HMRC Administration Officer interview

qadsey

Hello I have a interview in two weeks for the above role I am requiring advice on what type of questions will be asked as I am unsure here are the three competencies.

1. Delivering at Pace
2. Leading and Communicating
3. Managing a Quality Service

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

BigAunty

You will be utterly crucified unless you have strong examples that demonstrate each competency, which you rehearse, and which you deliver in a completely structured way (the civil service way).

You will probably need a couple of examples per competency because while they want you to show absolutely specific behaviours, they will have a particular emphasis in the question. You cannot predict the exact question though you may uncover on websites like Glassdoor, the type that some applicants have been asked in the past.

You will have received information with your job application that gives you pointers on what they expect and how to prepare? This usually includes examples of questions that may be asked!? Did you not receive this?

Their bible is the Competency Framework - read it and get inspired to dig out an example that proves what they are seeking at the specific level of employment (AA/AO/EO).

Here is some general tips here

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5413351

BigAunty

I've come across a Civil Service document that lists a few potential questions for 2 of the competencies that you've listed.

If you read the Competency Framework you will get an idea of the type of evidence they are looking for in terms of positive behaviours that you are expected to demonstrate. These can shape your answers, even if you don't know 'The' Questions.

Managing a Quality Service
 How do you and your team understand what the standards required by your customers are?
 Give me an example of how you have demonstrated an understanding of customer needs
 What steps have you taken to understand how you and your team perform against performance/ customer standards?
 How do you respond to customer feedback?
 Can you describe a time when you have been proactive in finding a solution to a problem encountered by your customers?


Leading and Communicating
 When communicating to staff how have you ensured your communication is clear, well structured and tailored to your audience?
 Can you give an example of how you have engaged your team in discussions about changes taking place in your unit, business area or Department?
 Tell me about a time when you have had to influence a senior manager, stakeholder or partner and how you went about this?
 Tell me about a time when you have had to use written communication to successfully influence someone? How did you go about structuring your written communication?

tomtontom

You've got a right chip on your shoulder about CS recruitment BigAunty, you must be very bitter about something!

OP, look at the framework, it should be pretty simple to see work out what they will ask. You can even take notes into the interview to prompt you, just make sure you're not reading the answers out.

The questions BigAunty gives are not AO questions. I would ignore her comments about being crucified, the interview honestly couldn't be any simpler.

dori2o

The interviews are generally scenario based questions, rather than a list of questions asking you to describe different situations which you have enountered.

The scenario based questions put you in a position to describe how you would deal with said scenario. There is generally 1 scenario based question for each competency

The list BA has posted, to me, seems to be a checklist for the written competences which the applicant includes with the original application, rather than being a list of interview questions.

You should have a link to the competency framework within the online account, but just in case here is a link to the competency framework

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-competency-framework

qadsey

Very helpful ill keep you informed.