Civil service process

Madmonkey999

Anybody on sheffield home office reserve list?

Lockthedoor

Hi all, just saw this thread and thought there are some really good info floating around. Here's my story, if anyone can share their thoughts it would be great:

June 2019 I interviewed for a grade 7 brexit related role. The recruitment was through central government recruitment service.
September 2019, I received a provisional offer, and told what department I have been allocated to.
Early November, I pass all the security checks, and receive the standard message that someone will tell me next steps.
Mid November, my allocated department's onboarding service approaches me with some info. I think I am about to start.
Late November, a manager contacts me for a role in her team. I meet her and she tells me that the role is contingent on the result of the general election.
December, I ask government recruitment service whether there was a chance of finding me a different role, as the one I was approached for was uncertain. They replied yes.
Early January, I am told that the role I had been contacted for by that manger won't be created. The onboarding team tells me my cv has been sent back to the resourcing team, which will be looking for another role for me.

All in all, it has been 7 months since the application, 5 months since receiving the provisional offer, and 3 months since passing my security checks.

I have been in fairly regular contact with them, but cant get passed the generic answer " we will be in touch when we have more info".

At this point, I have the following questions:
1. Should I just give up on this altogether?
2. Is there a chance that I am not going to get a role, despite everything? Mind you, I was never put in a reserve list after my interview - got the provisional offer straight away.
3. If I end up in a sort of reserve list (considering reshuffles across Whitehall) how long would they be allowed to keep me there.
4. How likely is it to be discarded after completing all stages of recruitment+security checks successfully?

Might sound silly but this is a dream career for me, and had a lot invested in this. I know circumstances make everything a bit unpredictable, but any info or (even better) reassurance would be really appreciated.

Thank you all.

Floop

The timescale between application/offer/checks isn’t unusual at all. The issue is that they don’t have a job to offer you at the moment.

Last time I got a job through a bulk campaign there was a delay in allocating candidates to roles - usually departments have to bid for people from bulk campaigns and things change fast (budgets, priorities).

Once you’re in the pool they’d usually find you a job pretty quickly especially as all checks are completed - but you’ve been caught up in an unfortunate set of circumstances re the election, Brexit staff requirements greatly reducing due to no deal being 100% off the table and budgets constraints now that we’re in the last quarter of the financial year. There is also the impending reshuffle and rumoured MOG changes (departments disappearing and merging) - this could mean that whole work areas cease to exist because of changes in govt/ministerial priorities. This in turn creates surplus staff internally, and they would be placed in alternative roles before an outsider would be considered.

Also when you’re recruited through bulk, vacancy holders essentially have accept that they get what they’re given and it’s a bit of a lottery - it’s my least favourite way to source new staff. They might prefer to conduct their own recruitment campaign for a single vacancy especially if it requires specialist skills.