The Student Room Group

DWP Work Coach 2020/21 Application Support

Hi, there are so many WC threads, questions duplicated and too many to follow so decided to start this one afresh and un-watch all of the others.
I am a long-term DWP Employee, qualified/regularly interview under Success Factors and familiar with the role and the application process.
The queries seem to broadly cover:
* Process/steps within
* What to put in the 500 words
* The SJT
* When you get marked for your 500 words
* Interview preparation
* Selection process-how the merit list operates etc
* Loan/posting queries
* Applying to multiple vacancies
I can give my response to any/all of that and anything I share is already in the public domain but I understand that re-assurance and clarity from another person is sometimes helpful
I tend to reply in the evenings, so please be patient
Good luck to all applicants!
(edited 3 years ago)

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Original post by SharonMoxon
Hi, there are so many WC threads, questions duplicated and too many to follow so decided to start this one afresh and un-watch all of the others.
I am a long-term DWP Employee, qualified/regularly interview under Success Factors and familiar with the role and the application process.
The queries seem to broadly cover:
* Process/steps within
* What to put in the 500 words
* The SJT
* When you get marked for your 500 words
* Interview preparation
* Selection process-how the merit list operates etc
* Loan/posting queries
* Applying to multiple vacancies
I can give my response to any/all of that and anything I share is already in the public domain but I understand that re-assurance and clarity from another person is sometimes helpful
I tend to reply in the evenings, so please be patient
Good luck to all applicants!

thats so nice of you! so many of us are at our wits end with the recruitment process :tongue:
Thanks SharonMoxon!

I was really disappointed to find out today that I did not get the required score in my interview to progress to the next stage. I would still like to apply for another DWP work coach role that I saw advertised (in a different location). However, the DWP says "If you apply for more than one vacancy you will have to take the on-line test for each advert you apply for but after that your first written application and interview score will be used across all of your applications and you will not have to do these again."

Do you know whether I would be allowed to re-sit the interview if I apply for another DWP work coach role?
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by momeraths
Thanks SharonMoxon!I was really disappointed to find out today that I did not get the required score in my interview to progress to the next stage. I would still like to apply for another DWP work coach role that I saw advertised (in a different location). However, the DWP says

I think you ran out of steam there...what have DWP said?
Original post by SharonMoxon
I think you ran out of steam there...what have DWP said?

Haha yeah sorry! I'm new here and had to sign up before it would post what I wrote... but for some reason it didn't post all of what I wrote.
Original post by momeraths
Thanks SharonMoxon!

I was really disappointed to find out today that I did not get the required score in my interview to progress to the next stage. I would still like to apply for another DWP work coach role that I saw advertised (in a different location). However, the DWP says "If you apply for more than one vacancy you will have to take the on-line test for each advert you apply for but after that your first written application and interview score will be used across all of your applications and you will not have to do these again."

Do you know whether I would be allowed to re-sit the interview if I apply for another DWP work coach role?

TBH I have seen that in the adverts but I'm not entirely sure that is what's happening. It may depend on if you apply to 2 different areas, say NE & SE, then it may not happen but on 2 within same area, it will, I think. Different areas are not 'connected' or so it seems and it could be that they are indicating that a good score will carry forward, rather than a low score, otherwise there would be no pint in applying again.
You could either ask them directly or just apply and see what happens. I'd go for the 2nd option, nothing to lose really
Original post by momeraths
Thanks SharonMoxon!

I was really disappointed to find out today that I did not get the required score in my interview to progress to the next stage. I would still like to apply for another DWP work coach role that I saw advertised (in a different location). However, the DWP says "If you apply for more than one vacancy you will have to take the on-line test for each advert you apply for but after that your first written application and interview score will be used across all of your applications and you will not have to do these again."

Do you know whether I would be allowed to re-sit the interview if I apply for another DWP work coach role?

I applied for 4 locations in different months and they used my written and interview score for all of them, the only thing i had to do was the situation test. Maybe use the chat function and see if they will allow you to redo your VI
Original post by mollyrose3108
I applied for 4 locations in different months and they used my written and interview score for all of them, the only thing i had to do was the situation test. Maybe use the chat function and see if they will allow you to redo your VI

Update 22.30: I have read something tonight that indicates there was a glitch in the computer system that let applicants get sifted twice but this has been sorted out and won't happen now
(edited 3 years ago)
Just saw this that I had posted elsewhere, hope it helps :-)

* For Managing a QS', it's about working with customers to identify and meet their needs, so you don't do things 'to' people but 'with' people, so details how you know what they wanted, involved them etc
* For Communicating & Influencing, it's about demonstrating an awareness of /use of the need to adapt style to suit the audience and subject. Include what you did differently & why, include multiple communication channels (for inclusion)
* For Making Effective Decisions, cover solutions considered & rejected along with why rejected & why you chose the one you did. Include the 'risks' which is why you will normally have rejected. This often comes down to impacts on quality/time/cost/reputational damage/wellbeing. Show how you gathered the data and include some reflection post-event, even if it went well
On all, ensure you cover outcomes, which are NEVER about stats and ALWAYS in some ways related to people, so customers, colleagues, stakeholders etc. Impact will ideally be positive but never pretend something was 100% perfect. Compassion and empathy are big themes, (never say sympathy)
ALWAYS include detail on HOW you did something, things don't happen by magic! (Eg 'by being empathetic and showing the customer I really cared, I was able to gain their trust which enabled them to be calmer and think more clearly')

Remember to practise timings by timing your answers, so you are used to the time elapsing. You start the timer but it cuts off, so you don't want your impressive end points to be missed as you over-ran as they won't be captured. Take a moment out of that time to compose yourself and take a breat to think, before starting

You can take notes/consult them but think about ease 'in the moment'-pin them on the wall behind your PC or tape to a cereal box (as it stands up unsupported) so you only have to glance to the side.
Reply 9
What are the chances of being told to work from home, I live with a vulnerable person and am concerned about the office environment when it comes to covid
Original post by SharonMoxon
TBH I have seen that in the adverts but I'm not entirely sure that is what's happening. It may depend on if you apply to 2 different areas, say NE & SE, then it may not happen but on 2 within same area, it will, I think. Different areas are not 'connected' or so it seems and it could be that they are indicating that a good score will carry forward, rather than a low score, otherwise there would be no pint in applying again.
You could either ask them directly or just apply and see what happens. I'd go for the 2nd option, nothing to lose really


Thanks for the advice SharonMoxon & mollyrose !

I got an email this morning saying "If you have applied for more than one advert in this current Work Coach campaign advertised between 11th November 2020 and 20th January 2021 your scores will be linked which means your sift and interview score will be carried across to your additional applications."

I guess any applications after 20th Jan will allow you to resit the interview. They never like to give you a clear and concise answer though, but expect all of your answers to be clear and concise. lol
Reply 11
@momerath
I was told in my Employability Course, that some people applied again with a different email. I have applied on 16th of January for West London Campaign. I did SJT, followed by VI on the 22nd.I was thinking like you to apply for another area, but I’m worried they will consider this interview results for it as well. Can I ask you, which area did you apply for and was it 20th of January deadline? Thank you
And my advice is keep applying, I got rejected last October, unfortunately I didn’t pass SJT.
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by momeraths
Thanks for the advice SharonMoxon & mollyrose !

I got an email this morning saying "If you have applied for more than one advert in this current Work Coach campaign advertised between 11th November 2020 and 20th January 2021 your scores will be linked which means your sift and interview score will be carried across to your additional applications."

I guess any applications after 20th Jan will allow you to resit the interview. They never like to give you a clear and concise answer though, but expect all of your answers to be clear and concise. lol

No unfortunately it doesn't mean that. They discovered some kind of computer glitch that WAS allowing people to interview twice so this wil no longer happen as they have corrected it. The e mail will be them checking on ones that may have slipped through
Original post by Unasrn
@momerath
I was told in my Employability Course, that some people applied again with a different email. I have applied on 16th of January for West London Campaign. I did SJT, followed by VI on the 22nd.I was thinking like you to apply for another area, but I’m worried they will consider this interview results for it as well. Can I ask you, which area did you apply for and was it 20th of January deadline? Thank you
And my advice is keep applying, I got rejected last October, unfortunately I didn’t pass SJT.

I heard that they discovered some kind of computer glitch that WAS allowing people to interview twice so this will no longer happen as they have corrected it.
Original post by Njnixy
What are the chances of being told to work from home, I live with a vulnerable person and am concerned about the office environment when it comes to covid

WFH highly likely. My s/s did a week in the office and now on week 3 of WFH. Someone on here this week has been told to attend the office for 3 hours to collect her IT then WFH
I have been asked today about timescales/process so here goes:
The process is:

Submit 500 words
Do SJT
If pass SJT, the 500 words will be marked
If you score high enough, you will be invited to interview
Every area seems to differ with timescales. I know someone in Southern England who did all of that, start to finish, in around 10 days whereas others have waited much longer.

The portal will be updated, there is no point chasing and nothing you can do to hurry things along. You may get a change of status in an evening or weekend so check daily.
If you a placed on a reserve list from November/December campaigns, how likely to be offered a position ?? Does anyone know of the issues they are facing with recruitment ??
Original post by Gemini66
If you a placed on a reserve list from November/December campaigns, how likely to be offered a position ?? Does anyone know of the issues they are facing with recruitment ??

On the other thread alot of people got placed on a reserve list then got a placement, it depends on the location and your merit score. Also ive seen some regions do a blanket email of reserves for people around the same application date only to receive "the call" a few days later. It really is just a waiting game
Thanks - it is a great comfort to have this resource as I have been bombarding the hub with questions via chat
Thanks Sharon for this thread.So very kind of you to help.I have been chewing my nails off since I received my reserve list email just the day after my PEC submission,Apologies if this question sounds daft,but do you think the reserve emails would be sent in order of merit?the higher on merit list would be sent the email earlier or is it the other way around?just trying to figure out a way to manage my expectations since there is no way to find your position.I wish they had provided the reserve list position as that would have made the process way more transparent.TIA

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