DWP Selection tests...

Adereterial

sportfan wrote: »

Hello All

I am hear to ask about the selection tests (Literacy and Numeracy) as I have to take them very soon!

How are the questions? How long do we have to answer them? Has anyone gone on to the interview stage and passed and got the job for AO?

Also if a person passes Interview stage, are they offered the job immediately or even the successful people are on a waiting list? - (Very Important - Please someone answer)?

Any help is appreciated..Please respond

Thanks

I've just recently started as an AO.

I think the literacy test is 10 minutes, and the numeracy about 15 minutes. It's not hard. My interview was the same day, a week later I was offered a job to start the following week - though that is unusual.

There is a waiting list - this includes people wanting to transfer to different locations for various reasons and some of these will get priority. Don't expect it to be quick - normally, they have to complete reference and CRB checks before you can start, but due to the current situation they are relaxing this slightly in areas which need large numbers of staff, so you start and then they do the checks. This is not the norm though. You'll be given a score and then be on the waiting list in order of that score, and you will be on the list for 12 months or until you're offered a position.

Unstoppable_2

sportfan wrote: »

Hello All

I am hear to ask about the selection tests

You're going to struggle.....

Unstoppable_2

sportfan wrote: »

Hello All

I am hear to ask about the selection tests

You're going to struggle.....

lorraineb

Hi I was employed by DWP for 8 years until end 07 when I resigned. Due to money pressures I have re applied and had to sit selection test. It is 15 questions on english paper where you mark the errors in the printed passage and 20 questions on the maths which is looking at can you get basic information from charts. I applied for an AA post and AO post but my pass mark was high enough to apply for EO post. It's not that difficult. The interview is based around the four competencies i.e explain when you gave excellent customer service. They we not interested in my past experience with DWP at all. I was quite angry I did not get the AA post with the experience I had. I was offered the AO post which I have taken. I got a phone call within a few days about the AO post and a no thank you letter about the AA post after about two weeks. I got a letter giving me my test scores and told to keep the proof incase I apply for any more vacancies. If anyone out there like me has resigned less than two years ago you can apply for re instatement but there is 10 month backlog but if they eventually get around to processing your application you would go back on previous pay ,in my case an extra £3000.

pfpf

my OH will be redundant from Monday, but she applied for a job online last week at the DWP.

she has today received an invite to a test/interview day next week - crikey they want alot of info/ID.

OH has 20 years working background, the last 15 being for the same employer in retail. she has covered most things from sales to admin, banking, cash office and CS. she is very hard working, competent, reliable and trustworthy.

her only problem, which she has always accepted is mathematics, she simply cant do numbers no matter how hard she has tried to learn, this has not stopped her doing anything that has been asked of her and doing it well.

if she were to fail the numeracy test is that it? she wont get an interview? she is already feeling fairly stressed about this. it seems harsh that someone who is capable, experienced and willing to learn would be overlooked due to "numeracy" issues.

if she got to interview even if she failed numeracy i am confident she would have as good a chance as anyone of getting a job as her demeanor/attitude is so good.

any thoughts?

also, all the info she has to provide on the criminal check and health forms - at what point do they take these off you? if you dont get to interview will they still take it from you? if they aren't going to interview why would they want to keep so much personal info?

thank you.

bigredhen

You have to pass both parts of the test to get an interview

storminbalder

She will have to pass the numeracy test! It used to be maths 'O' Level which was far harder.

BUT.

She has 15 minutes and only has to pass by half, ie 10 ot of 20! (that's for AO grade anyway).

She can also take a calculator to use.

It's pretty basic stuff based on the number of computers in each room in a college. I shouldn't think she should be too concerned!

All the best to her none the less.

KittyBoo_2

I failed the numeracy bit as I couldn't do the ratios.
Passed the literacy test and got a letter saying I wouldn't have to do this again.
At least I know what I have to brush up on.
It's interesting that the papers haven't changed much.

suewiththeblues

Adereterial wrote: »

I've just recently started as an AO.

I think the literacy test is 10 minutes, and the numeracy about 15 minutes. It's not hard. My interview was the same day, a week later I was offered a job to start the following week - though that is unusual.

There is a waiting list - this includes people wanting to transfer to different locations for various reasons and some of these will get priority. Don't expect it to be quick - normally, they have to complete reference and CRB checks before you can start, but due to the current situation they are relaxing this slightly in areas which need large numbers of staff, so you start and then they do the checks. This is not the norm though. You'll be given a score and then be on the waiting list in order of that score, and you will be on the list for 12 months or until you're offered a position.

:eek: :eek: i have been invited for selection tests for the EO/personal advisor post next week which i thought was only tests but am now a bit :eek: that they will interview me the same day which will give me sun/mon to prepare my maths and english AND interview questions - please tell me not everybody gets interviewed the same day as the tests!!!!!

NewShoes

KittyBoo wrote: »

I failed the numeracy bit as I couldn't do the ratios.
Passed the literacy test and got a letter saying I wouldn't have to do this again.
At least I know what I have to brush up on.
It's interesting that the papers haven't changed much.

Kitty, this is the first time I have heard that there was ratios on the numeracy test. Please can you give a few examples of what the questions were like?

Thanks.
NS.