Finance the Future grad scheme

Oh really? Nah you’ve got this far so well done, I hope you get all the way through anyway! And so you haven’t done the assessment centre part yet? I think they might be doing things in groups because they said a lot of people applied this year. So everything will be extended for sure. Were the interview questions competency based?

I haven’t done the AC yet or progressed to it (yet, hopefully)! The phone interview questions were mainly about your motivations for applying and a couple about the CIPFA qualification! There was a couple of competency based questions but not many!

i got invited to the virtual assessment centre! anyone else?

Congratulations!!! Did they email you today ?

i got invited to the virtual assessment centre! anyone else?

Well done!

I am still waiting to hear whether I've got through to the telephone interview stage.... it's been a long and tedious wait.

I hope you do not mind me imposing on you but could I ask how the telephone interview went - what questions did they ask you?

TIA

Thank you, best of luck, hopefully you get through!

The interview went pretty well because I had planned for it beforehand but at the time I was still unsure if I had answered the questions in the way they would like. They asked me questions like: What do you know about CIPFA? why do you want to work for public finance? tell me about a time you had an obstacle/how did you overcome it and tell me about a time you had to plan extensively for something (or something along those lines). There were a few more questions but those are the main ones I can think of.

Thank you, best of luck, hopefully you get through!

The interview went pretty well because I had planned for it beforehand but at the time I was still unsure if I had answered the questions in the way they would like. They asked me questions like: What do you know about CIPFA? why do you want to work for public finance? tell me about a time you had an obstacle/how did you overcome it and tell me about a time you had to plan extensively for something (or something along those lines). There were a few more questions but those are the main ones I can think of.

Thank you for this - this is really helpful. Your response just confirms what I already knew from reviewing threads from previous years, it seems things have not changed all that much this year. Like you, I have prepared in advance (mainly cos I have applied to other schemes/jobs recently). Just waiting for confirmation right now!

SoGood luck!! Yes, everything seems the same as previous years. Do you happen to know if your assessment centre is likely to be much later than mine? As mines in 6 days and I'm assuming most people that haven't had their interview yet would need more time to then prepare for the AC.

Some people are still waiting for their application to be reviewed before the numerical test, as applications only closed a couple of days ago.

Good luck!! Yes, everything seems the same as previous years. Do you happen to know if your assessment centre is likely to be much later than mine? As mines in 6 days and I'm assuming most people that haven't had their interview yet would need more time to then prepare for the AC.

That's interesting considering the original application deadline was at the beginning of July, despite it being the 20th on the website, which was then brought forward to the end of June (for me anyhow). I'm taking everything on the website with a pinch of salt since it all seems a bit disjointed - boroughs have recently been added and then subsequently removed, etc. I completed the online test a few weeks ago and still haven't heard anything. Recently had an email saying they are reviewing my scores and would be in touch in due course...



This is the assumption I have made. Although, given what you have just said I may just give them a call on Monday to follow up, especially if there is 'preparation' involved. If ACs will continue past the 31st, I would imagine the window for doing them would be relatively narrow due to the borough interviews and the need for successful candidates to submit notices, etc. with their current employers (where applicable).

I also received an email saying that my numerical test is to be reviewed & they will let me know the outcome in a “couple of weeks” I can only assume they will introduce new dates for the ACs because it will not be fair for the people who haven’t had an interview yet to prepare for them. This seems quite unorganised, correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t everything supposed to be done by the 5th of August ?

I have my AC on the 31st July. I am not PREPARED for this at all! I'm already lost 😭

Just received word today that I have not made it through to the telephone interview stage.

I know they don't offer feedback but I'll be giving them a call anyway to see if they will divulge any further (specific) information on my application that I can use as constructive feedback for future applications.

Personally, by my own standards, I did not feel I performed as well in the online test as I maybe could have; however, my rejection email does not explicitly state that this was the thing that let me down and, for all I know, I could have met the benchmark (albeit maybe only just, thus weakening my chances)?! They said that they were impressed with certain elements of my application but "compared to other candidates I did not quite meet the requirements they were looking for". A little too ambiguous for me, hence seeking the clarification. Unsure if this is just a standardised/automated response or is it individual to each person?

A bit annoying, really, when I also have five years experience of already working in the public sector - albeit in a different department - and for one of the boroughs on the list!!! It also makes me wonder what the background is of other applicants and what kind of experiences one would have that would mean you meet the requirments over another candidate?

I don't know, I guess I'm just really disappointed since I felt I was in a good position this year compared to previous years where I could have applied but did not - regardless of the fact there was a high number of applicants.

Anyhow, best of luck to those of you that do make it through and hopefully some of you end up getting a place! Been really helpful being part of this forum and sharing information - thank you!

I still haven't been updated on my telephone interview yet. I did my phone interview right at the beginning of the month and the only thing I've heard from them is that they had finished all the phone interviews a week ago. Just find it bizarre as this is meant to be the last day of the ACs

I still haven't been updated on my telephone interview yet. I did my phone interview right at the beginning of the month and the only thing I've heard from them is that they had finished all the phone interviews a week ago. Just find it bizarre as this is meant to be the last day of the ACs