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Civil service fast stream 2014/2015

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Original post by iamux
do they help with relocation if successful?
I believe they pay relocation costs if you would have a 90 mins + commute, but only for your first placement. Happy to be corrected if that's not right.
Original post by grownupfrog
I believe they pay relocation costs if you would have a 90 mins + commute, but only for your first placement. Happy to be corrected if that's not right.

If it continues as it is now, you can get relocation for any substantial move, but for your first placement you will not receive the expenses in advance.
Hi guise, a quick up date for all who are waiting for their results from what I found out:

According to Parity, SDIP candidates will start hearing from the 13th (apparently) so it maybe similar for those still waiting for the main Fast Stream :smile: (hopefully!) Anyway, I realise they are obviously separate schemes but it provides you with a idea at least.
Original post by parks189
Sorry to hear you're having doubts! I believe you can be withdrawn from consideration at any point if you contact Parity. I don't see how attending the FSB would have changed that in any way, if anything they would probably prefer to know as soon as possible to save any wasted effort. Then again you may just want to see if you were successful and make a decision from there!

On that point - has any heard when the results from the DS FSB's will be received? I attended mine back in February and the wait is starting to drive me insane!!


Thanks, so just to make clear, withdrawing from the DS wouldn't entail withdrawing from the Fast Stream altogether, I would just revert to my second preference (CD)?

When I attended earlier this week they said that results would come at the end of this month, I'm guessing that it's the same for everyone.
Has anyone who was unsuccessful at fsac got feedback reports yet? Do you get emailed when they are available or how do you get them?
Original post by SolomonBurke
Thanks, so just to make clear, withdrawing from the DS wouldn't entail withdrawing from the Fast Stream altogether, I would just revert to my second preference (CD)?

When I attended earlier this week they said that results would come at the end of this month, I'm guessing that it's the same for everyone.


Confirm with parity. You don't want to withdraw and later realise that means withdrawing from the process completely. Better be safe than sorry.
Original post by SolomonBurke
Hi everyone, I recently attended the Diplomatic FSB and after the interview I'm having some reservations about the FCO as a career. I've always loved travelling, have worked abroad recently and I'm interested in foreign policy, but I'm worried about the implications of such a career on family life, friends etc, and I'm really leaning towards Central Departments. Can I withdraw my first preference for DS now and go with CD? Presumably they won't mind because it means less competition for places, or will I have to wait for the results? Sorry, I know this sounds crazy considering the level of competition for DS, but going to the FSB has freaked me out.


Can I ask what it was they said to you in the interview that put you off so much?

How did you find the role play's? They were worse than I imagined :bawling:
Reply 2887
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Lauws
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Original post by SolomonBurke
Thanks, so just to make clear, withdrawing from the DS wouldn't entail withdrawing from the Fast Stream altogether, I would just revert to my second preference (CD)?

When I attended earlier this week they said that results would come at the end of this month, I'm guessing that it's the same for everyone.


You will be fine withdrawing if you make it clear you want CD.

Although would you not like to keep your hat in the ring for now to find out whether you've got in or not? After coming so far it would surely be good to know? If you withdraw before I doubt that they'll provide your FSB result / feedback.

It's impressive that you've made that decision though, its not easy to walk away from such a good opportunity to go for what you really want. ( incidentally, same reason I applied to HoP rather than DS at the outset)
A friend of mine living in London has got me worried. She said that it will be nearly impossible to survive with a decent living standard in London on 27k. Are you any of you living in London? Is it doable? - I'm really worried about accommodation.
Original post by wizardwoman
A friend of mine living in London has got me worried. She said that it will be nearly impossible to survive with a decent living standard in London on 27k. Are you any of you living in London? Is it doable? - I'm really worried about accommodation.

It's certainly not a high wage for London, but 'nearly impossible' is an exaggeration. It will be necessary to share flats/houses the whole time and you won't have an extravagant lifestyle, but it's more than enough to live on. And if you get a grade 7 post after the fast stream you'll be much more financially comfortable.
Original post by grownupfrog
It's certainly not a high wage for London, but 'nearly impossible' is an exaggeration. It will be necessary to share flats/houses the whole time and you won't have an extravagant lifestyle, but it's more than enough to live on. And if you get a grade 7 post after the fast stream you'll be much more financially comfortable.


Thank you so much your reply. Are you house-sharing? How did you arrange that? - If you don't mind saying what part of London do you live in? - I just have know idea where's good and where's bad. The north seems nice but more expensive, although it all seems expensive :frown:

I've thought about staying outside and commuting in but the cost of travel seems to make that choice almost as financially burdensome.
Reply 2891
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rm436
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Original post by wizardwoman
A friend of mine living in London has got me worried. She said that it will be nearly impossible to survive with a decent living standard in London on 27k. Are you any of you living in London? Is it doable? - I'm really worried about accommodation.


Such an exaggeration. I live just outside London and most of my friends live in London, and all of my friends earn less than that! You can certainly survive on that salary. I guess it depends what you class as a 'decent living standard' but my friends all live in houses with other young professionals (they all live pretty central, some even live in pretty nice areas like near Earls Court, St Johns Wood and one even lives on Hampstead high street). If I get on the Fast Stream I'm planning to move to Wimbledon. They all go out regularly, eat out, go on the odd holiday etc. Yes, you won't be loaded, but you can definitely live on that wage and be more than fine!!
Reply 2892
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rm436
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Original post by wizardwoman
Thank you so much your reply. Are you house-sharing? How did you arrange that? - If you don't mind saying what part of London do you live in? - I just have know idea where's good and where's bad. The north seems nice but more expensive, although it all seems expensive :frown:

I've thought about staying outside and commuting in but the cost of travel seems to make that choice almost as financially burdensome.


Sorry to reply to another post, but hopefully I can help you out! I know that a lot of people find house shares on the Fast Stream facebook page that gets set up, because a fair few people will be relocating. Most of my friends found their room through Spareroom.com (maybe it's .co.uk but you get the idea!). Have a look on there to get ideas of prices. Look on tube maps and try to get a place that's on the same line as like Westminster/St James's Park/Victoria as that's where most CS departments are. I don't want to offend anyone here by saying what areas are nice/horrible, but you can probably work it out withy a quick google search, or feel free to message me for more help!
To give you an idea of cost, my boyfriend lives by Earls Court with three others. His house is lovely, has a garden etc, and he pays £160 a week. You can get cheaper if you're prepared to live a little further out. From his I can get to Westminster in 30 mins door to door.
London is really expensive but this is an amazing job in an amazing city!
Original post by wizardwoman
Thank you so much your reply. Are you house-sharing? How did you arrange that? - If you don't mind saying what part of London do you live in? - I just have know idea where's good and where's bad. The north seems nice but more expensive, although it all seems expensive :frown:

I've thought about staying outside and commuting in but the cost of travel seems to make that choice almost as financially burdensome.

I'll be starting in September, my comments were based on experiences of friends who did the fast stream and friends living in London on similar wages.

House-sharing is easy enough to arrange - as someone else mentioned spareroom.co.uk is a great resource where you can search for people wanting a flatmate. Different people like different areas so I can't really advise on that, but in general I'd suggest you look at the transport links to the Westminster area and work from there. It's no use finding a beautiful, affordable house somewhere only to discover you'd have a nightmare of a commute.

Where you live at first won't necessarily dictate where you live for your whole time in the fast stream, or the civil service. If you move somewhere that you end up not liking, you can just move again a year down the line.

Personally I'm considering the Lewisham area. My brother lives there and works near Pimlico and it's a really easy commute, with pretty good rents. Some bits are grotty but plenty of it is nice.

But I don't even know if I'll be placed in London straight away yet :tongue:
Original post by wizardwoman
A friend of mine living in London has got me worried. She said that it will be nearly impossible to survive with a decent living standard in London on 27k. Are you any of you living in London? Is it doable? - I'm really worried about accommodation.


Not to be rude to your friend, but unless you live quite an extravagant life, you'll be absolutely fine on 27k!

I'm currently a student in London and have found living off a student loan + a small part time job perfectly fine. I go out to dinner, have a social life etc so I guess that counts as surviving :wink: . The only thing I don't pay at the moment is council tax but thats not going to be a huge extra expense on top of my outgoings.

I have lots of friends who graduated last year and their salaries range generally from 20k to 25k and as far as I know they're all doing fine. 27k is an amazing starting salary for a job - even in London!

I live in East London and have had flats in Mile End/Whitechapel/Bow - Mile End's a bit too full of chicken shops but I loved Whitechapel. Bow's a bit more residential. As they're all on the district line, it makes getting into Westminster really easy. Maybe 25 mins on the tube?
Reply 2895
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Lauws
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Original post by SarahLouPinder
Mile End's a bit too full of chicken shops


I lol'd. Chicken Shops are a scourge on the Capital! Especially the smell when somebody is enjoying their fare on public transport...
Original post by Lauws
I lol'd. Chicken Shops are a scourge on the Capital! Especially the smell when somebody is enjoying their fare on public transport...


I love a good piece of fried chicken as much as the next person when I'm mullered but dear lord when is it necessary for them to be so ubiquitous?!
Original post by bubbaa
Has anyone who was unsuccessful at fsac got feedback reports yet? Do you get emailed when they are available or how do you get them?


From your scheme progress page, under 'Action' click 'View Results' and there will be a button called 'FSAC Report', click that and it'll lead you to it. Personally I didn't get an email to notify me, so enjoy refreshing!
Original post by wizardwoman
A friend of mine living in London has got me worried. She said that it will be nearly impossible to survive with a decent living standard in London on 27k. Are you any of you living in London? Is it doable? - I'm really worried about accommodation.



Just to reiterate what other people have said, "nearly impossible" is a huge exaggeration! I've lived and worked in London since graduating 5 years ago - I've never been on an amazing salary but get along just fine and still have a good social life despite a significant chunk of my income going on rent and bills. If you're looking to save money as well that's a different story, but I really wouldn't worry about day to day life. I have friends on less than £25k who also manage just fine!
Original post by wizardwoman
A friend of mine living in London has got me worried. She said that it will be nearly impossible to survive with a decent living standard in London on 27k. Are you any of you living in London? Is it doable? - I'm really worried about accommodation.



This is absolutely not true. You may not be able to go out in West London every weekend and go to all the hotspots but you are more than able to survive. I will be joining the fast stream in september but I am currently earning 22k and living in Ealing with my boyfriend in a one bed flat. We go out for meals every week and are going to Canada and America for three weeks next month. You won't be able to afford everything you want to do all the time, but unless you have an amazing job earning 100K+, it's not possible anyways!

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