Civil Service Jobs application process - general observation

Manxman_in_exile

I understand the Op's point but I think the CS might be trying to restrict applications to "serious" candidates who really want the job. Not to those who can't be bothered to complete the competencies etc. (Sorry OP, not having a go at you because you are "serious" but think the process illogical. I think it is too from your point of view, but perhaps not from the CS's)

lincroft1710

gettingready wrote: »

How horrible to work for so many years realising one's whole work existence summarised in that statement.

I would be devastated

It's called "life in the world of work". For most employers an employee is there to do what they are told to do, for as little money as they can get away with paying them. Having at one time had a managerial role in the CS this is how it was and may still be.

Also a Guardian reader and for many years a union rep

hyubh

PasturesNew wrote: »

Local authority jobs are for those people who don't have to "pay their way" and do have the time to sit and wait .... to see if they're chosen.

Any particular LA or role type you're thinking of? LAs to me mean standardised application forms for sure, which take a bit longer to complete then tailoring a CV, though not much longer given the meaty part is usually just a big box captioned 'Please explain how you meet the job description', or words to that effect. On the flip side there's no game playing on salaries and other benefits - what they will pay is on the job advert. (I freely conceded some people enjoy playing that game however...)

They're not for "people desperate for a job now/today to start soonest/Monday

That sounds a pretty desperate employer looking for a pretty desperate potential employee...

gettingready

There seem to be a bit of confusion.

I have no issues with filling in application forms/competencies but in this case those should be asked AFTER one passes the test not before.

If done before, and one fails the tests then those competencies and time spent on writing them are time wasted.

I am not sure how else to try to explain the obvious lack of logic in the order things are asked for.

I have done a lot of contracting when I sent a CV one day and started the job the next day - due to shortage of skills in my sector that was never an issue. And on excellent daily rates too.

My current role has been advertised on CS Jobs but the process was very different.

Working arrangements are what I consider normal too - totally unlike the statement I quoted few posts before and to which I have referred as horrid working environment.

Currently I work flexi hours, I can come in and leave whatever time I want, I can work from any building (and we do have a few) with my work issued laptop, nobody breaths down my neck, no micromanagement, working from home whenever I feel like it, taking time off whenever I feel like it, it is results driven, respectful environment and I could not possibly work any otter way as this would suffocate me to be honest.

And everywhere I worked so far was pretty much the same - I always worked in quite specialised jobs though..

gettingready

NeilCr wrote: »

I'd take an educated guess that this process is, at least a bit, aimed at keeping the number of applicants down.

And that precisely would be easily done by setting up tests first - if someone fails the tests they do not write competencies. Exactly my point in having the process the other way round to what it currently is. As it is it does not keep number of applicants down but completely opposite thing happens.

I give up trying to explain the flow in this particular process:D

theoretica

If the tests came first, I wonder how many more people would take them, and as suggested above if this would increase the total cost of the things. I also wonder if there would be an issue with people taking the test repeatedly until they passed - or if tied to something like a NI number having more time to arrange for someone else to take it on their behalf or otherwise be more open to abuse.

gettingready

theoretica wrote: »

If the tests came first, I wonder how many more people would take them, and as suggested above if this would increase the total cost of the things.

No it would not as the test is send to EVERYONE as son as they hit the submit button with their competencies regardless of how good/bad they are as they are not being scored sifted at that stage yet.

theoretica wrote: »

I also wonder if there would be an issue with people taking the test repeatedly until they passed - or if tied to something like a NI number having more time to arrange for someone else to take it on their behalf or otherwise be more open to abuse.

There would be no issue as you register with all your details before anyway ..

Sighhh

No, I really give up trying to explain.

NeilCr

gettingready wrote: »

And that precisely would be easily done by setting up tests first - if someone fails the tests they do not write competencies. Exactly my point in having the process the other way round to what it currently is. As it is it does not keep number of applicants down but completely opposite thing happens.

I give up trying to explain the flow in this particular process:D

I understand the flow

I think the point is that (as said earlier) having the competencies first will restrict the number of people who start the process. Online tests would not. You said yourself that the competency part was quite onerous.

I can tell you from my days in recruitment that the thing candidates complained about most was trying to fit the competencies (in writing)

gettingready

NeilCr wrote: »

I understand the flow

I think the point is that (as said earlier) having the competencies first will restrict the number of people who start the process. Online tests would not.

As nobody looks at competencies of the people who fail the test - that restriction point is not really valid, is it?

theoretica

gettingready wrote: »

No it would not as the test is send to EVERYONE as son as they hit the submit button with their competencies regardless of how good/bad they are as they are not being scored sifted at that stage yet.

So you really think there are no job seekers who look at the form requiring them to fill in the compentencies and think 'nah, too much work' and don't apply? These are the people we are talking about.