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NGDP

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Reply 540
Yeah I think it depends on the local authorities. It's a bit odd Ami is the only one doing all of the work, seems alot for one person. You'd think there would be at least a colleague helping out.
Reply 541
I agree. But judging from the whole process, I get the distinct impression that the budget for the ngdp has been significantly cut since last year. I wouldn't be surprised if the programme was gone in a few years' time
I too have only been offered one interview so far, and really not somewhere I'm keen to work! On top of that it's going to cost me close to £150 in travel costs on the day plus involves getting a really incredibly inconveniently early train and STILL possibly not making it in time.

I emailed Ami to explain the situation (costs, can't stay the night before as that would be even MORE expensive, even the earliest morning train mightn't get me in in time etc etc etc) and if I forfeit this interview I might not get another one. She says they're tying to allocate two to each candidate but there's no guarantee. From the previous information I sort of felt like we were pretty much guaranteed two, and it seemed to suggest that most candidates stand a good change of getting one of their top two choices. Not me, obviously!

I'm so keen to do this but I simply can't understand why they made us put council preferences down if that doesn't have any bearing on what interviews we're given first. It seems to me to make more sense not to get people's hopes up and then have them crash down when they realise that if they get offered a job at their first interview they might never get to see their preferred council unless they make the hard decision of turning down a job offer in the hope of another one! I could understand if we could hold job offers or we were given interviews in preference order, but there we are.

Really not sure what to do now - obviously if my current interview offer is the only one I get (sad face) then I don't want to give it up but I also don't have £100+ to spend, especially as it involves taking a day off work.

Has anyone had their preferred council yet? Someone must have! :smile:
Hi everyone,

I haven't had any emails about interviews yet. We've still got 24 days left until the interview period is over so we shouldn't worry yet!

Good luck everyone :smile:
Reply 544
Original post by comeluckyapril
Has anyone had their preferred council yet? Someone must have! :smile:


Yup! I've been offered a single interview thus far, but it was with my first choice, so of course I'll take it if I'm offered it. I assume if that happens then I'll never know whether I would have received another interview, as I think the job offers come via Ami?

Good luck, all.
Haha having an absolute MARE over here - spoke to the fabled Ami on the phone today - she needed to know by 3:30 whether or not I was doing the aforementioned interview, but hasn't managed to confirm if she can get me an interview at my first choice place yet. Bitten the bullet and presumed that I will get another interview...somewhere...but to make my life worse the interview day at my first choice is the day I'm supposed to be leaving the country at 5am! Cue panicked flight checking to see if I can fly out that evening instead but I can't even book anything until I know if I even have this interview/what time the day will finish!

Bless the poor woman, she sounded as though she had the weight of the world on her shoulders when I called. I wouldn't want her job right now! (Not that I'm making life easier for her, feel a bit guilty every time I send an email)

Has anyone had an interview yet?
Reply 546
Hi Guys!

Yeah I've had my first one today, have my second one next week. Today was interesting as I was unmasked when I met other candidates!! But to the point at hand, she must be under intense stress and pressure...there was a lady called Clare Christopher running it last year (maybe this is why she left, she saw what was coming).

I think its better this year as last year we didn't get to choose any councils (just regional preferences). But as the other people have said I'd hold out for this week (and til July) as some councils are late in the month and some deadlines/interviews are late in the month, like Greenwich is on the 29/06/12.

Good Luck all!
Original post by stormstar
Yeah I think it depends on the local authorities. It's a bit odd Ami is the only one doing all of the work, seems alot for one person. You'd think there would be at least a colleague helping out.


There are a couple of people who help out with a few other bits on the programme but there have been some large budget cuts on the programme and the LGA more generally so staffing has been cut to the bone a bit.
Reply 548
Original post by comeluckyapril
I too have only been offered one interview so far, and really not somewhere I'm keen to work! On top of that it's going to cost me close to £150 in travel costs on the day plus involves getting a really incredibly inconveniently early train and STILL possibly not making it in time.

I emailed Ami to explain the situation (costs, can't stay the night before as that would be even MORE expensive, even the earliest morning train mightn't get me in in time etc etc etc) and if I forfeit this interview I might not get another one. She says they're tying to allocate two to each candidate but there's no guarantee. From the previous information I sort of felt like we were pretty much guaranteed two, and it seemed to suggest that most candidates stand a good change of getting one of their top two choices. Not me, obviously!

I'm so keen to do this but I simply can't understand why they made us put council preferences down if that doesn't have any bearing on what interviews we're given first. It seems to me to make more sense not to get people's hopes up and then have them crash down when they realise that if they get offered a job at their first interview they might never get to see their preferred council unless they make the hard decision of turning down a job offer in the hope of another one! I could understand if we could hold job offers or we were given interviews in preference order, but there we are.

Really not sure what to do now - obviously if my current interview offer is the only one I get (sad face) then I don't want to give it up but I also don't have £100+ to spend, especially as it involves taking a day off work.

Has anyone had their preferred council yet? Someone must have! :smile:



My situation is near-identical to yours. I have a great deal of sympathy for Ami, however, as I'm sure her job pretty much sucks at the moment. Nevertheless, I find it quite bizarre how we are supposed to basically withdraw from the whole process simply because getting to the first council we have been offered is a logistical nightmare.

I am now quite worried that we won't be offered another interview simply for voicing our concerns.
Reply 549
Hi everyone,
*
I found this thread the other day, I’m also through to the interview stage which I’m absolutely chuffed about!
*
Without sounding like a lecturing parent, to those despairing over not being offered an interview at their first choice council, just think of the 2370 other people who applied to be in our position and how lucky we are to be given this opportunity. The graduate job market is cut throat at the moment, so I think we should all be embracing every opportunity we’re given.
*
I understand that logistically some council aren’t ideal, or perhaps they don’t focus as much on the issues that you’re interested in, but you never know, you could go to the interview, meet the people and end up loving it more than the council you originally chose!
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I’ve been fortunate enough to be offered an interview at one of my chosen authorities, as well as one that I hadn’t considered, but after investigating it more, it seems like a great place to work. I think that whichever authority the lucky successful candidates end up, they will have an amazing 2 years and experience a lot of things that many other graduate scheme can’t offer.
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Anyway, I hope that makes those who are worried feel a bit better about it all!
*
Good luck everyone!
Reply 550
Original post by Avituss
My situation is near-identical to yours. I have a great deal of sympathy for Ami, however, as I'm sure her job pretty much sucks at the moment. Nevertheless, I find it quite bizarre how we are supposed to basically withdraw from the whole process simply because getting to the first council we have been offered is a logistical nightmare.

I am now quite worried that we won't be offered another interview simply for voicing our concerns.


I know what you mean, I was considering dropping my first interview choice (again due to logistical reasons). But in the end I was lucky to get some time off for it.

Really you can only email Ami again and really stress your circumstances.

Also to the above, true, but we did pick councils and regional preferences for a reason...
Original post by Avituss


I am now quite worried that we won't be offered another interview simply for voicing our concerns.


I feel the same - although I'm sure they simply wouldn't be allowed to take a potential interview away from us for voicing concerns or having logistical and financial reasons for not being able to attend an offered interview it does worry me. On Tuesday Ami told me that she would let everyone know about interviews for my first choice council that evening - it's now past close of business on Thursday and I haven't heard anything. I can only presume I wasn't considered. However as she told me I had to let her know about my first interview by 3:30 that day I'm currently a bit high and dry. I guess all I can do is keep my fingers crossed. Once again I do not envy her position!

Original post by oiseau
Hi everyone,
*
I found this thread the other day, I’m also through to the interview stage which I’m absolutely chuffed about!
*
Without sounding like a lecturing parent, to those despairing over not being offered an interview at their first choice council, just think of the 2370 other people who applied to be in our position and how lucky we are to be given this opportunity. The graduate job market is cut throat at the moment, so I think we should all be embracing every opportunity we’re given.

...

Good luck everyone!


Congratulations on being through to the interview stage!

Firstly, I'm sure that the vast majority of people through to this stage are as chuffed as you are about the fact (I know I am!), and are indeed aware of the odds they have beaten to get this far.

I can only speak for myself when I say I'm going to do as much embracing as my current job/bank balance will allow me to do - for the most part, the problems people on this thread have had with interviews aren't to do with not wanting to go to that specific council, but more to do with time off/money/the fairly reasonable worry that they're going to miss out on a council that, based on their preferences, they think they will prefer.

I absolutely take your point on potentially ending up somewhere a bit different but loving it all the same, but I think the point that most people are trying to make is that there seems very little need to put down council preferences if interviews are being given out on the basis of first available dates. I'm sure, though it wasn't explicitly stated, that most candidates (like me) presumed that our preferences would be taken into account and we would hopefully be allocated a preferred interview first. It was then a bit of a blow to find out this wasn't the case, especially when one has spent time researching councils to place in one's preferred spots :tongue:

Once again congratulations on getting two interviews so far - and, dare I say it, it must be a little easier to remind us all how lucky we are when you're in possession of an interview date for your first choice :biggrin:

I hope I don't sound bitter - I'm a bit stressed currently waiting to find out if I have my first choice interview: I have to book some new flights if I want to attend, and I can visualise prices climbing by the day - I just wanted to say that I'm about 99% sure that everyone, whether they're mentioning grievances/problems/anything else is aware that they are lucky to be this far into the process :smile:
Reply 552
Original post by comeluckyapril
I feel the same - although I'm sure they simply wouldn't be allowed to take a potential interview away from us for voicing concerns or having logistical and financial reasons for not being able to attend an offered interview it does worry me. On Tuesday Ami told me that she would let everyone know about interviews for my first choice council that evening - it's now past close of business on Thursday and I haven't heard anything. I can only presume I wasn't considered. However as she told me I had to let her know about my first interview by 3:30 that day I'm currently a bit high and dry. I guess all I can do is keep my fingers crossed. Once again I do not envy her position!



Congratulations on being through to the interview stage!

Firstly, I'm sure that the vast majority of people through to this stage are as chuffed as you are about the fact (I know I am!), and are indeed aware of the odds they have beaten to get this far.

I can only speak for myself when I say I'm going to do as much embracing as my current job/bank balance will allow me to do - for the most part, the problems people on this thread have had with interviews aren't to do with not wanting to go to that specific council, but more to do with time off/money/the fairly reasonable worry that they're going to miss out on a council that, based on their preferences, they think they will prefer.

I absolutely take your point on potentially ending up somewhere a bit different but loving it all the same, but I think the point that most people are trying to make is that there seems very little need to put down council preferences if interviews are being given out on the basis of first available dates. I'm sure, though it wasn't explicitly stated, that most candidates (like me) presumed that our preferences would be taken into account and we would hopefully be allocated a preferred interview first. It was then a bit of a blow to find out this wasn't the case, especially when one has spent time researching councils to place in one's preferred spots :tongue:

Once again congratulations on getting two interviews so far - and, dare I say it, it must be a little easier to remind us all how lucky we are when you're in possession of an interview date for your first choice :biggrin:

I hope I don't sound bitter - I'm a bit stressed currently waiting to find out if I have my first choice interview: I have to book some new flights if I want to attend, and I can visualise prices climbing by the day - I just wanted to say that I'm about 99% sure that everyone, whether they're mentioning grievances/problems/anything else is aware that they are lucky to be this far into the process :smile:


Well said, although it doesn't make me feel any better about the situation :frown:

So far I haven't even been offered a second interview anywhere, and I know of a few people that have been offered 3! I know this is down to preferences/availability etc, but I'm still a little worried that I am going to be interviewing at a council that is going to be near-impossible to commute to.
Reply 553
Well I have yet to recieve even one interview yet... so fingers crossed. Am I right in thinking that you only get told 5 days in advanced of an interview?

Good Luck everyone!
Reply 554
Original post by starlock
Well I have yet to recieve even one interview yet... so fingers crossed. Am I right in thinking that you only get told 5 days in advanced of an interview?

Good Luck everyone!


I think you're guaranteed (more or less) at least 5 days notice. But it could be more than that - I got an email on the 12th saying I had an interview on the 21st. But that's the only one I've heard about thus far.

On another note, it kinda sucks having interviews on a Thursday or a Friday, because unless I hear anything in the next couple of hours I'm going to have to sit through the whole weekend wondering what the answer's going to be!
(edited 11 years ago)
Yay! Just found out I got my first choice interview. 17:45 on a Friday! Had given up hope! Fingers crossed that everyone else starts to hear back soon!
Reply 556
Original post by comeluckyapril
Yay! Just found out I got my first choice interview. 17:45 on a Friday! Had given up hope! Fingers crossed that everyone else starts to hear back soon!


Good job - hope it all goes well for you!

I'm still waiting on a response from my interview last Thursday; I can't help but feel that the longer I wait the less chance I have of an offer! :confused:

Hopefully I'll either hear about that interview or get given another within the next few days...
(edited 11 years ago)
Hi everyone,
Just thought it might be useful for people to know in case you're expecting interview invitations or decisions- I've just emailed Ami and got an out of office response until Friday 29th June, so I'm guessing we may not have any contact until then!
Reply 558
I also got the same auto response. Presumably everyone has been given all of the offers they are going to get then!

I will probably have to pull out from one of my interviews because 5 days notice simply isn't long enough notice for me to get it off work. I wonder what proportion of the 130 remaining are working full-time or are still at university? They seem to be awfully cavalier about expecting us to drop a day of work at very short notice.
Reply 559
Original post by Avituss
I also got the same auto response. Presumably everyone has been given all of the offers they are going to get then!


It seems very odd that there's a break for a week or so, if that is indeed the case.

Obviously for us it's annoying, but if councils are holding interviews this week (or late last week) then surely they'll be wanting to know whether or not the candidates they make an offer to will take it up or not!

I'm still hoping on another interview, but getting more pessimistic by the day!

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