EO Interview

cloe23

Hey there,
I am wondering if anyone can help me with the competencies for my EO interview next week, they are as follows:
1) Building constructive working relationships
2) Improving Performance
3) Leading through change
4) Engaging effectively with customers.

I have all the details and I have printed off all the info from the DWP website for each one, I am just unable to think of any specific examples, especially for the Improving performance and engaging effectively with customers!

If you have already done the interview, what questions were you asked and what examples did you give?

Thank you :-)

JoeBreakdown

I have attended this interview before and am being re interviewed in a few days!

Good luck

cloe23

Okay thanks..
What questions did they ask you last time?
Have you got any examples prepared?? I have got a few just dont seem to be able to hit all the points, very frustrating!!

crs123

I have also just recently applied for an EO post with DWP and hope to get an interview.

I have applied for AO posts and been to interview just waiting to hear back on them.

Can anyone tell me if the test is the same for EO as AO posts. I think I might have read somewhere the pass mark for the literacy test is 11 in and I only achieved 10.

If I do have to re-sit the test what should I brush up on, im sure someone said the correct use of commas?

Also can I simply sit the literacy part of the exam as I scored 14 in the numeracy and i believe this fulfils the necessary requirements for EO.

Butterfly_Kisses

crs123 wrote: »

I have also just recently applied for an EO post with DWP and hope to get an interview.

I have applied for AO posts and been to interview just waiting to hear back on them.

Can anyone tell me if the test is the same for EO as AO posts. I think I might have read somewhere the pass mark for the literacy test is 11 in and I only achieved 10.

If I do have to re-sit the test what should I brush up on, im sure someone said the correct use of commas?

Also can I simply sit the literacy part of the exam as I scored 14 in the numeracy and i believe this fulfils the necessary requirements for EO.

Not 100% but I think the pass mark for the literacy part of the test is 10. Though if I'm mistaken and you have to sit it again you will only need to sit the literacy part.

JoeBreakdown

Butterfly_Kisses wrote: »

Not 100% but I think the pass mark for the literacy part of the test is 10. Though if I'm mistaken and you have to sit it again you will only need to sit the literacy part.

the pass mark for literacy at EO level is 11.

dugdale_2

Cloe,
I had an interview for EO earlier this morning which went OK, not brilliant but neither was it disasterous. The interview lasted approximately 40 minutes which meant that I must have spoken about each of the four competences for approx 8 minutes each as the first few minutes of the interview was taken up by the interviewers introducing themselves plus there was a few minutes at the end of the interview when I asked questions. I had produced many pages of notes however never needed to consult them, once I started speaking things started flowing but I'm glad that I took them in with me as they were there should I have needed them.
Like many have posted on the various threads on MSE the questions were quite generic such as

Tell me about a time when you improved a teams performance.

Tell me about a time when you were involved with change, what did you do to help others through that change.

Tell me about a time when you gave a customer exceptional service.

Give me an example of a time you created a good working relationship with someone.

The above weren't the exact questions as I can't remember the exact wording but they were on those lines.

My advice to anyone attending a DWP competency based interview is to give true examples of the four competences as the interviewers can ask quite specific questions and if you're making things up you might well get caught out.
Dress to impress, it'll show that you're aware of what is expected, image wise, from a person employed by the DWP plus I found that by wearing a suit and tie it made me feel more confident speaking about myself.
Relax, the interviewers are aware that most candidates will be nervous and will do what they can to help the interview flow.
Remember an interview takes up precious time for the interviewer, they don't want to waste their time by interviewing candidates who aren't suitable for the position so they want you to be successful.
Best of luck next week Cloe23

b-b-b

Just remember the cardinal rule: If they ask you 'where do you see yourself in five years?' don't say 'doing your wife'. That's a sure fire way to not get the job

JoeBreakdown

b-b-b wrote: »

Just remember the cardinal rule: If they ask you 'where do you see yourself in five years?' don't say 'doing your wife'. That's a sure fire way to not get the job

Well, that's what I was relying on. Never mind, eh?

i_want_to_believe

cloe23 wrote: »

Hey there,
I am wondering if anyone can help me with the competencies for my EO interview next week, they are as follows:
1) Building constructive working relationships
2) Improving Performance
3) Leading through change
4) Engaging effectively with customers.

I have all the details and I have printed off all the info from the DWP website for each one, I am just unable to think of any specific examples, especially for the Improving performance and engaging effectively with customers!

If you have already done the interview, what questions were you asked and what examples did you give?

Thank you :-)

What is the role you are applying for as my competencies for an EO positon are slightly different.

cloe23

Thanks for the help..
I am already working as an AO and had no problems with the interview for that, its just the difference between level 1 and 2 that I cant seem to get my head around.. like the Customer Service one!! I just cant think of a relevant example, but hey I have got all weekend!!

I am not sure what post I am applying for the advert said EO rather than specific PA/Team leader. I was a bit worried that the list had missed out making the best use of resources???