UREGENT. Civil Service questionaire.

Nick_C

I did this assessment for vacancies that I applied for with the Courts Service. I retired two years ago after 30 years with managerial experience in local government. The jobs I applied for were low paid AO level. I didn't get shortlisted!!! I don't know where I went wrong on this assessment, it's a weird one. Its designed to ensure you meet the required competencies.

yorks808

I had a similar assessment for KPMG. I finished the test, then straight away it came up on screen I had been unsuccessful. 'Your answers do not match those we are looking for.'

Had similar questionnaire for Santander and Lloyds Bank. Unsuccessful in their questionnaires too, these jobs were for entry level jobs. Waste of time applying for these jobs!

BillJones

patman99 wrote: »

In the past, at one of the companies I worked at there was a guy who's partner worked as a section manager for one of the big supermarkets & anyone who's spouse had applied for a role would bring their form in and the guy would take it home for his partner to tick the right 'response'.

The questions are there to see how you think, not to see if you can find someone to help you out with the answers.

The sort of candidate who decides to cheat before even getting a job offer is not one that the employer is likely to want.

Far better to start honestly, and try to go on that way.

Nick_C

These were my answers to this assessment. They are not going to help anyone as I was not shortlisted. I don't understand why my answers are wrong, but its impossible to get any feedback on the assessment!

Question 1
Imagine that you are working as part of a team that handles customer records. You currently have paper filing system. There is budget available to buy a digital document scanner, which would significantly increase your team’s efficiency and make cost savings. Several of your colleagues would prefer to stick with the paper system, as they say the current system works fine and they are against using ‘new technology’ due to problems they have had in the past.

A) Tell your line manager that the current document storage system is inefficient. Suggest that she buys a digital document scanner, and introduces suitable training for the team.
THEN
C) Tell your colleagues they are being old-fashioned, and that they are holding the team back by not making the effort to understand new technology.
THEN
D) Do not mention the idea of buying a digital document scanner to your line manager.
THEN
Email your line manager, saying that the old system should be left in place to avoid upsetting your colleagues.


Question 2
Imagine that you are part of a team that has just bought a document scanner in order to digitise its paper customer records. The document scanner has been installed and is ready to use. Your team members are grumbling about how difficult it will be to use. Your line manager is out of the office and has asked that the team familiarises itself with the document scanner so team members know how to use it on her return.

Read the scanner’s manual thoroughly, learn how to use the scanner, and show your colleagues how to use it. Tell your line manager how it went when she returns.
THEN
A) Read the scanner’s manual thoroughly, learn how to use the scanner, and practise using it so that you are an expert at using it by the time your line manager returns.
THEN
D) Read the scanner’s manual and write a list of the difficulties you can see with using the new scanner to show your line manager on her return.
THEN
C) Wait for one of your colleagues to learn how to use the scanner and instruct you how to use it.


Question 3
Imagine that you are working in a telephone-based customer-facing role. Your line manager has reduced the number of staff working on the telephones so some staff can be relocated to other parts of the organisation. Since the number of telephone staff has been reduced, customers have been complaining to you that they have been kept waiting for long periods of time before their calls are answered.

C) Explain to your line manager that, whilst you understand the need for staff to be relocated, having fewer staff answering the telephones is increasing the level of customer complaints. Suggest that management discusses the issue and decides where the relocated staff members are needed most, in light of the increased customer complaints.
THEN
Cut the length of your calls as much as possible so you are able to take more calls and make up for the work of your relocated colleagues to ensure a more efficient service.
THEN
A) Carry on as normal and do not mention the increased customer complaints to your line manager.
THEN
D) Explain to your line manager that the number of customer complaints has increased since some of the telephone staff members have been relocated. Tell her that the telephone staff should be moved back – they are needed on the telephones, and the rest of the organisation should realise that.


Question 4
Imagine that you are in charge of making a decision at work, in a subject area that is unfamiliar to you. You are particularly busy and have to make a decision quickly.

D) You research appropriate organisational guidance and frameworks, and use this to help you make a decision.
THEN
You do not want to be responsible for the decision, and ask your line manager to make the decision for you.
THEN
C) You make a decision without doing any prior research but test your ideas out with trusted colleagues.
THEN
A) You research appropriate organisational guidance and frameworks, but you disregard it when making your final decision.


Question 5
Imagine that your line manager has given you a report she has written for you to check over. You notice that there are some irregularities in the data she has used.

Highlight the irregular data in the report and inform your line manager straight away.
THEN
C) Edit the data yourself.
THEN
D) Let your line manager know there are problems with the data in the report.
THEN
A) Plan to tell your line manager about the irregular data you have found in your next one to one meeting.


Question 6
Imagine your line manager has set up a one-to-one meeting with you, which will involve discussing a recent report you have submitted.

A) Take part in the discussion, offering your opinion and providing constructive comments where necessary. You are speaking for roughly 50% of the meeting.
THEN
C) Take part in the discussion, offering your opinion and providing constructive comments where necessary. You are speaking for roughly 75% of the meeting.
THEN
Listen to the discussion and contribute your opinions when you are asked.
THEN
D) Listen to the discussion. When asked for your opinion, say that you need more time to reflect, and arrange a further meeting.


Question 7
Imagine that a team meeting is planned, to discuss a major organisational change that will affect the team you work in.

D) Attend the meeting and put forward your concerns.
THEN
A) Email your views to the person who is chairing the meeting, as you prefer to say little in meetings.
THEN
Discuss the planned changes with your colleagues before the meeting and robustly represent the views of the team.
THEN
C) Do not attend the meeting but read the minutes of the meeting, and raise any points that may arise as a result of them as your points will be more considered when you have had time to reflect.


Question 8
Imagine that you are faced with a work situation in which you need to deal with the concerns of several customers at once.

C) Put the customers' concerns in order of priority, according to your policies and procedures.
THEN
A) Deal with the customers' concerns in the order they arrived.
THEN
D) Deal firstly with the concerns of someone who is particularly polite.
THEN
Deal with the customers' concerns in a random order.


Question 9
Imagine you have been asked to find out a range of viewpoints in order to complete a piece of work.

A) Ask several colleagues open questions in order to ascertain their points of view.
THEN
Ask a wide range of colleagues closed questions in order to ascertain their points of view.
THEN
C) Assume you know what your colleagues' opinions will be and put these forward as their opinions.
THEN
D) Tell your colleagues the viewpoint that they are expected to adhere to, and make sure that what they tell you fits in with that viewpoint.


Question 10
Imagine that another colleague needs your assistance with a project they are working on. You are very busy with your own work.

C) Check your diary to see if you might have any free time later in the week to assist your colleague.
THEN
A) Immediately stop doing your own work to assist your colleague.
THEN
D) Let your line manager know your colleague is not keeping up with their work and is asking you to assist, which will mean your own work is neglected.
THEN
Refuse to assist your colleague, as you are very busy with your own work.


Question 11
Imagine you have to deliver a presentation to your colleague to teach him about a new work technique. There is a standard package of information available to help you. You have the option of adapting the package to suit different learning styles. You and your colleague have opposite learning styles. You dislike your colleague’s learning style.

C) Present the information in your colleague’s preferred style.
THEN
Present the information in a style encompassing the preferences of you and your colleague.
THEN
D) Do not adapt the package to a particular learning style.
THEN
A) Present the information in your preferred style.


Question 12
Imagine that you have a difficult piece of work that needs completing.

D) Do an internet search to find information online.
THEN
A) Ask others for advice/assistance.
THEN
C) Continue working alone.
THEN
Ask a colleague to finish the piece of work for you.


Question 13
Imagine that new procedures will be enforced in two months' time and will affect the way you do your job.

C) Read the key bullet points on the intranet about the new procedure.
THEN
D) Attend training sessions on the new procedures, persuade other colleagues to attend too, and then implement the procedures as a team.
THEN
A) Attend training sessions on the new procedures, and implement them once they are enforced.
THEN
Wait for your line manager's guidance before taking any action.


Question 14
Imagine that a customer telephones you with a specific request for information.

C) Ask for her email address, and tell her that you will reply to her questions later in the day to ensure she gets the correct information.
THEN
Signpost her to a particular website with details relating to her query. Answer any other questions she might have.
THEN
D) Signpost her to a particular website with details relating to her query. Ask her to read the website thoroughly and then call back if she has further questions.
THEN
A) Give her information verbally; which you think is up to date.


Question 15
Imagine that a customer has an urgent query. He asks you to promise to give him an answer by lunchtime but you know that it will be very unlikely you will be able to answer his query by then.

C) Tell him you will not be able to give him an answer by lunchtime, but you will do your best to give him an answer as soon as you can.
THEN
D) Drop everything else and attempt to answer his query.
THEN
Tell him you cannot help him.
THEN
A) Apologise and tell him management is to blame for the delays experienced today, but give him an answer off the top of your head.

mattcanary

patman99 wrote: »

No, not stuck. From previous experience these sort of questions have a specific answer that they are looking for.
I have now done all 15 questions.

In the past, at one of the companies I worked at there was a guy who's partner worked as a section manager for one of the big supermarkets & anyone who's spouse had applied for a role would bring their form in and the guy would take it home for his partner to tick the right 'response'.

That's a disgrace.
Fraudulent and cheating

mattcanary

I would probably have chosen Option D as first choice in question 11.

Becasue it would be wasting time in adapting a learning program to suit one person. It would probably have to get changed again in future when someone else needs to learn from it, if you took this approach.

furthest

11 would have been B IMO.

Nick_C

Unfortunately, any part of a job application process that is done off site is going to be open to abuse. I'm sure lots of people ask friends and family to read and comment on application forms before submitting them.

The only time you can be sure that you are seeing all the candidate's own work is at interview, and if you get applicants to complete tests at your own premises under supervision.

Fraudulent and cheating? Perhaps, but its widespread to the point of being normal.

I was recently offered a job which involved undertaking aviation security training. I did the on line course and answered all the test questions myself, but I'm sure many people working at airports get people to help them with the test, which is rather worrying.

mattcanary

Question 7.
I agree with your answers, but they may have been looking for B

Blackpool_Saver

Quite honestly, if you can't spell urgent, I wouldn't bother