Jobs in the Council

MrsE_2

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

I have a feeling that Councils have to consider both internal AND external applicants. It's to demonstrate "Best Value" i.e. that they've recruited the best person available and not simply given the job to an existing employee.

It's tedious, but you could imagine that some council tax payers would complain of "jobs for the boys" if they didn't at least consider an external applicant.

Interestingly ..... they must eventually recruit externally, surely? If job A is filled by the person doing job B and then that is filled by the person doing job C ..... eventually, someone's job must be filled externally?

You're right, its called equal opportunities interviews & they score people. Highest score gets the job.
The interviews are done so as not to give an advantage to internal applicants.

AND yes, if someone in the council gets the job, then there is a vacancy created with their job.

I work for the county council:D

There are district & county councils.

ianianian_2

I am somewhat confused by the statement 'The interviews are done so as not to give an advantage to internal applicants.'

I was asking whether it is worth my girlfriend applying for council roles when a percentage are basically already gone.... and according to the bulk of posters it is not.

My problem sits with the fact that councils are forced to advertise roles which are basically already gone meaning those that spend time filling in forms are getting their hopes up for no reason. If you've been doing a job for a year (and are good at it), the contract comes up for renewal, you should keep the job! You are wasting other peoples time in advertising it externally because on this point system you should get 99% of the points!

Also, a quick note, regarding the point system... the council have a get out clause in the 'council values section'. It appears this is used as a method of giving internal cadidates full points for a section and external candidates 0. In the case of my girlfriend she has applied for basic admin roles for which she is vastly over qualified and on several occasions has been told everything went perfectly except her knowledge of council values... despite her quoting what is advertised on the website.

I suppose is all down to personal experience, but as I say the NHS works in the same way, i've seen it there. It was pretty impossible to get a job unless you wanted a part time low paid job and then worked your way up

pandora205

It's certainly not the case in my council that the internal candidate is favoured. We've had very senior posts that have gone to outsiders even when an internal candidate has been in an 'acting' post for some time.

It is also worth bearing in mind that many councils outsource their work. In my authority all HR, IT and business adminstration is carried out by another organisation (Mouchel), as is the case in many councils. So not all council posts are employed by the councils themselves.

As most councils do employ temps it is perhaps worth finding out which agencies they use and then going via the agency to have get temp employment first. That way it gives an insider view and all the knowledge of sytems and services that that brings.

Finally one poster mentioned being told they were too young for the post. This is now illegal under employment legislation and should be challenged.

Savvy_Sue

ianianian wrote: »

I am somewhat confused by the statement 'The interviews are done so as not to give an advantage to internal applicants.'

I think what that means is that they can't ask questions which only an internal candidate would be able to answer well. And they can't ask any 'supplementary' questions to give internal questions extra points.

When I was interviewed for a post with a Housing Association, I was given a scenario question which I didn't know the 'correct' answer to, and part way through my 'common sense tells me ...' answer, I said "I don't know what the legal position is, or what your policy is, but I would expect to be trained or be able to refer this kind of call." I got the job.

And it wasn't low paid or part-time. Mind you I don't think there were any internal applicants. Which may tell you something ...

Anyway, you've decided it's not worth the bother, so now you'll never know, will you? Meanwhile over the course of my working life I've successfully applied for jobs with local council, university and housing association, all as an external candidate.

ianianian_2

'Anyway, you've decided it's not worth the bother, so now you'll never know, will you? '

Sorry, i don't want to appear to be narrow minded. I suppose it all goes on personal experience. Obviously you've done really well and well done to you, but if you'd have gone to group interviews where out of 6+ people you were the only non council worker there and then despite being told everything went well except your knowledge of council values then your opinion may change.

It just pains me to see someone try really hard and get their hopes up for a job that they may just be a fromality for someone who has been doing the job for some time prior to a contract running out.

Thanks

PasturesNew

I have always found that you can't get in because it goes to internal candidates, members of their family, people who have previously worked for a Council, then the public.

The closest I got once was I identified the agency that supplied a Council and spoke to them. They said "Yes, you won't be able to get in, but if you sign with us as an agency, and do temp work, then you qualify to apply as an internal candidate". Nice idea, but the temping work was 16-20 miles away, paid minimum wage and was just basic typing/admin work. I have 30 years' experience in offices (fully qualified secretary/PA with shorthand/typing at 105wom), 20 years' experience in IT, 10 years' experience in project management - and I had a £65k mortgage at the time. So there was no way I could take that route as it would have taken an estimated 12-15 months to get in even through that route.

Internal candidates are often recruited as a promotion, so you need to go in at the bottom and work your way up. Difficult to do if you are a single person with an established life/outgoings.

I went for one job as Office Manager for an Adult Learning Centre. They interviewed me, then they phoned me to say "You were THE best candidate, we all agreed that; we'd LOVE to employ you, but another candidate has done this job before in another Council and even though they are relocating from 300 miles away we aren't in a position to take the risk of somebody who hasn't done "the" job over somebody who has. Sorry."

So now I don't even apply.

Js_Other_Half

I took two temp jobs within my council, and was let go after 18/19 months in each of them. I then took a trainee post (weekend residential work) - after 6 months I was no longer a trainee. I've now been permanently employed for 11 years.

(I would say that the initial jobs were not graduate ones - but I needed the money)

WhySoHard_2

~Beanie~ wrote: »

Why is she so desperate to work for the Council anyway?

You beat me to it - I was about to ask this question!

WhySoHard_2

retrocircles wrote: »

it is hard to get into the council.

I find that hard to believe judging by the calibre of staff I have encountered there whenever I've had reason to call or attend their offices. I've found their customer advisors to generally be inarticulate, poorly dressed and apathetic.

davelewis

Thought I might resurect this thread.

Had interview with local council today - went really well and had to do a test which also went well. They said they would let successful candidates know this afternoon or maybe Monday. Needless to say I have not had a phone call and don't think I will on Monday.

My impression is that most council vacancies do indeed go internally and the process of interviewing external candidates is pureley an 'equal opportunities' and 'pr exercise'. I have had quite a few interviews with the council over the years - but never got the post.

Don't get me wrong - I would like to believe it is all completely fair and the best candidate will get the job (who may well be an internal employee) - but as an earlier poster has stated - if the best candidate is internal - why waste the time, money and everyone's hopes that they may get the job if it is already 'gone' internally.