DWP Recruiting Again - 2012

Sweetsarah2012

mazza1985 wrote: »

I got 22/24 for analysis and 233/336 for action planning, and I scored 86 percentile. Competition must be much harsher in the south west.

I've applied for south west have u had your competency scores back yet?

quijibo

Deleted_User wrote: »

I genuinely feel that the way the competencies are marked is completely subjective, unfair and almost laughable. Someone scoring 9 in one competency does not suggest they are any better at understanding what is expected in this area, or indeed potentially any better at doing the job, than someone who scores significantly lower. I think it's mostly down to the luck of the draw. And before anyone has a go at me, I received my competency scores last night and they were much higher than I had expected. However, I'm not going to get all high and mighty about this and assume I am an authority over people who have scored lower because I'm not. Someone like mommarat who has done the job before and who received low scores for the competencies is far more able and equipped to do the job than someone like me who has achieved high scores and has no clue about the job. That's why the process is completely unfair and the DWP will be missing out on some genuinely good candidates.

Well done Goldilockz!

drwho2011

OK I thought I'd give people a bit of an idea of my own experience with competency assessments in the past with the DWP and based on discussions with people involved with panels and sifts of other exercises.

I've posted the Delivering a Professional Service to illustrate this point as it applies to every competency except Delivering a Customer Focused Service or Leading (but the principle is the same).

You will notice that they have divided the competencies into 3 segments, each segment is apparently equally weighted so they should be worth a maximum of 3 points in each. Under each section they have included examples that would show you have met the descriptor. In most cases your example should cover each of the 3 descriptors whilst maintaining a natural flow.

To max score you need to show excellent evidence in each of the descriptors to get a maximum of 9, getting 3 or less would suggest that you either didn't cover the competency broadly enough (whilst focusing on a specific example) or that you focused on certain parts in the descriptors at the expense of others. This is why 4 is the normal minimum score required.


Delivering a Professional Service

Implementing Service Improvements

Adapts services to meet the changing needs and priorities of
the business by:
• Demonstrating an understanding of how the operating model supports the objectives of the organisation;
• Developing ways of working that enhance the end-to-end customer experience;
• Promoting ways of working that support the aims, vision and values of the organisation.

Valuing the Customer
Makes customers feel valued by:
• Using customer insight to engage with customers and
identify ways to improve customer satisfaction;
• Developing working practices that embed the
Customer Charter;
• Seeking opportunities to promote a positive image of
the organisation and its services.

Building Professional Credibility
Builds customer confi dence in the professionalism of the organisation and the services it provides by:
• Offering advice and recommendations that are underpinned by up-to-date knowledge and expertise;
• Identifying, advising on, and applying best practice to enhance service delivery;
• Critically appraising professional practices and approaches of self and others to improve the service offered to customers.

LookingForNipsy

Karins wrote: »

The problem with this is if you have a National passmark you may end up with lots of candidates pass in one part of the country and all the vacancies in another.

I meant a pass rate for each region based on their number of applications, not a national one - guess it wasn't that clear.

Karins wrote: »

Same thing with the sifting. As I have said before some districts are choosing not to sift but in those where they do there will be a measure fo quality control to ensure consistency. If you have applied for 2 different regions then your scores may well be different depending on each areas standard setting - you have to think of it as applying for the same role with 2 different companies.

Its the same role in one company in different regions though, that's definitely the way its been presented so its not unreasonable to expect similar scores. If each region needs to set different competency pass marks for whatever reasons that's fair enough, even a difference of 1 or 2 marks is fair enough but to have the widely disparaging scores some have reported isn't fair enough I don't think - there should be some consistent quality control across the whole DWP. They can't change it now but they can improve it for next time.

Karins wrote: »

Yes the process has flaws any recruitment of this size will but it is an attempt to be open and give feedback which is more than you get from most job applications these days.

I agree, many just throw away most CVs with no explanation of why or worse no word at all. I do like having a competency based system, it gives everyone a chance rather than just those with the appropriate job history - its just something a lot of people aren't used to yet (including myself).

Karins wrote: »

Districts have to take people from day to day roles to mark these and that is a lot of resource -same with interviewing.
If you interview 300 people allowing an hour each to include completing feedback x that by 3 staff for each panel is 900 man hours that have to be found. No easy feat when the reason for recruitment is the need for more staff.
I understand the frustration but maybe understanding a little of what goes on will make the wait more bearable

I understand its a tough process to manage and so far the wait hasn't been overly long from my perspective, many other places take months to reply so I'm less frustrated and more just a little anxious as I really want this job and want to find out soon!

Many in the know have indicated they want people in their posts for April and that looks like it might not happen everywhere so I was just filling empty time with suggestions that could help the DWP meet their own deadlines next time. No intention to undermine the work going into it now at all.

sherrilou

Sweetsarah2012 wrote: »

I've applied for south west have u had your competency scores back yet?

Hi sweet sarah

Yeah i applied for southwest and got mine today of 45456 - enough to pass initially but dont reckon ill get an interview withe them

Good luck for yours coming through

Gael

Thanks i hope you hear something back soon dont forget to let me know how you get on Good luck hunny

tinshed

Deleted_User wrote: »

I genuinely feel that the way the competencies are marked is completely subjective, unfair and almost laughable. Someone scoring 9 in one competency does not suggest they are any better at understanding what is expected in this area, or indeed potentially any better at doing the job, than someone who scores significantly lower. I think it's mostly down to the luck of the draw. And before anyone has a go at me, I received my competency scores last night and they were much higher than I had expected. However, I'm not going to get all high and mighty about this and assume I am an authority over people who have scored lower because I'm not. Someone like mommarat who has done the job before and who received low scores for the competencies is far more able and equipped to do the job than someone like me who has achieved high scores and has no clue about the job. That's why the process is completely unfair and the DWP will be missing out on some genuinely good candidates.

Which area did you receive your scores for? Pretty sure you said earlier you had applied for tyne and wear and had scored around the 50% percentile(apologies if this is incorrect) just my wife and I are still waiting for our competency scores and we both applied for this area. Thanks,

devilot

drwho2011 wrote: »

OK I thought I'd give people a bit of an idea of my own experience with competency assessments in the past with the DWP and based on discussions with people involved with panels and sifts of other exercises.

I've posted the Delivering a Professional Service to illustrate this point as it applies to every competency except Delivering a Customer Focused Service or Leading (but the principle is the same).

You will notice that they have divided the competencies into 3 segments, each segment is apparently equally weighted so they should be worth a maximum of 3 points in each. Under each section they have included examples that would show you have met the descriptor. In most cases your example should cover each of the 3 descriptors whilst maintaining a natural flow.

To max score you need to show excellent evidence in each of the descriptors to get a maximum of 9, getting 3 or less would suggest that you either didn't cover the competency broadly enough (whilst focusing on a specific example) or that you focused on certain parts in the descriptors at the expense of others. This is why 4 is the normal minimum score required.


Delivering a Professional Service

Implementing Service Improvements

Adapts services to meet the changing needs and priorities of
the business by:
• Demonstrating an understanding of how the operating model supports the objectives of the organisation;
• Developing ways of working that enhance the end-to-end customer experience;
• Promoting ways of working that support the aims, vision and values of the organisation.

Valuing the Customer
Makes customers feel valued by:
• Using customer insight to engage with customers and
identify ways to improve customer satisfaction;
• Developing working practices that embed the
Customer Charter;
• Seeking opportunities to promote a positive image of
the organisation and its services.

Building Professional Credibility
Builds customer confi dence in the professionalism of the organisation and the services it provides by:
• Offering advice and recommendations that are underpinned by up-to-date knowledge and expertise;
• Identifying, advising on, and applying best practice to enhance service delivery;
• Critically appraising professional practices and approaches of self and others to improve the service offered to customers.

drwho2011, if its OK, i'm going to PM you my competency for delivering a professional service to see what mark you think I should have been given for it?

messedthisup

aw well, just came across this forum yesterday wish i had saw it weeks ago.. Applied only for Glasgow, came in 97th percentile for online test but rather horrific 3,4,1,1,1 for competency scores.
My own fault Im sure. Gave answers which were far to general, rather than specific to an example and talked about team rather than me.
Still says waiting for review but dont think I should to hold my breath waiting on an interview. good luck to those who get through.

daidai

Has it been mentioned previously when the interview invites and/or rejection emails are scheduled to be sent out ?
Early next week a possibility ? need closure !!

daidai

messedthisup wrote: »

aw well, just came across this forum yesterday wish i had saw it weeks ago.. Applied only for Glasgow, came in 97th percentile for online test but rather horrific 3,4,1,1,1 for competency scores.
My own fault Im sure. Gave answers which were far to general, rather than specific to an example and talked about team rather than me.
Still says waiting for review but dont think I should to hold my breath waiting on an interview. good luck to those who get through.

You're certainly not alone - many on here are finding their competency scores are disappointing after having their hopes raised initially by scoring a high percentile.