AQA successful applicants??

red_devil

how many hours do you work a week and what are they?

BungleGirl

I just wanted to say that mostly our impatience is for excitement at the possibility of what seems like a fantastic job opportunity. I am saying the same things 'oh when will I hear', 'I really REALLY want to get in', 'I still haven't heard - do you think that's a good sign or a bad sign?' to my friends and family too.

Most of us use other boards on this forum regularly and there is a cosy sense of community here. We are just seeking advice and support from our 'friends' here as we would with our friends 'in the real world'.

The vast majority of the comments on here have been very positive about AQA - if not there would not be so many people from here applying.

I for one have very much appreciated the posts here and the PM's I have exchanged.

I think on a forum it is easy to misinterpret what is written - I read it all as an excited impatience rather than a nasty impatience.

w00fdawg

I have read carefully through the posts on this forum relating to being an AQA researcher, which isn't just a research job, it's a writing job.

While it's admirable that members here are supporting each other with the tests, if applicants don't have a very good standard of spelling, punctuation and grammar, they won't last long. I know this has been raised before.

While there is a spell-check used to help researchers once they are taken on, it won't pick up words that sound the same like "grate" and "great". It won't help if you don't know how to punctuate, or you muddle your tenses.

I suggest anyone thinking of applying has a go at a few online (or offline) spelling/punctuation/grammar tests.

I have posted links to a few below. If you struggle with them, I suggest getting to grips with your grammar before filling in an application form for AQA. There are lots of great books that will help, and it's a life skill.

http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/tests/spelling.htm
http://www.angmail.fsnet.co.uk/grammar.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3256388.stm

I hope I don't sound patronising, I intend this post to help. I know I make mistakes with grammar and more from time to time, but I do care about it - and find it fun to improve my writing. If you don't, it's unlikely you'll like having to constantly watch your spelling, etc.

evilsheep

The_Gerbil wrote: »

Helpful and informative. :rotfl:

You even said yourself "now for the rant"

In what way exactly was it helpful and informative.

I have an excellent understanding of when and how to use smilies :mad:

I am disappointed, but not entirely surprised by the tone of your post. I attempted to make it clear that my post was intended in a friendly manner, and yet you respond by belittling me (at least, that's what your "excellent" use of smileys would imply). "Now for the rant" was clearly meant in a jokey way, and I attempted to reinforce the (attempted) friendly tone at the end of my post via ludicrous use of smileys.

Perhaps I should clarify the intended "helpful and informative" parts:

• AQA don't have a set response time for applications - it can take anything from a day to several weeks. It's possible that higher graded applications receive a response first, but this is pure conjecture on my part. The number of senior staff (i.e. those marking the tests, training, reviewing etc.) is very low, and so sending repeated follow-up emails is undoubtedly extending the waiting time. If you haven't received a response after 10 days, I'd advise sending just the one short email to enquire if it's arrived, and then sit back and wait.
• The Gerbil: I was attempting to provide you with the 'view from the other side' regarding your post on the AQA researchers' site. It is clearly stated in your welcome pack that researchers should not be posting such questions/comments there. There are mentors & senior researchers available to answer queries, so you must accept that posting there was the wrong thing to do. I have to admit, it does get tiresome reading the same questions over and over again, especially when the posters are employed as researchers, and yet seem unable to research their own job.
• AQA researchers have signed a contract which states that certain aspects of the job shouldn't be discussed on public forums, and doing so is a sackable offence. AQA is aware of moneysavingexpert.com, so please everyone, take care when posting in the public domain.
• New researchers (especially those who've received assistance with their applications) should start slowly, and try not to be financially motivated at the start. Read all of the guides available, and use the mentors - they're there to help you after all!

I'm also in total agreement with w00fdawg's post above.

Again, best of luck to all applicants.

sparklewing

w00fdawg wrote: »

I have read carefully through the posts on this forum relating to being an AQA researcher, which isn't just a research job, it's a writing job.

While it's admirable that members here are supporting each other with the tests, if applicants don't have a very good standard of spelling, punctuation and grammar, they won't last long. I know this has been raised before.

While there is a spell-check used to help researchers once they are taken on, it won't pick up words that sound the same like "grate" and "great". It won't help if you don't know how to punctuate, or you muddle your tenses.

I suggest anyone thinking of applying has a go at a few online (or offline) spelling/punctuation/grammar tests.

I have posted links to a few below. If you struggle with them, I suggest getting to grips with your grammar before filling in an application form for AQA. There are lots of great books that will help, and it's a life skill.

http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/tests/spelling.htm
http://www.angmail.fsnet.co.uk/grammar.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3256388.stm

I hope I don't sound patronising, I intend this post to help. I know I make mistakes with grammar and more from time to time, but I do care about it - and find it fun to improve my writing. If you don't, it's unlikely you'll like having to constantly watch your spelling, etc.

I would presume that a lot of people here, like me, don't really put a lot of effort into spelling, grammar and punctuation when typing on a forum, therefore it's not a fair representation of our English writing abilities.

Thank you for the links though and I will certainly look through them as there are some areas I do need to brush up on. I've never understood apostrophes!

evilsheep

Rebel_Rebel wrote: »

I was accepted last week and emailed my signed contract back last Thursday. However I've not had any reply yet. I know it says in the acceptance email to wait 5 days for the next set of documents but it doesn't specify if they mean working days?
I don't want to start harassing people about it if they're really busy just now!

They are extremely busy at the moment, so I'd wait working days - and probably 7 working days at that. Expect a bit of a wait before you start the actual work, as you'll have to wait in the queue for training too no doubt!

Congratulations on being accepted by the way.

sparklewing

The only reason people are complaining about lack of response is BECAUSE we are discussing it here. I'm sure if this thread was not here noone would start a new thread purely to say it was taking ages. I think it's a shame that people have felt the need to point out things like the fact that AQA read the forum as now people will feel unable to discuss things for fear of being watched and judged.

I do however find it annoying that some people are hearing within a day while others have to wait weeks, especially when like me they have sent an enquiring email to check their application has been received and have been ignored, which I think is quite rude no matter what the workload.

I understand about work backlogs, I receive over 200 emails a day at my work with enquiries about various things. I always make the effort to answer each one as soon as I've read it though, with a short: got your email, will be back in touch soon message so that the sender knows that the email has arrived safely. That's all I was hoping for from AQA.

evilsheep

sparklewing wrote: »

The only reason people are complaining about lack of response is BECAUSE we are discussing it here. I'm sure if this thread was not here noone would start a new thread purely to say it was taking ages. I think it's a shame that people have felt the need to point out things like the fact that AQA read the forum as now people will feel unable to discuss things for fear of being watched and judged.

Discussing certain AQA matters constitutes a breach of contract. Those who value their jobs would hopefully take my advice on board in the helpful sense it was intended, as I'm sure we don't want to see a "Help, I've just been fired by AQA" thread being started.

sparklewing wrote: »

I do however find it annoying that some people are hearing within a day while others have to wait weeks, especially when like me they have sent an enquiring email to check their application has been received and have been ignored, which I think is quite rude no matter what the workload.

I understand about work backlogs, I receive over 200 emails a day at my work with enquiries about various things. I always make the effort to answer each one as soon as I've read it though, with a short: got your email, will be back in touch soon message so that the sender knows that the email has arrived safely. That's all I was hoping for from AQA.

Let's imagine that there are, let's say, two administrative assistants receiving a thousand or so emails a day, and several hundred of them were 'chasing' emails, not applications. In addition to dealing with recruitment, they also have their 'normal' job to do. Please be patient, and try not to take it personally that you haven't received an immediate response.

TIAL

Cheers for the info everyone involved, I feel it's good to have another viewpoint on any subject matter really

Anyways...I must admit I have been texting AQA with questions I feel I'll have trouble answering - which has been useful! Although it might take me a day or two to earn that money back

TIAL

red_devil wrote: »

how many hours do you work a week and what are they?

I believe it's up to you when you want to work. You just sign in and start answering