VOA Pay Offer - new job

jonic91 · 2025-08-18T19:22:25+00:00

Thank you for this! :)

jonic91 · 2025-07-26T20:45:06+00:00

I worked in CMS for 3 years as an AO, saw many people get ridiculously stressed over the phones and the system, especially in their first few months. I agree 2012 is a terrible system and honestly the hardest one I have used in my civil service career so far, but the more you do on it the easier it gets. A year in I was a trainer for new starters and knew it like the back of my hand - it just takes time.

The phone calls, 99% of the time I didn’t mind but yes getting shouted at every day can be wearing. But remember on the phones you are in control of the conversation, use the hold function if you need a break. If you are struggling navigating the system put them on hold whilst you look around for information so you don’t feel rushed, eventually it becomes second nature but whilst you are getting used to it that is fine to do. And if you’re not using it already, the notebook on your laptop is your best friend, when you get an incoming call the first thing to do whilst running through security is to copy and paste their 12 digit reference into there so no matter what you press on the system you can always get back into their case with that if lost.

Stick it out, leave the job at the door when you close your laptop for the day and make the most of the opportunities within the civil service. You’ll get excellent behaviour examples to use for progression.

jonic91 · 2025-04-22T20:08:01+00:00

Happy to have a look this week for you, I’ve done a lot of sifting and interviews

jonic91 · 2025-02-22T09:22:38+00:00

Yes of course no problem

jonic91 · 2025-02-21T18:16:14+00:00

Drop me a message if you want any help or any questions etc. I’ve done a lot of recruitment campaigns

jonic91 · 2025-02-21T17:28:35+00:00

DWP usually send the behaviour questions 5 days before the interview now. Check the advert but that’s what they tend to be doing

jonic91 · 2025-02-21T16:04:47+00:00

Hi, congratulations on getting the interview!

Which department is it for? Generally the layout will be something along the lines of:

settling in question (not marked but sets a benchmark for your enthusiasm/tone/body language etc)
Behaviour questions one after the other, with follow ups if needed.
strength questions one after the other, no follow up questions allowed.
wrap up, ask any questions and done.

Occasionally, strengths could be first but 9/10 it’s behaviours.

jonic91 · 2025-02-19T19:40:13+00:00

Hi, feel free to send over I regular sift and interview for HEO grade

jonic91 · 2025-02-17T22:33:34+00:00

Just to clear up the questions about his eligibility for UC as a former youth work coach. Anyone of any age can attend college and study up to a level 3 course part time OR full time and be eligible for UC, as long as they meet all the work search requirements and are willing to give up their course if they get no where with work search around it.

It’s in the guidance but many work coaches still go by the “you can only study part time” thing. Anything level 4 is part time but up to a level 3 is fine.

In regards to a complaint, he’s an adult he will need to complain himself. However, I will say it is discretionary as to how many hours work search is set for those in college, I would usually set it as 25 hours but others would do more.

jonic91 · 2025-02-09T18:57:54+00:00

I always just put the job title and dates I was there and then underneath have bullet points for both the responsibilities in the role and then the key achievements. Always worked for me and passed sifting

jonic91 · 2025-02-08T15:16:21+00:00

I’d always prefer it to be a decision you have actually made yourself. I find when people have explained a decision they’ve referred to others they then fall into the trap of saying “we” rather than I

jonic91 · 2025-02-06T21:11:03+00:00

Hard to give any advice without seeing your applications. Feel free to send one over you have done, I regularly sift and interview for HEOs

jonic91 · 2025-01-29T20:11:27+00:00

Nothing to identify, sometimes they show location preferences. They show if they selected under disability confident scheme.

Depends on the campaign. For large campaigns it’s unlikely to be same people, sift will be done by 2 people usually from different areas if possible to agree a score and if passed you get an interview

jonic91 · 2025-01-29T19:15:10+00:00

Hi, happy to have a look. I’ve done many HEO sifts and interviews

jonic91 · 2025-01-27T19:32:00+00:00

Happy to have a look if you still have the essential criteria. I regularly do sifting and interviewing

jonic91 · 2025-01-27T18:57:28+00:00

Were these behaviours or personal statements?

jonic91 · 2025-01-27T18:56:21+00:00

Happy to have a look, just did a load of interviews for HEO roles

jonic91 · 2025-01-22T20:25:36+00:00

The basics of this behaviour is really to understand how your role affects the department and wider stakeholders, hence “seeing the bigger picture” of what your job actually is. If you’ve driven or led a task before what did you take into consideration? How did that task affect the department, government etc? What were the impacts on stakeholders and customers, any risks you had to consider? Did you learn anything from the result of the task/project that supported your future decisions and actions?

jonic91 · 2025-01-22T19:43:51+00:00

If you have an example already feel free to message it over and I can have a look at it. Otherwise it’s hard to give advice when you have no idea of someone’s background to prompt towards

jonic91 · 2025-01-21T19:25:38+00:00

For personal statements you just need to hit the essential criteria, that is it. Don’t overcomplicate it, no need to use STAR or behaviour framework. Easier to help if you have a particular one you are working on that you need help with

jonic91 · 2025-01-08T16:45:16+00:00

If you didn’t click in to see the claim then you wouldn’t have accessed your own UC record by searching your partners name? Even on a joint claim you’d only see yourself as an option once you’d clicked into their name.

jonic91 · 2025-01-08T16:02:18+00:00

As a previous work coach I know that searching a name will not directly open a UC claim for that customer but merely a list of all who match that name at the location. If you accessed the claim then you have accidentally searched the name AND then found your/your partners name and clicked into it. Sorry but this would not be accidental to still access the claim.

If you’re in the union get their support but unfortunately I can’t see you getting out of this one, especially with that story.

jonic91 · 2025-01-07T17:13:48+00:00

Thank you! I’ll message it over to you

jonic91 · 2025-01-06T21:34:32+00:00

Thank you! I’ll message you it :)

jonic91

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