Long shot - but does anyone work as a Field Interviewer for the ONS / Civil Service?

[CuteLilBatFace]

I've been offered a job but they're rather ... vague on what I actually have to do and the hours especially

So thought I'd ask here on the off chance!

I did similar for a large market research company - loads of work but it was payment by results - eg how many questionnaires I got completed

Realistically had to do a fair amount of evenings and weekends to catch people in

I did it years ago...

Basically you'll be knocking doors and asking people to do a survey. They vary in length but the ones I was doing were 20-30 mins long so you get a far few refusals. You need a thick skin otherwise it can really get you down.

As pp said, you have to do evenings and weekends to catch people at home (I would have to visit the same house 3 times (different days/times) before putting it down as unsuccessful.

I used to get paid per interview and it was a pretty good rate of pay, so if you're confident speaking to people and can let rudeness go over your head it might be worth a go. I liked being out and about and the flexibility of it suited me.

I did partake in a survey with them and they said the office hours were 9 until 7

That's the office staff - as an interviewer I was expected to work until 8pm plus weekends.

Thanks all

This is advertised as 22 hours a week and my 'patch' is anything up to 40 miles from my designated town

I'm just struggling to see how I'd fit this in to 22 hours or thereabouts with travel etc.

And the details are ..: vague

I do this now!

its very flexible.

i have to be strict with my hours ie) make myself unavailable at times to suit myself as well as the public

I often go over 22 hours but you can either use it as time off/flexi in the quarter or be paid for it.

contract says Saturday but I don’t have to? Apparently very few do.

i make my evening appointments via phone as not able to go back out

You get your addresses on the Monday, drive twice to them all Monday afternoon

see what happens etc

i often then go back out Wednesday am for my driving visits and do my interviews (30% of the addresses is the target) around that.

thursdays and Fridays I say that I’m working from home only and it works so far.

scheduling your own time is a big part of the role

@Fuzzymuddle33 yay - someone who actually does the job! Thank you for the information - it's very vague at this stage and I had visions of literally being on the road every day for hours on end!

So you find you can generally stick to 22 hours a week? I don't wish to go over this ideally although will do if I need to! Good to know you can arrange to speak to people over the phone - in this day and age, people just don't wish to invite strangers into their homes do they? I did wonder about that

And can I ask .. how far do you travel? I know it's 40 miles from your designated area - do you often find it's the full 40 miles or sometimes less?

Thanks again for the response

And do you have to run your hours past your boss or are you fully responsible for your own time and managing your own diary?

Sorry for all the questions!

@Fuzzymuddle33 and are you provided with a laptop and phone? What brand?
Thanks so much again!

I do this too. I think my manager is firmer as it’s three visits per address and there’s a real push for face to face as if we are doing it over the telephone they don’t need a field team. I tend to do two long days start in morning and then do the route in reverse the next time. Then mop up any stragglers over an evening or two. The calling pattern should be one morning, one afternoon and an evening or Saturday. Good chat on the door step, a smile goes a long way but absolutely a thick skin.

You do a time sheet and your boss approves your hours and expenses. I’ve gone up to a 30 hour contract and so this week I have 24 cases grouped together in two areas. It’s worth noting you get paid travel time and I’m rural so that’s a good 20% of my hours, survey admin time and general admin probably about another 20%.

it’s hard for them to say what you will do as it varies wildly but you are perfectly entitled to stop at 22 hours. Some interviews are very short, especially for older people who have retired some years ago and some take a good hour. So tricky to plan. Sometimes nobody is at home and having planned to work a long day and driven 40 miles you go for a cup of tea and a scone and hope for better days. If you are five miles from home for five hours you can claim £7.50 in lunch expenses so you get to know all the coffee shops.

@Lovelysummerdays that's helpful thank you. I'm getting more of a feel for it now from reading your reply - there genuinely is nothing so far so I'm in the dark!

Do you enjoy it? And may I ask what on earth do you do when you encounter rejection after rejection? Because with all the friendliness and persuasion in the world, a lot of people simply won't engage I suppose!

If you are having a bad day, have a cup of tea somewhere and whinge on teams for a bit ( my team is lovely) or go home and try again another day. You send out a letter on Monday for the following weeks cases and some people are keen and will contact you. It’s good to get them booked in asap so even if you have a couple of rejections you know you’ve got a confirmed interview to get to.

Some of the cases have contact details so you can phone in advance. Honestly in a way it’s easier to get a hard no rather than having to keep coming back to someone who doesn’t want to do it but is too polite to say so.

In terms of kit they do give you a laptop and an iPhone. The training is really good ( all online) and takes a good couple of weeks and then you get a slow start.

I meant to say I do enjoy it. I like to talk to people. Some of the keener respondents are often retirees who are looking for something to fill the time. So you get tea and scones and lots of chat. There isn’t a pressure to keep interviews super short. Much better for you to go away and the respondent feels like it was a positive experience than sticking to a rigid schedule.

The respondents do get paid for taking part.

Ah they receive payment for agreeing to participate? I wasn't aware of that but I suppose that ups participation

I start in about 3 weeks time and I'm literally so in the dark as the job description isn't very forthcoming and neither was the interview

Can I ask if you're paid a flat 22 hours a week? Because I'm aware it's a yearly salary but how does this work if for example you do 22 hours one week and 30 the next?

Thanks for replying

No problem I remember being in the dark before I started but it all makes sense when you are in it. You’ll be paid your salary then every third month any overtime you are owed for the last quarter.

https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2023/07/28/in-the-field-surveying-the-nation/

This is worth a listen

So I can only talk for my manager but yes I have a lot of flexibility around my hours

yes they receive incentives to speak to you, sometimes £50!

you get a laptop and phone and lots of stationary!!

The furthest I have travelled so far is 25 miles. You get paid for you travel time and petrol.

The training is good and the people are great.

Thank you both, so helpful.

I just had visions of literally spending hours and hours knocking on doors and I'd read somewhere that the re-visit rate was 6 times before giving up and I couldn't quite envisage myself pestering someone 6 times!

I'd also read a job review from someone saying that it took over their life and they were out all day every day. That's categorically not going to work for me - 22 hours is about my limit with capacity to do a little more as and when. So it's good to learn that you can manage your own workload

A few more questions if I may?

How many houses are you targeting per campaign and how long do you have to complete it? Honestly I have no idea. Is it perhaps 50 houses on an estate and you have one week to visit them all? Surely not?

Thanks also for the podcast link which I'll listen to today

I’d expect quota to be less, they don’t choose addresses next door so you travel between. Maybe 20 a week or so for 22 hours. The aim is for non-contacts to be 10% or less. Sometimes you do have a tricky quota where it seems no one is ever in and you have to keep going back but they will average it out.

Honestly it’s actually a really nice job, good luck with your training!

@Lovelysummerdays thank you.

How do you find the admin side of things? I'm not particularly amazing with technology although can get by!

It’s fine, I find fusion takes me longer than it probably should (timesheets and expenses) but I just potter through it of an evening, I tend to underestimate time spent in this so they probably get an hour or so free a week from me. Survey admin is normally fine but you do get tricky ones, ask for help if you find yourself going in circles. You’ll get a mentor and normally you can screen share and they will walk you through it.

If you are five miles from home for five hours you can claim £7.50 in lunch expenses so you get to know all the coffee shops

@Lovelysummerdays that's interesting because I work for another government agency and our 5 hour expenses rate has been £5 for nearly 30 years and management are adamant that 'the law' forbids them to increase it, which we know is nonsense but curious to learn that another government body pays more.

It used to be five but it went up a year or so ago. I think in all honesty because we are out and about we spend more as quite often need to buy something to access loos. I definitely spend more than when I work on one site.

Hello @CuteLilBatFace I came across this thread as I got 'field interviewed' recently in my house and the person I spoke with recommended I try it out..
I had an initial screening call today and it seems that, all being well tomorrow, they would want me to start in June. I'm based in Central-ish London and they seem to want me to work in one location initially which isn't far from me.
Are you still doing the job and how have you found the hours / travel? Is it manageable / enjoyable?