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Original post by MFK47
Yeah, just received the exact same email for both my applications.
The wait continues.
I hate the fact that potentially after a two month wait I could still be rejected without interview.
Personally, I think there is no 'reserve list' and capita have just been overwhelmed with applications so just bought themselves some extra time.
On the upside, at least we've come this far without a rejection.
The wait continues.
I hate the fact that potentially after a two month wait I could still be rejected without interview.
Personally, I think there is no 'reserve list' and capita have just been overwhelmed with applications so just bought themselves some extra time.
On the upside, at least we've come this far without a rejection.
I read somewhere in this thread of someone in the same position in the last campaign and then they were offered an interview.
In any case, I will try my hardest not to be waiting so desperately for my next e-mail!
I've just sent this following email to Capita, copied in to David Barnes at the Home Office (his email is given on the Capita BFO recruitment website as a contact point with regards to any concerns about the recruitment process). I honestly don't care about the job anymore and would just like the truth. I don't anticipate receiving a reply though:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for your reply, it is very much appreicated.
I previously emailed you on 2 occasions for updates on my appplication, given that I was initially informed that you would let me know the outcome of my tests before
28/01/2013. Each time you kindly replied, telling me that you were still awaiting my test results. However during this time, I am aware that you had already begun interviewing applicants.
I therefore consider it a little odd that you are now telling me I have been placed on a
reserve list whilst you interview the highest scoring candidates. How was it possible to determine who the very highest scoring candidates were, given that you were already conducting interviews before you had received the results from ALL of the tests?
Surely it would be reasonable to assume you would only have been in a position to short-list for interviews once you had received ALL the test results back?
Also, can you please confirm whether an applicant's work experience and competency examples are considered in the process of short-listing? Or do you assess purely on test results?
I would be very grateful to receive a reply from you regarding my concerns. I have also copied this email in to David Barnes at the Home Office.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you for your reply, it is very much appreicated.
I previously emailed you on 2 occasions for updates on my appplication, given that I was initially informed that you would let me know the outcome of my tests before
28/01/2013. Each time you kindly replied, telling me that you were still awaiting my test results. However during this time, I am aware that you had already begun interviewing applicants.
I therefore consider it a little odd that you are now telling me I have been placed on a
reserve list whilst you interview the highest scoring candidates. How was it possible to determine who the very highest scoring candidates were, given that you were already conducting interviews before you had received the results from ALL of the tests?
Surely it would be reasonable to assume you would only have been in a position to short-list for interviews once you had received ALL the test results back?
Also, can you please confirm whether an applicant's work experience and competency examples are considered in the process of short-listing? Or do you assess purely on test results?
I would be very grateful to receive a reply from you regarding my concerns. I have also copied this email in to David Barnes at the Home Office.
Perhaps all applications get put in different groups as they are evaluated: automatically interview, automatically reject and borderline. After going through all applications they then go back to the borderline group and decide what to do with those people. If I was wanting to hire a large number of people I would start interviewing people who I thought were very good before finishing looking at all applications in order to both increase my chances of getting them before somebody else does and also to speed up the whole process as presumably interviews are not done by the same people who sift the applications.
Edit: yes, it sucks. But that's how job searching is! I've applied for about thirty grad schemes and heard nothing from most of them. It's just a numbers game really, send enough applications and eventually someone is going to like what you write.
Edit: yes, it sucks. But that's how job searching is! I've applied for about thirty grad schemes and heard nothing from most of them. It's just a numbers game really, send enough applications and eventually someone is going to like what you write.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Salapanda
Perhaps all applications get put in different groups as they are evaluated: automatically interview, automatically reject and borderline. After going through all applications they then go back to the borderline group and decide what to do with those people. If I was wanting to hire a large number of people I would start interviewing people who I thought were very good before finishing looking at all applications in order to both increase my chances of getting them before somebody else does and also to speed up the whole process as presumably interviews are not done by the same people who sift the applications.
Edit: yes, it sucks. But that's how job searching is! I've applied for about thirty grad schemes and heard nothing from most of them. It's just a numbers game really, send enough applications and eventually someone is going to like what you write.
Edit: yes, it sucks. But that's how job searching is! I've applied for about thirty grad schemes and heard nothing from most of them. It's just a numbers game really, send enough applications and eventually someone is going to like what you write.
I've already been offered a job, with the MOD. But I was holding out on this as longer term it could have been the better option. If the recruitment campaign is operated as you perceive, then it's totally wrong. I worked in the Civil Service for over 8 years and back when they did their own recruitment (ie. not out-sourced to some Mickey Mouse agency like Capita) it was always done on the basis of what's known as an 'open and fair competition'. This recruitment campaign does not appear to have been run along these lines. When the Civil Service do their own recruitment in house, they never short-list for interivew until ALL applications have been properly and fully assessed. I have first-hand experience of this. It really beggars belief that any employer or recruitment company would consider any other method of recruitment.
(edited 11 years ago)
It looks like Capita have struggled to do what they set out to do.
Right from the outset - The online tests were no where close to being as challenging as others that I have done. Maybe many candidates did well and achieved similar standards.
The fact that people were told that Capita were still waiting to receive their results while inviting others to interview casts further doubt on capitas capability.
I can't see Capita being used by the home office again once their contract has ended.
Right from the outset - The online tests were no where close to being as challenging as others that I have done. Maybe many candidates did well and achieved similar standards.
The fact that people were told that Capita were still waiting to receive their results while inviting others to interview casts further doubt on capitas capability.
I can't see Capita being used by the home office again once their contract has ended.
i'd not picked up on this thread before, despite being an applicant in the current round of external vacancies
having attended an interview this past week, the information given by others about the interview process it pretty accurate .
speaking to the people from capita who are running the admin side of the interview process they have been solidly interviewing people for several weeks and are still going to be interviewing people for at least a couple more weeks ... 5 lots of interviews for 4 or 5 people at day ...
with respect to interviewing people while others are waiting for results , this is not UCAS ... this is fairly common practice in the real world ... the key issue is when the pooling and grouping for offers of employment / obtaining SC are made ... there is also the factor that some of the people still waiting appear to be those who scored less high ...
having attended an interview this past week, the information given by others about the interview process it pretty accurate .
speaking to the people from capita who are running the admin side of the interview process they have been solidly interviewing people for several weeks and are still going to be interviewing people for at least a couple more weeks ... 5 lots of interviews for 4 or 5 people at day ...
with respect to interviewing people while others are waiting for results , this is not UCAS ... this is fairly common practice in the real world ... the key issue is when the pooling and grouping for offers of employment / obtaining SC are made ... there is also the factor that some of the people still waiting appear to be those who scored less high ...
Original post by zippyRN
i'd not picked up on this thread before, despite being an applicant in the current round of external vacancies
having attended an interview this past week, the information given by others about the interview process it pretty accurate .
speaking to the people from capita who are running the admin side of the interview process they have been solidly interviewing people for several weeks and are still going to be interviewing people for at least a couple more weeks ... 5 lots of interviews for 4 or 5 people at day ...
with respect to interviewing people while others are waiting for results , this is not UCAS ... this is fairly common practice in the real world ... the key issue is when the pooling and grouping for offers of employment / obtaining SC are made ... there is also the factor that some of the people still waiting appear to be those who scored less high ...
having attended an interview this past week, the information given by others about the interview process it pretty accurate .
speaking to the people from capita who are running the admin side of the interview process they have been solidly interviewing people for several weeks and are still going to be interviewing people for at least a couple more weeks ... 5 lots of interviews for 4 or 5 people at day ...
with respect to interviewing people while others are waiting for results , this is not UCAS ... this is fairly common practice in the real world ... the key issue is when the pooling and grouping for offers of employment / obtaining SC are made ... there is also the factor that some of the people still waiting appear to be those who scored less high ...
Just my opinion but:
a) to be vaguely told that your'e on a reserve list 2 weeks after they said they would get back to you isn't what you would expect from an efficient recruitment firm.
b) without feedback from the tests it is harder to believe that they simply aren't just overwhelmed.
c) with other recruitment drives e.g. immigration caseworker it seems that all people were told yes or no within the given time frame. I can't see why it has to be different for BFO.
d) the people that don't seem bothered about what is happening are those that have already had an interview. Understandable.
Original post by Salapanda
Perhaps all applications get put in different groups as they are evaluated: automatically interview, automatically reject and borderline. After going through all applications they then go back to the borderline group and decide what to do with those people. If I was wanting to hire a large number of people I would start interviewing people who I thought were very good before finishing looking at all applications in order to both increase my chances of getting them before somebody else does and also to speed up the whole process as presumably interviews are not done by the same people who sift the applications.
Edit: yes, it sucks. But that's how job searching is! I've applied for about thirty grad schemes and heard nothing from most of them. It's just a numbers game really, send enough applications and eventually someone is going to like what you write.
Edit: yes, it sucks. But that's how job searching is! I've applied for about thirty grad schemes and heard nothing from most of them. It's just a numbers game really, send enough applications and eventually someone is going to like what you write.
that's the reality of any application system ( other than UCAS where there is a place *somewhere* for everyone)
at any stage you have three piles
yes - maybe - no
and if the yes pile is not big enough you revisit the maybes ...
Original post by zippyRN
i'd not picked up on this thread before, despite being an applicant in the current round of external vacancies
having attended an interview this past week, the information given by others about the interview process it pretty accurate .
speaking to the people from capita who are running the admin side of the interview process they have been solidly interviewing people for several weeks and are still going to be interviewing people for at least a couple more weeks ... 5 lots of interviews for 4 or 5 people at day ...
with respect to interviewing people while others are waiting for results , this is not UCAS ... this is fairly common practice in the real world ... the key issue is when the pooling and grouping for offers of employment / obtaining SC are made ... there is also the factor that some of the people still waiting appear to be those who scored less high ...
having attended an interview this past week, the information given by others about the interview process it pretty accurate .
speaking to the people from capita who are running the admin side of the interview process they have been solidly interviewing people for several weeks and are still going to be interviewing people for at least a couple more weeks ... 5 lots of interviews for 4 or 5 people at day ...
with respect to interviewing people while others are waiting for results , this is not UCAS ... this is fairly common practice in the real world ... the key issue is when the pooling and grouping for offers of employment / obtaining SC are made ... there is also the factor that some of the people still waiting appear to be those who scored less high ...
I'd be curious to know of examples in the real world where you feel this recruitment practice is common. As I already said, it most certainly is not common practice and never has been, when the Civil Service conduct their own recruitment without relying on 3rd parties to do it (badly) for them. And given that the Civil Service is the biggest employer in the UK, I would definitely question your asertion that it is common practice at all. In my 20 odd year career I've NEVER come across anything like it.
jezza what you have to remember is that this is not a recruitment operation for a single vacancy or a small group of vacancies ....
Original post by RAFecon
Just my opinion but:
a) to be vaguely told that your'e on a reserve list 2 weeks after they said they would get back to you isn't what you would expect from an efficient recruitment firm.
b) without feedback from the tests it is harder to believe that they simply aren't just overwhelmed.
c) with other recruitment drives e.g. immigration caseworker it seems that all people were told yes or no within the given time frame. I can't see why it has to be different for BFO.
d) the people that don't seem bothered about what is happening are those that have already had an interview. Understandable.
a) to be vaguely told that your'e on a reserve list 2 weeks after they said they would get back to you isn't what you would expect from an efficient recruitment firm.
b) without feedback from the tests it is harder to believe that they simply aren't just overwhelmed.
c) with other recruitment drives e.g. immigration caseworker it seems that all people were told yes or no within the given time frame. I can't see why it has to be different for BFO.
d) the people that don't seem bothered about what is happening are those that have already had an interview. Understandable.
Well said.
I think it's pretty clear now that they probably were overwhelmed by numbers applying, but it really doesn't excuse they way it's all been handled.
And the way the jobs market is now I'm sure all employers/recruitment companies face the same pressure, so we really shouldn't feel sorry for Capita. And to start interviewing applicants before having assessed all test results is simply inexcusable and grossly unfair.
I intend to follow up my emails to Capita and the Home Office and lodge a formal complaint if necessary. I'm sure in doing so I'll ruin whatever small chance I may have had of getting an interview, but I don't care. I don't want Capita to think they've got away with this sham of a recruitment campaign.
When I joined the Foreign Office back in 2001, it was a hugely sought after job. They were inundated with applications and continued to be right up until the civil service recruitment freeze just over 2 years ago. Yet ALL applicants were treated fairly and given the same consideration. To interview as and when they felt like it, before assessing all applicants, would have been unheard of. And I'm not basing this on any assumptions about recruitment processes as previous posters have done, I'm basing it on feedback from previous and current colleagues in the HR department who were involved with the campaigns.
Good luck to those who have had or have interviews coming up. But to those of us left hanging on, the way we have been treated is nothing short of disgusting.
Original post by zippyRN
jezza what you have to remember is that this is not a recruitment operation for a single vacancy or a small group of vacancies ....
Yes, I'm fully aware of that.
Original post by Jezza_S
Yes, I'm fully aware of that.
maybe when they were still getting test results they stilll had interview slots, and only those who got a certain pass mark got an immediate interview slot.and the rest put on reserve or amber.its exactly like the civil service recruitment for graduate scheme . ive noticed that some who didnt meet the requirements for caseworker were put on reserve for boader force, so i think there more vacancies for boarder force so have kept a reserve, thats assuming they were the same test
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Jezza_S
Well said.
Good luck to those who have had or have interviews coming up. But to those of us left hanging on, the way we have been treated is nothing short of disgusting.
Good luck to those who have had or have interviews coming up. But to those of us left hanging on, the way we have been treated is nothing short of disgusting.
would you rather the wait or a straight up rejection but i do understand how annoying waiting is .
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by zippyRN
that's the reality of any application system ( other than UCAS where there is a place *somewhere* for everyone)
at any stage you have three piles
yes - maybe - no
and if the yes pile is not big enough you revisit the maybes ...
at any stage you have three piles
yes - maybe - no
and if the yes pile is not big enough you revisit the maybes ...
Haha that was my point! So it's silly to wait to classify everyone before starting to interview those who are in the yes pile, right?
Still waiting for SC Clearance guys! Offered the job in November!!
Original post by jungle1
Still waiting for SC Clearance guys! Offered the job in November!!
I had a start date given to me on Friday, and I was offered the job same time as you. So you may hear soon now. August seems such a long time ago when I applied.
Hi guys i've been a member of TSR since 2005 (since college years) now i feel very old coming back on here after 8 years!
I've been doing some searching / researching on this UKBA job post which i've applied for and have landed on this thread.
Is there anybody here who has started training for the Immigration Officer role in Criminal and Enforcement sector in London?
I have received email confirmation of my start date for training but nothing through the post except for my security clearance.
I will be starting my training in March which means i have already given in my notice at my current place of work. I really need to secure this job at UKBA as otherwise if i fail i will be left without a job losing my old one too. I am confident - however very nervous i am come from an IT background going into something completely different. I have bills and things to pay and am quite literally worried sick about the training and what it could entail - however i am hoping for the best.
My training is expected to be for 8 weeks, is there anybody here who can give me the heads up on anything i should prepare for? How hard it is? What i should expect etc
Here are some questions i have:
I have some other questions if you could help me understand:
I would appreciate anybody's help on this or a PM.
Cheers
I've been doing some searching / researching on this UKBA job post which i've applied for and have landed on this thread.
Is there anybody here who has started training for the Immigration Officer role in Criminal and Enforcement sector in London?
I have received email confirmation of my start date for training but nothing through the post except for my security clearance.
I will be starting my training in March which means i have already given in my notice at my current place of work. I really need to secure this job at UKBA as otherwise if i fail i will be left without a job losing my old one too. I am confident - however very nervous i am come from an IT background going into something completely different. I have bills and things to pay and am quite literally worried sick about the training and what it could entail - however i am hoping for the best.
My training is expected to be for 8 weeks, is there anybody here who can give me the heads up on anything i should prepare for? How hard it is? What i should expect etc
Here are some questions i have:
I have some other questions if you could help me understand:
•
If you are training or have passed - do you know anybody who has failed?
•
How physical is the arrest training? What does it involve? Any examples you can show me on YouTube?
•
Is there a driving test as such?
•
Do you get paid for training? If so how much?
•
What must the dress code be for training?
•
Any role playing in the training?
I would appreciate anybody's help on this or a PM.
Cheers
(edited 11 years ago)
For the IO role smart dress , training is paid ..all wages one month in arrears .. I start at hounslow office this week . Be patient guys whole process taken me 6months
Original post by Unigrad
I had a start date given to me on Friday, and I was offered the job same time as you. So you may hear soon now. August seems such a long time ago when I applied.
Cool man. Did you get anything in the post about clearance?
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