Interview advice for the DWP needed

A question about : Interview advice for the DWP needed

I've sent my form off and i'm hoping for an interview for the DWP (JOBCENTRE PLUS)

It says on the form selection tests will be held this saturday. AAArrrggghhh (assuming i get that far)

Can anybody offer any advice for the interview. I've been a housewife for 12 years so everything is new to me!

I'm particularly worried about the final assessment. I've been reading on the csa website about roleplay situations and telephone roleplay. I'm certainly no actress and very nervous so i'm dreading this!

The csa website made me laugh. They have examples of literacy tests and numeracy tests but have made terrible mistakes themselves. If that's what i'm up against god help me!

By the way, i was looking at csa interview tests because i couldn't find any dwp ones. Maybe somebody can help there, although i assume they are all pretty much the same.

Any and all advice gratefully received.
Thanks

Best answers:

• When I joined DWP (Pension Service) there was not an entrance exam, just the interview. That was held okay, but when i went for promotion, I had to be re-interviewed.
  This interview was held at a local jobcentre (even though it was an internal application) and was run by two people even less informed than me. I basically told them what the job was that they where interviewing for.
  One thing I would say though, jobcentre plus are going to loose at least 17% of staff to job cuts, so if your looking long term it may be there as a job. Most jobs today are casual (52 weeks contracts or so), these should okay for the next yr or so, but they can end your contract early if they decide to cut staff.
• There is bound to be an equal opportunities question! You need to know what is included in that broad term. Do a search for interviews on this thread as someone recently said what it covered and I might forget something. Think in advance about how the DWP should act to ensure it is being equal ops friendly.
• Thanks for all your advice. Still dreading the role play thing though. Not at all worried about the literacy / numeracy tests. I have been warned that if i pass the tests the interviews are on the same day!
  Any more info anybody? All suggestions greatfully received
• I wouldn't panic too much about the role play, TBH. Can you practice with anyone? the thing is, you can't be expected to KNOW anything for certain at interview, so what they'll be looking for is how you respond to other people, and what you say when you can't say anything, IYSWIM.
  If you're role playing a phone conversation a) smile (even if no-one can see you they will hear if you are smiling!) and b) remember to ask for name and contact phone no. and write them down. If you can't answer a question in role play, apologise that you don't know the answer and say that you will find out and get back to them. But don't make excuses for yourself.
• I BET the role play will involve either threats of violence, or someone losing their temper. Practice keeping your voice even and calm, reflecting back to people how they are feeling and the broken record technique (this is where you just keep repeating the same thing).
  So for example
  Customer: 'YOu keep jerking me about, you ^&*()%^&*()^%&*
  You: 'I understand that this is very distressing for you, but you do need to pay this money.'
  Customer '%^&*()$%^&()^&&*^&^&*('
  You: 'I can see that you are upset, but we need to focus on how we can help you to pay this money'
  (You will also score points for saying something like 'I am sorry, but I cannot talk to you if you swear at me')
• I've just been practising role play with my daughter. But for some reason i do it in an american accent. Too much tv!!!!!!!!!
  Threats of violence???????? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!
  More nervous now than before. But i've been shopping today and got my outfit sorted so that's one less worry. I just need the job now to pay it off.
• When I say 'threats of violence' I think it's more likely to be one of the following scenarios
  - them trying to wind you up to see if you lose your temper when stressed by a client
  - them seeing if you can maintain boundaries, and tell a client that their behaviour and/or language is unacceptable
  - them seeing if you can avoid risk, which will probably be a question or role play where you think a client might be violent (and the answer is that you do NOT go into a private interview room with them. If you are in a private room and start getting worried, you always make sure that you are between them and the door/them and the alarm. And you don't go to see people you are worried about at their homes by yourself.)
  What you are trying to demonstrate is that you are a person of sweet reason who can look after themselves by maintaining boundaries, de-escalating angry situations and not putting yourself at risk.
  (I have never worked for DWP, but have worked in mental health for many years....
• I was beginning to think you may be a dwp assessor by your knowledge on the subject.llol. i suppose that would be too much too ask for. Some inside advice.
  A person of sweet reason.....that i am not!
  I get worked up very easily and try to avoid anything confrontational or i just blow my top! Perhaps this isn't the job for me! But i'm going for it anyway. I will be practising from now til then. One good point is that the centre i am applying for only deals with customers over the phone, so no chance of getting punched!
  Hey ho, the things we do for money.
  Seriously though, thanks very much, i'll be studying the advice people have given and trying it out on hubby and daughter!
• If you go to th jobcentre plus website they have interview preparation pages (found it throgh google). They list loads of good pointers and loads of questions you could get asked at an interview, also gives good answers to keep in mind for difficult questions. I recently went through a selection process with the council. Involved personality test, group activity - basically to see how your teamwork skills were- and very simple example of work task to complete. i wouldn't worry too much. They must know you have some of the necessary skills already to have given you an assesment.
  regards
• nickynoo....when are you debt free??? :rolleyes:
• Hello All
  I am hear to ask about the selection tests (Literacy and Numeracy) as I have to take them very soon!
  How are the questions? How long do we have to answer them? Has anyone gone on to the interview stage and passed and got the job for AO?
  Also if a person passes Interview stage, are they offered the job immediately or even the successful people are on a waiting list? - (Very Important - Please someone answer)?
  Any help is appreciated..Please respond
  Thanks
• ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  ???????????????????????????
  Anyone please????
• I took the tests and interview in December.
  You get 8 minutes for the literacy test and 18 for the numeracy. The literacy test involves checking for spelling mistakes, incorrect word usage ( using affect instead of effect for example) and basic grammatical errors. There are 15 things to find. Despite going through it 3 times, I only found 14.
  The numeracy test is a bit involved. You are given a sheet with some information on about a conference centre which has the times rooms are open, how many computers are in some of them, which have disabled access etc. You then have to give answers like to questions like "Which rooms which have computers in are open from 8am-6pm". It gets quite involved and as you go on, involves working out percentages and ratios such as "Work out as a percentage, the amount of hours rooms with more than 3 computers which are open from 8-6pm are of the total number of hours all rooms with computers are open". I finished mine in the time but going back through to recheck, only got about 3-4 questions in before running out of time. I got full marks.
  From there, if you're successful, you go to interview. Take something to read as you could be waiting some time.
  In your letter inviting you to the test session, you should have had a sheet which tells you about what questions are asked in the interview. THESE ARE WHAT THEY ASK YOU. Prepare in advance and write some answers down. You are allowed to take notes into the interview. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO ROLE PLAYING AT ALL. They are looking for key competencies which they work out whether or not you have from the answers you give to how you've approached example situations you've given for the four questions they ask. These situations can be home based, they don't need to be work situations.
  After the interview, you will receive an answer a couple of weeks later. It'll either be a no, a yes or "you are placed on a list for 12 months" where they will offer candidates jobs as they come up in order of merit.
  You will also receive a letter with your test marks. KEEP IT. It saves you having to do them again for 12 months. Have a look on the DWP site at vancanies. I found a few in my area I wasn't aware of and applied for them all.
• if u have basic numeracy and literacy skills you will find the tests very easy the only problem i found was the time constraint so you have to work quickly. if you were able to do the example questions that were sent to you den you shouldn't have any problems passing the tests.
  the literacy paper is a passage with different mistake like spelling and grammer. the numeracy paper gives you a number of tables with basic information in and then you have to work out the answers using the table.
  tbh you can't really prepare for these tests you either have the skills or you don't if you passed gcse maths and english you'l be fine. so good luck.
• Thanks for the reply GalaxyRYZ
  How many minutes and questions is it for numeracy test? - Are they multiple choice?
  Please note, I am taking tests for AO and pass mark for literacy is 9 and numeracy is 10 but whats it out of?
  What topics can we revise for numeracy? Percentages? Handling Data? Numbers?
  Your reply will be really appreciated!!
  Thanks
• the numeracy test is out of 20...but with the time restrictions you may not get through them all. the literacy test is out of 15 i think. but you should have all this information on the example sheets they sent you. tbh i cnt remember the length of time we had but i remember i had to work fast.
  numeracy is multiple choice
  majority of the numeracy questions are basic..tbh i can't remember an exact question. but you just have to look at the tables in front of you and cross reference the information for example it may ask something along the lines of which room has 200 seats and has access to at least 20 computers and is available between 5 and 7pm. so you wil have to look at the relevant tables and give an answer.
  there are a few challenging questions but i would suggest you either skip them or guess
• I've passed the selection tests and have interview coming up for AO!
  Can anyone help by telling me a few tips/questions in interview?
  Any help is appreciated
  Thanks