The Student Room Group

Fast Stream 2012

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Reply 1620
Original post by Moonberry
Loopy looper your phone conversation with parity has made me even more convinced that they are going to turn round and say that my pass is a mistake!!!! I didn't get an email message or anything. I just noticed an unread message when I logged into the site.

Beside FSAC under 'my applications' it says successful and then I have been given a link to a whole load of pre appointment forms to fill out. I haven't been given my score and presume that I don't get this until the reports are issued. Maybe someone from another scheme could confirm this.


You won't get your score until final pass mark is set and you get your report. No worries!
Original post by loopylooper
Hey sorry if this comes across as a silly question but could someone explain the scoring system to me? I know from reading posts that scores of 17+ seem to be necessary to get considered depending on the stream applied for. But how is the score made up? Is it marks out of 4 or 5 for each section? Are all the sections equally weighted?
I'm assuming the sections are: interview, briefing, policy, group excercise and in-tray
Would that be correct?


You don't get a mark for an exercise, you get a mark for each competency, at the end of the whole FSAC day. There are six competencies:
- Drive for results
- Learning and improving
- Decision making
- Constructive thinking
- Building productive relationships
- Communicating with impact

In the FSAC candidate guide it tells you which competencies are assessed in each exercise, eg in the part about group exercise it says "designed to test your ability to build productive relationships, to communicate with impact and your drive for results" and then later in the section says you are given a feedback self assessment form to fill in at the end of the exercise to assess learning and improving.

The decision making competency is only assessed once at FSAC - in the written exercise, but the part of your e-tray (or the other exercise done at the economists / statisticians assessment centre) that is written is the other part that counts for your FSAC mark for decision making.

The other competencies are all assessed in at least two exercises at FSAC, some of them three.

You get a mark out of 4 for each competency. A score of below 2 on any competency means a fail. Other than that the overall mark is what counts, and the pass mark will vary from year to year and from stream to stream. The lowest pass marks are usually for the analyst streams like economist or statistician, they are being hired mainly for their specialist skills and had to do a separate assessment before going to FSAC.
Reply 1622
Original post by TomDixie
*raises hand*

Kind of like that feeling of wanting to jump when you go close to the edge of a big drop. I'm not alone with that one am I? :tongue:


me too. especially on the touchscreen when constantly checking for results with my large fingers... :/ stepped back from the brink a couple of times.
Just got my results, unsuccessful. :frown: back on the job hunt I guess, good luck to the people who still haven't heard!
Reply 1624
Hmm. Rejected for DS, but still amber banded for CD. Not too optimistic at this stage... :frown:
Reply 1625
Original post by ciara
Hmm. Rejected for DS, but still amber banded for CD. Not too optimistic at this stage... :frown:


Please don't see that as much of a reflection on your chances.

There was a lad on here two weeks ago in the first adjustment that was unsuccessful for DS but successful for CD.

DS is a much higher pass mark.
Had my FSAC last week and unsuccessful today (technology in business).

Does this mean I did so appallingly that I was cut out straight away?

Looking forward to the feedback. I completely messed up the second written test so I imagine I got < 2 on that competency.

Anyone know any good books/ways of practising that sort of test?
Reply 1627
Original post by Rice_Daddy
Just got my results, unsuccessful. :frown: back on the job hunt I guess, good luck to the people who still haven't heard!


Aw sorry :frown: You should definately try again next year though, I think the experience of the FSAC has been invaluable so can see how people are more successful the second time around. Also, you could check the civil service website for other jobs with them.
I'm still curious about those who may have put central departments as first choice. Has anyone who has done this heard back yet either way. Would be good to hear from someone first hand.
Reply 1629
found out today that i have interview for DS, did anyone else here anything today?
obviously very happy with that, but would happily take HoP/Central if don't get any further
im assuming if i take interview n am unsuccesful my chances of having the specific role i want in other departments is not diminished due to late timing? i may have to ring them and check
Reply 1630
Original post by TomDixie
Please don't see that as much of a reflection on your chances.

There was a lad on here two weeks ago in the first adjustment that was unsuccessful for DS but successful for CD.

DS is a much higher pass mark.


It's true, and I'm pleased I wasn't immediately unsuccessful. It's just that they were probably vaguer (stricter?) on the CD pass mark earlier on in the process. As it gets further on and several adjustments have been made, I feel like still being amber banded means my chances are pretty slim. On the other hand, it does mean I'm not out yet! Who knows. Very well done on your success by the way, hope you're celebrating appropriately!
Reply 1631
Original post by sam1803
found out today that i have interview for DS, did anyone else here anything today?
obviously very happy with that, but would happily take HoP/Central if don't get any further
im assuming if i take interview n am unsuccesful my chances of having the specific role i want in other departments is not diminished due to late timing? i may have to ring them and check


2 things - 1) you'll find out shortly its 2 role-playing exercises for DS, rather than any interview or current affairs testing. FCO doesn't seem to mind if you know nothing at all about international affairs, so long as you have top-drawer management skills :smile:
2) officially it won't harm your chances as you should be slotted in at the level of your score in the 'general classification', so to speak. However, posts on here would indicate in practice you might have a bit of a problem (see, e.g. Serafina (?)) of a few days past. Parity told me it wouldn't jeopardize my chances if I went to the FSB, but I think that was just a general reassurance as unfortunately, for the EFS (which I'm aiming at), even those of us who passed the FSAC aren't guaranteed a job at the end of it (unlike the GFS, where unsuccessful HoP and DS candidates are guaranteed CD).

EDIT: obvs, congratulations as well.

Out of interest, when is your FSB?
(edited 12 years ago)
I can't check my application page until later on today as I can't access it through my phone for some reason :frown:

EDIT: Nothing yet on the DS :frown:
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by more tea vicar?
I can't check my application page until later on today as I can't access it through my phone for some reason :frown:

EDIT: Nothing yet on the DS :frown:


This means youre still in the running anyway. They still have FSB at the beginning of April anyway. Also, updates seem to be afternoon usually
Has anybody thought about which Central Department theyd like yet?
Original post by SevenWonders
Same as you & same date. You never know - it's not over til it's over.


Me too (more recent FSAC though)! I have ALL my fingers and ALL my toes crossed for us (and my legs, and my arms...). I just keep hoping it's going to be different from last year!
Original post by comeluckyapril
Me too (more recent FSAC though)! I have ALL my fingers and ALL my toes crossed for us (and my legs, and my arms...). I just keep hoping it's going to be different from last year!


I don't think it's worth fretting too much about what happened last year - it's a different application cycle and also we only have the TSR thread sample size - it doesn't by any means mean no one at all got an offer last year after being in our positon. I don't see why they would put everyone on hold and give no one an offer, so I think there is a chance, however slight.
Just a quick question. Anyone applied for the Science and Engineering scheme heard back? Anyone have any idea if the pass mark is higher or lower than for CD?
Reply 1638
Original post by ellie_flower
Has anybody thought about which Central Department theyd like yet?


DfID, MoD

Supposedly they're the most popular though...

I'd take a cleaning job in Whitehall tbh :wink:
Really don't want DWP!

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