job. She sounded great on the phone and talked the talk, however, when she asked her to tack up a horse in preparation for a lesson (it's a riding school), she put the saddle on back to front.

No joke!

 

[Jenni_]

Sounds like its all changed then since I worked with horses, and yes there were hardly any horsey colleges in those days, or degrees, just working pupils!

Horsey colleges can do more damage than good these days I think

Yes they teach some good stuff, but pupils are often babied and emphisis is on doing everything perfectly instead of efficiently. They are allowed to take their time mucking out boxes etc.

Has to be said I think I went to one of the better ones, and because I worked on a big commercial yard and a private showjumping yard alongside my studies, I left with a good idea of what was expected of me professionally.

Plus, I do like the old fashioned way of the horsey industry.

 

[littlemisslauren]

Smart jeans instead of jods I normally wear if its for 'yard work' as opposed to riding - I would have asked previously if there was any riding work involved and only wear jods if there is.

I would wear wellies / muckers / country boots and take riding boots with me.

Smart polo shirt, and a blouson jacket.

I just got a weekend job on a yard for extra money on top of my main job and I wore jeans, dubarrys, polo shirt and jacket.

Yard interviews they normally leave you a box to muck / skip out, maybe ask you to catch / bring in a horse. Maybe put a rug on etc. And will talk to you quite extensively about your work experience.

Whilst I understand this is fully acceptable on some yards please beware that it is not on others.

Anyone who turned up in wellies and jeans on my yard would be sent packing, even if the post mainly included mucking out! It all depends on the type of yard and how 'correct' the potential employer is.

 

[Jenni_]

I am 'fully aware'

I've worked on big professional / commercial 'BHS' yards where they dress you up in their own uniform, and want you to muck out in jodphur boots and gaitors...

To me, you should be dressed to work. in the pouring rain and wet weather I wouldn't expect someone to come for an interview / turn out in anything other than wellies!

But I suppose everyone is different and you would know the calibre of the establishment you were applying for and what you were roughly expected to wear.

IMO a yard sweatshirt / poloshirt/ jacket looks smart whatever you have on your bottoms half.

 

[Kokopelli]

Not sure I would want to work somewhere you're sent home just for wearing jeans, I could possibly understand for a riding job but for mucking out does it really matter? As long as they're not in a mini skirt and flip flops.

 

[littlemisslauren]

Not sure I would want to work somewhere you're sent home just for wearing jeans, I could possibly understand for a riding job but for mucking out does it really matter? As long as they're not in a mini skirt and flip flops.

Some days I'm not really sure I do either

I think its all about standards and trying to maintain a professional appearance.

However... our fields are flooded so I will be wearing wellies this weekend

 

[littlemisslauren]

I am 'fully aware'

I've worked on big professional / commercial 'BHS' yards where they dress you up in their own uniform, and want you to muck out in jodphur boots and gaitors...

To me, you should be dressed to work. in the pouring rain and wet weather I wouldn't expect someone to come for an interview / turn out in anything other than wellies!

But I suppose everyone is different and you would know the calibre of the establishment you were applying for and what you were roughly expected to wear.

IMO a yard sweatshirt / poloshirt/ jacket looks smart whatever you have on your bottoms half.

I really hope you didnt take my initial response as ar*y in any way

I just wanted to point out to the OP that different yards vary in what they expect staff to wear.

 

[Jenni_]

it did come across as arsey, sorry!

or maybe cause its Friday its me thats in the arsey mood

I get what you were saying, but I suppose you'd know if jeans and wellies were appropriate to an extent.

 

[littlemisslauren]

it did come across as arsey, sorry!

or maybe cause its Friday its me thats in the arsey mood

I get what you were saying, but I suppose you'd know if jeans and wellies were appropriate to an extent.

Sorry! I am in a pretty foul mood today so it is probably me that is being the grumpbag.

Sod jods and jeans... I'm quite seriously contemplating rocking up to work tomorrow in PJ bottoms

 

[Kokopelli]

Sod jods and jeans... I'm quite seriously contemplating rocking up to work tomorrow in PJ bottoms

Done that, is very comfy. Luckily we had no clients that day

 

[thinkitwasjune]

Sod jods and jeans... I'm quite seriously contemplating rocking up to work tomorrow in PJ bottoms

I do this when it's really wet - PJ bottoms under waterproof trousers, cosiest thing ever!

 

[Jenni_]

We used to do this at my last horsey job where we lived on site during the summer (especially after nights out!) turn out in jammies, get the yard mucked our and done just about finished for manager coming in.

So we could either flake out in the caravan on a very long lunch or go for ice cream / slush puppies

At my last big yard, we always did late checks in our jammies, or in our going out clothes and wellies at the weekend :O

How unprofessional of us!!

 

[Jools1234]

have worked on many yards in the last 25yrs, mostly private yards but some professional but have never done anything other than introduce myself and meet the owners at interviews but i have had all my job interviews by recommendation

 

[Rowreach]

One of the best girls I ever employed came for interview in white designer jeans We still laugh about that today

Another girl came in riding clothes on her bike, plastered in mud having cycled up the bridleway. She was a complete mess but we gave her the benefit of the doubt. She turned up for work every day looking more or less the same, even when she started driving

Personally I like clean, tidy, workmanlike, and ready to to practical tasks and demonstrate willingness and efficiency. And tidy hair. Must have tidy hair

I like to see people sweep. Tells you a lot about them