The DFID one year graduate scheme

Just curious- Did everyone use the pdf competency framework criteria doc from their website to answer the questions?


Posted from TSR Mobile

Sort of. I worked for a community charity until Christmas 2011, then went to volunteer with an Education Dept scheme abroad until June 2012. I was unemployed for a few months, and now work for a foundation which gives grants to international development initiatives. (It's a bit like Comic Relief, but much smaller and based on private funds).

So when I applied last year I didnt have the latter experience on my CV but did have the first two.

I don't necessarily think work experience is all that important - getting the competency questions right is crucial!

Sort of. I worked for a community charity until Christmas 2011, then went to volunteer with an Education Dept scheme abroad until June 2012. I was unemployed for a few months, and now work for a foundation which gives grants to international development initiatives. (It's a bit like Comic Relief, but much smaller and based on private funds).

So when I applied last year I didnt have the latter experience on my CV but did have the first two.

I don't necessarily think work experience is all that important - getting the competency questions right is crucial!

While I understand that they have thousands of applications to go through, I still have concerns about their hiring process. First off I find it unfair to ask people to fill out an application form (which is quite in-depth if you want to have a chance) before being able to take the online exam. Should you fail then your application is not even considered, which must have been extremely frustrating for those who are in academic study working on coursework, dissertations or exams. I know one individual who spent a couple of weeks getting his application perfect to then fail the exam by 1%. Surely the exam could have been done first before inviting people to send in an application.
While this process might show those that are most committed I think it must be noted that people have other commitments that were become strained by working on an application form that may or may not be viewed.

We are now going 4 weeks past the application deadline and according to DFID, people should have started hearing back a week ago. HR can be an incredibly busy environment so I agree with earlier comments of giving them some slack, however, some of last year's applicants were waiting around until late August to find out that they did or did not get in. If that's going to be the case this year I would rather know now so I can plan my post exams and job hunting accordingly.

Ok looks like I got out of the wrong side of bed this morning haha but for the professional weight that DFID carries in the industry I wish their recruiting process was a bit more respectful towards graduates.

While I understand that they have thousands of applications to go through, I still have concerns about their hiring process. First off I find it unfair to ask people to fill out an application form (which is quite in-depth if you want to have a chance) before being able to take the online exam. Should you fail then your application is not even considered, which must have been extremely frustrating for those who are in academic study working on coursework, dissertations or exams. I know one individual who spent a couple of weeks getting his application perfect to then fail the exam by 1%. Surely the exam could have been done first before inviting people to send in an application.
While this process might show those that are most committed I think it must be noted that people have other commitments that were become strained by working on an application form that may or may not be viewed.

That happened for me with the Charity Works grad scheme- spent so long on their stupidly hard competency questions, re-doing and re-doing my answers and seeing the careers advisor twice at my university, only to miserably fail their numerical reasoning test. I was so disappointed.

I never actually thought about the final paragraph before but that's very true.

Haha thats funny that you mentioned Charity-Works. I also applied to the scheme did the ridiculous and vague questions and past the maths test (which was more like a finance test then testing numeracy skills) and I sat the verbal test, it was ridiculously and unessecarily hard. I sat tests for govenrment schemes/big companies/ even big financial companies and I found that schemes tests just ridiculous. Also its really hard to be motivated when they offer a salary of 15K in London. I get it's a charity but on that wage your going to need some sort of charitiable intervention to survive

I know, the only proper other test I've done was for DfID, which was no where near as hard. I looked up loads of people who are the on the scheme this year on LinkedIn and they're all like magical fairy people with tonnes of experience and masters degrees. I guess employers can ask a lot of graduates right now though! I know the wage isn't that high to start with, but most entry level positions in charities are unpaid internships, so compared to that £15,000 doesn't sound so bad, especially if most people go on to get permanent positions within the charity they work for.

Well done on passing the tests though and good luck with your application!

Thank you thats very kind of you. I was really impressed with the dfid online assessment in all truth, it was testing the skills they require if you get the role. A nice bit of linkedIn stalking , I look at people who have got the roles and i feel like i just dont stack up in comparison.

I like your up beat attitude about the pay, in all honesty I probably wont take it. I live in London now doing an internship currently on 18K and I feel incredibly lucky, but between rent (dodgy dodgy part of London ), travel and food there really is not much left to do anything with. London is a fantastic city with so much things to enjoy but if your on the bread line, having constant splendour and decedence being thrusted in your face is hard sometimes. Got a friend on 13.5 K and he is in a bad way, has taken a loan to supplement his living because he needs the experience. Massive respect for him and the people out there struggling to chase the dream of a career.

Last week, a HR manager sent me the additional application form I failed to complete...She said they'll 'write to me in the coming weeks'. Well, its only been a week...meanwhile, which other ongoing applications do you have? I've applied to the PWC auditing programme, I'm at the online assessment phase..