The Student Room Group

Buckingham Palace summer job

Hello aLL,
I am suprised it is a telephone interview and not like person to person, is this usual? Because i know someone who applied to be a warden this year and they have been invited for a person to person interview, so i dont quite understand.

If i did get this position, is there anyone on here who has actually done that job before? Is it any good? Also, where do people live who are not from London? And, i have a 2 week holiday booked in August, is that totally out of the question, would i have to cancel the holiday or do they give you time off even tho it is a summer job?
(edited 13 years ago)

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I was a warden last year, sadly can't go back this year as I'll have to leave mid-September to go to France with the British Council TEFL programme.

Basically, with the Royal Collection, you HAVE to work from the 1st July until the 28th September, they WILL NOT give you time off. If your holiday was two days then you'd be able to swap out your shifts with another member of staff, but if it's two weeks then your chances of even getting the position will be majorly hindered. I was sure there was an availability section on the application form - did you not say you had a holiday booked?

RE living arrangements, I know most of my non-London warden buddies had to commute in from Essex/Kent/Sussex. Others stayed with family and friends, and a few managed to live in KCL/UCL halls in the city. Obviously, with the latter you'd have to pay rent but it'd be a reduced summer rate :smile:
Reply 2
I have an interview for that too :biggrin: - orginally applied for retail.. what was the phone interview like? - Hard? When I applied they said something about holiday pay so you might be able to get it off.. or say you have uni/school commitments - my dates of strting/finnishing would be different to the job description because of that and they said it was fine..
I also don't have a clue what to do about accomodation.. i thought if I got through to face-to-face interview I might ask then.. see if they can help out/point me in the right direction.. or see if anyone wants to rent with me! A bit forward really because its people I've just met.. but.. hmmm
Do you know if they pay towards transport also?/ Any other benefits?...
Reply 3
I got the job ::smile:
Ooh, congratulations =)
Reply 5
Cool how did you apply for the job? Good luck.
Reply 6
Angelharpist
I was a warden last year


What's the interview like for this? Is it gruelling? Any helpful tips? I've got an interview on monday :s-smilie:
I got the job ^^ Warden 2008 :smile: subject to all crime checks etc..!
Don't worry about the interview, I don't recommend you doing what I did and turn up ridicously early...so early I had time to explore the area, had about an hour or so to kill...found some nice little cafe nearby which serves baguettes with salad and crips :smile: Quite nice!! Still...turned up at 3pm and no-one had a clue where I was supposed to go.. Be on time, but not excessively early!! Take care, and say how you got on.
Reply 8
I thought the interview was ok in the end. I didn't get the job though...oh well...
Reply 9
What is the uniform for the warden? I got an interview for Summer 09 and scared lol. What's it like?
irfaan12
What is the uniform for the warden? I got an interview for Summer 09 and scared lol. What's it like?


Depends on whether your a guy or a girl. The colors are generally navy blue with gold buttons and a nice red trim. Both have to wear a shirt (blouse for females), a waistcoat and a blazer. With girls, you get to wear a skirt thats navy blue and stops 2" above your ankle. Boys get to wear trousers. Lucky them I think..
i got an interview...i'm a bit unsure what to expect at the unprepared bit. maybe they will make us talk to visitors or something.
irfaan12
What is the uniform for the warden? I got an interview for Summer 09 and scared lol. What's it like?

whens your interview? i have one for the same position on the 23rd
Angelharpist
I was a warden last year, sadly can't go back this year as I'll have to leave mid-September to go to France with the British Council TEFL programme.

Basically, with the Royal Collection, you HAVE to work from the 1st July until the 28th September, they WILL NOT give you time off. If your holiday was two days then you'd be able to swap out your shifts with another member of staff, but if it's two weeks then your chances of even getting the position will be majorly hindered. I was sure there was an availability section on the application form - did you not say you had a holiday booked?

RE living arrangements, I know most of my non-London warden buddies had to commute in from Essex/Kent/Sussex. Others stayed with family and friends, and a few managed to live in KCL/UCL halls in the city. Obviously, with the latter you'd have to pay rent but it'd be a reduced summer rate :smile:



hi,

sorry my reply is a year late, but i have an interview for summer warden for this year. i've been invited to come in for a group interview, was wondering if you could give me any hints on what to expect? also roughly how many people do they take on per group interview - i know this is a weird question but do you have a rough number?

cheers

:smile:
Reply 14
I think the most amusing thing about an online application to any job of this sort is the list of about four hundred different titles you can choose from, including 'Pipe-Major', 'Messenger Sergeant Major', 'The Reverend Prevendary', 'The Very Reverend Professor', 'Group Captain' and 'Dr Sir'. Me? I chose 'Mr'.
Do you need any experience for the Warden post?
Reply 16
jakehoward1
whens your interview? i have one for the same position on the 23rd


I have an interview on the 31st. Let me know how it goes :smile:
Reply 17
jakehoward1
hi,

sorry my reply is a year late, but i have an interview for summer warden for this year. i've been invited to come in for a group interview, was wondering if you could give me any hints on what to expect? also roughly how many people do they take on per group interview - i know this is a weird question but do you have a rough number?

cheers

:smile:


I worked there last summer as warden and will be returning again.
Speaking with one of the interviewers who also turns out to be one of the bosses said there's never a number of people they take, just depends who is good and not.
I would say they on average take around half (that's what I found from noticing people from my interview group around).
As for the format, for me it was a presentation on the role of wardens, the different positions and jobs you could be appointed to (eg. security, audio, garden, QG-RM-CH).
Following this we were all given a question and then had to quickly prepare and answer. The questions were generic things like "when have you delievered good customer service" - the answer has to be presented by standing and talking about it in front of the group.
Following this it is the individual one-on-one interviews, which ask similar questions about customer service, team work etc... and just be prepared to be questioned in detail about what you talk about.

Good luck.
tdbridge
I worked there last summer as warden and will be returning again.
Speaking with one of the interviewers who also turns out to be one of the bosses said there's never a number of people they take, just depends who is good and not.
I would say they on average take around half (that's what I found from noticing people from my interview group around).
As for the format, for me it was a presentation on the role of wardens, the different positions and jobs you could be appointed to (eg. security, audio, garden, QG-RM-CH).
Following this we were all given a question and then had to quickly prepare and answer. The questions were generic things like "when have you delievered good customer service" - the answer has to be presented by standing and talking about it in front of the group.
Following this it is the individual one-on-one interviews, which ask similar questions about customer service, team work etc... and just be prepared to be questioned in detail about what you talk about.

Good luck.


Did you enjoy it? What was it like?

Do you need a personal reference because I have moved a lot and I only have someone who has known me for 3 years instead of the recommended 5?
irfaan12
I have an interview on the 31st. Let me know how it goes :smile:


hey did you receive that CTC form they said they will send through the post? i've sent that PNC form a few days back but i still havent got that "ctc"