Civil service - two week wait

[NoTvNoWifi]

Hi all. I have been trawling online looking for answers - that probably don’t exist but I’ll try anyway! I had a CS interview two weeks ago tomorrow. It was the third stage (SEO) and I felt it went well - not like me as I’m hard on myself. I haven’t heard a peep and the wait is tortuous. They said they were interviewing for two more days after me and I would be informed by HR email. My question is … should I extinguish all hope? Realistically would they not have informed the successful candidates by now? There were a few posts but not more than five afaik. I’m trying to pretend I don’t care - even to myself - but I want to draw a line under it. Help please! I went for a HEO one in May and am second reserve so it has been a long couple of gruelling months.

Dh had given up of being offered a CS job, but 5 weeks after the interview he was offered the job.

sometimes takes weeks. Depends on how long security checks etc take.

That’s interesting and very long. Do they do the checks before they offer?

Some parts of civil service have imposed recruitment restrictions due to the need to cut numbers - it could be that they're trying to navigate whatever is going on in their organisation but you could contact them and ask?

I don't know what CS job is, or even what sector this is, but can you contact HR yourself? Was it via a recruiting you could ask? Any admin contact you could just ask 'when you might hear either way'?

I was interviewed for a different role, but was told I got the job maybe a week later. It did take 3mths, though, for security checks till I actually started though!!!

I assume you've checked your spam mail and logged into the site that you applied through, to see your application status? I ask because a lot more mail than normal has wrongly ended up in my spam folder.

Everything takes longer than expected in the CS, but, because of everything that's been in the news, I would contact them to ask them for an update.

Recruitment takes an AGE in the civil service!

So it could indeed be that it's tied up with the recruitment freeze just imposed but in our dept the freeze was on new posts not ones already in the process.

The panel need to complete all interviews, input score sheets and feedback and submit to HR. Usually HR will let you know promptly once they know, but there can be deists with the panel sure if they're busy, someone off etc.

You'll have had your pre employment checks done before interview but if security clearance is needed that won't be done until you're offered the post.

*delays

Don't worry, keep waiting you will be informed either way but it may not be for a few more weeks. CS recruitment is very slow. I saw a recent SEO job advert and interviews are first week in August and they'd be informed if they got it by the 12th September. If you still have a link to the job ad there is usually a timeline with dates in it so you know what to expect but a months wait is totally normal.

CS worker here... hang in there. It takes ages !

Thank you all. Oh this not affected by the recruitment freeze thankfully. There was no timeline in advertisement but will hang in as you say and try not to be too hopeful!

They do take ages. A colleague of mine had an interview for heo last week and told me she is not expecting to hear until end of July.

That’s brutal!

It’s Civil Service. All done centrally so no point of contact

Perfectly possible the vacancy has vanished because of recruitment controls being imposed by some departments. Usually they honour anything where offers have been made but will discontinue others that are in earlier stages (interview, sifting, still advertised).

Interviewed April, job offer June and started in October! It can take a loooong time.

Hi all. Thanks for continuing replies. I am digesting it all. I’d be surprised if they had vanished as is a priority area for recruitment but maybe I’m just refusing to give up!

That is so long! Did you refresh your emails multiple times a day throughout or put it to the back of your mind?

I work in HR for civil service. Its because the department will be reviewing its recruitment due to freeze

I had an idea it would be a while but I had more or less given up so I was quite surprised to get a call two months later! The background checks etc took ages too.

They’re unbelievably slow. If they say two weeks, double it, then wait some more. 🤣🤣

This is dire but also a little bit hopeful. The worst part of it is going it might work out. If you didn’t pass interview they should let you know asap. That just my humble opinion.

I'd agree with this as a general rule, and also suspect the recruitment freeze may be involved here. In my department, all current recruitment campaigns (including where they've reviewed) have been temporarily paused - the decision to continue with each recruitment campaign is being made (individually) at DG level, so it's not quick (even for roles where the likelihood of DGs saying no looks pretty slim).
We are making progress (just got permission to complete a sift and invite candidates to interview, hurrah!) but it has slowed us down.

Meant to add - fingers crossed for you OP!

Unfortunately it can take ages. I work for the CS and we have done campaigns that’s been longer. Sometimes it can be difficult to get all the paperwork together, or if someone goes off sick or off on emergency leave before they submitted it etc. Then you’re looking at a few months for security clearance. It’s a very slow process, frustrating for all. A colleague is still waiting after an internal interview 4wks later

Also all the candidates get notified at the same time. It doesn’t work like you assume, that they’d have told the successful candidates first. The results are all released together