The interview stage of The Apprentice is known as one of the most difficult parts of the show.
Over the past few years, candidates have stumbled over words, broken down in tears or even curled up in a ball after coming under heavy fire from Sir Alan Sugar's advisers.
Along the way, The Apprentice finalists have their business plans torn apart by their entourage and are criticized for the bold statements they made on the show's application forms.
As this year's rising stars Flo Edwards, Dr. Paul Midda, Phil Turner, Rachel Woolford and Tre Rowe take to the competitive stage, 2015 Apprentice winner Joseph Valente We will clarify the actual situation.
Joseph, founder of Trade Mastermind, told The Sun:
“I have never experienced such an intense interview process and have hired nearly 1,000 people over the past 12 years.
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“No one does interviews at that level and intensity. I mean, it's not like the real world, it's 100 times harder.
“They’re really, really pressuring and working really hard.
“They do so much background research on you, but most companies don’t go into that detail in the real world.
“But if I can prepare for a scenario like that and survive, then to me everything else is like a walk in the park.”
fake business plan
Joseph recalls that the night before the interview, when everyone was busy preparing the next day's grill, the apprentice's home “felt like a ghost town.”
“Everyone tends to keep to themselves, and when you discuss a business idea with some of them, it's obvious they aren't receptive,” he says.
During that time, he says, they are given just 30 minutes to review their business plans before the documents are taken away by the producers again.
“It doesn’t often take me long to really understand what I’ve written and get the numbers in my head,” he says.
“They send you there without a real plan in front of you. You have to go by memory, which makes it even harder and very cruel.
“The business plan you have at the beginning of the episode is not your business plan, it's a prop business plan. I think that's very funny.”
He explains that candidates often stumble because they may not remember what they wrote because they don't have time to reread their business proposal.
“It's been silent for hours.”
Joseph said he, along with fellow finalists Vana Koutsomitis, Richard Woods and Gary Poulton, filmed the episode at the Leadenhall Building, a 225-metre-tall skyscraper known as the 'Cheesegrater'. .
The film was filmed on a Sunday morning, resulting in a 12-hour shoot and added pressure as “London felt like a ghost town”.
“Most of the floors were empty and we had the floor to ourselves,” he says. “You're surrounded by empty space and his 360-degree panoramic views of London.
“And then a temporary office is created in the middle of the floor, which means you have to walk all the way there. It definitely adds to the stress.”
Adding to the “immense pressure” they were already under, the candidates were barred from speaking for several hours.
They are trained to attack you violently. They are trying to destroy you.they want to destroy you and your reputation
Joseph Valente
Joseph recalls: “If you arrive around 7 a.m., you will be made to sit in silence while waiting for your interview.
“It’s a scary process because you don’t know when you’re going to be called up, so your expectations are even higher.
“Each interview lasts 32 minutes to an hour, and a day lasts about 12 hours, which means you sit in silence for two to three hours between each interview.
“They were very good at making the audience sit in silence for hours on end on their shows, and they did it well in front of the boardroom.
“We weren't allowed to talk to each other, which was totally brutal to heighten the suspense. If you try to talk, they know because there's a microphone on them.
“If you get caught, they'll say you're trying to cheat, so you have to be very careful and always follow the rules.”
“The toughest stage”
Joseph described the interview as “the most difficult part of the show” because of the due diligence done by the BBC show.
he says: “They look at everything to see if you have copyrights, read your reviews, test your products, and check what you say on your website.”
During an interview with Mike Souter, Joseph was asked about Lord Sugar's life after he said the Amstrad founder's autobiography inspired him to start the business.
People were saying, “That was the worst experience I've ever had.'' I've been destroyed. I’ll look like an idiot if this comes out.”
joseph
“They were trying to find out if I had really read Lord Sugar's autobiography or if I was just trying to kiss his ass out of spite,” Joseph says.
Joseph, who managed to get all the questions correct, said there were a lot of people on set, which added to the pressure.
“What you don't know at the interview stage is that behind the glass walls of the office there are five to 10 big cameras, three to four producers, and all the runners and staff.
“Everyone is watching you and everyone knows that if you say something wrong, it's over.”
common mistakes
Joseph describes the tense moments of the interview as “survival or death” and says most candidates find that part of the process difficult.
“Everyone else found it very uncomfortable and a really uncomfortable ride,” he tells us.
“They said, 'That was the worst experience ever.' I was destroyed. I thought, 'If this comes out, I'm going to look stupid.' There was no moment.”
Joseph believes one common pitfall is candidates “exaggerating claims” in their business plans or lying on their applications.
Furthermore, he added: “I never lied, and if I did something wrong, it was my fault. When you take ownership of your weaknesses and mistakes, people tend to blame you. You will not be able to pursue it.
“Candidates are only likely to stumble if they continue to lie or try to pretend that what they say is legitimate.”
Even if people watching the show think the interview is tough, it's nothing compared to what it's like to work with Lord Sugar.They're like puppies compared to Lord Sugar in a real-life scenario
joseph
“Make you look stupid”
Joseph said he believed interviews were “testing your credibility” and that they were “trying to make you look stupid” at every turn.
He explains: “They are trained to lash out at you. They want to destroy you. They want to destroy you and your reputation.
“They're going to find every single way to make you look stupid, so you have to turn it on so you don't get caught.
“But even if people who watch the show think the interview is tough, it's nothing compared to what it's like to work with Lord Sugar in a real-life scenario. They’re like puppies compared to Lord Sugar.”
“Lord Sugar is much more intense than he looks on TV. This is all a warm-up for working with him because he's the real deal and someone to really fear.”
Joseph split from Lord Sugar two years after winning The Apprentice and receiving a £250,000 investment in a plumbing business.
Three years ago, he started Trade Mastermind, a company that trains trade and construction workers, which he claims is now worth eight figures and will become a “billion dollar empire”.
Joseph, who has a series on YouTube called “Unfinished Business,” has no regrets about appearing on the show.
he says: “The apprenticeship has given me the springboard to a great career.”
The Apprentice airs on BBC One from 9pm. Watch Joseph Valente's YouTube series “Unfinished Business” here.
