Civil service

[ObamaLlamas]

Any hints and tips on the application/interview process? I've just read they then do a 3 hour interview and ask you about your character etc as part of the vetting process. Is this true even as part of quite a basic job?! Seems overkill. It seems like such an enigma to get into and I'm desperate to get in but also feel a bit overwhelmed. Sorry posting for traffic.

The time will vary depending on the recruiting manager doing it

Ideally they will have planned for the application closure date and will sift & submit the invitations for interviews within days.
But they might not - a bit self defeating if they take their time as it just adds to the time in employing someone

That's a how long is a piece of string question I'm afraid. It depends on how many applicants, the department's process, when diaries allow the panel to meet to discuss, whether the ONS HR department need to approve the results etcetc. Just don't expect anything to do with recruitment in the civil service to move quickly! And certainly if you're successful, don't give notice at your current job until you have a start date.

There are actually five levels of security clearance now - you can see more at www gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels but unless you need Dv (unlikely as others have said) it's not intrusive.

Even if you worked in a team, you will still have to respond as if you lead that team
i would disagree with this bit though. I don't want you to pretend you were the boss if you weren't. I want you to tell me what your role was within that team and how you delivered in your tasks to help the whole team achieve the bigger goal
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Thanks thats basically what I've done, explained what I led the team on but did explain that I then regularly updated the key stakeholders such as management. To try and make clear I'm not claiming I was the manager but I was in charge of this piece of work.

Each dept is a bit different but in mine it's 1-2 days for managers to sift and get scores in, up to 24 more hours for the internal recruiters to make sure we did it right and then release results. So 3 days in total unless there is a weekend and then that doesn't count.

Did you get the job? Searching for anyone who has worked in Child Maintenance Services but nothing showed up but this thread.

Hope you got the job with ONS, OP.

No I did not get through sifting. I'm actually glad now because it just seems like a lot of paper pushing and red tape. I think the civil service needs an overhaul.

I am sorry to hear that, but there are other opportunities out there outside of the CS. I have been looking at jobs there amongst other organisations like local authority and NHS. It appears you have to jump through so many hoops and then some with the CS!

You cannot overkill security. Especially in CS.

Thanks. I ended up with a private company with way more salary than I could ever have expected in the CS or elsewhere. Better benefits (7 months full pay maternity leave for example) and a fantastic pension too (17% contribution) so I'm happy! 😀

Brilliant to hear - it's a win! Glad to hear you got the perfect job🙌