DWP EO Work Coach Application - FAIL!

I don’t want to sound rude but stop blaming process and try to think what you could work on... what could you improve about your application...

I am white, straight, no disability and I am not from low social background... and still passed all three stages and currently in process of ID check ... and I didn’t do any training courses or so ... literally applied for a role 4 hours before closing time... don’t get me wrong, I still may end up on reserve list.. but I would definitely say I am more humble than you ... I thought my statement was good, however I felt like I failed test and interview (especially interview)... maybe they thought your statement wasn’t strong enough ... or maybe it was too strong ... also don’t forget, just because your coach checked it over and approved it that doesn’t mean the person who was sifting applications had the same opinion as your coach

Making Effective decisions
On this one, they want to hear about what you considered, what options you rejected and why (this is typically around cost/time (including staff resource), quality, reputational damage), then what you did decide on and why. Ensure you show balancing risks/benefits, then outcome

I really struggled with this behavior in the interview and totally messed up. I prepared for 2 days but I found it really difficult to think of examples of my own experience. I've only ever worked as a retail assistant so I don't have much experience, does anyone have any advice on examples to give when you don't have much relevant experience. I want to apply again soon.

I think the statement blaming others for your own shortcomings is self defeating. It will block you from affecting real change, that might lead to growth and success in your future opportunities. Is it possible that these people were more suited to the role and just happened to be different in ways you could point a finger at?

I also applied for the role. I didnt do any research, I just wrote the 500 word essay there and then. Same with the situation test. I was just open and honest. I got through to the interview and did the same. I didnt prepare any answers, I didnt think about what might be expected. I only answered with integrity in a way that reflected who I am and how I operate. I was offered a role starting next month. If I hadn't been offered a role, I would accept that I was not a good fit for it and move on. I find that being who you really are in these situations means you may not always get the job, but you will usually get job that fits who you really are. It also takes a lot of pressure off you in the application stage, it's a lot easier just to be yourself, than to try to remember a thousand things you are supposed to be. Employers tend to hire people, not scripts.

Best of luck for you future.

Well said and the person on post above where I offered to look at examples didn't bother to contact me

After failing the interview 2 times i was able to use the feedback constructively and secure a position! It’s a shame other people have failed to see things in a positive light. These accusations of discrimination are disgusting. I’m a gay male and did my interview in a full face of make up because i wanted to show myself as me, and look i’ve passed the interview absolutely fine.

Best of look to anyone who applied in the last campaign that closed 2 weeks ago. Apparently this is the final recruitment drive

Ok i'll state the obvious, critical thinking is not your strong point. After all you still assume that a City and Guilds qual makes you a shoo in for roles recruited in fair and open (national) competition against much more able candidates. Lol! Also judging by your verbal reasoning skills it's no surprise you required coaching to fill in a fairly straight forward civil service application form and still failed.

Blame minorities for your failure to make the grade if you prefer to live in a bubble. But here's a reality check. When you apply to the CS you might come up against a BAME candidate like me. One who achieved the top score of all candidates in the recruitment cycle for my position. Your reverse discrimination diatribe is dire. If you want to talk equal ops with me get a Ph.D first, fall in the 93 percentile range on aptitude tests, then we can start there.

I've put 3 months of my life into preparing for and applying for one of the DWP Work Coach roles.
I took courses in my own time to gain City&Guilds qualifications in Business Admin, Customer Service and Employability. These were run by the DWP themselves as they were apparently required by the DWP for this specific role.
The employability course was entirely centred on the actual DWP EO Work Coach role and covered everything from mock Situational Judgement Tests, speaking to existing Work Coaches and nailing the Behaviours and Strengths required (Communicating & Influencing, Making Effective Decisions & Managing A Quality Service).
You would think after all this preparation at least an interview would be a given. But no, after a month of 'Thank you for your application. It will be reviewed' I was told yesterday thanks but no. No interview, no feedback, no nothing! 😮
So they took a month, with me checking several times a day, to finally let me know this!
Now here's the thing. The DWP make a big deal about inclusivity and diversity, and that's great, but, after speaking to my course tutor, out of the 20 students to take the above courses, the only ones who got an interview were:
- An Indian Lady
- A Black Man
- A Disabled Woman
Now, I'm all for equality but seriously?! How is that fair? That's just coincidence is it?
The answer is no, it's no coincidence because part of the application process asks some very personal questions including:
- Ethnicity
- Gender
- Disabilities
- Sexual Orientation
- Religious Beliefs
- Did you have free school meals?
- What did your father do when you were 14?
- Do you consider yourself to be from a low social economic class?
So it would appear your CV, skills, qualifications, finely tuned behaviour statements, etc. all mean absolutely nothing if you don't tick at least one of the above boxes so the DWP can fill their diverse workforce quota. And it stinks! 😠

I've put 3 months of my life into preparing for and applying for one of the DWP Work Coach roles.
I took courses in my own time to gain City&Guilds qualifications in Business Admin, Customer Service and Employability. These were run by the DWP themselves as they were apparently required by the DWP for this specific role.
The employability course was entirely centred on the actual DWP EO Work Coach role and covered everything from mock Situational Judgement Tests, speaking to existing Work Coaches and nailing the Behaviours and Strengths required (Communicating & Influencing, Making Effective Decisions & Managing A Quality Service).
You would think after all this preparation at least an interview would be a given. But no, after a month of 'Thank you for your application. It will be reviewed' I was told yesterday thanks but no. No interview, no feedback, no nothing! 😮
So they took a month, with me checking several times a day, to finally let me know this!
Now here's the thing. The DWP make a big deal about inclusivity and diversity, and that's great, but, after speaking to my course tutor, out of the 20 students to take the above courses, the only ones who got an interview were:
- An Indian Lady
- A Black Man
- A Disabled Woman
Now, I'm all for equality but seriously?! How is that fair? That's just coincidence is it?
The answer is no, it's no coincidence because part of the application process asks some very personal questions including:
- Ethnicity
- Gender
- Disabilities
- Sexual Orientation
- Religious Beliefs
- Did you have free school meals?
- What did your father do when you were 14?
- Do you consider yourself to be from a low social economic class?
So it would appear your CV, skills, qualifications, finely tuned behaviour statements, etc. all mean absolutely nothing if you don't tick at least one of the above boxes so the DWP can fill their diverse workforce quota. And it stinks! 😠

Here's a good example for the Communicating and influencing behaviour example

Just FYI, you are way off the mark. Civil Service operates a 'blind sift' ad all personal details are removed before the sifters receive your example to look at. For the demographic questions, they are just that, data only, and have no influence on applications. The way the application system works is that a 'pass mark' is set and anyone below it will 'fail' as they have not reached the standard for that role. If you would like to send your 'finely tuned behavioural statement' to me, please do, as I am now retired from CS but have acted as both sifter and interviewer

Why didn't you reply with this to the OP when you posted on this thread from reply #24 onwards... four years ago...?

That says its a G7/G6 example.
In what way is it good?

I probably didn't spot it?

Without in any way wishing to be rude, if you can't see how and why it's a good examnple, then you need to start again with crafting your own statements as it IS good

You didn't spot the first post on the thread you were replying to....
...but did four years later.... 🤔
I'll be honest, I suspect the original poster ain't gonna see your reply from this year.

How?
Nothing on understanding the audience and tailoring the communication to them. No stakeholder identification, no comms plan let alone strategy. Inherent to the example there is no resistence to the message or influencing that is needed.
In the context of an EO role it might be ok, but even then I'd be expecting some of the above. For G7/G6 I'd be expecting an example with conflict, communicating a difficult message - in office attendance for a team, that a project needs to change direction to a senior stakeholder, selling a business case, raising something with TUS - that kinda thing.
I'd be struggling to remain composed if a G6 panel I was on had a panel member suggesting it was a 'good' example.

So you know the answer, why are you on here asking? I assume you are now a successful Civil Servant?