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Hope they put everyone out of their misery soon - they’ve definitely gone about this in a weird way.
Reply 81
Did your brother just get that this afternoon? Just wondering whether all DP invites have now been issued or whether there are still some to come?
Original post by aidry
My brother got his DP invite for 27th
Reply 82
Got it yesterday after 5. I think 28 is final date so I assume all the DP invites for this ac are out
Original post by Geewhiz
Did your brother just get that this afternoon? Just wondering whether all DP invites have now been issued or whether there are still some to come?
Yep, I've tried to make sense of it and the only way it makes sense is if the last batch of SO invites goes tonight, but I still haven't got anything so I'm just going to have to accept that I'll get a dear john e-mail next week, 😭
Original post by Holly2013
Hope they put everyone out of their misery soon - they’ve definitely gone about this in a weird way.
Reply 84
It could be a blessing, they’ll surely run another AC in the future, between retirements and internals getting promoted from these comps it’s going to free up more positions. Would be good to have a better understanding of what to expect in the AC from those doing it this time round
Original post by davfir99
Yep, I've tried to make sense of it and the only way it makes sense is if the last batch of SO invites goes tonight, but I still haven't got anything so I'm just going to have to accept that I'll get a dear john e-mail next week, 😭
Reply 85
Agreed - the whole process has been shambolic - has left such a bad taste in my mouth that I wont be bothering with any future NICS job ads. This defo hasn't given a good impression of the NICS.
Original post by Holly2013
Hope they put everyone out of their misery soon - they’ve definitely gone about this in a weird way.
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 86
I disagree, they could have delayed the results for everyone and people wouldn’t be getting invites until next week at the earliest.

At least this way it means people won’t be waiting a year from applying for a job to being in post

I really don’t mind not finding out at the same time as everyone else.
Original post by Geewhiz
Agreed - the whole process has been shambolic - has left such a bad taste in my mouth that I wont be bothering with any future NICS job ads. This defo hasn't given a good impression of the NICS.
Rumours are that ACs are 8 panels seeing 6 people a day, that's less than 300 for each post and then there's the rumour that factoring in DPs leaving for the G7 list and then SOs leaving for this DP comp there's actually around 250 posts estimated at each grade over the next year or so.

So people would need to actually fail this AC to not end up on the list with a Job coming sooner than you'd think. Would possibly need more ACs if these rumours are true and people do fail the AC, but they are just rumours
Original post by aidry
It could be a blessing, they’ll surely run another AC in the future, between retirements and internals getting promoted from these comps it’s going to free up more positions. Would be good to have a better understanding of what to expect in the AC from those doing it this time round
Reply 88
We were discussing the same figures today actually and saying if you pass this AC you’re guaranteed a job

Apparently the dof grade 7 list is holding up other depts issuing their supplementaries so hopefully that gets sorted soon
Original post by davfir99
Rumours are that ACs are 8 panels seeing 6 people a day, that's less than 300 for each post and then there's the rumour that factoring in DPs leaving for the G7 list and then SOs leaving for this DP comp there's actually around 250 posts estimated at each grade over the next year or so.

So people would need to actually fail this AC to not end up on the list with a Job coming sooner than you'd think. Would possibly need more ACs if these rumours are true and people do fail the AC, but they are just rumours
I am finding the process soul destroying as I haven't heard anything yet. I would just rather know that I haven't made it through to the AC rather than be kept hanging on.
Reply 90
What are you waiting on? So, dp or both?

I say the SO second batch may come Monday if no one got them this afternoon

I love how hr connect send out everything after 5!
Original post by alohahaha
I am finding the process soul destroying as I haven't heard anything yet. I would just rather know that I haven't made it through to the AC rather than be kept hanging on.
DP :frown:
Reply 92
If it's any consolation, i have a number of friends in different NICS Departnents and they're all feeling exactly the same, they say staff are totally demoralised by the way they have been treated in this, they say that very few existing NICS employees seem to have been invited to ACs so their wealth of experience is being ignored, they also say that many senior civil servants strongly disagree with bringing young external people into posts at DP level, they simply dont see it working out. Doesn't paint a picture of a caring employer - does it ???
Original post by Daah!
Agree 100% with you. As an existing NICS employee I don’t think I’ve ever felt so demoralised.. wondering if it’s time for a change to somewhere that actually acknowledges and rewards the work you do.
(edited 4 years ago)
I'm pretty demoralised too, definitely did well enough on the analysing information and critical thinking tests, not sure about the management decisions simply because I don't know what they were looking for, but everyone I know that's got through so far deserved it, they're good at their jobs and they have the experience even though they said they found the tests pretty tricky.

So I'm beating myself up that I didn't put enough detail into the eligibility criteria or my management decision answers weren't what they were looking for, either way, there's nothing I can do about it now, those who have gotten through have deserved it, if there are a lot of "young external" people that have reached the AC then good luck to them, internal people have the advantage from experience of competency based interviews and will be doing things similar to the written exercise and presentation day in and day out, so if "young external" people out perform them at ACs then they deserve the job and will bring the exact new blood that the civil service needs and that Sue Gray has set this competition to recruit. The eligibility criteria was only experience for a reason, it's not a graduate recruitment, it's for recruiting people with experience.
Original post by Geewhiz
If it's any consolation, i have a number of friends in different NICS Departnents and they're all feeling exactly the same, they say staff are totally demoralised by the way they have been treated in this, they say that very few existing NICS employees seem to have been invited to ACs so their wealth of experience is being ignored, they also say that many senior civil servants strongly disagree with bringing young external people into posts at DP level, they simply dont see it working out. Doesn't paint a picture of a caring employer - does it ???
Reply 94
This 100%

Original post by davfir99
those who have gotten through have deserved it, if there are a lot of "young external" people that have reached the AC then good luck to them, internal people have the advantage from experience of competency based interviews and will be doing things similar to the written exercise and presentation day in and day out, so if "young external" people out perform them at ACs then they deserve the job and will bring the exact new blood that the civil service needs and that Sue Gray has set this competition to recruit. The eligibility criteria was only experience for a reason, it's not a graduate recruitment, it's for recruiting people with experience.


I’ve worked in a good few places since uni and lived and worked abroad. Currently temp in NICS, does it have problems of course the two already being mentioned training and the abuse of the TP system. However compared to other civil service jobs I’ve had in the past it’s well paid in relation to what is expected of you and the workload.

Of course different departments give you different opportunities but my brother has moved around and jumped quickly up the grades from AO to SO, just don’t get stuck in a rut and transfer.

I have to say the negativity around this comp is incredible, people’s sense of entitlement to these jobs obscures them from seeing the huge positives that external recruitment brings.

For external candidates, yes internal people have an advantage at the assessment centres but your enthusiasm will shine through and don’t lose that when you get in! It’s exactly what NICS needs right now
Anybody hear any SO invites over the weekend?

I've heard nothing and no news of anything since the DP invites on Thursday evening.
No one in my office has heard anything over the weekend. Lots of people still waiting for news, both SO and DP.
I’ve heard nothing although I know of someone who got the Dear John on Friday who had applied for the DP.
Oh really? I know it's awkward to ask and they probably don't want to say too much but do you know if the letter said that they failed the tests or didn't meet the eligibility criteria?

Just out of interest as I applied for both SO & DP and still haven't heard anything on either.
Original post by Stevie1408
I’ve heard nothing although I know of someone who got the Dear John on Friday who had applied for the DP.
Sorry I’ve no idea. A friend who has also applied told me so and so got a dear john. I’ve only applied for the SO myself, I can’t believe they are keeping people on a piece of string for so long.
Original post by davfir99
Oh really? I know it's awkward to ask and they probably don't want to say too much but do you know if the letter said that they failed the tests or didn't meet the eligibility criteria?

Just out of interest as I applied for both SO & DP and still haven't heard anything on either.