NICS Staff Officer and Deputy Principal recruitment 2022 2023

I think they just skim through each criteria on the application form and give it a yes or no in a matter of seconds.

I got sifted out last time despite making sure I met everything and clearly

Original post by Pinwacat

I rang HR connect today, and they said:
"2,001 people are being sifted for this competition"
Didn't really answer my question as I wanted to know how many are being interviewed in this round of interviews in June/July and she said "I believe it's 2,001", but that can't be right! Surely there's no way they'd be able to get through that many people in the first phase, doesn't seem right? I'm assuming it's 2,001 throughout the entire competition? But they could only give the info above she said.

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 82

Slingsandarr

4

I finished my DP tests today and found them very tough. I ran out of time on Analysing Information and had to guess the last few.Management decisions was tough also. I don't feel that hopeful.I made it to interview in the 2019 comp but my interview took place in September 2020 and my head was not in the right place at all.Hoping to get through again and do better at interview this time!

Reply 83

looplou

Completed my DP tests today. Found them much harder than the 2019 ones, especially analysing information 😳

Reply 84

Original post by Brummel

If they are sifting 2001 applications, based on the 2019 sift (when around 40% of all SO applications were sifted out) this may leave around 1200 candidates available for interview and I doubt HR will invite that many in a 2 week period so I think they will interview this batch in 2 or 3 tranches over the next 6 - 9 months. It all really depends on how many panels they can get together.

Also, if they are on track to start the interviews on Mon 27 June I would expect invites to issue this week so that candidates get at least 2 weeks notice of their interview date.

They are now saying they hope for soft results to be out by the end of next week but aren’t certain. Same thing they said last week. There’s going to be a lot of people on holiday if they push back dates.

They said they aim to give 10 days notice for interview

Reply 85

OP

Original post by stoodentruum

They are now saying they hope for soft results to be out by the end of next week but aren’t certain. Same thing they said last week. There’s going to be a lot of people on holiday if they push back dates.

They said they aim to give 10 days notice for interview

I was expecting something today tbh. Oh well.

How did you find out that? I never seem to get any of this info!

Reply 86

Original post by gaynor_scraggins

I was expecting something today tbh. Oh well.

How did you find out that? I never seem to get any of this info!

I just phoned them up to check, it’s a pain for not knowing when to keep dates free in July or not

Reply 87

OP

Original post by stoodentruum

I just phoned them up to check, it’s a pain for not knowing when to keep dates free in July or not

Having interviews in summer is a bit of a dead loss - for a start they can't get the staff to do the interviewing, and then a lot of people will already have holidays booked. Maybe that's just another way of sifting people out :indiff:

Reply 88

username4983018

6

I failed the So interview in 2019, I have used the same answers this opportunity as it is the same questions this time around, that being said i could easily be sifted out on this occasion.

I may be in the minority, I would rather they took their time and were thorough sifting than rush through applications and maybe people missing out on an opportunity they shouldn't.

Reply 89

Original post by colly109

I failed the So interview in 2019, I have used the same answers this opportunity as it is the same questions this time around, that being said i could easily be sifted out on this occasion.

I may be in the minority, I would rather they took their time and were thorough sifting than rush through applications and maybe people missing out on an opportunity they shouldn't.

For one of the criteria I think there was a slight difference to the wording or terminology but if you passed last time and not this time you’d think an appeal would work but it’s the panel decision. Sift panel last time weren’t even NICS staff

Reply 90

Chocolate finger

2

There is no right of appeal as it's an external competition. Was sifted out last - unfairly IMO - and there was f all I could do about it.

Reply 91

username4983018

6

Original post by Chocolate finger

There is no right of appeal as it's an external competition. Was sifted out last - unfairly IMO - and there was f all I could do about it.

You are 100% right there isn't, why I would rather they took their time and give the applications the attention they deserve!

Reply 92

OP

Original post by Chocolate finger

There is no right of appeal as it's an external competition. Was sifted out last - unfairly IMO - and there was f all I could do about it.

As far as I'm aware, there's no right of appeal for internal competitions either. However, it's possible to complain directly to HR Connect if you feel you've been incorrectly sifted out/rejected.

I've done this successfully when I wasn't shortlisted for interview for an external competition. I was rejected for shortlisting on the grounds that I didn't have enough experience. I put a complaint in explaining how I demonstrated my experience on the application (it does have to be there on the application itself), and I was then invited to interview. (No apology for them making a mistake, mind you.)

And a fat lot of good it did me, as I'm rubbish at interviews and didn't get the job anyway!!

Reply 93

Original post by gaynor_scraggins

As far as I'm aware, there's no right of appeal for internal competitions either. However, it's possible to complain directly to HR Connect if you feel you've been incorrectly sifted out/rejected.

I've done this successfully when I wasn't shortlisted for interview for an external competition. I was rejected for shortlisting on the grounds that I didn't have enough experience. I put a complaint in explaining how I demonstrated my experience on the application (it does have to be there on the application itself), and I was then invited to interview. (No apology for them making a mistake, mind you.)

And a fat lot of good it did me, as I'm rubbish at interviews and didn't get the job anyway!!

I managed to get a review of my decision but it stood. Even when I provided clarification and highlighted the exact parts that met each bit of the criteria.

From their rules I found out I was due a detailed explanation which was difficult to actually get, in the end I found out what the panel wrote was just a few words of did not meet the criteria. No more detail than that which is why I worry they spend seconds on each form

Reply 94

Chocolate finger

2

Original post by stoodentruum

I managed to get a review of my decision but it stood. Even when I provided clarification and highlighted the exact parts that met each bit of the criteria.

From their rules I found out I was due a detailed explanation which was difficult to actually get, in the end I found out what the panel wrote was just a few words of did not meet the criteria. No more detail than that which is why I worry they spend seconds on each form

I tried to lodge a formal grievance when told I couldn't appeal which they wouldn't accept. Just told me they had reviewed the decision and it stood. Requested copies of all documents and all that had been recorded was that I didn't meet the criteria, no actual reasons why not. Asked HR to confirm what process was used to carry out the sift, who carried it out and what training they had. Got two conflicting replies as to who carried it out one of which they later said was incorrect. Wouldn't say what process was used or who carried it out other than to say it was carried out by 'trained professionals'. Ended up approaching LRA (this is not a typo) to see if they could help but they more or less said there was nothing they could do. Annoying thing was I had seen applications which passed the sift which were very similar to my own. Left me feeling the sift had been done with a 50p, heads you go through tails you're out, same as they seem to do with sickness warnings.

Reply 95

Brummel

There is no right of appeal against any sift or interview decision whether for an internal board, an internal trawl or an external competition. I know many deserving people who have hit a brick wall trying to challenge their outcomes. HR never gave much of a response to any of them. Hopefully some day this will change as it is unfair, unreasonable and lacks transparency thereby giving rise to suspicion and continued resentment by those affected.

Reply 96

OP

Original post by Brummel

There is no right of appeal against any sift or interview decision whether for an internal board, an internal trawl or an external competition. I know many deserving people who have hit a brick wall trying to challenge their outcomes. HR never gave much of a response to any of them. Hopefully some day this will change as it is unfair, unreasonable and lacks transparency thereby giving rise to suspicion and continued resentment by those affected.

Agreed, they generally just come back with a "decision of the panel is final" comment. The only way it can be taken further is by going down the legal or ombudsman route most of the time. Completely not transparent at all.

Reply 97

drew Walcott

2

Original post by Slingsandarr

I finished my DP tests today and found them very tough. I ran out of time on Analysing Information and had to guess the last few.Management decisions was tough also. I don't feel that hopeful.I made it to interview in the 2019 comp but my interview took place in September 2020 and my head was not in the right place at all.Hoping to get through again and do better at interview this time!

Same here! Found it tough enough and had to guess the last 2! Good luck hope you pass!

Reply 98

Original post by gaynor_scraggins

Agreed, they generally just come back with a "decision of the panel is final" comment. The only way it can be taken further is by going down the legal or ombudsman route most of the time. Completely not transparent at all.

I did a request for all data on me knowing that a certain email has been sent internally about my complaint/sift. They ‘accidentally’ missed out including it in the response. I’m sure it was deliberate because it backed up something I knew had gone on. Dodgy

Reply 99

Brummel