DWP Recruiting Again - 2012

Lorac05

clemintine876 wrote: »

Dunno, this thread can go either way. I was feeling really confident with my 77898 score, but since coming here I'm starting to brick it! The only thing that puts my mind at ease is that the people posting in these threads are probably a little bit more active in their applications than others, and hopefully the people most likely to achieve high score. Least, that's what I tell myself to keep the doubt at bay.

I have a good few friends etc who interviewed and unfortunately scored quite poorly, so perhaps the supports my theory that in the real world not everyone is scoring straight 9's across the board.

Those scores are amazing - 39 out of a possible 45. You should be on the merit list with those. Yes there are some who have scored all 9's or 9's and 8's but they are not the norm - and if you saw some of those were FTA's until some time last year which means they have a huge handle on the job and probably have a much better feel for competency based interviews than some of us. However your scores also show that you do as well so don't worry.

LookingForNipsy

Remember folks, the only people you'll be compared to are those in your region and people here are posting from all over the country - a handful from each region at most so best not to compare scores (too much:p). My sift scores weren't great compared to many posting and I got an interview. While I'm satisfied with how my interview went I don't think I'll get super scores but if I've passed I won't be counting myself out until the very end.

In defence of the competency system - for people without much job history just getting a traditional interview is nigh impossible. This system isn't perfect but its definitely more accessible and if they want a wider range of people applying that's fair enough. I wouldn't have gotten this far with a traditional application system.

LookingForNipsy

clemintine876 wrote: »

Dunno, this thread can go either way. I was feeling really confident with my 77898 score, but since coming here I'm starting to brick it! The only thing that puts my mind at ease is that the people posting in these threads are probably a little bit more active in their applications than others, and hopefully the people most likely to achieve high score. Least, that's what I tell myself to keep the doubt at bay.

I have a good few friends etc who interviewed and unfortunately scored quite poorly, so perhaps the supports my theory that in the real world not everyone is scoring straight 9's across the board.

Also people with high scores will be happier to post them, people with lower scores will be more likely to keep the numbers to themselves

nannyd_2

:oHi received my Interview scores today 44566. Was hoping for more, (Aren't we all!) Does anyone hold out much hope for me?

LookingForNipsy

Lorac05 wrote: »

Well my interview results are up from Staffs/Shrops and they are actually worse than I expected and all the feedback I got was 'Applicant did not provide evidence to demonstrate the competencies to an acceptable level.' for the first one and 'as above' for the rest.

Disappointed - a little - but I am really not sure that is the path I wanted to follow anyways so it is probably a blessing in disguise. I do know the issue I had was the entire competency based interview technique - I am so used to normal interviews regarding my knowledge and experience and what I did and trying to fit that into this format was not easy for me. And I will add the interviewers were not that friendly and did not make me feel at ease at all.

Well good luck to those of you who have scored well and those still to interview. I hope the job offers do materialise and that the entire process wasn't a huge waste of time and money.

I am now going to go off and and make a cup of tea and a hot cross bun and then contemplate life moving on from here.

Really sorry to hear that, you've been great on this forum. Seems a few people got awful interviewers and it does make all the difference. I hope you find the right thing for you.

mommarat

kan272000 wrote: »

Apparently there are less than 1200 jobs for external candidates.



Management propose to fill the 4,000 posts as follows. The numbers are approximations:

• Surplus staff from within DWP (surplus staff will have preference over all other staff and are not required to compete with other applicants in the external recruitment exercise)
• Surplus staff from other government departments
• 1,100 FTA EO’s will be offered a permanent contract, and are included in the 4,000 additional staff
• 500 AO’s on temporary ‘VRA’ EO contracts will be offered substantive promotion to EO
• 1,200 staff will be recruited through the external recruitment exercise, though this number may includeinternal applicants who are also able to apply to this exercise
• 375 unassigned staff, mainly from the corporate centre
• The balance will be recruited into the AO grade.
• Support for existing staff
  
  PCS pressed management to ensure that local managers put in place measures to support and encourage existing staff applying in the recruitment/promotion exercises. Management nationally agreed that local managers should be doing this, including holding 1 to 1 and group sessions with staff and allowing staff official time to complete application forms etc.

Although it stated that internal staff were allowed official time, 1 to 1's etc it didn't happen in our office. Due to us being so short staffed, especially on the front line we had an hour at most and in my office my line manager had to cover for me for that hour signing. Our HEO was on the sift and after the sift was finished said I think we should run a course on writing competencies. Really think that was like locking the door when the horse had bolted! It may have been different in other offices but we wernt given the guidance and encouragement we should have had. I work with some good coleagues who have been asked to act up in the past but have received no help when they needed it. On a lighter note have been following how you have all been doing some brill scores at interviews sure you'll all do fine. :T

Lorac05

LookingForNipsy wrote: »

In defence of the competency system - for people without much job history just getting a traditional interview is nigh impossible. This system isn't perfect but its definitely more accessible and if they want a wider range of people applying that's fair enough. I wouldn't have gotten this far with a traditional application system.

Don't get me wrong - I can see the positives for the competency based interview/framework however it was hard to me to fit my experiences into the competency interview when they went to specific bullet points beneath the sub-headings.
Also two of my competencies were based on volunteer experience and the questions asked in the interview specifically asked for work related examples - so I had to revert to my second examples and knew I didn't fit them as well as I would have liked.

As I said though I see this as a blessing in disguise as I wasn't really sure I wanted this job anyway (only applied after the JCP pointed me in the direction of it in the first place).

LookingForNipsy

Lorac05 wrote: »

Don't get me wrong - I can see the positives for the competency based interview/framework however it was hard to me to fit my experiences into the competency interview when they went to specific bullet points beneath the sub-headings.
Also two of my competencies were based on volunteer experience and the questions asked in the interview specifically asked for work related examples - so I had to revert to my second examples and knew I didn't fit them as well as I would have liked.

As I said though I see this as a blessing in disguise as I wasn't really sure I wanted this job anyway (only applied after the JCP pointed me in the direction of it in the first place).

I understand, I don't think its even possible to have multiple true examples that fit the competencies well - some of them are so convoluted (e.g. Delivering a Professional Service).

mommarat

Hi Lorac05. Sorry to see you didn't get the scores you were hopeing for. We have been on here virtually from the start and what a rollercoaster ride it's been. Can't remember now but did you apply for other area? If you didn't get any below 4 maybe they will be ok for your other areas. The AO recruitment may be on soon already on for Newcastle I think it was and the app form hasn't asked for comps so looks like they have realised these only need doing at interview stage. Wish they had done that for this one my 90+ for test counted for nothing so I do understand how you must be feeling. Best of luck for the future.

avacado23

Just had my interview scores, had my interview in Birmingham yesterday so it was pretty quick.

Scores were 6,6,6,7,5. My partner who has some great experience and has helped others get to interview stage by helping them with competencies got 2,3,4,3,4 :eek: I feel gutted as I also benefitted from his support so much. I am not expecting a definite call for myself considering it was for Birmingham & Solihull and am expecting lots of people with scores of 35+ so seems unlikely I'd be called.