DWP interview - Universal Credit Service Centre Telephony Agent / Account Developer

Noseybonk1986

Hi all

I have just secured an interview with the DWP -
Universal Credit Service Centre Telephony Agent / Account Developer

Anyone on here have recent experience of DWP admin jobs or jobs of this level? I have passed the first two stages of their recruitment process and invited to the third stage of face to face interview on January the 6th.

They seem to be taking on quite a number of new staff to help oversee the Universal Credit transformations. I have quite a bit of experience in Customer Service and Administration so decided to go for this role as it's permanent also and there's a lack of real work up in my area right now.

Just wondering if anyone has much to tip me off on pre-interview ... The application was heavily competancy - based and i am expecting the interview will be more or less the same, but unsure if they will ask the same questions in application or vary it a bit. Either way i'm trying to get as much info as possible before the actual interview.

I applied for a job in the DWP many years ago however the selection process was nowhere near as complex as it is now! The initial application and SJT tests at the 2nd stage are quite challenging for what is really a basic level job.

Any advice much appreciated anyway, thanks. :T

anmarj

Basically more of the same, competency based questions. I will see if the framework is publically available.

edit

http://assets.highways.gov.uk/about-us/recruitment/Civil%20Service%20Competency%20Framework%202012-2017.pdf

I had interview for promotion for EO and they used the same compentency questions used in the application and we could then either give another example or use the same one, but you had to hit all the points, just scroll through and look at the ones they have asked for in the application and see if you can expand to hit all the points. you can also get more points if you are able to throw in another example - for example on my application was building capability for others - used the example in the application but the interviewer threw in another question and I was able to use another thing that I had been doing to cover the question.

You can also make bullet points about each compentency on a postcard that you are giving as an example and take that in with you (they keep that very quiet:p;))

TELLIT01

The way UC claim handling is moving this is likely to be anything but a 'basic level job'. The expectation is that many claims will get no further than the telephone contact i.e. they will be processed with the customer on the phone. It could turn into a very high pressured environment. The UC systems are currently anything but robust and many claims require a lot of manual intervention.

Noseybonk1986

Yeah i have read about people taking in papers to interview with them to glance over in the event of brain freeze etc! I wasn't sure however about how that would look ..

I expect they will go over the same questions in my initial application to elaborate on, although they were already quite detailed. They also offered feedback on my answers in my application and pointed out the part i lacked in despite it passing. Maybe i will be questioned on that point again, which was communication with team members ... Although i'm sure i written a lot about that in my answers on the form!

I just want to be as prepared as possible as to not waste time practicing on responses to things they will not touch on. Pretty vital i get this role. Aaargh

Noseybonk1986

Yes i definitely understand it will be high pressurised environment .. when i mentioned "basic" i was a little off, i was more referring to the salary scale and staff banding. It's more or less the lowest.

My whole work history is based around customer service and harsh targets, believe me i've seen the worse! I just fancied the DWP vacancy as to working in banks as i am also quite clued up on the UC situation, seems like a more interesting challenge than what i currently do. I understand the current situation regarding UC system work and while being implemented has been anything but a breeze .... I was involved in similar work with the NHS one time, let's see if this role tops that if i'm successful! ')

TELLIT01

You're certainly correct in using the term 'basic' for salary scales :-)