Job Interview with DWP

hannahrose

Hello!


Thought I'd share my experience with DWP so far and get some help from you guys. Basically I did the initial online test/application for AO then I was invited to do a numeracy and literacy test, when I arrived they then told us whoever passed it would go straight into an interview (wasn't best pleased) anyway I gave it my best shot and the two women that interviewed me were lovely.

I thought the interview went well, but I'm not so sure after reading posts on here? I asked the interviewers how many or what was the rate of people who managed to get the jobs after the interview stage and she said 80-90% get through, I came out beaming! As I thought it went well.

Also only about 6 out of 25 of us got through the numeracy and literacy tests which I was extremely surprised at to say the least. So I don't think many got through to the actual interview stage, especially after they were looking for approximately 40 people!

Anyway I had my test results back a few days ago and to my delight my scores were high enough to apply for the EO position! But no mention of a job yet, just wondered did the people who got the jobs get their successful letters along with the results or? Now that I've just had the results and nothing else I don't think I was successful at the interview?!

I wish they'd hurry up with an answer, this is driving me insane!

Slitty

Had my interview for AO in Worthing today... I think the interview itself went pretty well - it was rather quick but I feel it was probably because I was well prepared and gave fairly clear concise answers. One thing I am worried about was that I was very nervous and botched some of my forms slightly - had to cross out and re-write a couple of small bits. I hope this won't work against me... Anyone else had their interview in worthing today? I was in the 11:30 am group.

thunderb0lt

hannahrose wrote: »

Hello!


Thought I'd share my experience with DWP so far and get some help from you guys. Basically I did the initial online test/application for AO then I was invited to do a numeracy and literacy test, when I arrived they then told us whoever passed it would go straight into an interview (wasn't best pleased) anyway I gave it my best shot and the two women that interviewed me were lovely.

I thought the interview went well, but I'm not so sure after reading posts on here? I asked the interviewers how many or what was the rate of people who managed to get the jobs after the interview stage and she said 80-90% get through, I came out beaming! As I thought it went well.

Also only about 6 out of 25 of us got through the numeracy and literacy tests which I was extremely surprised at to say the least. So I don't think many got through to the actual interview stage, especially after they were looking for approximately 40 people!

Anyway I had my test results back a few days ago and to my delight my scores were high enough to apply for the EO position! But no mention of a job yet, just wondered did the people who got the jobs get their successful letters along with the results or? Now that I've just had the results and nothing else I don't think I was successful at the interview?!

I wish they'd hurry up with an answer, this is driving me insane!

You should get your interview result letter seperately (regardless of outcome). The letter you got is to be used as evidence of passing literacy/numeracy tests for any further applications you might take so you won't have to take these tests again.

thunderb0lt

Slitty wrote: »

Had my interview for AO in Worthing today... I think the interview itself went pretty well - it was rather quick but I feel it was probably because I was well prepared and gave fairly clear concise answers. One thing I am worried about was that I was very nervous and botched some of my forms slightly - had to cross out and re-write a couple of small bits. I hope this won't work against me... Anyone else had their interview in worthing today? I was in the 11:30 am group.

What's the IRC reference for that exercise ?

Thylacine

I'm another in the Brighton area with an interview this week. Mine's looking rather strange, though...

I applied for both the AO and EO positions. I got an email inviting me to do the EO test first, and while I was completing it received two further emails: the first notifying me I didn't need to do the test as I had already completed the AO one (errr ... no) and the second the invite to do the AO test.

Later I received another email saying I didn't need to do the AO test as I'd done the EO one (they were the same test anyway, having later checked them). I emailed the two addresses included in the emails I'd received so far asking for clarification, three days later I got an auto-reply email saying they'd received my email and would deal with it. Never got a proper reply.

Over the next week I got a bunch of emails reminding me to do both tests, and I know others who had completed the test multiple times got similar reminders. Anyway ... turns out I've got an interview for EO but not for AO, which I find exceedingly surprising - if I passed at EO level then I should have passed at AO level easily. Anyone else had a similar issue?

When I was called to notify me of my interview the woman I spoke to just said the AO might still be in processing and to wait then ask at me EO interview if I hadn't heard, but I'm hearing that the people doing the interviews have diddly-squat information beyond conducting the interviews they've been told to do.

Given the email mess and lack of response from the apparently official avenue for raising questions, I know I have grounds for a complaint re: the lack of an AO interview. I very much doubt they can give a satisfactory reason for offering an EO interview but not an AO one, other than their messy system failed (in which case complaint is an auto-win for me).

Just wondering if anyone knows anything about how and where to make a complaint about the recruitment process?

richyvezy

Hi all

I had the tests recently and passed so have an interview looming soon. My own situation is a bit different as i'll explain :

I am still technically employed but am not currently being paid by them as I have been in and off work for the last 3 years due to having 5 ops on my back and have used up all my statutory sick pay. The money I get at the moment is paid through an insurance company topped up with IB.
Now, my situation is further complicated by the fact that my employer has made massive cutbacks of around 80% and have basically told (not actually said but reading between the lines) me that if I go back I'll be one of them to go. Which has left me in a bit of a catch 22 situation. Hence why I have signed up to all the programmes offered by various organisations like Pathways and further education courses as well as applying for new jobs. I really do want to get on.

DWP is a job I'm really determined to get but I am a bag of mixed emotion as I'm not sure how the best way to approach the interview. I know I will have to fill out a medical form so will have to divulge all of my recent medical history but when the interviewers ask me to tell them what I've been doing for the last couple of years do I just blurt about my medical history or do I call on my most recent of work history ?

I'm struggling as on one hand I believe my personal experience will help me do a good job for the DWP and want to emphasise that and possibly use my experience on one of the competency questions. But on the other hand I don't want it to be an issue and come across as 'poor him' etc

So I guess I'm just after some opinions to help me shine a light in the right direction.

Thanks

Thylacine

Hi richyvezy,

If there's something specific from your medical history that makes a good example for one of the competencies, I'd say use it - but keep it concise and to the point, and focus on the competencies rather than the medicals.

Beyond that I'd look at finding other employment or life experience examples for the remaining competencies.

Slitty

thunderb0lt wrote: »

What's the IRC reference for that exercise ?

The ref is IRC 60369

Thylacine

Thylacine wrote: »

Given the email mess and lack of response from the apparently official avenue for raising questions, I know I have grounds for a complaint re: the lack of an AO interview. I very much doubt they can give a satisfactory reason for offering an EO interview but not an AO one, other than their messy system failed (in which case complaint is an auto-win for me).

Just wondering if anyone knows anything about how and where to make a complaint about the recruitment process?

Quoting myself, feels odd.

Done some quick research and it looks like I have definite grounds for complaint over the lack of an interview for the AO position. I'm going to concentrate on my EO interview, as that's the one I'd prefer to get, however on Friday I'll be putting in my complaint re: the AO position if I haven't been notified of an interview by then. I've kept all my emails from the recruitment process, so they'll be getting a pretty thorough run down of where they've failed to meet their recruitment policies.

thunderb0lt

Slitty wrote: »

The ref is IRC 60369

Are you sure that was for an EO and not AO excercise..When did you get the call for interview..was it done by manpower/capita or direct by dwp staff ?

I ask because I applied for exercise ref IRC 60368 which was AO for Surrey/Sussex area, the deadline for online test was 02/07/09..I haven't heard anything since then.