DWP employment waiting list

desperado2

Truegho wrote: »

Thank you for elucidating on the test. Do you know if they have now adopted this test as a permanent means of recruitment, as they used to have Capita organising the sift, didn't they? I mean, if they have, then the two passed certificates I got for passing the Eng and Maths tests will no longer be valid, will they? This is very disappointing, as it means basically that I will have to start all over again.

Oh, and now that the waiting list has expired with the end of March, I am still feeling very depressed, as I imagine most other successful applicants are who did not get "the call."

I presume capita and Manpower will still be involved in recruitment projects, but as far as I know, if the hiring division is doing its own assessing, they use the same Test.

No, your Literacy and Numeracy tests dont count with the online test, as it incorporates numeracy and literacy in it.. though your test results are valid for 12 months if you have the opportunity to sit another test/interview using the same tests.:o

PAquitter

This is very disappointing, as it means basically that I will have to start all over again.

Oh, and now that the waiting list has expired with the end of March, I am still feeling very depressed, as I imagine most other successful applicants are who did not get "the call."[/QUOTE]

To everyone on this thread who have been waiting for a start and now depressed.....
I was taken on an 18 month contract at JCP as an EO in 09. I left in March this year! If I didn't I would be extremely depressed. In my office all the newbies were put on the Restart Team which operates on a "taxi rank" basis. That means that rather than having an appointment system and a caseload of clients to see each day, JCP book in more clients than there are Advisers to take account of "failure to attend" clients. What this means is that when clients attend the JC and do not fail to attend the Advisers are overwhelmed, and ridiculously overworked. It also means that there is always people waiting to be seen for at least an hour in most cases, even though they arrive on time. Thus they are (understandably) angry when you do get around to seeing them. Each Adviser on the Restart Team has to pick up the extra people one after the other and some in the team do not pull there weight, leaving others in the team to do the extra work. I was seeing average 16 people a day for new jobseeker interviews, 13 week reviews, 6 month reviews, 12 month reviews, ad hoc appointments, and became exhausted and burnt out. I had no option but to leave. Even though I am now unemployed and looking for work again and have all the worries that that brings, I thank god I am no longer there. You all probably think that any job is better than none, on this occasion I must disagree.

desperado2

Sorry it was bad for you PAquitter, I must admit my JCP seemed to operate the same procedure - and one guy got it in the neck from me - I got a letter on a tuesday morning asking me to come in the same morning for a meeting at 11am.. I was out when the post was delivered, and saw it when I got home, so grabbed my paperwork and got to JCP for 11.05.. I was treated like a naughty schoolboy for being 5 mins late, and not seen for a further 90 minutes.... So when he deigned to see me and started on the "if you want to get benefit you have to be serious and being late is unnaceptable" I told him about my understanding of courtesy, punctuality, efficiency andwhere it differed from his.. I put in an official complaint and got the usual fob off response that said

"JCP works to a tight schedule and late or missed appointments mean time and money wasted and additional work for staff"!!!

No apology for their rudeness, no apology for them sending a letter less than 24 hours prior to the appointment, apparently "all my fault" !!

Some of the folk I saw while signing on were decent, intelligent and practical folk who are a real asset.. but on the whole I have to say my local JCP is staffed with jobsworths full of attitude and arrogance.. I cant see that many of them would be "missed" he hehehehe

CaptainCavewoman

Hi all, Like many of you I have been awaiting the "call" from the DWP but never got it. I was 41st on the list for IRC 61880 after receiving successful letter on 3rd October 2009. I recently e-mailed the person dealing with my checks and was told i was now 13th on the list but they did not anticipate any more vacancies to become available in the next three months, when my details would expire. After reading this thread I was expecting that.

I have recently applied for a vacancy within the DWP for the contact centre. I have passed the OCAT online test and have been invited to a type and talk test. I did not have to do this for the jobcentre vacancy. My question is does anyone know what is involved in this test? Any help would be extremely appreciated.

fresian_cow

Captain Cavewoman, the type and talk test is where they simulate a telephone call with you, kind of like roleplay and you have to record information on a computer. I have done 2 and both were the same situation - someone living in a 3 bedroom house, daughter partner and children were coming to live with them, one of the bedrooms had damp and couldn't be used and the garden was overgrown and needed tidying. They have some general information on services they hypothetically offer and you are given an opportunity to look at this prior to the roleplay. Then you do the call and record the information. Both times I did it someone was sat reading the details from a sheet of paper so not a phone call and there was someone there taking notes.

It's usually done by the contact centre staff on overtime so it's not really scary or anything, they're dead friendly I've found. Hope that helps and if you have any other questions just ask or pm me.

mbcomper

Some GOOD NEWS at Last:

Just thought I'd let everyone know how I got on at my recent interview 17/03/010 (Mothers Day). I was cussing at the time as I had to change my plans for the day to accomodate the interview. :mad:

I have since received a letter 09/04/10. I have been successful and selected as one of the 25 people out of 1800+ applicants who they are looking to employ within the Pensions & Disability Centre @ Birmingham. :beer:

Wooohooooooo a result at last, I've been sitting on a waiting list since Oct 2009 for another EO role IRC 62504 for the JC+. :j

Interviews were done by the DWP this time not Manpower thank God. The DWP were very proficient and dealt with the process very well. I did take the opportunity to ask at the end of my interview why did I need to apply again for a role of the same grade, when I was currently already on a waiting list. Then 1 of the 2 x interviewers said I should contact HR in Newcastle to let them know and discuss further, I said I already had and was told by them to re-apply for any other roles. I wasn't quite sure if I had put my foot in it at this stage. However, we all need to be heard and I hope it may also help others on waiting lists who are waiting for news. I suggest you all e-mail the HR Dept and complain, especially where you see that they are re-advertising for the same roles and grades i.e. Preston. I really think the DWP should accomodate people already on a waiting list first before re-advertising for the same or similar roles.

BTW I have also applied for an AO role @ Walsall & Nuneaton on the basis that I might have been unsuccessful with the EO role. I have had the interview for Walsall and I am awaiting a reply, the Nuneaton interview is Sunday 18th April. However, these are just temporary contracts (51 weeks) again within the Pension & Disability Centre.

I am so glad now I applied for the Birmingham EO Role as this is permanent so they tell me, until the General Election of course, then who knows!

I would like to thank everyone who wished me luck and a BIG THANK YOU to Desperado2 for their advice and support, giving me the will and reassurance to re-apply for this role.

To everyone else GOOD LUCK and keep trying!

tcr_3

Congratulations on your appointment, mbcomper, hope things go well for you.

From my Job Centre the outlook is grim. Our fixed termers are assuming their contracts won't be extended, they're now applying for other jobs, three have resigned with a fourth expected to hand in their resignation next week.

That only leaves us with one of the fixed term staff we took on last September.

The loss of those staff has been nothing short of disastrous. They were all employed as signing clerks, we've now only got two permanent clerks plus the two fixed termers. And they're having to come in before 8am to get the boxes into order and are staying on til past 6pm to ensure the evidence has been put through, plus have to "take the grief" from signers who are having to wait longer than usual to sign on.

Management are desperate for new staff, but the decision on the 2010/2011 headcount has been delayed until after the general election. They don't expect to know how many staff we should have for the current financial year until late May at the earliest.

It's all pretty grim.

Sodthisforagameofsoldiers

mbcomper wrote: »

Some GOOD NEWS at Last:

Just thought I'd let everyone know how I got on at my recent interview 17/03/010 (Mothers Day). I was cussing at the time as I had to change my plans for the day to accomodate the interview. :mad:

I have since received a letter 09/04/10. I have been successful and selected as one of the 25 people out of 1800+ applicants who they are looking to employ within the Pensions & Disability Centre @ Birmingham. :beer:

Wooohooooooo a result at last, I've been sitting on a waiting list since Oct 2009 for another EO role IRC 62504 for the JC+. :j

Interviews were done by the DWP this time not Manpower thank God. The DWP were very proficient and dealt with the process very well. I did take the opportunity to ask at the end of my interview why did I need to apply again for a role of the same grade, when I was currently already on a waiting list. Then 1 of the 2 x interviewers said I should contact HR in Newcastle to let them know and discuss further, I said I already had and was told by them to re-apply for any other roles. I wasn't quite sure if I had put my foot in it at this stage. However, we all need to be heard and I hope it may also help others on waiting lists who are waiting for news. I suggest you all e-mail the HR Dept and complain, especially where you see that they are re-advertising for the same roles and grades i.e. Preston. I really think the DWP should accomodate people already on a waiting list first before re-advertising for the same or similar roles.

BTW I have also applied for an AO role @ Walsall & Nuneaton on the basis that I might have been unsuccessful with the EO role. I have had the interview for Walsall and I am awaiting a reply, the Nuneaton interview is Sunday 18th April. However, these are just temporary contracts (51 weeks) again within the Pension & Disability Centre.

I am so glad now I applied for the Birmingham EO Role as this is permanent so they tell me, until the General Election of course, then who knows!

I would like to thank everyone who wished me luck and a BIG THANK YOU to Desperado2 for their advice and support, giving me the will and reassurance to re-apply for this role.

To everyone else GOOD LUCK and keep trying!

Congratulations, I'm still waiting on feedback on why I didn't get an interview for this.

mbcomper

Sodthisforagameofsoldiers wrote: »

Congratulations, I'm still waiting on feedback on why I didn't get an interview for this.

Did you pass the online test? I was told they increased the pass rate to 95% due to the amount of applicants, they interviewed 128 people.

Sodthisforagameofsoldiers

mbcomper wrote: »

Did you pass the online test? I was told they increased the pass rate to 95% due to the amount of applicants, they interviewed 128 people.

I didn't take the test, I applied internally, but got a letter back to say that due to the number of applicants they had raised the bar.
I had help from my Line Manager completing the application form, but I had to use competencies from my previous employment, not sure if this had any impact.
I was promised feedback on my application but haven't received it yet, I'll chase it up if I don't hear anything this week.

My contract finishes in January so I've started looking for alternatives, I'll step up the search as it gets closer. I have been told that they intend to honour the contracts on all FTA's though, we're expecting to get more information in the next month or so.

Good luck with your new job, have you got a start date yet?