The National Graduate Development Programme at Waltham Forest

We have spoken to graduates who successfully made it onto the scheme and have come up with tips and advice to help you succeed at every step of the recruitment process.

Stage 1: Practice situational judgement tests!

Situational judgement tests are the first stages of the application process. They are designed to test a wide variety of skills the applicant has to offer. These can be tricky if you’re not familiar with the format and they offer little in terms of feedback. Therefore, we recommend that you practise these tests before you sit the real one. Plenty of websites offer free situational judgement tests for you to look at before you sit the real one, so get practising!

Stage 2: Understanding video interviews

Video interviews are becoming increasingly popular in both the public and private sectors. They are a way of quickly understanding an applicant’s competency before an applicant is invited to a real interview. Like the psychometric tests, it is worth practising this way of answering questions.

It can be a strange feeling to talk to a blank screen with no one at the other end! You will feel more comfortable the more times you do it, so start trying to answer key interview questions under time pressure. Video interviews will typically give you one to two minutes to record your answer. Practising will ensure you’re in the best position when you do the real thing.

Stage 3: Preparing for the assessment centre

NGDP assessment centres are usually made up of three exercises:

• The group task normally puts you together with six to eight other graduates, with a moderator assessing to discuss a given question. You will be assessed on your ability to work within a team, so concentrate on allowing everyone to contribute, being aware of timings and fully exploring the task at hand.
• The writing task normally centres on compiling a report from the information provided, identifying what actions you would take and what the risks involved may be. It is best to use clear and concise language. You can also give pros and cons to each solution and come up with an overall conclusion at the end.
• The final task will require you to prepare and give a presentation. You will be given a scenario to analyse, with roughly fifteen minutes to read over the subject matter and make notes. You will have 10 minutes to present what you’ve found. Once you’ve completed these three tasks, that’s the end of the assessment centre and you can breathe a sigh of relief!

There is no ‘correct’ way to prepare for these exercises. They are deliberately designed to assess your behaviours and how you interact with others, rather than testing your knowledge. However, you can put yourself in a position to perform your best by reading up on the key challenges facing local governments today. The exercises will test your ability to think about and contextualise key issues. The LGA and councils’ websites are a great place to read up on the world of local government. Just remember that you won’t be expected to know absolutely everything about councils and how they work!

Stage 4: Practising for your interview

If you are successful at all the above stages, you will be invited to interview for Waltham Forest Council. Interviews are designed to test whether you are a suitable candidate for the role at hand. They are also your chance to ask questions about the role and Council you’ve applied for. Using the ‘STAR’ method (Situation, Task, Action, and Result) helps to keep your answers relevant and structured. It will prove to the interviewer that you have researched the organisation and understand the job role you’re after.

It’s completely natural to be nervous before an interview, but it is worth remembering that the employer is also nervous to find the right candidate! Interviews are a two-way process, so reminding yourself of this will hopefully help you relax a little into the experience and perform your best.