[doady]

I had my FSAC last week, unsuccessful for Diplomatic Service, awaiting results for Central Departments.

[shellybean01]

(Original post by Rice_Daddy)
Well done! Also applied for the HR stream here, but still waiting to find out I wonder if you were in the immediately successful bunch or if there was another tightening of amber bands today that I stayed in the middle of.

I have no idea will be definately good to get the full feedback and find out scores etc hopefully you won't have to wait much longer fingers crossed for you!

[ellie_flower]

(Original post by TomDixie)
It means that you could be at the top of the amber band and deffo going to get invited to the FSB, or at the bottom of the amber band with no hope

I think only those who took their FSAC last week are getting updates

Have you heard anything today? Hope youhave lots of nice things to distract you

[TomDixie]

(Original post by ellie_flower)
Have you heard anything today? Hope youhave lots of nice things to distract you

Heard nada, but I'm off out now anyway as I never expected to.

[comeluckyapril]

So is everyone who has been unsuccessful for DS and HoP and amber-banded for CD feeling as dejected as I am right now?! I can't bear the thought of hanging on by a thread for potentially another month only to be given the eventual 'no' (I'm trying to be realistic, not pessimistic). If I ring up will they be able to give me any indication of my realistic chance of getting anything at the end of all this?

I had so much fun at the assessment centre but I feel like this has been hanging over me since I applied back in September!

[F6053721]

(Original post by shellybean01)
I attended FSAC last Wednesday and found out I was successful today for HR Scheme! So excited good luck to those still to find out!

Congratulations!

I'm at FSAC this week for HR. Did they give any indication of how many they take for that stream? I hope I find out quickly one way or the other. Comments from all these people waiting ages seems like it must be torture! I did my E-tray on the Friday morning and found out the Tuesday I was through to FSAC, so I've been lucky so far with the waiting!

[cha4zz]

(Original post by comeluckyapril)
So is everyone who has been unsuccessful for DS and HoP and amber-banded for CD feeling as dejected as I am right now?! I can't bear the thought of hanging on by a thread for potentially another month only to be given the eventual 'no' (I'm trying to be realistic, not pessimistic). If I ring up will they be able to give me any indication of my realistic chance of getting anything at the end of all this?

I had so much fun at the assessment centre but I feel like this has been hanging over me since I applied back in September!

Yeah I was given unsuccessful for HOP and amber banded in the last tightening of the bands and have been offered a job elsewhere since the results came out.

Was pretty dejected to start with, as I'm fairly sure that now were amber banded for CD that going by previous results from the last couple of years were in the 16-17 point range which as of yet hasn't been successful. Like yourself, i'm not pessimistic, just ensuring that I have the best chance to further my career if i'm not successful with the Civil Service. I'll more than likely reapply if i'm not enjoying myself with the new job, just bit disheartening as many of the earlier rounds felt like a lottery to get out of.

I have no idea whether ringing up would help you, I should imagine they'd just inform you that your results should be out on a certain week and that would be about it.

[MagicNMedicine]

(Original post by ellie_flower)
No, its absolutely realistic. I'm sorry, but I'm certain more than a few people have applied to other jobs too and are having to compare salaries. That is normal. In terms of being geographically mobile, I have been mobile all my life. My parents lived in tanzania, canada, india and japan and I have been shunted from school to school to country to city to all over the shop.

I'm really keen to settle down now. I want to make sure that I CAN do this and I won't be giving my children the life I had when i was growing up. Whilst interesting, I don't have a base at all. Please, understand this.

Also, I was checking that £27k is for london because I will be living with my partner who will be earning a little more than that and I want to be in an equal relationship in an equal flat.

Now youve questioned my concerns, they are obviouslt personal ones, but I had written them in as general a way as possible!!

These are reasonable concerns. The departments have different payscales but I think its reasonable to expect that in salary, the London ones are likely to be 'late 20s' and the regions 'mid 20s'. However I do know people that started on less in London at DfID.

As for mobility and having a base - if you want London to be your base then you can do that within the Civil Service, most opportunities are in London. However it may be that you are offered a job to start in one of the regions. If this is the case, and its a department that has a regional office and a London office then ask them if its possible to work it from London - depending on the exact job and the team some departments may be flexible with that...but don't force it. Government is pretty flexible as an employer but at the end of the day it is still government and the job comes first. If it is a case that they really specifically need you to start in that regional office then take it, and tell them that you are keen to relocate to London, when options for job rotation come around. Often departments will expect you to work for 2 years in your starting department and then you're free to move around and apply for jobs outside your department so once that happens you can just aim your career moves for London.

The good thing about wanting a 'base' in London is you could have a career working for loads of different departments whilst based in London, that wouldn't be the case if you wanted a 'base' in Sheffield or Leeds.

One thing I like about the Civil Service is there are options for people to fit in from different family circumstances, eg people with kids that want to stay in one place can do, then there are singletons with free spirits that want to take jobs in different departments moving round the country, doing secondments abroad etc. Also the hours, flexible working and holidays are pretty good compared to most jobs, for people wanting to spend time with their kids, equally if you want to devote your life to work there are jobs in government where people are married to the service and spend their whole lives working, and by making that sacrifice they get a very successful and rewarding career at the heart of government.

It is also a healthy mix to have some people in a department that are departmental stalwarts, and others that have toured around the place and got wide experience of government, both types of career have their plus points and negatives.

[F6053721]

For anyone who's been to FSAC already how far a walk from Westminster tube is it? I'm just thinking what time I need to be leaving my hotel.

[SevenWonders]

(Original post by F6053721)
For anyone who's been to FSAC already how far a walk from Westminster tube is it? I'm just thinking what time I need to be leaving my hotel.

No time at all - ten minutes? Given they say be there for eight and you don't know the way, leave your room at seven thirty though.

[SevenWonders]

(Original post by comeluckyapril)
So is everyone who has been unsuccessful for DS and HoP and amber-banded for CD feeling as dejected as I am right now?! I can't bear the thought of hanging on by a thread for potentially another month only to be given the eventual 'no' (I'm trying to be realistic, not pessimistic). If I ring up will they be able to give me any indication of my realistic chance of getting anything at the end of all this?

I had so much fun at the assessment centre but I feel like this has been hanging over me since I applied back in September!

I am dejected in the sense that I have quite clearly come fairly close this year - but philosophical to the extent that I think I did well to have come this far. I haven't graduated from university yet and only turn 21 in the summer, and the whole application process (although I think it is a horribly drawn out and dare I say rather unfair one) has got me to the point where I am pretty sure the civil service is where I want to be. So my feeling is I have a decent shot for next year and am in no hurry - obviously it'd have been lovely to have a job for this year but que sera.

[F6053721]

(Original post by SevenWonders)
No time at all - ten minutes? Given they say be there for eight and you don't know the way, leave your room at seven thirty though.

Think I might go out for something to eat the night before and do a practice run so I know where I'm going. Is it easy enough to find? I'll probably be there ridiculously early now but better than late!

[F6053721]

Is anyone on here already working for the Civil Service? I am, but chose to go external instead of through inservice route.

[SevenWonders]

(Original post by F6053721)
Think I might go out for something to eat the night before and do a practice run so I know where I'm going. Is it easy enough to find? I'll probably be there ridiculously early now but better than late!

Look it up on Googlemaps. From Westminster tube, the easiest way to remember is walking downwards along the river (downwards as in away from the Eye, with Big Ben on your right) and then turning right.

[Rice_Daddy]

(Original post by SevenWonders)
I am dejected in the sense that I have quite clearly come fairly close this year - but philosophical to the extent that I think I did well to have come this far. I haven't graduated from university yet and only turn 21 in the summer, and the whole application process (although I think it is a horribly drawn out and dare I say rather unfair one) has got me to the point where I am pretty sure the civil service is where I want to be. So my feeling is I have a decent shot for next year and am in no hurry - obviously it'd have been lovely to have a job for this year but que sera.

I can't comment on how fair it is, but I'm pretty sure as recruitment processes for grad schemes go, it's not really that drawn out, I have one going that still haven't decided if they want me to go to the assessment centre.

Going back to fairness though, as far as numerical and verbal test go, I think they were pretty fair, e-tray seemed a little dodgey, and assessment centre was also pretty well ran.

[Canary Girl]

(Original post by piemuncher3)
yep, I'm out for DS and HOP, awaiting results on CD ... fun times ....

Better than me. Was a straight unsuccessful, which is disappointing as I came out feeling positive. Oh well - onwards and upwards

[schick_88]

Did anyone else have their assessors mobile phone go off during the interview?

During my interview the assessors phone went off at least two or three times - was very distracting! I wouldn't have minded if the assessor wanted to pause for a minute to switch it off but thought it was unprofessional.

[seraphina]

(Original post by comeluckyapril)
So is everyone who has been unsuccessful for DS and HoP and amber-banded for CD feeling as dejected as I am right now?! I can't bear the thought of hanging on by a thread for potentially another month only to be given the eventual 'no' (I'm trying to be realistic, not pessimistic). If I ring up will they be able to give me any indication of my realistic chance of getting anything at the end of all this?

I had so much fun at the assessment centre but I feel like this has been hanging over me since I applied back in September!

Hi, I'm a current fast streamer (went through the 2009-10 process). I didn't find out I'd passed anything until March 21st that year, and I ended up passing for both CD and HoP (though not for FCO). So I really wouldn't get too upset just yet. Okay, getting a no for HoP isn't the best omen, but it's so hard to predict where the cut offs will be. If you'd done terribly, you'd be out completely by now.

The wait is infuriating, but hang on in there. And remember, if you do fail this time, you'll be in a much better position if you want to try again next time, when you'll a)have had some practise and b)have been given very detailed feedback.

[seraphina]

(Original post by TomDixie)
Sorry to rain on your parade mate, but they'll be slotted back in ahead of you due to their higher FSAC score

That's what they claim, but in practise it all seems to be a bit random. In 2010, I held out for HoP, didn't get it and fell right down the CD list. I know someone who got a score over 20, got a FCO FSB, failed that and then almost ended up having her CD place deferred for a year as most of the jobs had gone by the time she knew she didn't have FCO. It should be better this year as that was amidst cuts and the big spending review, but I'd actually advise anyone who is keen to start quickly and isn't that bothered about FCO/HoP or doesn't really think they'll get it, to just take CD and get going with it.

[comeluckyapril]

(Original post by seraphina)
Hi, I'm a current fast streamer (went through the 2009-10 process). I didn't find out I'd passed anything until March 21st that year, and I ended up passing for both CD and HoP (though not for FCO). So I really wouldn't get too upset just yet. Okay, getting a no for HoP isn't the best omen, but it's so hard to predict where the cut offs will be. If you'd done terribly, you'd be out completely by now.

The wait is infuriating, but hang on in there. And remember, if you do fail this time, you'll be in a much better position if you want to try again next time, when you'll a)have had some practise and b)have been given very detailed feedback.

Thanks for your reassuring words! In a way it's almost infuriating to know I'm clearly going to end up with quite a close score but I'm still at uni and it's my first time applying so I'm doing my best to feel positive about it. I'm sure it's probably been mentioned, but do you find out your score in your feedback? So I'll get to find out just how close I am?

EDIT: Do you know anyone at all who didn't get HoP and did get CD?