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Original poster

Customer Service role at a local council, interview was on Thursday. Not heard anything back yet?

27 replies

littlepigeon34 · 09/06/2025 15:47

Im not entirely sure how many applied, or how many they interviewed.

I believe that interviews were held over the course of 2 days, and that they may have interviewed someone on Friday or Monday. I recall them saying we will be letting people know on Monday or they may have said we are interviewing one more person on Monday.

At the end of the interview, they asked me if i wanted part time or full time hours.

is this a sign of something, that i have shown them i am the right person for this job?

Im feeling a bit up and down as this is a job i really want, and i absolutely put my heart and soul out on it, really went to town with my STAR examples and i am praying to God with all my might because this job would be the making of me, it would open doors and i could move on up or sideways.

I'm worried though because i had an interview before somewhere else and it was just radio silence afterwards.

I'd like to think that the council does not operate in that manner.

OP posts:
Mumtumtastic · 09/06/2025 16:46

Hi OP, I’ve worked for several councils and their recruitment processes can vary a lot. One job I really wanted and gave my best at interview but didn’t hear anything back and assumed they’d filled the position and just moved on with looking for other jobs. If you can believe I finally heard, over 3 weeks(!) after the interview and was offered the job! Crazy long time to come by with an offer I thought lol 😂 so you just never know. Will keep everything crossed for you OP and try to hold it lightly if you can (in case it does come back as a no) and keep yourself busy /distracted so it doesn’t take up too much head space

Original poster
littlepigeon34 · 09/06/2025 17:55

You wont believe this, received a callback to tell me they wont be progressing with my application as i didn't have enough contact centre experience,

So why shortlist me for interview then?

I am absolutely fuming.

OP posts:
FeelinTwentySixPointTwo · 09/06/2025 18:03

Why are you fuming?

They shortlisted you knowing you didn't have the level of contact centre experience they wanted, but thought that you might have enough other relevant experience, or potential, to give you a go. That's a good thing as it means your application was strong.

Someone else was stronger on the day and they haven't picked you. That's ok.

It's nothing to be fuming about and - tbh - the fact that you are suggests you don't have the patience for a council customer service role. Those teams get battered by difficult customers day after day after day. It's the soft skills like patience, negotiation, the ability to read a conversation and think a couple of steps ahead, that they need.

Good luck with your job hunt.

Original poster
littlepigeon34 · 10/06/2025 06:42

Excuse me, i have a lot of patience. I went into that interview with a ton of experience and knowledge, and quite frankly if i didn't have enough experience then they should not have interviewed me!!!!!

5 years at a massive governing professional body in a contact centre/customer service role and also for a very large FCA body. Ok whatever.

And for your information, ive dealt with a 101 different enquiries, from very complex to very vulnerable customers with ease, even dealing with regulatory and financial enquiries so please do not preach to me about how i can do the job effectively when i have done for 6 years.

And here's the thing. If i am not good enough for the council, who couldn't even respond to an enquiry i sent to them about a neighbour who has left around 10 stinking bin bags in her garden that have been there for months, then it doesn't really say a lot for their great customer service does it. Oh yes, im not joking i even copied in the email addresses of two local MPs and the council are just f**king me around. The very same council i applied to work at their contact centre.

And apparently they are having to work on skill areas in their department. really? you don't say, First line resolution? Is that some fine joke? they can't even get their ducks into a row.

I rest my case. I know what i'm capable of thanks, and i will find a job that actually respects the level of experience that i have and the effort i put into interviews, because as far as i'm concerned they literally threw my effort back in my face.

They probably already had a candidate in mind because organisations REALLY do pretend they have a vacancy when they actually don't, and have cherry picked someone for the job.

But do not sit and preach to me about what i can and can't do, and what i am capable of when you don't even know me.

OP posts:
Passthecake30 · 10/06/2025 06:45

maybe the feedback wasn’t well worded. Can you ask for more?

Titasaducksarse · 10/06/2025 06:48

The cogs of HR can grind slowly in local authorities.

Be glad you're not me...still waiting 4 weeks or it might be 5 from an interview with the Welsh government!

Makethetea · 10/06/2025 06:52

It's usually done on a points system. Someone else will have had more experience or answered the questions in such a way that they scored higher.

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 10/06/2025 07:00

Council interviews are done on points. You were interviewed which means you met the requirements in terms of skills, knowledge and experience. On the day, there was someone that also met the above but gave more in terms of knowledge, skills and experience. They may have had someone who had worked in their dept in a temporary role before and who has applied who has everything they need and they know to be a great worker. Another day and you may have scored the most points.

Bearhunt468 · 10/06/2025 07:07

You do know just because you got an interview doesn't mean they have to give you the job. How else do you expect employers to decide who to employ. This is a very strong angry reaction to not getting a job following an interview. They interviewed you as you met the requirements but they felt following interview someone else demonstrated they had more experience then you. That's it... No need for this anger. Yes be disappointed you didn't get the job but it's not to say they shouldn't have interviewed you in the first place.

Whyherewego · 10/06/2025 07:09

Id push for more feedback. Sounds like another candidate did have more experience on the day

tattychicken · 10/06/2025 08:13

I understand you're disappointed but that's an overreaction to not getting the job. Like PP have said, another candidate has scored higher than you. It doesn't mean you couldn't have done the job, but just that on the day there was a better candidate.

I'm not sure what that has to do with the rubbish collection.

ConcernedFriendgbvc56 · 10/06/2025 08:15

Tbh your ‘fuming’ response suggests they’ve dodged a massive bullet and genuinely it may be helpful to consider if any of the personality traits coming through in that response came through in your interview…

PomeloOud · 10/06/2025 08:18

Sorry, you didn’t get it. It’s frustrating to put in all the effort of applying and interviewing to not get the job.

I work in local government. We score interview candidates on a points per answer basis. It’s quite simplistic. Another person simply scored higher than you. There’s also the chance they’ve had a temp doing the job who they wanted to take on permanently.

Better luck next time.

littleblueenvelope · 10/06/2025 08:22

@littlepigeon34ignore the ‘why are you fuming l’ comments! Sometimes people on Mumsnet make my eyes roll! If the sky is blue they will tell you it’s green!

it’s frustrating and a waste of your time! If their reason for not giving you the job was lack of contact centre experience then you’re indeed allowed to be annoyed! So many unprofessional recruiters and recruitment processes out there! If I hear ‘the other candidate was stronger’ fair enough! But that kind of feedback shows a total disregard for you and your time.

littleblueenvelope · 10/06/2025 08:24

Also, if as many above have said it’s based on a points system then they should just say that! Poor recruitment processes on the council part!

CatsMagic · 10/06/2025 08:26

Hi I occasionally help out with interviews for the NHS as part of my role and you just have to try and not take it personally (easier said than done I know) - it will be that there is someone better suited to the role .

And cheesy but always good to remember - what’s for you won’t pass you by , the right role will come up.

MissBattleaxe · 10/06/2025 08:27

littlepigeon34 · 10/06/2025 06:42

Excuse me, i have a lot of patience. I went into that interview with a ton of experience and knowledge, and quite frankly if i didn't have enough experience then they should not have interviewed me!!!!!

5 years at a massive governing professional body in a contact centre/customer service role and also for a very large FCA body. Ok whatever.

And for your information, ive dealt with a 101 different enquiries, from very complex to very vulnerable customers with ease, even dealing with regulatory and financial enquiries so please do not preach to me about how i can do the job effectively when i have done for 6 years.

And here's the thing. If i am not good enough for the council, who couldn't even respond to an enquiry i sent to them about a neighbour who has left around 10 stinking bin bags in her garden that have been there for months, then it doesn't really say a lot for their great customer service does it. Oh yes, im not joking i even copied in the email addresses of two local MPs and the council are just f**king me around. The very same council i applied to work at their contact centre.

And apparently they are having to work on skill areas in their department. really? you don't say, First line resolution? Is that some fine joke? they can't even get their ducks into a row.

I rest my case. I know what i'm capable of thanks, and i will find a job that actually respects the level of experience that i have and the effort i put into interviews, because as far as i'm concerned they literally threw my effort back in my face.

They probably already had a candidate in mind because organisations REALLY do pretend they have a vacancy when they actually don't, and have cherry picked someone for the job.

But do not sit and preach to me about what i can and can't do, and what i am capable of when you don't even know me.

Maybe it was a personality thing? You can score well on points but maybe they just didn't like you? They can't give that as a reason so they said something else.You sound disproportionately furious.

PomeloOud · 10/06/2025 08:28

littleblueenvelope · 10/06/2025 08:24

Also, if as many above have said it’s based on a points system then they should just say that! Poor recruitment processes on the council part!

The recruitment process really isn’t poor. It’s really robust and fair.

The only caveat is, and it’s often the case, a temp may have been already doing the job and will then get the permanent position because they will do really well at interview.

Nitgel · 10/06/2025 08:31

They gave the job to someone they know.

MoistVonL · 10/06/2025 08:34

I appreciate you’re disappointed, OP, but your response to a PP is disproportionately aggressive and snarky.

You had not got enough experience to get the job but your application was strong enough to make them think you might have enough other traits or experience to be suitable. So they gave you the chance. That’s a credit to your application form.

The other possibility is that you just didn’t click with them and “not enough experience” is a polite brush off for “would be a personality clash.”

CatsMagic · 10/06/2025 08:48

Ok I am coming back with some tough love - if I was interviewing you for a customer service role and you came across in your interview as you do here I wouldn't be hiring you either….

To do the job you applied for you really need to have rock sold self esteem - you need to have thick skin and the ability to rise above and not need to “win”, and the way you come across here and on your other thread doesn’t give the impression that’s you.

I also thought the answer you were planning for the question about council experience was very weak. And your STAR examples didn’t describe specific skills.

If you want some genuine honest advice then some of us can help. If you want to lick your wounds and have a rant then fair enough.

Makethetea · 10/06/2025 09:02

littleblueenvelope · 10/06/2025 08:24

Also, if as many above have said it’s based on a points system then they should just say that! Poor recruitment processes on the council part!

They do.

FeelinTwentySixPointTwo · 10/06/2025 09:06

OP, I'm going to ignore your previous ranty response to me as you're clearly upset about not getting the job.
However, as a pp said, some of us can help here if you want genuine advice.

I'm in a very senior position in a council. I have been on countless interview panels for roles just like yours. Like others on this thread, if you're willing to listen then perhaps I can help.

Just telling yourself you have lots of experience and they've been unfair isn't going to cut it. There was clearly a candidate who scored more highly on the day. And that's ok. You can't change that, but what you can change is how highly you score next time.

littleblueenvelope · 10/06/2025 09:07

The OP was saying the feedback said she didn’t have relevant experience. I’d too be frustrated that I’d been invited to an interview and the reason for the job was that I didn’t have the correct experience. The recruiter should do better with shortlisting! And I’m sure the OP probably didn’t come across frustrated as she might do on this post. This is Mumsnet and people use it as a place to let go of their frustrations in a ‘safe’ space! Not everyone has a huge village at home to share these kind of things!

FeelinTwentySixPointTwo · 10/06/2025 09:47

The OP was saying the feedback said she didn’t have relevant experience. I’d too be frustrated that I’d been invited to an interview and the reason for the job was that I didn’t have the correct experience. The recruiter should do better with shortlisting!

This isn't how it works though. Quite often, when shortlisting, you will shortlist candidates where there is a question mark over the depth or relevance of their experience but you want to give them a chance at interview. Perhaps because other aspects on their CV are impressive, or because you want to bring a broader skillset to your team.

In this case, for example, the OP has lots of customer service experience but not specifically in councils. So at the interview, as someone on the panel, you would be wanting to hear about any extra relevant experience that's not on the CV, or how the candidate's skills and experience is transferable.

It sounds like the OP didn't demonstrate those transferable skills and thus it's fair to say she didn't have the relevant experience. That's not to say she shouldn't have been shortlisted.

Or perhaps there was a personality clash and they used the experience issue as a more polite explanation. If the OPs antipathy towards councils came through then this would have definitely been a red flag.

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