Local Authority - why so slow?

[Stinkyredrose]

I was offered a job over the phone with the LA at the end of May. They said they'd be in touch with a written job offer in the next few days.

They said they'd send out paperwork to request info to do DBS and references. (To clarify. References are done AFTER job offer. I know some LAs ask for referencing details during the application form but not here!)

I've been checking Taleo every single day and 4 days ago it was switched from "Offer being created" to "Offer Sent via email" - I haven't had the email.

At what stage can I email my interviewer and ask if everything is ok?

This doesn't bode well either. Have I just accepted a job for a slow, dithery, out of date, ineffective department?

I went from being excited to feeling annoyed at inefficiencies 😂

They definitely have the correct email address as it was used for the interview invitation and follow up.

Nothing in Spam
.

I’d be contacting them the day after it said offer sent via email as I would assume there has been an error and it’s been sent to the wrong address.

I’d contact them ASAP.

They might have been waiting for your DBS check to come back before they bother with contracts etc

I would chase now, no reason to wait if it said an email has been sent but you don't. Just be grateful you're not trying to get into the civil service!

Like I say, they can't do the DBS until they actually request information.

They don't even know my maiden name nor my address! 😂 that would be a piss poor DBS

Their process states online

1 - interview
2 - job offer. Things will go quiet until a job offer is "Made"
3 - job offer is sent via email along with DBS and reference forms to fill out
4 - it could be anything from 2 weeks to 8 weeks before we receive all required information back from DBS and references
5 - we discuss start date and holidays

Pffft

I wouldn't lose faith in the department. It'll likely be a single HR function for the whole LA. Multiple people will need to sign off at every stage & if anyone is on leave or ill It'll just get stuck until they're back. Not efficient but LAs are pretty hierarchical & the processes not always flexible. Congrats on the job, email the recruitment manager/line manager & ask for an update.

I applied for a job on 1st March with a local council, successful interview 9th March, still not actually fully onboarded - eg I told them I had a DBS on the update service in early March, sent the details, have checked they are OK, and just this week got a link with no explanation or information saying “you haven’t done your DBS stuff” to do a fresh dbs. Endless delays/cancellations of training, long gaps with no communication at all.

They are even more slow and useless than the NHS, and that’s saying something.

Under different circumstances I’d have junked them and moved on by now.

Multiple sign offs for every stage makes much more sense!

My new line manager said if I had any questions to give her a call. So I did and I left a voicemail but now I'm worried I'll look silly and impatient

Thank you so much :)

😱 oh my god!

Our HR admin is very slow, not because they don't work hard but because they are very overstretched.

It's unlikely to be any reflection of the department you are going to work in