Job Interview with DWP

whiskyman

desperado2 wrote: »

A lot of this stuff is covered on the other DWP thread - which is much much longer!

Just in case anyone is a newbie or confused, the process is as follows:

You apply for the job and do some form of online assessment, and if you pass you get the letter inviting you to the actual interviews. That letter more often than not will include all the forms you have to fill in (Medical questionnaire, CRB check forms, Civil Service Pension forms and so on).

Some of the interviews are run by third party agencies like Manpower and Capita at hotels, football grounds and so on, and at these ones you may have to do the numeracy and literacy tests - as mentioned for numeracy it is good to brush up on doing percentages if your maths is not brilliant - they do provde a calculator but thats not much use if you don't know how to use one. After these 2 short tests, you wait while they are marked and those who pass generally stay behind for their interviews.

If your interview is with the department agency rather than Capita or Manpower, you will probably have done the enhanced online OCAT tests and these include numeracy and comprehension tests so you wont sit additional tests at the interview.

In the original job listing there would have been a list of the required behavioural competencies - you can find them again here (scroll down to see all 5 behavioural listings):
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/about-dwp/working-for-dwp/how-to-apply/knowledge-skills/

You may only need some of these, so check your interview letter or the original job advert to see which ones, and at which level.

You will only be asked one question per competency,

As an example one competency is "Delivering a Customer Focused Service" For EO/SEO grade jobs you need level 2.. which has 2 headings:

1)Responding to customer needs
2)Providing excellent customer service

In each of these are several sub headings, and the interview question will be based on one of the sub headings - in category 2 there is a sub heading of: Sharing good practice and identifying opportunities for customer service improvements. so a typical question might be

"Give an example where you have identifed a potential improvement to customer service and how you shared that with others"

There are no trick questions, so it is relatively easy to pick and prepare examples of your work, school, or home/social life to meet each of the possible options - I would suggest using a broad example that you can adapt to fit most of the questions - then you have less to remember on the day, and fewer notes to refer to if you forget or get "lost".

I would also say that an example from home life or voluntary work is no less valid than a work related one, so always pick one you are comfortable with and which will be easiest to adapt on the day!

Do not panic if you dont think you have a good example.. this is a competency interview not an honesty interview! The interviewers (there will be 2 - one will take written notes, one ask the questions) are not checking up on you so you can in fact fabricate your examples or "enhance" your role within them if you feel comfortable doing so.

In one question I was asked how I personally went out of my way to deliver exceptional service - in the example I used I was a line manager for a staff member who had a problem and asked for help resolving it. I could have used that in its own right having helped someone - but I combined my role as line manager with my colleague who was more customer focused and incorporated my action and his actions in to one example making it seem that I had found the problem and the solution, and been responsible for delivering it to the customer.

Some folk have reported back after interviews that they were heavily "prompted" with their answers and this made them feel they had not done well. In fact the interviewers are looking for key words and phrases so they will steer you towards that. They can only make notes on what you say, not what you imply..

"I had a good idea, and the team did well" gives the reader a suggestion that person 1 was responsible for the team doing well, or that person 1 only contributed 1 idea but the team still did well.. in a competency interview you have to express the competency literally..

I had an idea to improve team performance, I shared it with my team and as a result our performance levels improved the important bit is I!! I had, I shared and so on..

After the interviews, you will get a letter or email confirming (hopefully) that you are successful and that your CRB's and other checks are being carried out. Assuming these are all ok, you should (but often dont!) get another letter or email telling you that your details are "on the list" also known as the merit list. This is NOT a job offer!

Many of the jobs share an IRC reference but may have been advertised singly - for example there was an IRC for EO grades within Jobcentre Plus for the whole of the Northwest from Manchester to Cumbria. At the interviews for these types you will probably be asked to fill in a preference form where you can select any offices you would be happy to work at.

Central Recruitment (In Newcastle) carry out all the pre employment checks - and when you pass those your details are sent to the local recruiters. In my expereince, they seem to pass on the successful candidates in batches.. so maybe 10 at a time. I am on a merit list for a JCP EO role, and 2 other forum members are on the same list at the same position though their interviews were on different days. Because the list is a generic one, the 50 people ahead of you may all want to be placed in other areas, so you could be a long way down the list, but still get an offer before those ahead of you.

If the job you applied for is a specific department or location you will most likely be interviewed on site, and the managers will contact the successful people direct so you may have a clearer idea of whether you got the job. One I went to before Christmas needed a number of people for immediate (well, end of Jan - thats immediate for DWP!) starts. I got a letter confirming my interview success, but another person got a letter saying they had passed interview and references were being checked.. which implies they get a job, and I as yet have not.

Whether your letter is for a specific or a generic job, it will say that your details are kept on the list for up to 6 or 12 months.. so even if you dont get an immediate offer, you may get one subsequently - But that is only for the specific role you apllied for.. so if another job is advertised at the same grade elsewhere, you will not automatically be considered you have to go through the whole recruitment process again.. None of your previous application stuff is shared, so you will find that you have to fill in all the same forms, do all the same competency tests, and online applications.. the one exception is if you do a separate Numeracy and Literacy test where you get a letter confirming your pass scores. If other jobs you apply for need the same test, your letter will exempt you for 12 months as long as you pass is at the required standard.

From the other thread, many if not all folk get little or no warning of a start date. A lot seem to get a phone call on thursday asking if they still want the job, and can they start Monday - very few get offer letters before commencing, and on the whole the process is a mire of incompetence and inefficiency - for example the person invited to begin on the Monday who turned up at the building and was not expected.. and the department had been relocated 5 miles away over the weekend! The manager didn't know they had a new starter..

Very few folk seem to get "on the list" and start soon after.. most seem to be waiting 3 - 6 months.. Although many jobs were advertised as 18 month contracts, from what many say the 18 months starts the day the job is advertised, not the date you start the job.. If your job was advertised August 2009 it expires Feb 2011 even if you don't get an offer until March 2010.

If you are one of the people looking to get in to the Civil Service as a "good employer" be wary of giving up reliable permanent or temporary work for a fixed contract as your offer may be for a considerably shorter timespan than initially suggested. The DWP has a BAD reputation for dealing with contract people.

As an example my local JCP took on a number of long term unemployed people at AA and AO grades as part of the back to work intiative for people out of work 6+ months and NEET's. Those contracts are all running out and the people are back on the dole while the same JCP recruits and trains another 10 AO/AA grade folk on 12 month contracts.. wasting training, time and money when they have capable reliable trained people in the building they are terminating contracts for..

Good luck to all who have looming interviews, patience to those who have passed and still hanging on for a job offer.. :rolleyes::D:D

Very comprehensive report and well done for posting this.
Well worth a read by all newbies.

Viper786

I received my Scotland Disclosure certificate on the 1st December. I have just now received a letter telling me that as part of the pre-recruitment checks, they need to get in touch with my references, and that if they do not hear from my references in the next 7 days, they'll withdraw me.

Does this mean I'm on the verge of getting a position?

Fivefootsix

Viper786 wrote: »

I received my Scotland Disclosure certificate on the 1st December. I have just now received a letter telling me that as part of the pre-recruitment checks, they need to get in touch with my references, and that if they do not hear from my references in the next 7 days, they'll withdraw me.

Does this mean I'm on the verge of getting a position?

Maybe if they hear off your references. Have they been in contact with them do you know? There may be a problem with them getting in touch. Good luck.

desperado2

Viper786 wrote: »

I received my Scotland Disclosure certificate on the 1st December. I have just now received a letter telling me that as part of the pre-recruitment checks, they need to get in touch with my references, and that if they do not hear from my references in the next 7 days, they'll withdraw me.

Does this mean I'm on the verge of getting a position?

No, Sorry, it means nothing..

Basically they check your employment through your tax/NI records, and then in some cases - particularly if you havent worked in the past 3 years they contact your personal referees.

I was telephoned by Newcastle to advise me that due to my career break they needed to contact personal references. They asked if I had email and phone numbers to speed the process up which I gave. 5 mins after the call, I emailed both the referess to say they might get a call or email, and got a reply to say that the lady had already called..

Needless to say, the references were glowing. 2 weeks later I called to ask about progress, and was told my details were "on the list" (the merit list) and sent to the local recruiters.. of course now I am "on hold" pending a job like so many others..

Miss_Ray

I have contacted DWP and was informed that all my checks have now cleared, just have to wait for a position to come up.

I will wait until 31 Jan, if no response from DWP before this date regarding a position I will start pestering them.

desperado2

Miss_Ray wrote: »

I have contacted DWP and was informed that all my checks have now cleared, just have to wait for a position to come up.

I will wait until 31 Jan, if no response from DWP before this date regarding a position I will start pestering them.

I doubt that will do much other than frustrate you and run up your phone bills.

You have to remember that Newcastle is a relatively small office (200 people) covering a huge departments recruitment needs. Think of them as an external agency.. they get applicants who pass tests, coorsinate interviews, and process the successful candidates in terms of references, CRB's and so on.. when they finish, they forward the lists to departments..

It is the departments you need to pester, not Newcastle.. once they send off the lists, Newcaslte are out of the loop.

AliceD1710

desperado2 - your so right. but when i asked for a number or email i could contact to find out what is happening next they said they were not liable to give out any of that detail. Do you know any contact details for these departments?

whiskyman

AliceD1710 wrote: »

desperado2 - your so right. but when i asked for a number or email i could contact to find out what is happening next they said they were not liable to give out any of that detail. Do you know any contact details for these departments?

Hi Alice it all depends on where you are applying for. If you state your local area I am sure someone will help.

50Twuncle

AliceD1710 wrote: »

desperado2 - your so right. but when i asked for a number or email i could contact to find out what is happening next they said they were not liable to give out any of that detail. Do you know any contact details for these departments?

[EMAIL="RESOURCING.CUSTOMERSERVICES@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK"]RESOURCING.CUSTOMERSERVICES@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK[/EMAIL]
or more personally
[EMAIL="LOUISE.PERRY@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK"]LOUISE.PERRY@DWP.GSI.GOV.UK[/EMAIL]
Tel 0191 2166066

AliceD1710

thanks for the help guys.. but i meant the people that are past the employee resourcing? because i have spoken to someone and he told me all he can tell me is that i have to wait as my details are gone onto the jobcentre but i asked for contact details for them and thats when he told me he wasnt liable to tell me this? stupid. and ive seen the responses from email from those above mentioned emails and they all seem very copied. I will try the number there though 21Twinkle, Thanks.