Welcome to the Customer Services Group Application Process Overview
The sections below will give you a full overview of the application process for each of the roles we have on offer. If you have applied for Customer Services Group roles or other Home Office positions in the past you will notice some changes to the usual recruitment process to make it easier and quicker for candidates to apply for our roles.
AO Resolution Centre Customer Service Officer
Read each of the sections below to understand a little more about each element of the process.
We want to support you if you need an adjustment in the recruitment process, even if you do not feel you qualify for the Disability Confident Scheme.
As part of the application process, you will be given the opportunity to submit any additional assistance or adjustments that you may require to any of the selection stages.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
We are committed to ensuring that disability is not a barrier to recruitment. We provide officers with the support they need, to excel in their role and to develop their career.
Should you feel you require adjustments to be made during the selection process please complete the relevant section of the application form and provide as much detail as you are happy to share.
In exceptional circumstances should you feel you require adjustments to be made during the selection process for a condition or disability not originally disclosed in your application, please contact us via ho-dcs_adjustments@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk where we can review your circumstances to better understand what support you will need during the assessment process, to enable you to perform at your best.
If you require a reasonable adjustment, you must discuss this with us before you start the assessments. You can do that by following the instructions in your invitation email or by contacting us at the earliest opportunity.
Application Form
You will complete an online application form. The progress of your application will be highlighted to you as you complete the relevant sections.
Once you have submitted the application you will receive a confirmation email and an invite to undertake a Behavioural Based Assessment.
Behavioural Based Assessment
The test will consist of a series of Game Based Assessments that look at your natural tendencies in a variety of situations. This assessment can be completed on a smartphone, tablet, or a laptop/desktop computer, and you will need to set aside 45 minutes to complete the assessment.
If you wish to apply for multiple vacancies, which are being advertised at the same time, you will only be required to complete the Behavioural Based Assessment once and your assessment performance will automatically carry across. Please be aware that each vacancy has an individual pass mark and, whilst assessment performance may meet the minimum benchmark criteria for some roles, they may not meet the minimum benchmark criteria for others.
Your assessment performance will be banked for 6 months and can be used for any Customer Services Group vacancy within this duration of time.
Written Test
The written test is an exercise designed to see how you communicate with others in writing. You do not need any knowledge or experience specific to the AO Resolution Centre Customer Service Officer role to be able to complete the exercise, nor do you need any specific knowledge or experience relating to the scenario presented.
The test on average will take you 50 minutes (made up of 20-25 minutes reading time and 20-25 minutes to provide your test answer) and you should be able to complete it in one sitting and this must be your own work.
All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources. If any is detected the application will be withdrawn from the process.
Once you submit your answer at the end of the test you will not be able to change or update your response.
Pre-Recorded Video Interview
The Pre-Recorded Video Interview should take approximately 30 minutes to complete, you will be asked a series of questions where you will then get the opportunity to video record your answer.
You will receive an email with a link to a website where you will be asked a series of questions, the system will then video record your responses.
Prior to submitting your responses to the questions, there will be a chance to test the functionality of the Pre-Recorded Video Interview. It is recommended that you take the time to test this in order to ensure the video function is working correctly.
You will have 7 days to complete your Pre-Recorded Video Interview.
Reserve List
Where we are not in a position to offer posts immediately, we will place candidates (who meet the standard), on a merit/reserve list for up to 12 months. A reserve list may be created for other similar roles for a period of 12 months. Selection will be in Merit Order to fill the same role or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria and Success Profile elements without further assessment.
Provisional Offer
Provisional offers of employment at this stage will be made via email. Please keep an eye on your Application Centre and inbox for updates.
Please note, offers need to be accepted within 5 calendar days, details of what happens next will be on the correspondence. If you do not accept the provisional offer within 5 calendar days, your offer may be withdrawn.
Please refer to FAQ or chat bot if you have any queries relating to your offer. Contact information is also available on the advert.
Vetting Guidance
When an offer of employment is made to you there are some additional requirements that must be completed satisfactorily before you can start. These are known as pre-employment or vetting checks and you must satisfy the requirement to prove your identity, where you live and your right to work in the UK and the Civil Service initially. When you successfully pass this first stage, further checks are undertaken to confirm criminal records, health and employment history.
We will ask you to provide an ID document, proof of address and right to work in the UK. in order to meet this requirement. A list of acceptable ID documents will be attached to the advert. To ensure you have all the correct documentation please use our ID document checker.
Please ensure that you provide the documentation requested within 48 hours of receiving the request since we are unable to proceed without them and your offer might be withdrawn. If you anticipate any problems in supplying this documentation please contact us using the information within the 'Contact Us' section on the FAQ page of this site.
Interview Schemes
As a Disability Confident Leader, we seek to offer interviews for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria, as published in the relevant job advert.
We offer a similar scheme for Veterans, in line with the initiative, A Great Place to Work for Veterans, and also for civil servants at risk of redundancy. If you wish to apply for consideration under these schemes, please complete the appropriate section on the online application form so that we can make any necessary arrangements.
Flexible Deployment Team Caseworker
Read each of the sections below to understand a little more about each element of the process.
We want to support you if you need an adjustment in the recruitment process, even if you do not feel you qualify for the Disability Confident Scheme.
As part of the application process, you will be given the opportunity to submit any additional assistance or adjustments that you may require to any of the selection stages.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
We are committed to ensuring that disability is not a barrier to recruitment. We provide officers with the support they need, to excel in their role and to develop their career.
Should you feel you require adjustments to be made during the selection process please complete the relevant section of the application form and provide as much detail as you are happy to share.
In exceptional circumstances should you feel you require adjustments to be made during the selection process for a condition or disability not originally disclosed in your application, please contact us via ho-dcs_adjustments@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk where we can review your circumstances to better understand what support you will need during the assessment process, to enable you to perform at your best.
If you require a reasonable adjustment, you must discuss this with us before you start the assessments. You can do that by following the instructions in your invitation email or by contacting us at the earliest opportunity.
Application Form
You will complete an online application form. The progress of your application will be highlighted to you as you complete the relevant sections.
Once you have submitted the application you will receive a confirmation email and an invite to undertake a Behavioural Based Assessment.
Behavioural Based Assessment
The test will consist of a series of Game Based Assessments that look at your natural tendencies in a variety of situations. This assessment can be completed on a smartphone, tablet, or a laptop/desktop computer, and you will need to set aside 45 minutes to complete the assessment.
If you wish to apply for multiple vacancies, which are being advertised at the same time, you will only be required to complete the Behavioural Based Assessment once and your assessment performance will automatically carry across. Please be aware that each vacancy has an individual pass mark and, whilst assessment performance may meet the minimum benchmark criteria for some roles, they may not meet the minimum benchmark criteria for others.
Your assessment performance will be banked for 6 months and can be used for any Customer Services Group vacancy within this duration of time.
Written Test
The written test is an exercise designed to see how you communicate with others in writing and decision making skills. You do not need any knowledge or experience specific to the case working role to be able to complete the exercise, nor do you need any specific knowledge or experience relating to the scenario presented.
The test on average will take you 50 minutes (made up of 20-25 minutes reading time and 20-25 minutes to provide your test answer) and you should be able to complete it in one sitting and this must be your own work.
All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources. If any is detected the application will be withdrawn from the process.
Once you submit your answer at the end of the test you will not be able to change or update your response.
Pre-Recorded Video Interview
The Pre-Recorded Video Interview should take approximately 30 minutes to complete, you will be asked a series of questions where you will then get the opportunity to video record your answer.
You will receive an email with a link to a website where you will be asked a series of questions, the system will then video record your responses.
Prior to submitting your responses to the questions, there will be a chance to test the functionality of the Pre-Recorded Video Interview. It is recommended that you take the time to test this in order to ensure the video function is working correctly.
You will have 7 days to complete your Pre-Recorded Video Interview.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is not guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.
Reserve lists will be held for each location and profession. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location and profession.
Provisional Offer
Provisional offers of employment at this stage will be made via email. Please keep an eye on your Application Centre and inbox for updates.
Please note, offers need to be accepted within 5 calendar days, details of what happens next will be on the correspondence. If you do not accept the provisional offer within 5 calendar days, your offer may be withdrawn.
Please refer to FAQ or chat bot if you have any queries relating to your offer. Contact information is also available on the advert.
Vetting Guidance
When an offer of employment is made to you there are some additional requirements that must be completed satisfactorily before you can start. These are known as pre-employment or vetting checks and you must satisfy the requirement to prove your identity, where you live and your right to work in the UK and the Civil Service initially. When you successfully pass this first stage, further checks are undertaken to confirm criminal records, health and employment history.
We will ask you to provide an ID document, proof of address and right to work in the UK. in order to meet this requirement. A list of acceptable ID documents will be attached to the advert. To ensure you have all the correct documentation please use our ID document checker.
Please ensure that you provide the documentation requested within 48 hours of receiving the request since we are unable to proceed without them and your offer might be withdrawn. If you anticipate any problems in supplying this documentation please contact us using the information within the 'Contact Us' section on the FAQ page of this site.
Interview Schemes
As a Disability Confident Leader, we seek to offer interviews for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria, as published in the relevant job advert.
We offer a similar scheme for Veterans, in line with the initiative, A Great Place to Work for Veterans, and also for civil servants at risk of redundancy. If you wish to apply for consideration under these schemes, please complete the appropriate section on the online application form so that we can make any necessary arrangements.
Asylum Registration Officer
Read each of the sections below to understand a little more about each element of the process.
We want to support you if you need an adjustment in the recruitment process, even if you do not feel you qualify for the Disability Confident Scheme.
As part of the application process, you will be given the opportunity to submit any additional assistance or adjustments that you may require to any of the selection stages.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
We are committed to ensuring that disability is not a barrier to recruitment. We provide officers with the support they need, to excel in their role and to develop their career.
Should you feel you require adjustments to be made during the selection process please complete the relevant section of the application form and provide as much detail as you are happy to share.
In exceptional circumstances should you feel you require adjustments to be made during the selection process for a condition or disability not originally disclosed in your application, please contact us via ho-dcs_adjustments@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk where we can review your circumstances to better understand what support you will need during the assessment process, to enable you to perform at your best.
If you require a reasonable adjustment, you must discuss this with us before you start the assessments. You can do that by following the instructions in your invitation email or by contacting us at the earliest opportunity.
Application Form
You will complete an online application form. The progress of your application will be highlighted to you as you complete the relevant sections.
Once you have submitted the application you will receive a confirmation email and an invite to undertake a Behavioural Based Assessment.
Behavioural Based Assessment
The test will consist of a series of Game Based Assessments that look at your natural tendencies in a variety of situations. This assessment can be completed on a smartphone, tablet, or a laptop/desktop computer, and you will need to set aside 45 minutes to complete the assessment.
If you wish to apply for multiple vacancies, which are being advertised at the same time, you will only be required to complete the Behavioural Based Assessment once and your assessment performance will automatically carry across. Please be aware that each vacancy has an individual pass mark and, whilst assessment performance may meet the minimum benchmark criteria for some roles, they may not meet the minimum benchmark criteria for others.
Your assessment performance will be banked for 6 months and can be used for any Customer Services Group vacancy within this duration of time.
Written Test
The written test is an exercise designed to see how you communicate with others in writing and decision making skills. You do not need any knowledge or experience specific to the Asylum Registration Officer role to be able to complete the exercise, nor do you need any specific knowledge or experience relating to the scenario presented.
The test on average will take you 50 minutes (made up of 20-25 minutes reading time and 20-25 minutes to provide your test answer) and you should be able to complete it in one sitting and this must be your own work.
All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources. If any is detected the application will be withdrawn from the process.
Once you submit your answer at the end of the test you will not be able to change or update your response.
Pre-Recorded Video Interview
The Pre-Recorded Video Interview should take approximately 30 minutes to complete, you will be asked a series of questions where you will then get the opportunity to video record your answer.
You will receive an email with a link to a website where you will be asked a series of questions, the system will then video record your responses.
Prior to submitting your responses to the questions, there will be a chance to test the functionality of the Pre-Recorded Video Interview. It is recommended that you take the time to test this in order to ensure the video function is working correctly.
You will have 7 days to complete your Pre-Recorded Video Interview.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made. There is not guarantee that being held on a reserve list will lead to a job offer. Further information can be found on our website.
Reserve lists will be held for each location and profession. Candidates will be appointed in merit order by location and profession.
Provisional Offer
Provisional offers of employment at this stage will be made via email. Please keep an eye on your Application Centre and inbox for updates.
Please note, offers need to be accepted within 5 calendar days, details of what happens next will be on the correspondence. If you do not accept the provisional offer within 5 calendar days, your offer may be withdrawn.
Please refer to FAQ or chat bot if you have any queries relating to your offer. Contact information is also available on the advert.
Vetting Guidance
When an offer of employment is made to you there are some additional requirements that must be completed satisfactorily before you can start. These are known as pre-employment or vetting checks and you must satisfy the requirement to prove your identity, where you live and your right to work in the UK and the Civil Service initially. When you successfully pass this first stage, further checks are undertaken to confirm criminal records, health and employment history.
We will ask you to provide an ID document, proof of address and right to work in the UK. in order to meet this requirement. A list of acceptable ID documents will be attached to the advert. To ensure you have all the correct documentation please use our ID document checker.
Please ensure that you provide the documentation requested within 48 hours of receiving the request since we are unable to proceed without them and your offer might be withdrawn. If you anticipate any problems in supplying this documentation please contact us using the information within the 'Contact Us' section on the FAQ page of this site.
Interview Schemes
As a Disability Confident Leader, we seek to offer interviews for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria, as published in the relevant job advert.
We offer a similar scheme for Veterans, in line with the initiative, A Great Place to Work for Veterans, and also for civil servants at risk of redundancy. If you wish to apply for consideration under these schemes, please complete the appropriate section on the online application form so that we can make any necessary arrangements.
Proof of ID and Address Documentation
You must ensure that you have 3 appropriate items of identification with you for your assessment.
These documents must include:
- Verification of your current address
- Your date of birth
- Photo ID
(One document may include more than one type of identification).
The options will change depending on the first document you selected.
0/3
You haven't confirmed every item.
Please note EEA Passports can only be used as proof of ID and are no longer accepted as a proof of Right to Work unless endorsed to show the holder is allowed to stay in the UK and carry out the work in question.
Testing Environment
To ensure that you are well prepared for your online assessment, make sure you take the following steps.
Check the boxes below to make sure you're ready for your online assessment.
0/6
You haven't confirmed every item.
I will be using a laptop or desktop computer.
You can only complete the assessment using a laptop computer with a camera. You cannot complete the assessment via a mobile phone or tablet. It is also not possible to complete the test using a Chromebook.
If you do not have access to an appropriate laptop please call SSCL on 0345 241 5358
I have tested my internet speed.
To complete the assessment you will need to have a good and reliable connection to the Internet. We suggest that you test your Internet speed and connection prior to the assessment.
You will need a minimum download speed of 10Mbps and a minimum upload speed of 5Mbps
We advise candidates to contact us before the Online Assessment Centre if you do not have sufficient bandwidth.
I have a quiet area to complete the test in.
Make sure you have access to a quiet and distraction free area to undertake the assessment. You will want to be comfortable and not disturbed.
I have checked that I can be clearly seen on my camera
During the assessment we want to be able to see your full upper body, not just your face. Check that your full upper body is shown in the video box and make sure you complete the assessment in a well-lit area with plenty of light. This means assessors will be able to see you well enough to complete the assessment.
I have installed Zoom and tested my camera and audio.
Make sure you download Zoom and test that
your video camera works. Find
more information about testing your video
camera here.
It
is also very important that you ensure your audio is working correctly.
Find
more information on testing your audio.
