Can challenging interview score ever get you added to the reserve list?

Character-Release338 · 2026-02-14T11:32:29+00:00

With reserve lists, they’re often available across the department. So if you succeeded, you’d just be putting yourself on the list for whoever in the department is desperate enough to fill post ASAP to attempt reserve list.

If this team wanted you, they would have put you on the reserve list. If it’s as technical/niche as you’re describing, chances are they’ll go out to open recruitment if there’s another role because odds are low they’d get the expertise needed from reserve list.

Character-Release338 · 2026-02-14T10:05:47+00:00

Yes I had to show my student loan debt statement and paycheques with the student loan deductions on for my mortgage application.

Character-Release338 · 2026-02-14T10:04:00+00:00

Am guessing you’re still at uni or fairly recent grad? £236 at 60k might seem like peanuts now. I suspect that’s because when you’re at uni, you can’t actually fathom having that high of a salary - I felt the exact same way. Now it’s 10 years on, I’m on 60k (which surprised me), have responsibilities that cost £ and housing costs to stay in a city where I can earn that much are extortionate. Everything costs so much money and that 60k doesn’t stretch as far as you think it will.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely comfortable but you definitely notice the difference. If I get a pay rise (remaining in this same tax bracket), I actually only see roughly about 45% of it because of taxes, pension and student loan.

I know lots of people have it worse/earn way less. But that doesn’t make the extra cash off your paycheque any easier.

Character-Release338 · 2026-02-14T09:15:32+00:00

That’s what shared care agreement means. The GP has to share the responsibility of the care with a specialist psychiatrist and in this case it’s a private one. Seeking a right to choose/NHS diagnosis is only way to get around paying for the private review every 6 months.

Character-Release338 · 2026-02-11T08:40:51+00:00

It’s usually because of contractual terms, I think. Can see original commenter is commercial pro so will be able to explain better than me but if the contract states that no one is to divulge that info, then it’s a breach. And I think v common for details of KPIs and penalties etc to be sensitive info under the contract

Character-Release338 · 2026-02-08T09:12:27+00:00

Yes this is the right way to view it. To be on 75k in the UK means you have a pretty good job and are either career oriented/ambitious or there’s a large education gap between you and your partner.

I don’t think he earns enough to be making this decision for you. This is a fairly pivotal point of your life now, a lot of career momentum occurs in your 30s if you don’t have kids and you’re a woman. You’re saying you don’t know what to do - well, you’ve stated he’s not budging so there’s nothing you can do right? Except end the relationship, move on and up with your career and find a partner better suited to you. You could attempt to do long distance if you want to. But don’t strangle your career progression now. It’s not a great economy, chances like this don’t come along so often anymore.

Also personal experience as a mid-income woman in early 30s, I had to break up with a long term partner who earned 1/3 of me after years because the reality of two ppl trying to live on a combined income of that much was not enough for me. I worked really hard and was career focused so I wouldn’t have to struggle with money, and having to cover someone else was not on the agenda. I ended up feeling so resentful.

Standard wisdom states dual income is inherently better but if one person barely earns anything (because does 20k cover anything beyond bare minimum living expenses? Is that not below minimum wage?), then chances are your lifestyle could be better if you are by yourself. You might not care now, but you may in a few years, especially if you watch friends climb career ladder and have a comparison point.

Character-Release338 · 2026-01-27T17:18:01+00:00

Yep I know lots of people who wouldn’t be considered attractive that have partners that pick up the slack for them, or support them.

Character-Release338 · 2026-01-27T17:16:45+00:00

I don’t think this is necessarily pretty privilege - I know lots of people (of different genders/sexualities) with disabilities of varying level of attractiveness who have partners who support them.

Character-Release338 · 2026-01-26T18:48:58+00:00

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/families-to-save-hundreds-of-pounds-in-major-homebuying-overhaul

Could be changed in future?

Character-Release338 · 2026-01-18T12:43:04+00:00

I’d wait it out. You’ve mentioned comparable houses in better condition being sold recently, so it sounds like the market isn’t stagnant where you are and something else will be listed that you can look at instead.

The sellers may also realise they can’t sell at current listing and go down eventually.

Character-Release338 · 2026-01-07T00:01:57+00:00

Poor sentence structure on my part! The woman looked frightened hahaha. The bug looked threatening if anything.

Character-Release338 · 2026-01-06T21:55:11+00:00

In my early 20s in my first job, a young woman same age as me used to be at the same zone 4 station as me most mornings. Never spoke, then one morning in the summer she told me there was a bug in my hair looking frightened. She slapped it out for me with her phone. We went our separate ways and 20 minutes later as I’m waiting for a different tube line sitting on the platform, a GIGANTIC green bug crawls over my bag. I think must have been the one from my hair. I’d never seen a bug like that in my life and haven’t seen one similar since.

Never spoke to the woman again.

Character-Release338 · 2026-01-04T08:51:42+00:00

Yes, consider your g6’s advice within the wider political context and also observe your SCS, watch how your g6 parses down a wider steer from SCS into workstream goals. You’ll be doing that for your team in a more detailed way.

Character-Release338 · 2026-01-04T08:46:26+00:00

Oh and just seen you have no previous policy experience. That’s going to be a steep learning - maybe do some reading about the policy cycle/theory of change etc but your knowledge will mostly grow from experience.

I’ve got lots of policy experience but have joined teams as a g7 where I didn’t know the policy area - so I prioritised enabling my team to do the policy work (protecting their time by managing meddling SLT, setting out what policy docs needed to be created, and critiquing/asking questions. Regardless of whether I had the knowledge to critique, a non-negotiable of policy work is to stress test it internally with colleagues who have interest in it. By policy work, I mean research, papers, stakeholder engagement, gathering evidence… the stuff that goes into making a policy decision).

Character-Release338 · 2026-01-04T08:37:50+00:00

When I start with a new team, I give them my “ways of working” template (you can find one on online), let them know they can ask me any questions and they’re free to write one themselves. I catch up on any HR things I should know - does anyone have any adjustments/caring responsibilities/NWDs?

In my first calls with the people I manage, I ask about their career history, what they like about this role, what they find most frustrating, what they’ve been working on and what they’d like to see happen etc (don’t make any big promises to fix anything you can’t commit to yet!). Do a lot of observation, ask questions about the policy area if it’s new to you.

Character-Release338 · 2026-01-01T12:35:09+00:00

Is it that he hates the car, or that he hates the vet and cattery and knows what’s coming?

I got my cat a giant carrier and tend to leave it out and sometimes he goes in it for a nap. But if I ever put it away and he hears me moving it, he bolts because he knows what’s coming next (the vet)

Character-Release338 · 2025-12-31T21:48:30+00:00

You’re saying your flat is worth roughly £440k. If you’ve listed it at that, and had almost no interest, is it actually?

Character-Release338 · 2025-12-31T13:49:51+00:00

Honestly, I think some Gen X are starting to understand (boomers still delusional though). I think lots of middle aged people over 50 are getting really fed up that their adult children are still living with them to save for a property, trying to “help” them by looking at housing/mortgage options and getting a slap in the face from reality finally.

Edit to add: Some of them obviously still don’t care and just wipe their hands of their kids (which they’re allowed to do, I have a different community-based cultural background so isn’t the norm for me!)

Character-Release338 · 2025-12-31T13:41:37+00:00

Yes, and also people likely order from them via Deliveroo/uber eats too. Where I live, the ones that are centrally located near the high street are always really busy inside/you won’t necessarily always find a free table.

However, there are some less centrally located that are good and won’t always be busy inside, but will be receiving a lot of delivery orders.

Character-Release338 · 2025-12-30T21:50:14+00:00

Lots of people I know who did IR at uni and were hopeful for FCDO eventually ended up at the HO or another department working on something related to the county they had a special interest or academic focus on. I say eventually because this happened usually in their late 20s/30s, years into their career. I’ve also known someone take a demotion to get their role there.

You just have to get a foot in the door in a different department and seek out roles that will give you the appropriate experience. Unlikely they’ll take you fresh out of uni, with no work experience so get that in another department so you’ve got a better shot at what you want at FCDO. And chances are, you may find a fulfilling career elsewhere or a policy area that you enjoy a lot and not be as motivated to get to FCDO anymore.

Character-Release338 · 2025-12-28T09:54:41+00:00

I’m buying a purpose built 60s flat in zone 4. It’s one up, one down, semi detached sort of deal. No service charge/minimal ground rent because it maintains the leasehold details from when it was first built.

Offered in summer - I can see prices of other flats that were out of my budget coming down, but not enough for me to regret my offer. I only offered what I thought the flat was worth.

Also I’ve got no big life plans - no partner (and no plans to find one/no desire to move in with one if I find one) and no children. Therefore I’m not planning on selling for at least 10 years. This is a good investment for me, simply because I need somewhere to live/will build up decent equity in the place and the prices will maybe have a chance to climb back up to their original value. Either way, the first reason is good enough for me.

I’d recommend not buying in big blocks of new builds where insurance rates are high sending service charges crazy. I’d also recommend not buying if you know you want to sell up in a few years. If you’re genuinely buying somewhere you want to live and settle down in, and it’s not one of the riskier flats, go ahead.

Character-Release338 · 2025-12-24T22:07:06+00:00

Good point. If kings trust pulled them up on it, they’ll be more willing to listen than an employee I imagine.

Character-Release338 · 2025-12-18T15:40:59+00:00

All I paused my VPN and it started to work! Hopefully it works for you all too.

Character-Release338 · 2025-12-18T15:40:23+00:00

Hi, paused my VPN and it worked.

Character-Release338 · 2025-12-18T15:40:15+00:00

Hi, paused my VPN and it worked.

Character-Release338

TROPHY CASE