[MissAnnahO]

URGENT ASSISTANCE NEEDED - Deadline is today

I am urgently seeking anyone who can help me in regards to the Technical Competencies for the DFID DESA Adviser scheme. It is 1,500 words and I do not know how or where to start.

Anyone work for DFID, doing the application, know someone working in DFID.

Thank you in advance!

A

[Voyager_2002]

The scheme has now closed, but as usual the answer is, read the information provided.

DESA applied to a range of areas (eg Education, Livelihoods, Climate Change...). For each area, a long pdf document was available on-line describing the work of the cadre. Each such document included a description of the Technical Competencies required: for Livelihoods this description ran to six pages (!). What you needed to do was refer to the competencies relevant to your chosen cadre and then write up to 1,500 words (in some ways 'less is more') explaining how you acquired each competency.

Last time I applied I wrote 1,250 (for Livelihoods), got to the final interview, and then failed. This time I failed at the on-line test! So much for my PhD; seven years in academia and nearly five years as a practitioner overseas!

[student_aa]

Hi,

I also applied under this scheme, but I am not sure whether I passed the test. Voyager, how did you find out that you did not clear it?

Also, from your experience last year, when do they usually get back to you?

Thanks!

[Voyager_2002]

(Original post by student_aa)
Hi,

I also applied under this scheme, but I am not sure whether I passed the test. Voyager, how did you find out that you did not clear it?

Also, from your experience last year, when do they usually get back to you?

Thanks!

Almost as soon as I submitted my test response, a message came on my screen to say that I had failed. This was confirmed by email fairly rapidly. So if you did not get such news then there is a good chance you have passed.

My application in 2011 was for a higher grade (A2 Adviser) so the process was different. The deadline was the end of September and the AC was early December, but telephone interviews took place in between: I can't remember when but I didn't think the wait was unreasonable.

Hope you make it, and if you do, can I be your secretary?

[MissAnnahO]

(Original post by Voyager_2002)
The scheme has now closed, but as usual the answer is, read the information provided.

DESA applied to a range of areas (eg Education, Livelihoods, Climate Change...). For each area, a long pdf document was available on-line describing the work of the cadre. Each such document included a description of the Technical Competencies required: for Livelihoods this description ran to six pages (!). What you needed to do was refer to the competencies relevant to your chosen cadre and then write up to 1,500 words (in some ways 'less is more') explaining how you acquired each competency.

Last time I applied I wrote 1,250 (for Livelihoods), got to the final interview, and then failed. This time I failed at the on-line test! So much for my PhD; seven years in academia and nearly five years as a practitioner overseas!

Hi Voyager 2002,

Thank you so much for your reply. I was unwell about 4 days before deadline and then when I started to recover like 2 days before deadline, I knew that I could NOT successfully do the application, technical competencies and online test and do it well, esp when such an application needs at least a week prep. So I didnt apply and just hope another opp comes up. This is my problem these application methods are no reflection of someones ability and are to an extent unjust so that is unfortunate but crazy how you got through to final stages then didnt even pass the online assessment. What did the online assessment consist of by the way? For future reference?

All the best in your career search and I dont know if this will be a step down for you but I currently work at DEFRA and they are recruiting for HEO - Policy roles in various departments, deadline is tonight however!

Take care.

[student_aa]

(Original post by Voyager_2002)

Hope you make it, and if you do, can I be your secretary?

That made me laugh! I hope I hear make it too, and that I have a secretary! Though in all honesty, my application was quite poor since I was also unwell, and I don't expect to hear back.

P.S. I have also noticed that they actually give test scores in the feedback section of the application form.

[student_aa]

(Original post by MissAnnahO)
Hi Voyager 2002,

Thank you so much for your reply. I was unwell about 4 days before deadline and then when I started to recover like 2 days before deadline, I knew that I could NOT successfully do the application, technical competencies and online test and do it well, esp when such an application needs at least a week prep. So I didnt apply and just hope another opp comes up. This is my problem these application methods are no reflection of someones ability and are to an extent unjust so that is unfortunate but crazy how you got through to final stages then didnt even pass the online assessment. What did the online assessment consist of by the way? For future reference?

All the best in your career search and I dont know if this will be a step down for you but I currently work at DEFRA and they are recruiting for HEO - Policy roles in various departments, deadline is tonight however!

Take care.

Thanks for highlighting the roles at Defra. I want to apply, but it is too late I feel! Boo.

[Voyager_2002]

(Original post by MissAnnahO)
Hi Voyager 2002,

Thank you so much for your reply. I was unwell about 4 days before deadline and then when I started to recover like 2 days before deadline, I knew that I could NOT successfully do the application, technical competencies and online test and do it well, esp when such an application needs at least a week prep. So I didnt apply and just hope another opp comes up. This is my problem these application methods are no reflection of someones ability and are to an extent unjust so that is unfortunate but crazy how you got through to final stages then didnt even pass the online assessment. What did the online assessment consist of by the way? For future reference?

All the best in your career search and I dont know if this will be a step down for you but I currently work at DEFRA and they are recruiting for HEO - Policy roles in various departments, deadline is tonight however!

Take care.

Thank you for this: I am now in the final stages of preparing an application for the DEFRA vacancies, so if I get anywhere I shall contact you to talk more about it.

I actually think that some of these application methods are useful: the need to write 200-word statements about particular competencies is a useful exercise both for the candidate and for the recruiter. However, the on-line test that I failed was stupid: about how you would respond to different kinds of situations at work, like a test on what they teach you in a typical time-management and working relationships course. The test was culturally biased (I have worked a lot in cultures where you never, ever cause a colleague or superior to lose face and so would avoid this even when it is the 'right' answer) and particularly inappropriate for DfID.

[student_aa]

Has anyone else applied to DFID under its entry scheme?

[jolondon]

(Original post by student_aa;41481[RIGHT)
[/RIGHT]305]Has anyone else applied to DFID under its entry scheme?

I also applied. haven't heard anything yet other than doing the test. Have you had any news?

[student_aa]

(Original post by jolondon)
I also applied. haven't heard anything yet other than doing the test. Have you had any news?

Hey no, none at all. Which stream did you apply to?

[helen55]

So good to see this! I applied to two of the Entry schemes (Education and Governance), did well on the test (I think, never can be sure!) but I haven't heard anything yet. Surely if they are planning interviews in March, we should have heard already?

[student_aa]

I would have thought that they would tell us even if they are not taking our applications forward?

We should keep each other posted if we hear anything. Good luck!

[helen55]

You would think so! Does yours still say 'Application Processing'? I might send them an email about it.

[jolondon]

Yep, mine says that they are reviewing the application and will contact me shortly (all very standard). They did extend the deadline by a week, originally it had been due jan 25th, so perhaps they are just behind...!

[student_aa]

Mine says: 'Application being considered'. It has been stuck on that for the past few weeks, so I am not sure how reliable the status thing is.

It is almost March, we should hear something.

[helen55]

I emailed them and got this response:


Thank you for your e-mail on the DESA scheme.
Important Messages
The DESA Scheme closed for new applications for this first round at 12 Midnight on 31 January 2013 UK time.
Subject to approval we are planning to recruit for the 2^nd intake in late 2013. Please look on the DFID website at: www.dfid.gov.uk as all information and updates will be available there.
Current Applications
If you have e-mailed this address with a query or problem in relation to an application you have made for this year’s scheme you will receive a reply asap. We and our technical team are working on resolving problems and responding to your queries as a matter of urgency.

DESA Enquiries Team

I guess they are having some technical difficulties!

[student_aa]

Hey,

I also wrote to them and they replied saying that they were going to have a short-list ready at some point this week, and will contact the applicants as soon as possible thereafter.

No news since!

[helen55]

Any word? Surely we have to hear asap!

[student_aa]

I feel they must have already gotten in touch with successful candidates.

It is a little unfair though, they should at least let us know so we don't hold out for it. Are you planning to apply for DFID's graduate scheme?