Being invited to have an ‘informal chat’ about a job I have applied for - Civil Service

[PublicSector]

Just that really, I previously posted about being fed up with my current role (in the civil service) and based on the advice I received here from you beautiful people I decided to apply for roles in different departments. I received an email from one today asking for an ‘informal chat’ with the recruitment manager to discuss my experience and the role in more detail. The application window closed this morning and I got the email around 9am!

Has anybody got any experience of this? I’m now doubting myself and thinking I may have been too confident in my application. I’ve just never had this before it’s always been straight to the interview.

Any tips for what I should be prepared for?

It's standard now in the private sector and assume it's the same - they want to check you aren't a complete weirdo and maybe ask about salary and other details that weren't on your application. Good luck!

I'm NHS and it's been standard for at least 10 years (where I am anyway) to contact the recruiting manager prior to applying to express your interest and ask some questions. I've worked with people who just don't interview applicants who haven't called first as they take it as lack of interest/initiative. I'd take it as a good sign that they're giving you a chance to ask questions as at interview you'll be up against people who have actively called to ask more.

Congratulations. It’s very standard, the recruiter wants to talk to a long list before narrowing down the numbers for interview. No-one wants to interview more than a handful as it’s such a time consuming process.

Treat it like an interview, albeit casual. Prepare well, re- read the job spec, think about your experience and how you will be able to apply that to the new role. Be enthusiastic and have a good answer as to why you’re interested. If there are any awkward gaps in your cv or in your fit against the job spec think about how you can explain them.

And finally, this is also your opportunity to work out it you’ll like the manager and the role. Asking questions that are relevant to the role and team shows you are taking this seriously. Good luck!

Oh, and be prepared for a certain amount of “smalltalk”. If you are a natural at that, all well and good and you don’t need any help! But if you’re on the spectrum you need to treat that part as part of the interview as well. Managers want to know that they can get on with their team, feel some kind of rapport ect. So if they start with “did you have a good weekend” then say something ( brief) about what you did, don’t just say “fine, thanks”.

thanks so much for the responses! I don’t know why I’m so nervous, I’d be less nervous for an interview but as you say @AirborneElephant I’m sure they will be assessing if I fit in etc luckily I’m ok with small talk. I had better think if some questions to ask myself too!

@PublicSector So I’m in the Civil Service also and haven’t applied for a new role for a while and this is news to me also! So it sounds as though what they now do then is to use an informal chat as a way of filtering appropriate people down for interview. Thats really surprised me as they usually just go by competency scores when deciding who to interview.

Please do come back and report how it went as I’m hoping to apply to different CS departments shortly also so would be very interested in your experience!

If they weren't interested they would not have contacted you. Do not believe thus is "informal" they will most definitely be assessing you.

It's like a casual interview. Prepare well.

@MoominMai thats what I thought which is why I am surprised especially so soon after the closing date, I’m sure you know how slow recruitment process can be 🙈

I will update after the chat and let you know!

@ByQuaintAzureWasp thank you! I’m actually so nervous as at least with an interview I can prepare.

This really surprises me. I’ve worked in public and private sector and I’ve never known this happen in the civil service where sifts are usually blind and competency based. If it’s a shift in practice I wonder what has driven it and how it fits with their usual approach?

I’m wondering if perhaps it’s a particularly urgent role that needs fulfilling quickly perhaps?

Either way, good luck with it and will look out for your post-interview posts! 🍀

One thing I’d add is to be wary of “informal” questions that might be intrusive/illegal. I was once invited to one of these pre-interview “chats” and asked if I had children, whether I was planning to have them and what my husband did for work. Depressingly this wasn’t all that long ago and the interviewer was also a woman. Treat it like a formal interview and don’t be caught off guard.

So interesting! I'm in the Civil Service too and have never heard of this, sifts tend to be blind these days so I'm surprised they even have your details. Is it a permanent role you applied for or an expression of interest for a temporary role? Makes more sense if it's the latter as the process is less formal. As others have said, definitely go prepared to sell yourself and your experience. Good luck!

Yes that’s what I’m wondering if it’s an EOI and if memory serves me correct, if no one else applies then it’s just an informal chat sometimes!