Any Civil Service appliers or recruiters?

[Lightninginabox]

Trying desperately to get into Civil Service.

Am 45 - do you think there's ageism in hiring externals?

I have a lot of G6/7 type experience but earlier in my career. I am more than happy to start from scratch again in the departments that are in my area (Belfast) but I wonder am I flunking the interview?

I have done about 12-15 applications, getting up to 6s and 7s in application forms and have had three interviews, two turned down and one I think will be turned down as they shouldn't have posted it as available for Belfast, and one awful press/ministerial briefing in which I got a 4.

Any interview advice?

Will be keeping everything crossed for you, and hope you hear back soon!

Thank you! I have a feeling it might be good, but not good enough (in terms of scoring for a CS interview) but it was my first one so I'll be much more prepared in terms of knowing what to expect if there's a a next time

@NotMyDayJob i had an interview too, for an amazing cs job but v badly paid, the questions were insanely tough and not at all warm and fluffy (things like the ice breaker and strengths for example) and they are interviewing so many people that I won’t hear for three weeks 🤔not holding out too much hope but good practice!

Mners - I used A LOT of your advice from this thread - I really appreciate it all. So many kind ‘good luck’ messages at the end of helpful bits of advice, I actually had an emosh moment thinking about how this kind of thread is so the great side of mn. And parking threads, obviously.

I think mine was similar, presentation, behaviours, experience and then strengths questions. The job is ok paid but not amazing (seems at the lower end of HEO) so I was a bit surprised it was so involved.

I also forgot to ask when I'd find out but I think they were only interviewing this week so I'd hope not too long. I've had an interview in the public sector (not CS) and one in the private sector within the last six months and they handled telling me I hadn't been successful quite poorly so whatever happens with this it can't be any worse.

Oh and good luck to you @Lightninginabox I really hope your perseverance pays off for you

@Lightninginabox thank you! It’s a bit embarrassing that it needs THIS much perseverance but hey ho! 😬

How did you find your presentation? I have one to do in two weeks and dreading it.

@NotMyDayJob that was meant to be directed to you! Not to myself, doh.

Not too bad, but I am a bit of a subject matter expert in the issue they asked me to present on (so that'll be extra embarrassing if I don't get it 🤣), but keeping to time was tough, they asked for a lot for the time given.

If you are doing the presentation over Teams when you're in share mode there is a timer in the top left hand corner just for the presentation running time which is v helpful. The other thing I would say is 'visual aids are optional' but it's always worth using slides if you get the opportunity otherwise it does feel a bit like talking into a void.

Two weeks should be more than enough time to prepare one, I had about 8 days as the timelines on this one seem to be (unusually?) Quite tight

Very helpful thank you!

So do you screenshare you powerpoint so that they don't see you? I need to give this some serious run throughs. I am NOT an expert at all on the subject matter! Eek!

Yes once you are in teams, you'll screen share the PowerPoint, but depending on their version of teams they may still be able to see you as a little preview, I think in the bottom right corner, or possibly along the right hand side. I have windows 11 so it meant I couldn't see them during the presentation which was a bit weird.

If they could see me they could also see me gesticulating away like Tony Blair 🤣

I just read that thread. It is depressing. Just a few points, because of the way recruitment/career progression works (there are no automatic promotions when you are great at your job, you have to apply for another role), people move around so much and there is little reward for staying and becoming great at a role, the reward is in becoming great at success profiles (note, not necessarily great at your actual job) and moving up to the next level. If you get the magic formula in applications/interviews, you can progress very quickly, quicker than the private sector. It also encourages someone to only focus on their targets with a view to getting interview answers for the grade above, without looking at the wider impacts on their department. I used to work in operational roles at AO/EO and the targets were harsh and hard to meet, lots of micromanagement and not much trust, they were not easy jobs despite the pay. The call centre roles are even worse, they sound like Dante's seventh circle of hell.

It's so hard to get a job there as there is a magic formula, it is like jumping through hoops. I think they must miss out on so many great applicants because of it. Good luck with your applications!

@user738372 I don't entirely agree. You can't just learn to ace the recruitment process to progress, of course it's important, but ultimately you need the experience in your answers. Weak experience easily shows through. When going for the senior roles if you haven't got the depth of experience to demonstrate the behaviours at the appropriate level you won't be able to get the role, being able to evidence delivery and success through teams is extremely difficult to do if you haven't got a lot of experience in leading teams for example.

Pretty chuffed to say I got the job. Commended for my use of the STAR format and got 7 for my presentation

Congrats @NotMyDayJob! That is excellent news and a highly impressive 7!

Thank you! I'm quite shocked to be honest. I got 6s and 7s and one 5 and I had read no one ever gets a 7.

STAR as if your life depends on it. That's my top tip. And if you have to respond to strengths, don't say anything weird was the advice a civil servant friend gave me 😆

That’s amazing!!! Huge congratulations- and a 7 as well.
I’m starting to feel so despondent about CS recruitment that it’s good to hear of someone external getting a CS job. Well done

Congrats @NotMyDayJob

Thank you :) and you @MabelMoo23

@NotMyDayJob thats fantastic news, congratulations! You can celebrate this weekend!

Hahaha that’s indeed a top tip about not saying anything weird! Hello, I am COMPLETELY NORMAL, please please give me a job.

Ha! Thank you. And good luck for your upcoming applications/ interviews. If you can hack the terrible pay, it is possible

7 is the highest score so very well done! I'm a H in the CS so if I can help anyone, please feel free to DM me

UPDATE!

I am on one reserve list for one job and just been invited back for an informal second round on another - billed as a ‘fireside chat’ with one of the heads of department.

Do any of you guru mavens have any insight into this type of thing?

Great news!!
I had a “fireside chat” for the role I ended up on the reserve list for. It was quite informal but was more along the lines of tell me what you are doing now and why do you want this particular job.

my understanding is (and a CS person can confirm or correct me) is that the fireside chat isn’t scored, and the person doing the chat doesn’t make the final decision but they feed back into the hiring manager

but then I’m not really sure how that works because CS recruitment is based (supposedly) on merit and top scorer gets it, but if someone is feeding in an opinion from a fireside chat, then surely it is subjective anyway??? So I’m not sure - I ended up on the reserve list

Brilliant news! Well done and good luck 🙂

Congratulations! I'm afraid I can't advise on the fireside chat but that sounds really positive. Good luck!