Provisional job offer with Civil Service, will they reject me after 5 years as a SAHM?!

[Lolly8301]

Hi there,

Probably here overthinking things but wondering whether someone could offer some reassurance please.
I applied for a job in the civil service, I passed their judgment tests and behaviours tasks and managed to get an interview, albeit a video one. Well to my surprise, after 5 years out of the work place as a stay at home mother, they have offered me a job provisionally dependent on pre employment checks. One of these checks is employment history, and as I haven’t worked for 5 years there is now a massive gap. My main concern is that because of this, they will reject my application. Or, is it a case of that gap of unemployment won’t matter too much and they will be able to see that I have plenty of previous experience in a similar sector?
I was so excited initially but now I am starting to doubt myself.

Any thoughts or if anyone has had similar experience of applying with the civil service after being a SAHM would be much appreciated.

But you've already been given a provisional offer, so I wouldn't think so.
Probably just referees to contact. Pre-employment checks will mean a DBS and references I imagine.
Congratulations!

Thank youFor replying. Being out of the workplace for 5 years has knocked my confidence I think. I’m still getting over the shock of being offered a job to be honest!

Congratulations. I got a job recently with the civil service after a 5 year break from employment. As long as you have references then there is no problem - my neighbour was one, and my supervisor from some voluntary work. Be prepared as sometimes the pre employment checks can take some time. I had a provisional offer in the December, and didn't start until end of April!

Congratulations and I’m sure their HR will advise. Do you have previous employment references you can use? If so, that’ll be fine. If it’s been so long they don’t exist, you should be able to use professional references instead. The HR or recruitment department will advise.

I would think the check is to make sure what you've said about your previous jobs is true. As long as your application was truthful, I can't see there's a problem.

You'll need referees to cover you for the five years you've been out of the workforce - have you done any voluntary work or anything like that? PTA even? Basically a person or people who have known you in some sort of 'offical' capacity - ie not your friends or your mum But as long as you can cover that gap, you'll be fine.

Thank you both, that’s very reassuring. I contacted the manager of my last job and she has agreed to give me a reference as well as a couple of friends. I had to provide 2 personal and one professional. I’m guessing that the HR department will contact me should they need more information.
Prepared for it to take a while, to be honest, that might give me time to get my head around things and make arrangements for the children.

I work in HR in Civil Service, as long as your references stack up a gap in employment isn't an issue. Pretty sure you will have included that on yr original application anyway?

Ah I didn’t think of PTA, I’ve done a lot with them. Thanks!

@lovemelongtime I didn’t have to provide any of this information before the interview even. It was is a Work Coach EO role and I just had to complete the civil service judgment test and do 2 statements on two of the behaviours and then was offered and interview, so there was no really application form to speak of before this point!

Hi OP any updates did you get the job offer ?
my daughter is in a similar position . She got made redundant from her office job during Covid 19 and has been out of work since due to personal/ health reasons . So about 5 years now . During that time she was not claiming benefits as she had savings ( over the threashold for making a claim ) and was also living with me & my husband & we supported her financially .So now she has been out of work and not on benefits for this whole time .Recently, she’s started looking for admin-level jobs but is struggling to find anything due to the gap in her employment history. If any one has any advice please let me know .