Home Office - Single Competent Authority Decision-maker

Hey, I got all my clearance through and confirmed on Monday - now just waiting on a start date. Anyone else had a start date yet?

Thank you so much everybody, I was so over whelmed that I made it to the interview stage after many application rejections with civil service.

Anyhow I will let you know how I get on in a few weeks time...

It’s turning into quite the wait but hopefully we hear something soon! I also emailed them a couple of weeks ago but haven’t had a response yet. I applied for Cardiff, what about you?

Hey, I got all my clearance through and confirmed on Monday - now just waiting on a start date. Anyone else had a start date yet?

Hey everyone - I am new on the forum and not sure if I am doing this right so here goes.

I am delighted and very grateful to have made the cut and have been invited to interview for the position of SCA - Decision Maker. I haven't had an interview in a very long time. The thought of an interview is daunting enough before adding into the mix its a civil service and a pre-recorded interview.

I have NO experience of pre-recorded interviewing and feel the anticipation of not know what to expect will make me more nervous on the day. My concern, if anyone can help is that I will be more focused on what to do and the fear of the technology going wrong that I loose focus on the questions.

To anyone who has already completed the pre-recroded interview how did you find it? It is more difficult not having the a human there to bounce off? Is it easier than a face to face interview? I always prep in advance therefore any advice on how to overcome the "anticipation of not knowing and loosing focus" would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi, I am in the same situation as you, hope someome on he

Nope!! i would love a date...then i can finally come clean to my current job and resign ha ha

I applied & interviewed for a few civil service jobs before I succeeded with this one but they were all in the same format-pre recorded interviews consisting of around 4/5 questions!

Sorry i can't remember the specific questions for the Home office as they have all blurred into one and as I said I did 3 interviews for various roles across civil service in a short period of time.

My top tips are to prepare in advance some examples based on the competencies listed on the advert...they go along the lines of:

*Tell us about a time when you have successfully led a team to success
*Tell us about a time where you have had to analyze data to make a decision
*Tell us about a time when you have had to deal with a difficult situation & what the outcome was
*Can you give us an example of when you have managed a project?
*Tell us about a time when you have had to stick to a strict timetable and how you managed your time
*Tell us about a time you have initiated a change in a process

I really thought I had messed up with this one as ran out of time in one of the questions...so another tip is to practice and have some prompts in form of a post it notes to jog your memory of the example! I popped them on the wall behind my laptop! Try to be calm, breathe and hit as many key words as you can. Don't be afraid to use the same examples as you used on the application form too, just expand on them & get those key words in!!!

Good luck!!

ooh great! hope i'll hear soon. still saying on the portal they are checking i haven't been sacked from civil service previously ha ha

Anyone able to offer advice on the strengths questions in the interview? I've read conflicting things about them. I've heard for the behaviours questions you have about 4 minutes to give your answer and that you need to use examples in the 'star' format. Then I've heard that you only get about 3 minutes to answer the strengths questions. Do you still need to give examples for these?

I have also secured an interview. The strength questions are very daunting! Not being able to prepare for them worries me

@Rimai I'm not sure yet. You can do it any time once you've received the link, so I think I'll decide when I feel ready. Where are you applying for?

Hi I am applying for Birmingham how about yourself

Cardiff