[Dwayne Mullins]

I haven't received any information regarding the assessment centre as of yet but I will be attending in London.

When did you get your notification and what did it entail bananascooby?

[bananascooby]

Hi Dwayne, I got an email yesterday with date and venue, but no specifics. They said they'll be sending some more details in the next couple of days - I presume early next week now as it's Friday.

[Dwayne Mullins]

Well I can only assume that the London assessment centre will be taking place the following week because I have yet to get any sort of information.

Anybody else out there who will be attending the London assessment centre?

[Kendokat]

Hi there

I got an email on Thursday telling me I would be at an assessment centre at Euston Tower on the 25th. I guess they are just working through their dates. I'm sure you'll hear something soon.

K

[Dwayne Mullins]

Thanks for the update Kendokat. I had to make sure that I have been invited for the assessment centre after reading your comment haha. They did say we will get updates before the 15th so a few more days to go before I need to make some inquiries.

[Andy1151]

Anyone care to guess what we'll be facing at the one day assessment? im guessing group discussions, possibly a presentation, a re-test of our maths and verbal reasoning and an interview... How much can you squeeze into 5 hours minus a lunch break?!

[Kendokat]

I think you are probably right on most of that but I think we won't have another retest on the maths side as we did enough with that at the regional centre. Maybe an intray exercise instead.

[bananascooby]

I know someone who is an assessor at the HMRC assessment centres and I'm due to pick his brains next week, so I'll post any useful information I get. I think Kendokat is right - we won't be retested on the maths but most of the rest is likely. I think that there will definitely be a group exercise and I'm sure we'll all need to present information individually to the assessors. Apparently each assessor is responsible for 2 candidates.

[Andy1151]

Thanks for that Bananascooby. Ever fancy a career in intelligence? you would make an excellent spook.
Do we have any idea on the actual number of vacancies? I know theres 180 of us going through to the final assessment. With such a huge organisation and the recent investment in criminal investigations there must be a fair few. (im trying to improve my odds. if only in my own head)

[bananascooby]

Hi there - 46 vacancies this year for Tax Professionals. The current drive for Criminal Investigators is at lower grades and likely to be restricted to internal within the Civil Service from people who are in the 'redeployment pool' (i.e close to being made redundant). There may be some opportunities to external candidates but these will be at the O & HO grades I would imagine. I do work for HMRC by the way - hence my insider knowledge!!

[Dwayne Mullins]

Thanks for the info bananascoopby. I want to know whether the internal candidates like yourself will be given first option for the 46 vacancies?

Oh and did you find out any further information regarding the assessment centre?

[bananascooby]

We'll definitely not get preference over external candidates and this year they didn't lower the educational requirements - we all need a 2:1. Not got any further info yet, but will share when I do. Do you have your assessment centre date yet?

[LittleG]

I'm an internal applicant like bananascooby and I'm attending the Nottingham
Assessment centre on 25 march. Just noticed from going into the application centre that the assessment centre is now sceduled to last 8 hours with a 9am start! My email last week said it'd be from 10 to 3 but we should get there at 9.30. That's a bit of a change!

[Dwayne Mullins]

(Original post by bananascooby)
We'll definitely not get preference over external candidates and this year they didn't lower the educational requirements - we all need a 2:1. Not got any further info yet, but will share when I do. Do you have your assessment centre date yet?

I still haven't received any dates or venue for the assessment centre. I sent an e-mail to the HMRC graduate recruitment team earlier today but still haven't received a reply so I am slightly worried.

I might have to force myself into one of these assessment centre's if my circumstances don't change but I am hopeful to hear something very soon .

So i gather from your information that one in four candidates will get the job so it is going to dog eat dog at the assessment centre's. Have you guys received any detail regarding the assessment day?

[bananascooby]

(Original post by LittleG)
I'm an internal applicant like bananascooby and I'm attending the Nottingham
Assessment centre on 25 march. Just noticed from going into the application centre that the assessment centre is now sceduled to last 8 hours with a 9am start! My email last week said it'd be from 10 to 3 but we should get there at 9.30. That's a bit of a change!

I wouldn't worry about that - it's more likely to be the hours they originally told us about. The team that send out the messages are always getting things wrong - have you not noticed? Glaring spelling mistakes in each one, sending out messages with the wrong title.........if I didn't know the department better, I think it would have put me off applying! Mmm but then again, maybe it being a mistake is just wishful thinking Is yours in the Jury's Inn?

[LittleG]

(Original post by bananascooby)
I wouldn't worry about that - it's more likely to be the hours they originally told us about. The team that send out the messages are always getting things wrong - have you not noticed? Glaring spelling mistakes in each one, sending out messages with the wrong title.........if I didn't know the department better, I think it would have put me off applying! Mmm but then again, maybe it being a mistake is just wishful thinking Is yours in the Jury's Inn?

It's true - hope you're right as 5 gruesome hours sounds preferable to 8 gruesome hours I'm at Jury's too. Hopefully the 'further information' email will come out soon........

[Andy1151]

From my experience of the regional selection, im expecting everything to run exactly to time as stated in the original email. I would be very suprised if we finished at 5pm. Cheers for the info Bananascooby. Im intrigued to know what we'll be facing.

[Dwayne Mullins]

Finally got my date and venue.

Have you guys received any further information?

[LittleG]

(Original post by Dwayne Mullins)
Finally got my date and venue.

Have you guys received any further information?

Not yet...............glad you finally got your date and venue!

[Dwayne Mullins]

(Original post by LittleG)
Not yet...............glad you finally got your date and venue!

Very glad to be perfectly honest because I was getting a bit paranoid. Now I can relax and get a decent sleep for once, well at least for a few more days before I really start thinking about the assessment day.

So I read that you got an e-mail or something stating that the assessment centre will now last 8 hours instead of 5 hours!