Job Interview with DWP

girlpants_2

Princess_of_pink wrote: »

Hi, i have been reading these threads for a while in preparation for my interview for the dwp which ihad today. I first had to do a one hour online test then i was invited to my interview. Interview lasted about 15 mins in total and i was asked 4 questions. In hindsight the questions were pretty easy but at the time i was so nervous that i think i did pretty crap, but for anyone who needs examples of the questions mine were:
1)Give me a specific example of when you gave exceptional customer service(and when i sayspecific i mean speific, like mention mrs x had a problem andi did this that etc as she kept prompting me to give her more specific examples)
2) give me an example of when you improved your own performance and how did that effect you and others?
3)give me an example of when you communicated effectively to an audience
4)give me an example of when you made a mistake, what happned what did you do to rectify it.

At the the end of the interview i was told that i would know within 10 working days whether or not i'd be succesful!

So fingers crossed, and good luck to the rest of you who have an interview!

Hi princess of pink,

can i ask which position did u apply for? and which competencies had they given you?

much appreciated thanks

Shaan

am very happy for those who went for the AO/EO post and been successful, i hv not been so lucky..better luck next time...its the initial stage .. where the Maths let me down/ nothing in the questionaire relate to the job role at all/ the time factor played against me too..:( i have been invigilating in the past for students sitting their MA/BA/Phd final exams in any subjects one can think of / u give them their papers and assist them in any way, and let them get on with it, that was all required/ but this test was as if i was taking my Phd and was watched as if back to primary school ..Geeez!!!

Shaan

This is the first time am on this site/ a real novice in fact.. so i d'ont know what am really doing but know what i mesg i want to send across though...this relate to my previous comment,,

MsMay

I just had my interview for an EO position today.

I thought it was going well up until the point I started crying!

They asked me a question about analysing, improving and change. I gave an example that my mum is terminally ill and all the changes I have had to go through, analyse and improve. It was quite emotional. I didn't stop or have an 'emotional breakdown', I just carried on talking with tears streaming down my face.

When I came out, one guy who was interviewing me (I had two) said I did really well, I managed to cover what the competencies require. However, I need to try and stay professional at all times although he does understand my situation as he has lost close ones to cancer.

I think this has affected my chances of getting through now! I'm so worried!!

princess_of_pink

girlpants wrote: »

Hi princess of pink,

can i ask which position did u apply for? and which competencies had they given you?

much appreciated thanks

Hi i applied for the AO position and the competencies i was given were:
*Building Capability
*Delivering a customer focused service
*Analysing improving and changeing
*Delivering a professional service
*Leading through change
xx

ferien_uk

Princess_of_pink wrote: »

1)Give me a specific example of when you gave exceptional customer service(and when i sayspecific i mean speific, like mention mrs x had a problem andi did this that etc as she kept prompting me to give her more specific examples)

I got asked this too, hadn't prepared an answer that specific so had to wing it, but I think I did ok. I also got asked about cutting down on resources, supporting through a change and contributing to group work.

I think only the group one I was prepared for. The others did not fit in with the examples I had prepared at all so had to make them up on the spot! I was pretty tense throughout because I had turned up late, and though I had phoned ahead and they were fine about it when I arrived, it threw me off balance for the whole interview. In fact, when the interviewer was showing me out afterwards, he asked me if I was ok, and said I looked petrified!

I thought I'd done really badly, but when I went over the competencies again later I didn't feel so bad. I may have matched enough criteria, but depends on how they interpret my answers I think. I won't hear for a couples of weeks, but I have another AO interview on Wednesday, so I'm going to prepare even more answers for then!

qadsey

People all I can advice you is to give it your best shot and if you dont get through don't worry there is always another chance. I went to 3 DWP interviews before I passed just kept on getting feedback and improving on where I went wrong.

girlpants_2

princess_of_pink wrote: »

Hi i applied for the AO position and the competencies i was given were:
*Building Capability
*Delivering a customer focused service
*Analysing improving and changeing
*Delivering a professional service
*Leading through change
xx

Thanks! much appreciated

girlpants_2

i'm stuck on what sort of questions to ask at the end of the interview for the AO position.. Any ideas...?

please help

qadsey

What are the training/development opportunities that I will be provided with?

When will I hear about the result of this interview?

If you ask questions at the end shows that you are interested 1 or 2 should do these ones will be perfect.