Job Interview with DWP

ianlawn

I applied for a job at a teesdale jobcentre (Hartlepool, Middlesbrough etc) about 6 months ago, I passed the tests but failed the interview and haven't worked since. I have applyed again for a job at Stockton job centre. Both times for AO, last time took two visits to the job centre. This time the tests and interview take place together at a Best Western.

I couldn't contact anyone to find out why I didn't get the job, I didn't think I did anything wrong, and they were hiring over a hundred people. I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle or what to do differently.

dannyreckless

Can we go to the loo?

Anyway, after my initial joy at the success letter, practicalities have risen to the surface.
60370 is the area ranging from Worthing to hastings. If I get deployed to Hastings way Im fine (because I am closer to that end of the county).
However, if I get the other end I am going to have to commute for an hour there and back. Of course, its a job and I am willing to most things for employment but the thing is I get terribly travel sick on trains and I cant drive!

any tips on train travel?

counterfeit

yes - mind the gap

venus_in_furs

dannyreckless wrote: »

Can we go to the loo?

Anyway, after my initial joy at the success letter, practicalities have risen to the surface.
60370 is the area ranging from Worthing to hastings. If I get deployed to Hastings way Im fine (because I am closer to that end of the county).
However, if I get the other end I am going to have to commute for an hour there and back. Of course, its a job and I am willing to most things for employment but the thing is I get terribly travel sick on trains and I cant drive!

any tips on train travel?

Don't read or do anything requiring concentration....that always makes me sick on train/car journeys. I always feel so nauseous if i try and read or play on my ds in a moving vehicle. Better to keep your head level with the horizon. I dunno if you want to be popping pills every morning but travel sickness pills can work. Or those strange bronzey bracelets for travel sickness...i don't know if they work or not?

trevormax

dannyreckless wrote: »

Can we go to the loo?

Anyway, after my initial joy at the success letter, practicalities have risen to the surface.
60370 is the area ranging from Worthing to hastings. If I get deployed to Hastings way Im fine (because I am closer to that end of the county).
However, if I get the other end I am going to have to commute for an hour there and back. Of course, its a job and I am willing to most things for employment but the thing is I get terribly travel sick on trains and I cant drive!

any tips on train travel?

I will be in the same position as you. I live in cardiff and applied for an AO position thinking it would be in Cardiff. Turns out it is very likely to be in Newport so will have to commute too.

Like you i'm not too bothered if it's a paid job. I have decided on the train too as the office is very close to the train station. My best option is to get a season pass instead of getting individual daily tickets.

I worked out it would be £4 per day if I got daily tickets or £60/month for a season pass. I have a car but I calculated fuel and parking (as I think there is no free parking at this office) would be close to £100/month.

I'm pondering wether or not to cancel the insurance and tax for the car wich would save me £60/month and would pay for the train pass but leave me without the use of my car. I think I will keep the car on the road for a few months and see how my money goes.

Thylacine

dannyreckless wrote: »

Anyway, after my initial joy at the success letter, practicalities have risen to the surface.
60370 is the area ranging from Worthing to hastings. If I get deployed to Hastings way Im fine (because I am closer to that end of the county).
However, if I get the other end I am going to have to commute for an hour there and back. Of course, its a job and I am willing to most things for employment but the thing is I get terribly travel sick on trains and I cant drive!

When you went for interview, did they give you a form with all the local offices (Worthing, Hove, Brighton, Hastings etc) and ask you to select three as your preference? If they did, as long as you selected three nearest you you should hopefully get one of those three.

If they didn't, they should have: it was part of the mega package of documents they gave us to fill out at the Worthing interviews.

dannyreckless

Thanks guys.
That must be it, that gap is so high up its not travel sickness its vertigo! How could I have been so stupid

Ill try your tips venus, I shall report back if the copper bracelets actualy work!

Financially, train is by far the most economic, IF they are running and they are on time, both of these factors arnt assured down here.

Yeah Thlaycine I ticked Hastings, St leonards and Eastbourne on the form. The thing is I know brighton are about to recruit big, also i dont trust manpower to have kept that form!

That raises another point, is anybody concerned of working at the JCP in their own towns? As in, the possibility of 'backlash' from a disgruntled customer? I suppose I am being abit paranoid, its just that you 'do hear stories'

pKaTz

ive got 2 interviews with DWP. one for AO in pensions disabilities n carers. and the other for EO.
The AO will have a situation test/interview and the EO a competancy based interview.
In the post today I got a letter stating that one of the competancies had been missed off the letter given to me the day of the numeracy n literacy tests, so there are 5 competancies to prepare for EO.
Manpower is doing the EO thing in Telford next week.
And the AO one is in Solihull at a JCP tomorrow [yep - a saturday!!]
Thing is I live near West Bromwich.
Do DWP contribute to fuel or travel costs??
It doesn't really bother me as I would be prepared to travel, and I drive too. But as Tesco say, "Every little bit helps."

jessbob

pKaTz wrote: »

ive got 2 interviews with DWP. one for AO in pensions disabilities n carers. and the other for EO.
The AO will have a situation test/interview and the EO a competancy based interview.
In the post today I got a letter stating that one of the competancies had been missed off the letter given to me the day of the numeracy n literacy tests, so there are 5 competancies to prepare for EO.
Manpower is doing the EO thing in Telford next week.
And the AO one is in Solihull at a JCP tomorrow [yep - a saturday!!]
Thing is I live near West Bromwich.
Do DWP contribute to fuel or travel costs??
It doesn't really bother me as I would be prepared to travel, and I drive too. But as Tesco say, "Every little bit helps."

DWP will consider contributing towards travel to interviews, but this has to be sorted prior to the interview - so for the one tomorrow its really too late

Whether they contribute depends on the distance, and the time involved in getting to your interview.

I have been to see them today, as I have an interview on Monday in Manchester. They have allowed me a train pass to Manchester, but it took about an hour to sort out, and they have to ring the firm who are interviewing you.

matt84

Has anyone else had any problems with Manpower??? I applied for an EO role at the Job Centre and 4 weeks later received a missed call from a Newcastle number. I called them back to be told they were Manpower but they had no idea why anyone would contact me. One week later I was told about Manpower operating on behalf of the DWP for Job Centre recruitment and called them back up as it was a long time since I had applied. I was told that I had been successful in my application but it was too late for me to continue in the process as the tests had already taken place!!!