Job Interview with DWP

suseh97

I have had to fill out several enhanced disclosure forms (worked in education) and never yet put anything in the electricity supplier box. As long as the biggies like birth certificate, passport and driving licence are there you should be ok.
I applied for a job with the DWP. There was 400 applicants for 90-120 jobs. They got it down to 150 to sit the literacy and numeracy exams. A fair few failed. I passed and had an interview. They said I should hear within a week. That was two weeks ago. Should I call them?
I filled in a basic disclosure on the day of the interview. I also had medical and criminal forms to fill in. They said they should be put in envelope provided but none was. Asked on day and was told they went to Newcastle but no more information than that. Seemed very disinterested.
So should I post off my own back? There is a Newcastle address to send disclosure to or wait until I hear more?

Silencio_2

All my CRB stuff is done.

The 'helpline' I have called every day, several times (apart from bank holiday) and either nobody answers, or it is engaged.

I Emailed for help and got given two wrong numbers, one for payroll and one for jobseekers plus.

I don't understand what the hell is going on.

However, when calling a number somebody gave me, I was given the address of who to send it to. I would not have this information, had I not called this number. I would have just been left behind. At the same time, I am keeping photocopies, in case the details are wrong.

I have no idea how on earth this is so bad and am now terrified I won't get the job, as I dunno how much longer I have this current job.

Also, one of my references is in intensive care. EEK!

parm05

Can someone please help me, i recently applied for the executive officer post at dwp , i passed the numeracy & literacy tests but i have an interview next week.

I would appreciate it if someone could tell me what it consists of, the amount of time it'll take and anything else i may need to know

CelticMam

Hiya Parm,

I had my EO interview yesterday. I was really dreading it but it was actually ok and much more pleasant than expected. Not sure how I did though, always so hard to tell. Think I answered quite well but you never know. Anyhow, it consisted of 2 members of staff from another Job Centre (I think they were both HEO level). They asked me 4 questions which should relate to the competences listed in the job application. The questions were:

Describe a situation where you have made good use of resources

Describe a time when you have improved the performance of a team

Give an example of a time when you have led through a time of change

Describe how you have provided and maintained excellent customer service

The wording may have differed slightly but was more or less as stated above. They can ask anything similar, again, refer to the competences listed in the description. There are links on the DWP website to explain what they include in the competency definitions. I have saved the links somewhere so post if you need them and I will dig them out and post for you over the weekend. I used these to put together some scenarios to discuss and it was really helpful. You can take notes into the interview which are good for clearing your head and deciding where to start.

The interview lasted just over half an hour. Do make sure you take all the id etc which they have asked for in the info pack given out at the previous testing as they may not be able to interview you without it.

Good luck for next week! I am hoping to hear in the next couple of weeks. If you need any further info, just ask

Bamber19

CelticMam wrote: »

Hiya Parm,

I had my EO interview yesterday. I was really dreading it but it was actually ok and much more pleasant than expected. Not sure how I did though, always so hard to tell. Think I answered quite well but you never know. Anyhow, it consisted of 2 members of staff from another Job Centre (I think they were both HEO level). They asked me 4 questions which should relate to the competences listed in the job application. The questions were:

Describe a situation where you have made good use of resources

Describe a time when you have improved the performance of a team

Give an example of a time when you have led through a time of change

Describe how you have provided and maintained excellent customer service

The wording may have differed slightly but was more or less as stated above. They can ask anything similar, again, refer to the competences listed in the description. There are links on the DWP website to explain what they include in the competency definitions. I have saved the links somewhere so post if you need them and I will dig them out and post for you over the weekend. I used these to put together some scenarios to discuss and it was really helpful. You can take notes into the interview which are good for clearing your head and deciding where to start.

The interview lasted just over half an hour. Do make sure you take all the id etc which they have asked for in the info pack given out at the previous testing as they may not be able to interview you without it.

Good luck for next week! I am hoping to hear in the next couple of weeks. If you need any further info, just ask

Have you any idea what level these competencies were for, the leadership and team orientation of them would suggest level 2 but I think more recruitment drives seem to be only requesting one competency at this level recently.

janeway123

Hi - Just received an unfortunately unsuccessful on this occasion letter. Little bewildering, as I thought I did well at interview. Obviously not well enough. Post was Benefit Delivery Officer at Luton, 12 months fixed term contract, 18 positions in total. Any thoughts anyone, as I have several more interviews scheduled over the next two weeks. All AO positions in JCP. Maybe examples were not good enough?

samr_2

Sorry you weren't successful this time

I would write to them for feedback about your interview. (I'm sure I've read somewhere you can do that.) However, I suppose since your interviews are in the next 2 weeks you may not get a response in time.

Good luck next time

neverfullprice

janeway123 wrote: »

Hi - Just received an unfortunately unsuccessful on this occasion letter. Little bewildering, as I thought I did well at interview. Obviously not well enough. Post was Benefit Delivery Officer at Luton, 12 months fixed term contract, 18 positions in total. Any thoughts anyone, as I have several more interviews scheduled over the next two weeks. All AO positions in JCP. Maybe examples were not good enough?

Sorry to hear that. I got the same letter recently. Like you, I thought the interview had gone well but it was the first time I had taken a 'competencies' based interview and had nothing to compare it to. Thinking back on it, my problem, I believe, was that I said too much.

I've since taken another interview and I know it was far better. I felt far more positive when I was finished. I kept it much more concise - just stated what the situation was, how I dealt with it, the outcome. The interviewers seemed satisfied with my answers which, in hindsight, I couldn't say bout the first interview.

I think my mistake was in treating the first interview like a 'normal' style interview where they want you to give them lots of information. I could be wrong, of course!

Very best of luck with your future interviews!

janeway123

Thanks SamR and neverfull price. You may have a valid point in cramming too much into interview, as one interviewer had difficulty keeping up while she was writing. Maybe she thought if she has difficulty keeping up, just sitting feet away, how has anyone got a chance on the end of a `phone. Had not even crossed my mind. Many thanks -

lili2008

I don't know about too much info, but too much of the wrong kind is definitely not going to be much help. People should remember the STAR format...situation, task, action, result. And remember to keep it to what YOU did, not 'we', or 'the team'.