DWP Recruiting Again - 2012

admania

Hey Goldilockz

If it's any consolation, you're not alone and I feel your disappointment too. I spent a lot of time working on my competencies on the application form and I'm pretty happy with what's in there. Then I took the online test , did well on the first part 20/24 but totally screwed up the situational judgement section and now fear that I don't have a cat in hells chance of my competencies even being looked at let alone getting an interview.

In my work background I have managed teams of people in the past pretty successfully yet I still screwed up on the situational part. With high insight I should have done some practise tests to get used to how to do well in these parts. My own feeling is that I don't believe that scoring badly on that section would make you or I or many others any less capable of doing the job at the DWP. You can put as many dilemmas you like on an online test but it just isn't real life.

In the past I've also interviewed many people for jobs and I have found the candidates who really get their passion and motivation for the role across do best in the workplace even over more qualified individuals. I understand why the DWP are doing this, saving time in the recruitment process but for me and many others I feel I have missed out on a great opportunity just because I wasn't well practised at a situational judgment test.

Anyway I have learnt something from this experience and when this comes up in future I will be ready for it. Good luck to you.

[Deleted User]

admania wrote: »

Hey Goldilockz

If it's any consolation, you're not alone and I feel your disappointment too. I spent a lot of time working on my competencies on the application form and I'm pretty happy with what's in there. Then I took the online test , did well on the first part 20/24 but totally screwed up the situational judgement section and now fear that I don't have a cat in hells chance of my competencies even being looked at let alone getting an interview.

In my work background I have managed teams of people in the past pretty successfully yet I still screwed up on the situational part. With high insight I should have done some practise tests to get used to how to do well in these parts. My own feeling is that I don't believe that scoring badly on that section would make you or I or many others any less capable of doing the job at the DWP. You can put as many dilemmas you like on an online test but it just isn't real life.

In the past I've also interviewed many people for jobs and I have found the candidates who really get their passion and motivation for the role across do best in the workplace even over more qualified individuals. I understand why the DWP are doing this, saving time in the recruitment process but for me and many others I feel I have missed out on a great opportunity just because I wasn't well practised at a situational judgment test.

Anyway I have learnt something from this experience and when this comes up in future I will be ready for it. Good luck to you.

Thanks so much admania, I really appreciate your post. I thought I was alone with my score given that people on this thread have scored in the 90s so was disheartened when I did really badly on the situational judgement part (I didn't think there could be a 'right' answer for those kind of questions). I agree that those kind of tests are not a reflection on real life capabilities. I think the process, although obviously intended to save time and money, is extremely limited and, as you mentioned, is rarely an indication of how someone might perform in a job. Although I probably wouldn't be saying that if I'd got 99%! I think I'm just fed up of unemployment and being turned down for jobs I could probably do with my eyes closed. I was really keen on this job after going along to the recruitment event and being encouraged by a couple of people I know who've worked for the DWP before. I guess we can't win 'em all and, like you, I'll learn something from this. :cool:

agrinnall

admania wrote: »

My own feeling is that I don't believe that scoring badly on that section would make you or I or many others any less capable of doing the job at the DWP.

You are absolutely right, and in an ideal world evryone who applied would have an opportunity to put their case so that they could explain the things that don't necessarily show up in a test such as this. Sadly, there are currently so many applications for every decent job out there that it's impractical to do that and some sort of initial filtering is the only way to get the numbers down to a level where human intervention can take place. As I did well on the test I'm hopful of reaching the next stage, but many other applications I've made have been ignored even though I could certainly have done the jobs. It's just a matter of having faith in yourself and carrying on until you get past the automated barriers.

redsky1977

Deleted_User wrote: »

Thanks so much admania, I really appreciate your post. I thought I was alone with my score given that people on this thread have scored in the 90s so was disheartened when I did really badly on the situational judgement part (I didn't think there could be a 'right' answer for those kind of questions). I agree that those kind of tests are not a reflection on real life capabilities. I think the process, although obviously intended to save time and money, is extremely limited and, as you mentioned, is rarely an indication of how someone might perform in a job. Although I probably wouldn't be saying that if I'd got 99%! I think I'm just fed up of unemployment and being turned down for jobs I could probably do with my eyes closed. I was really keen on this job after going along to the recruitment event and being encouraged by a couple of people I know who've worked for the DWP before. I guess we can't win 'em all and, like you, I'll learn something from this. :cool:

I know I got a good score but please don't be disheartened. On my first attempt I failed this test, on my second attempt I got 90% and got invited to an interview [which I failed]. This time I hope I progress to interview this time. I don't 'know' if I will.
It's interesting for me to add that I have previously worked as an EO [for 5 years] but haven't been able to 'get back' into the civil service since.:o

[Deleted User]

redsky1977 wrote: »

I know I got a good score but please don't be disheartened. On my first attempt I failed this test, on my second attempt I got 90% and got invited to an interview [which I failed]. This time I hope I progress to interview this time. I don't 'know' if I will.
It's interesting for me to add that I have previously worked as an EO [for 5 years] but haven't been able to 'get back' into the civil service since.:o

Thanks Redsky, your help has been really useful to me. I wish you all the best with the interview. Please keep us posted, my fingers will be crossed for you!

drwho2011

Deleted_User wrote: »

Thanks Redsky, your help has been really useful to me. I wish you all the best with the interview. Please keep us posted, my fingers will be crossed for you!

TBH most EO's in the JCP are advisers and not managers so the test isn't representative of the job role.

Its designed to test your critical thinking and judgement, only 24 of the questions have "right" answers. The other 12 are subjective to characteristics that the DWP values (but don't expect to find what this is specifically)

Many of the scenarios your portrayed are representative of several grades above EO.

ema_boo

Looks like I'm out as well and I thought I'd done well.

what I don't understand, is how can you marked on a questions that are so subjective? If i marked a question +2 believing it to be a reasonably positive aaction, was I marked down a per cent because someone in a suit deemed it a +3?

I've recruited for years. This seems to be a bit of a nonsense to me

[Deleted User]

drwho2011 wrote: »

TBH most EO's in the JCP are advisers and not managers so the test isn't representative of the job role.

Its designed to test your critical thinking and judgement, only 24 of the questions have "right" answers. The other 12 are subjective to characteristics that the DWP values (but don't expect to find what this is specifically)

Many of the scenarios your portrayed are representative of several grades above EO.

I got 20 out of 24 right for the first part and 200 for the second. I actually thought while I was doing the test that I have no managerial experience whatsoever and can't even comprehend how I'd respond in some of the situations so I'd probably never be able to do this job. I definitely think the people who will be offered interviews will have worked hard to achieve them and I really hope you are all offered jobs.

Ironically, when I spoke to the Job Centre Advisor, she told me to 'get your family around to help you fill in the online test, no one will ever know'! Needless to say, I didn't and wouldn't have done that, but I know how she managed to get where she is today!

Ema: sorry to hear that. I agree, the answers are so subjective and there is no way to really determine if, in practise, they would be the right ones. I have no idea how some people managed to get 99% for the online test and can only imagine they have a lot more managerial experience than I do because I can't see there being an obvious right answer for any of those questions.

drwho2011

Deleted_User wrote: »

I got 20 out of 24 right for the first part and 200 for the second. I actually thought while I was doing the test that I have no managerial experience whatsoever and can't even comprehend how I'd respond in some of the situations so I'd probably never be able to do this job. I definitely think the people who will be offered interviews will have worked hard to achieve them and I really hope you are all offered jobs.

20 out of 24 is 83%
200 out of 336 is 59%

(If weighted proportionally this is 74% overall)

So well done on on the first part, second part not so hot but I wouldn't give up now.

If you didn't get a rejection email then you passed the minimum standard (but this doesn't mean that you won't get rejected before sifting).

As for the percentile its nothing to get hung up over as its a comparison to others, not how well you personally did in the test.

ema_boo

I work as a HR Adviser at the moment and have had experience of many of the scenarios that were set. I still maintain that it is subjective and I could argue the reasoning behind everyone of my answers
Never mind, if its not meant to be...