DWP Recruiting Again - 2012

Radiofree

mwddrwg wrote: »

Anyboy else having an interview today? I'm at the panic stage where I'm doubting that my examples are strong enough and I need to think up some new ones. Only an hour to go before mine. Will let you know how I get on. Thanks for all the advice on here, especially whoever posted the grid-type method of doing your notes.

Wish you good luck

ehazard2012

had my interview this morning, it seemd to go ok, although one of the interviweers was on an ego trip, very smug, arrogant and condisending.

I felt like he was toying with me, asking very specific questions to show that he had the power in the interview process.

for example on managing people he asked how i made sure my team were percieved in an apropriate manner. (i tried my best to link my answer to this question)

but on this question how can you show managing conflict, managing finance, supporting your staff, using resources effectivly in your answer.

another question was on customer focused service, I was asked how i altered a service to benefit a customer (this again could be very difficult to answer as certain civil service procedures must adhere to ministerial guidlines and altering these services to benefit 1 customer is effectivly breaking your own terms and conditions and leaves room for legal challenges.

last question i can remember was on delivering proffesional service, i was asked how did i compensate a customer, unfortunaley the customers i was refering to lost hundreds of thousands as a result of poor procedures prior to me dealing with them, i dont think i have the authority to authorise a payment of a few hundred grand to compensate them, i here you go mate go get your self a house.

as i say i had broad answers and altered my answer to try and meet the questions asked, but to be honest the intervieweer who interviewd me works in the office i am applying to, so if i get an offer i dont think ill take it as if this is a represenation of the people id be working with then id rather staf in the job i have.

baph

LC86 wrote: »

Anyone know how many vacancies in North London?

I was told at interview by the Admin managers downstairs there are about 60 vacancies across 20ish offices.

A number of people have said they do not know what your competencies are if they had been marked. This is not the case, as my interviewers in North London had a printout they referred to, stating they were all for the same job (one I held for 8 years) and that they'd like some new competencies relating to other work or jobs. this threw me a little, but also gave me time to add things that were not in the original competencies, and also I referred to them in some of my answers with statements like "as you can see from my previous competency I did all this, and that.... in another situation (new competency) I did other stuff" sort of giving me the best of both really

Now we wait - and knowing North London, it could be some time.

Souk

ehazard2012 wrote: »

had my interview this morning, it seemd to go ok, although one of the interviweers was on an ego trip, very smug, arrogant and condisending.

I felt like he was toying with me, asking very specific questions to show that he had the power in the interview process.

for example on managing people he asked how i made sure my team were percieved in an apropriate manner. (i tried my best to link my answer to this question)

but on this question how can you show managing conflict, managing finance, supporting your staff, using resources effectivly in your answer.

another question was on customer focused service, I was asked how i altered a service to benefit a customer (this again could be very difficult to answer as certain civil service procedures must adhere to ministerial guidlines and altering these services to benefit 1 customer is effectivly breaking your own terms and conditions and leaves room for legal challenges.

last question i can remember was on delivering proffesional service, i was asked how did i compensate a customer, unfortunaley the customers i was refering to lost hundreds of thousands as a result of poor procedures prior to me dealing with them, i dont think i have the authority to authorise a payment of a few hundred grand to compensate them, i here you go mate go get your self a house.

as i say i had broad answers and altered my answer to try and meet the questions asked, but to be honest the intervieweer who interviewd me works in the office i am applying to, so if i get an offer i dont think ill take it as if this is a represenation of the people id be working with then id rather staf in the job i have.

I must say that those questions seem very tricky and overly specific, I think I would definitely trip up if asked the same questions. I hope you were able to take that smug look off his face with your answers .

Can you tell me what region you applied for, because thus far I haven't heard much of any difficult questions in the East London district.

Souk

Radiofree

60 vacancies and 300 interviews! I assume it's going to be a heck of luck to secure a job.

baph

Radiofree wrote: »

60 vacancies and 300 interviews! I assume it's going to be a heck of luck to secure a job.

In the time I was sitting waiting for interview there were about 3 no-shows, so it improves our odds a bit from 1:5 to probably 1:4. Whatever the result, it has certainly given me a new way of presenting myself, and any future recruitment processes will seem very quick.

As an aside, I also applied to London Underground about the same time as the DWP - LU said we'd hear in about 10 weeks if we are being invited to interview! At least they are realistic, although probably overwhelmed with applications as well

mwddrwg

Interview done and dusted. Can't remember what the questions were or what I said! Agghhh! Only four us being interviewed so hopefully am in with a chance.

rivage

Well, been following this thread with keen interest.

I've had my interview. Four questions were very straight forward (…how did you communicate with impact etc). So I felt I was steaming ahead...

Then the final one (Building Capability) was really narrow and did hinge on a bullet-point. Luckily that had been the basis of what I was hoping to talk about! But could so easily have been a disaster!!

It lasted a full hour -it whizzed by.

They allowed me to talk endlessly and hardly interrupted at all. At the end of each Question, one asked the other one if they had anything to ask/add, and they said no every time.

At the end, I asked if there was any Competency I could elaborate on and add anything, they looked at each other, shook their heads and said no they felt I'd covered most things. They wrote lots. He ran out of space on 2 of them.

But I wasn’t really probed/challenged like many have reported.

Results have come in at 8,8,7,6,6 = 35 out of 45. Will that mean I'm still in the race?

The feedback on one of the 6's said I'd omitted to talk about something that I can clearly remember taking about, not just briefly but refered to several times. Thats frustrating, especially when I asked if I could add anything too. I think sometimes the reasons for a low mark can wind you up more than the low mark!

gargantuan_2

Radiofree wrote: »

This process has truly given me confidence to apply for similar positions too. Needless to say my scores 28 actually reflect how I performed and the feedback is pretty constructive. Candidates who secured on average 30+ , you guys deserve it.well done! After learning from my mistakes, I can hope may be its going to be a next time for me.

Dont give up hope yet. You have passed every competency, and although most on here are getting great marks, there are bound to be loads who score poorly too.

It all depends on how people did in your district did too.

MrsMac101

Day 14 and STILL no feed back. Signed on AGAIN this morning...