Civil Service Fast Stream 2019/20
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Original post by Quick-use
During the application stage of the fast stream, is there a way to declare that you come from a BAME background or if you have a disability? I know that this scheme is supposed to support various disadvantaged backgrounds but I was wondering how it goes about doing this apart from the internship program.
At some point early on (I believe when you submit the initial application) you will be asked if you consider yourself to have a disability and if you have any reasonable adjustments needed. If you do they will email you directly to confirm the adjustments. Personally I got 25% extra time at all stages of the application process and longer breaks when at my FSB between exercises.
Otherwise it is a blind application process - at each stage the assessor knows nothing about you at all (name, university, score at previous stages). If it is a face to face assessment it is conducted by a different person each time to minimise the impact of bias, and every assessor undertakes compulsory Unconscious Bias training before they are permitted to assess. This way you can be reassured at every stage you are being judge purely on your performance, not your ethnicity, disability, background etc.
Does anyone have any tips on what we can start doing to prep at this stage??
I've been reading through the new Success Profile documents and thinking of examples where I have displayed these traits in the past, hoping this will help for the interview stages.
But I'm more worried about the earlier stages at this point! Any tips on prepping for the E-Tray?
I've been reading through the new Success Profile documents and thinking of examples where I have displayed these traits in the past, hoping this will help for the interview stages.
But I'm more worried about the earlier stages at this point! Any tips on prepping for the E-Tray?
Original post by Toolson
Starting the fast stream in September so if anybody has any questions on the application process or the onboarding I’d be happy to offer my (highly limited) expertise.
Hey Toolson,
Congratulations!! Which stream are you starting on?
Got a PM but thought my response might help others. The question was what can I do to prepare now?
"Bear in mind the first few stages (really up to FSB) are all the same for all schemes, so really you want to show how rounded you are. Think what the schemes have in common: you will need organisational, leadership, and people skills, you will need to be engaging and proactive, and most of all you need to be a team player.
Lots of people enter this having experience of private sector recruitment but you need to remember that the CS works completely differently - it's all about everyone contributing what they can for the public good not about winning or scoring points against others. This is really key for the situational judgement and behaviour tests at the start especially!
So focus on the Success Profiles as they give you a good flavour of the person they want - look at Grade 7/6 as that's the job you get at the end of the scheme. You don't need to know it word for word but it should put you in the right frame of mind.
To get more specific practice the tests online (there's loads of free ones). Take your time - if I remember rightly they weren't timed so you can go get a cup of tea, pace, calm yourself down etc. between questions. Most of the questions the key is working out what the wider problem is.
Say you get told an apprentice is struggling on a project with time management. You will typically have options such as support them on the project, give the project to someone else, or arrange longer term support for the time management skill. Most people think of the problem as the project not being delivered, and yes this is important and effective responses tackle this. But the most effective responses also solve the underlying problem, the skill gap. So look at whether each option resolves the short term problem or also the long term problem.
It's these strategic and long term planning leadership skills that they are looking for. "Seeing the Bigger Picture" is a good Behaviour to look at for this. This is why focusing on the Success Profiles is really all you can do for now, besides maybe grabbing opportunities for things to talk about at interview in your current role.
I would also advise you really research the schemes and think about what you want for the next 4 years. The order is very important and you should put what you really want first and go from there. If you're not interested in a scheme don't put it down just to fill up the slots - it's really a waste of your time if ultimately you either get rejected at FSB because you don't have the passion or worse you get an offer and start and hate it.
I hope that helped for now - there's not really much prep you can do except think about what you want and what they want. I'm more than happy to help again later down the line, or with Comms, if you want to message back"
"Bear in mind the first few stages (really up to FSB) are all the same for all schemes, so really you want to show how rounded you are. Think what the schemes have in common: you will need organisational, leadership, and people skills, you will need to be engaging and proactive, and most of all you need to be a team player.
Lots of people enter this having experience of private sector recruitment but you need to remember that the CS works completely differently - it's all about everyone contributing what they can for the public good not about winning or scoring points against others. This is really key for the situational judgement and behaviour tests at the start especially!
So focus on the Success Profiles as they give you a good flavour of the person they want - look at Grade 7/6 as that's the job you get at the end of the scheme. You don't need to know it word for word but it should put you in the right frame of mind.
To get more specific practice the tests online (there's loads of free ones). Take your time - if I remember rightly they weren't timed so you can go get a cup of tea, pace, calm yourself down etc. between questions. Most of the questions the key is working out what the wider problem is.
Say you get told an apprentice is struggling on a project with time management. You will typically have options such as support them on the project, give the project to someone else, or arrange longer term support for the time management skill. Most people think of the problem as the project not being delivered, and yes this is important and effective responses tackle this. But the most effective responses also solve the underlying problem, the skill gap. So look at whether each option resolves the short term problem or also the long term problem.
It's these strategic and long term planning leadership skills that they are looking for. "Seeing the Bigger Picture" is a good Behaviour to look at for this. This is why focusing on the Success Profiles is really all you can do for now, besides maybe grabbing opportunities for things to talk about at interview in your current role.
I would also advise you really research the schemes and think about what you want for the next 4 years. The order is very important and you should put what you really want first and go from there. If you're not interested in a scheme don't put it down just to fill up the slots - it's really a waste of your time if ultimately you either get rejected at FSB because you don't have the passion or worse you get an offer and start and hate it.
I hope that helped for now - there's not really much prep you can do except think about what you want and what they want. I'm more than happy to help again later down the line, or with Comms, if you want to message back"
Original post by hy15g2m
Hey Toolson,
Congratulations!! Which stream are you starting on?
Congratulations!! Which stream are you starting on?
Thanks!
I’ll be starting on the generalist stream
Original post by hy15g2m
Does anyone know the exact date in September this opens? In the past it seems to vary between mid and end of the month
I don’t know the date but I know that you can sign up for their mailing list and they will let you know once it opens. This can be done on the FS website
Hi there, can anyone explain to me a little more about the generalist scheme and what departments you can work in?
Last year in my final year of uni I applied for the diplomatic scheme as I was a languages student and was so interested in that scheme despite it being one of the hardest to get onto I tried and failed to pass through the initial stages..
HOWEVER! I’m coming back this year again and applying for not only the diplomatic but the communications as well as the generalist scheme but I wanted to hear any tips from people on the schemes to understand the differences between them?
Previously I thought the generalist scheme was more in line with data, statistics, mathematics and things like that.. is that true? Or can it be more in line with what you wish to focus on within the civil service departments?
Thanks for your help!!
Last year in my final year of uni I applied for the diplomatic scheme as I was a languages student and was so interested in that scheme despite it being one of the hardest to get onto I tried and failed to pass through the initial stages..
HOWEVER! I’m coming back this year again and applying for not only the diplomatic but the communications as well as the generalist scheme but I wanted to hear any tips from people on the schemes to understand the differences between them?
Previously I thought the generalist scheme was more in line with data, statistics, mathematics and things like that.. is that true? Or can it be more in line with what you wish to focus on within the civil service departments?
Thanks for your help!!
Original post by Aimee996
Hi there, can anyone explain to me a little more about the generalist scheme and what departments you can work in?
Last year in my final year of uni I applied for the diplomatic scheme as I was a languages student and was so interested in that scheme despite it being one of the hardest to get onto I tried and failed to pass through the initial stages..
HOWEVER! I’m coming back this year again and applying for not only the diplomatic but the communications as well as the generalist scheme but I wanted to hear any tips from people on the schemes to understand the differences between them?
Previously I thought the generalist scheme was more in line with data, statistics, mathematics and things like that.. is that true? Or can it be more in line with what you wish to focus on within the civil service departments?
Thanks for your help!!
Last year in my final year of uni I applied for the diplomatic scheme as I was a languages student and was so interested in that scheme despite it being one of the hardest to get onto I tried and failed to pass through the initial stages..
HOWEVER! I’m coming back this year again and applying for not only the diplomatic but the communications as well as the generalist scheme but I wanted to hear any tips from people on the schemes to understand the differences between them?
Previously I thought the generalist scheme was more in line with data, statistics, mathematics and things like that.. is that true? Or can it be more in line with what you wish to focus on within the civil service departments?
Thanks for your help!!
Hey, generalist is very broad and you can’t really focus until your last year (of course you can select options but no guarantee of getting them). You can be placed in most departments also.
Original post by Airmed
Hey all, I’m about to start Year 2 of the FS, I’m a generalist so happy to answer any questions. Apologies to anyone who may have PMed me recently and have not had a reply; RL has gotten in the way! Please resend or quote me here 
Hi ! Thanks for your previous response, I have a couple more questions that hopefully you can help me with.
Which departments or areas have you been placed in so far and have you had a positive experience?
Would you say that you are placed within áreas that you haven’t been interested in ?
I wouldn’t classify myself as being statistically or mathematically minded and am worried that the generalist scheme gives you placements in all areas including working with data or numbers of which I wouldn’t really be interested in. So I guess I’m wondering if that’s possible or if you have some kind of say with what is more in line with your interests?
Thanks for your help!
Original post by Aimee996
Hi ! Thanks for your previous response, I have a couple more questions that hopefully you can help me with.
Which departments or areas have you been placed in so far and have you had a positive experience?
Would you say that you are placed within áreas that you haven’t been interested in ?
I wouldn’t classify myself as being statistically or mathematically minded and am worried that the generalist scheme gives you placements in all areas including working with data or numbers of which I wouldn’t really be interested in. So I guess I’m wondering if that’s possible or if you have some kind of say with what is more in line with your interests?
Thanks for your help!
Which departments or areas have you been placed in so far and have you had a positive experience?
Would you say that you are placed within áreas that you haven’t been interested in ?
I wouldn’t classify myself as being statistically or mathematically minded and am worried that the generalist scheme gives you placements in all areas including working with data or numbers of which I wouldn’t really be interested in. So I guess I’m wondering if that’s possible or if you have some kind of say with what is more in line with your interests?
Thanks for your help!
1) Only 1 area so far, generalist works off 12 month placements. My experience was um... let's just say I will be glad to move on. That's all I can say publicly.
2) I was placed in an operational role working on stakeholder engagement around benefits. Definitely not my interest at all.
3) I've not had to work on stats. There is tbe finance scheme for that. I'm also not mathematically minded but you will need to at least know how to do basic maths.
Original post by Airmed
1) Only 1 area so far, generalist works off 12 month placements. My experience was um... let's just say I will be glad to move on. That's all I can say publicly.
2) I was placed in an operational role working on stakeholder engagement around benefits. Definitely not my interest at all.
3) I've not had to work on stats. There is tbe finance scheme for that. I'm also not mathematically minded but you will need to at least know how to do basic maths.
2) I was placed in an operational role working on stakeholder engagement around benefits. Definitely not my interest at all.
3) I've not had to work on stats. There is tbe finance scheme for that. I'm also not mathematically minded but you will need to at least know how to do basic maths.
Hi thanks for your reply !
Oh no !! That doesn’t sound good.. hopefully next years will be better!
what kind of day to day tasks have you been involved in with your department ?
what way does it tend to work when you’re selected for the generalist scheme to be chosen for a department or area? Are you randomly allocated anywhere after you choose your preferred location or do you get a choice out of 3 options for example?
Original post by Toolson
Starting the fast stream in September so if anybody has any questions on the application process or the onboarding I’d be happy to offer my (highly limited) expertise.
Hello! Which scheme are you starting in September and are you in an area where you’re happy with?
Can you offer any advice for the application process in terms of online tests? I didn’t get past that stage last year unfortunately ..
Original post by Alex!!
Hi all,
I was successful applying last year and will be starting on Comms in September. Happy to answer any questions you may have about any stage of the process.
Also I'm an existing Civil Servant of 2 years so can give an idea of my experiences if that is of interest to anyone. Good luck all!
I was successful applying last year and will be starting on Comms in September. Happy to answer any questions you may have about any stage of the process.
Also I'm an existing Civil Servant of 2 years so can give an idea of my experiences if that is of interest to anyone. Good luck all!
Hello Alex congrats on the communication scheme.
Can you give any advice for standing out from the crowd as só many people apply for the same role .. or any tips on what experiences I should highlight in the application process ?
Original post by Aimee996
Hello! Which scheme are you starting in September and are you in an area where you’re happy with?
Can you offer any advice for the application process in terms of online tests? I didn’t get past that stage last year unfortunately ..
Can you offer any advice for the application process in terms of online tests? I didn’t get past that stage last year unfortunately ..
Hey! Starting the generalist stream and yes am happy with my area.
My advice probably sounds trite but I think the best thing to do is to do practice tests in timed conditions. Managing time and keeping calm are the most important things.
Original post by Aimee996
Hi thanks for your reply !
Oh no !! That doesn’t sound good.. hopefully next years will be better!
what kind of day to day tasks have you been involved in with your department ?
what way does it tend to work when you’re selected for the generalist scheme to be chosen for a department or area? Are you randomly allocated anywhere after you choose your preferred location or do you get a choice out of 3 options for example?
Oh no !! That doesn’t sound good.. hopefully next years will be better!
what kind of day to day tasks have you been involved in with your department ?
what way does it tend to work when you’re selected for the generalist scheme to be chosen for a department or area? Are you randomly allocated anywhere after you choose your preferred location or do you get a choice out of 3 options for example?
Spoke to stakeholders, organised events, liaison with policy over benefits roll out, worked internally to develop strategies; there was no set day to day tasks, every day was different.
So for generalist, you get sorted into clusters (areas) and you can note a preference for that and for your area but no guarantees at all.
Hey guys, I'm thinking of applying for Diplomat and Generalist streams this year, and potentially the Houses of Parliament stream too although I don't really know enough about it to say for sure rn. If the Science stream didn't require a masters it would definitely be my first choice, if I don't get onto anything this year I may end up doing a panic masters and applying next year 
I had a few questions for anyone who's got onto the stream:
- Is it possible to work for the Department of Health in any of the streams? I'd really love to be able to, bioethics and health policy are really interesting imo (not an opinion many people seem to share with me lol) so if I can work there for a bit it'd be great.
- Has anyone here done the Houses of Parliament one? Would like to know a bit more about what areas you work on and what you do on a kind of average day.
- Do you need to have some proficiency in other languages to do the diplomat stream?
Thanks!
I had a few questions for anyone who's got onto the stream:
- Is it possible to work for the Department of Health in any of the streams? I'd really love to be able to, bioethics and health policy are really interesting imo (not an opinion many people seem to share with me lol) so if I can work there for a bit it'd be great.
- Has anyone here done the Houses of Parliament one? Would like to know a bit more about what areas you work on and what you do on a kind of average day.
- Do you need to have some proficiency in other languages to do the diplomat stream?
Thanks!
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