Any GLD solicitors / civil service people able to help with success profiles?

[NQSol]

Hello!

I recently applied for a role with GLD and got as far as interview stage. I was unsuccessful and asked for feedback. I received my feedback a couple of days ago and it has really got to me. I was rated 1 in all of the competencies and the feedback has come across really harsh and also really unhelpful at points because it hasn’t stated what I could have done to improve, just that I did not demonstrate the competencies.

It’s really got me down. I am an NQ. I was offered a role at my firm and have stayed and I mentioned this in my interview yet this seems to have been counted against me in the written feedback. I thought I was clear about my reasons for applying - it’s a different role to what I would get in private practice and I thought the work would be really interesting. I used examples to explain this - the types of work carried out and conversations I’ve had with a friend who is a GLD solicitor. I did send my feedback to my friend who has made the same comments as me as regards the standard of feedback but my friend is still relatively junior (not hiring level) so is unable to advise me further on how to deal with the success profiles should I wish to reapply.

I don’t want to sound big headed but I’m not a bad candidate. I’m intelligent, a good solicitor and I know this shouldn’t get to me like it is.

I was very nervous when I went into the interview and I said so. Again this appears to have been remarked upon in my feedback and has been construed as that I didn’t prepare.

Does anyone have any advice on the success profiles and how I could better prepare? I am really very disappointed and while it is still feeling quite raw (and right now I don’t want to apply again), I probably will want to re-apply in the future.

Many thanks.

GLS lawyer here. The application process is very, very tough and there are many, many candidates, more than for the private sector. There's a point score system, that plus the aptitude test to get to interview stage. Plus there will be all the internal trainee's and legal officers applying both from solicitor and barristers as it's all the same head once you are through the door. I would advise just to reapply again next year, competition is very tough though.

Thank you for your reply @Kanga83

I do appreciate that the process is tough (and akin to TC applications). Do you have any guidance on success profiles and how best to deal with them? I did go through the govt website but clearly the prep I did do wasn’t enough.

Recruitment appears to be rolling and as I applied in the last cycle I can as and when the next one opens.

And I am aware of the process, I did have the interview. My feedback appears to be based on the interview alone.

I would read up about Success Profiles - Google it - there are extensive materials about what we have to look for when we are assessing candidates.

Also use the STAR method for answers situation task action result.

The whole thing is incredibly bizarre to many outside the CS but with some careful preparation it's possible to get through and if it was the general Always On recruitment there'll be another one soon.

You need to take some time to think about all your experience - in work and outside of work, look at the criteria being assessed at each stage e.g. interview and pick some good examples to show what you can do - with evidence.

It's really difficult when people say yes I can do x or I've experience of doing x but they don't back it up with evidence.

I'd suggest not to be put off - you got through to interview so you have the first part covered.

A different panel may have given more feedback but you can't do anything about that unfortunately.

Some organisations run courses - I didn't do one so it's difficult to recommend one but always worth a look.

Depending on your circumstances there are also a lot of agency lawyers employed at GLD - you don't go through the fair & open competition rules for that so that is potentially another route in & often departments give support to agency lawyers applying for permanent roles - e.g. interview practice.

Good luck!

You’ve dodged a bullet OP! My friend got in and is miserable. Lots of being told to work out how to deport refugees to Rwanda 😐 They tell you the work is great to distract you from the pay cut. In fact the work is no better than private sector

Anyway. I was offered a job there years ago, I guess in the interview I came across very confident and able to control the direction of conversation? And when I thought their focus on an area of law I hadn’t practiced in 6 years wasn’t the best way to assess me, I told them so during the interview and turned the topic to what I thought would help them better.

Turned the job offer down as was so put off by everyone I met during the interview process.

Stay in private practice, find an area of law where you can build a good client relationship, then go in house asap and climb the ladder there. There are some good good jobs out there in film and music companies etc. Or if you really want £££££ go in house in an energy or pharmaceutical company.