Civil service questions

AndrewXII

A friend of mine received two job offers from different departments in the Civil Service, say Dept A and Dept B. He got both positions through fair and open competition. Dept A requires Security Check (SC) which may take another 2-3 months. The friend has met all requirements for Dept B. He felt that he cannot assume he would 100% pass the Security Check as no one would know. Hence waiting for Dept A comes with extra time and uncertainty. He enjoys both opportunities with some preference over Dept A. 

It would be helpful to hear advice on, 
1. Is it a reasonable move for him to accept and work for Dept B now? Since waiting for Dept A he may lose both opportunities if he did not get SC cleared. 
2. Does anyone have any experience regarding Security Check? Will current and previous employers be contacted for information? 
3. Will there be any restriction for him to move to same level jobs across gov departments later on if he works for Dept B (through fair and open competition)? For example, he'd be an external recruit at Dept B. Would he be able to move to other gov depts for same grade job through fair and open competition during or post probationary period? 

Thank you!

m0t

Once your friend joins the Civil Service they will be able to access the internal jobs portal and apply as an internal applicant. 

Normally you are expected to stay for 2 years in a post before being able to move to a post elsewhere at the same job grade. A line manager can prevent you transferring on level terms before then. A promotion can't be blocked.

Your friend would find it more difficult to get another job whilst in his probation period and this is checked as part of the recruitment process to any civil service position.

Andy_L

1. Yes

2. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels
"Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)...

What checks are involved?

identity

employment history (past 3 years)

national and immigration (right to work) status

unspent criminal record.

Security Check (SC)...

What checks are involved

successful completion of the Baseline Personnel Security Standard

completion, by the individual, of a security questionnaire

a departmental/company records check which will include, for example personal files, staff reports, sick leave returns and security records

a check of both spent and unspent criminal records

a check of credit and financial history with a credit reference agency

a check of Security Service (MI5) records

exceptionally, if there are any unresolved security concerns about the individual, or if recommended by the Security Service, the individual may also be interviewed

in the event of any unresolved financial concerns, the individual may also be required to complete a separate financial questionnaire so that a full review of personal finances can be carried out

checks may extend to third parties included on the security questionnaire.

3. As per mOt's answer. 

TELLIT01

If the friend isn't bothered which job they take they may as well accept job B as that is likely to have an earlier start date.  If they have 2 job offers the choice of which to accept is entirely theirs.

AndrewXII

Thank you for all the above kind advice. 

Friend said he has a preference over job A. He is fine with the Security Check process. His concern is by waiting for job A, the risk of losing both opportunities if he did not get SC cleared, and as TELLIT01 rightly mentioned, he can start with job B almost straight away but for job A he needs to wait for a couple of months to get SC cleared before settling on a start date. 

If he accepts job B and starts working for B. Would it be possible for him to move/ transfer to job A later if/ when his SC is cleared? Both jobs he is offered are through external recruitment/ fair and open competition, and are of the same level. In this case he is willing to delay his start date with A to minimise interruption to B should it happens. Though very likely it still falls in his probationary period. In a worse scenario, should he resign from B to take job A or there will be negative impact? 

Thanks everyone. 

Floop

Security clearances aren’t taking that long at the mo. Does he have any reasons to think he won’t get SC clearance though? Financial difficulties? Serious criminal convictions? Most people who fail so so because they lie on the form, more than because of what they were trying to cover up. Of course you never know what government list you’re on, but most ordinary honest law abiding people will get clearance no problem. 

Some depts won’t take probationers, some will (and you complete probation in the new role) but you can be blocked on a lateral transfer. 

He should pick one job or the other and stick with it rather than getting caught up in some elaborate plan to start one and then start another. 

AndrewXII

Thanks! Friend said he was advised that it takes at least 2 months for SC. He said he has no financial difficulties or criminal convictions. He was advised though the job A is pending on SC, and one never know for sure until a contract is signed, hence the risk and time lost for waiting as previously mentioned. 

He said he does not want to start one and then start another. But due to the unknown he feels he can probably only accept whichever comes first. Unless there are other good alternatives? He said he heard that if a position he wants to move to is through external recruitment process he would not be blocked, is it true? 

Emmia

I'm assuming they are at the same grade / similar salary? 

I think he should pick the job he wants and wait for clearance...

If he takes job B and leaves shortly after starting, then what he's actually doing is blocking a second choice/merit list person taking that job.  He's also wasting the time of the hiring manager who then has to (probably) go back out to a full recruitment.

Probation in the civil service takes 9 months, and sometimes a year - you are normally blocked from moving on a level transfer during that time.

AndrewXII

I think both are the same grade. He left his job so to work for B. If he does not take job B now, he will end up having no job for unknown amount of time until he is cleared by A, or no job for longer time if A is not cleared. 

Emmia

AndrewXII said:

I think both are the same grade. He left his job so to work for B. If he does not take job B now, he will end up having no job for unknown amount of time until he is cleared by A, or no job for longer time if A is not cleared. 

In which case he should take job B and reject A.

If he tries to move between them, then as it is a level transfer he could be blocked from taking job A anyway.

rookie91

Emmia said:

AndrewXII said:

I think both are the same grade. He left his job so to work for B. If he does not take job B now, he will end up having no job for unknown amount of time until he is cleared by A, or no job for longer time if A is not cleared. 

In which case he should take job B and reject A.

If he tries to move between them, then as it is a level transfer he could be blocked from taking job A anyway.

Manager can only block a level move within the same department. If it was me, I'd start job B and wait for my SC clearance and start date for Job A. Once I'd received that, I'd inform my manager who can't stop me from moving to another government department. Even if my manager at job B tried to object and stop me, they cannot stop me resigning and then taking up the offer from the OGD. Especially considering the other job A has been advertised externally.