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WST Test

Posted: Oct 5th, 2009 2:38 pm
by San002
I applied for an IT job in Ottawa and have got an invitation to write Written skill test. Any one have any idea about this test and process?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks :)

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 5th, 2009 4:24 pm
by dietfrog
Wow, thanks inssain for all the info!

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 5th, 2009 5:34 pm
by fallaboveclouds
inssain wrote: I applied for the same position last year and have worked there for about 8 months..
In June/2008 I applied for the position.
August - October 2008 - I did all the tests and 1 interview
January first week - I got a call saying I was hired and they would like to call me for 6 weeks of training.
Mid-Feb - They gave us contracts till end of April
Most people got laid off on April 30th - about 30 from the new hires were selected to stay on till end of July
July 31 - 20 people got extended till August 28, rest were laid off.
August 28 - All new hires were laid off
September 11 - Most re-hires (2nd year at CRA) were laid off.
Every one was told that there will be a re-call in december if they want to train the new hires further and if there won't be further training for certain people, they'll be recalled in January 1st week.

So now before hiring new people from the 2009 pool, they will call back people from the 2007 pool (who got laid off on Sept 11, 2009) and from 2008 pool (who got laid off between April - August, 2009). Remaining spots will be filled with people from 2009 pool. Now that being said, from the stories I have heard while working there, MANY (about 60%) people move on to different jobs in different departments and don't return - Just like me :D . So once you are done with your tests and interviews... just sit back and wait for January and you guys will get a call for sure.
This was very helpful...thanks for the info., much appreciated!!!

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 6th, 2009 10:25 pm
by girlgirl
inssain wrote: I applied for the same position last year and have worked there for about 8 months..
In June/2008 I applied for the position.
August - October 2008 - I did all the tests and 1 interview
January first week - I got a call saying I was hired and they would like to call me for 6 weeks of training.
Mid-Feb - They gave us contracts till end of April
Most people got laid off on April 30th - about 30 from the new hires were selected to stay on till end of July
July 31 - 20 people got extended till August 28, rest were laid off.
August 28 - All new hires were laid off
September 11 - Most re-hires (2nd year at CRA) were laid off.
Every one was told that there will be a re-call in december if they want to train the new hires further and if there won't be further training for certain people, they'll be recalled in January 1st week.

So now before hiring new people from the 2009 pool, they will call back people from the 2007 pool (who got laid off on Sept 11, 2009) and from 2008 pool (who got laid off between April - August, 2009). Remaining spots will be filled with people from 2009 pool. Now that being said, from the stories I have heard while working there, MANY (about 60%) people move on to different jobs in different departments and don't return - Just like me :D . So once you are done with your tests and interviews... just sit back and wait for January and you guys will get a call for sure.
Hi,inssain
Thank you for your information. It really helps us. When they called you in Jan. Did they have another or second interview for you before you got offer ? If they laid off so many people and now recall them, Is there not many positons for people in 2009 pool?

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 7th, 2009 1:20 pm
by missv
How soon after the interview are you supposed to hear back from them? Its been almost 2 weeks since i had my interview.

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 7th, 2009 1:31 pm
by PRINCESSLULU
missv wrote: How soon after the interview are you supposed to hear back from them? Its been almost 2 weeks since i had my interview.

for me it took 5 weeks to receive the email to be in the pool.

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 7th, 2009 1:54 pm
by missv
thanks for the reply princesslulu :) i'm assuming that if you are "unsuccessful" at the interview stage that you would receive an email shortly after, so i'm hoping i don't get anything soon. This whole process is just so long and stressful :(

Thanks a lot.

Posted: Oct 9th, 2009 6:09 am
by Tichwa
inssain wrote: i applied for the same position last year and have worked there for about 8 months..
In june/2008 i applied for the position.
August - october 2008 - i did all the tests and 1 interview
january first week - i got a call saying i was hired and they would like to call me for 6 weeks of training.
Mid-feb - they gave us contracts till end of april
most people got laid off on april 30th - about 30 from the new hires were selected to stay on till end of july
july 31 - 20 people got extended till august 28, rest were laid off.
August 28 - all new hires were laid off
september 11 - most re-hires (2nd year at cra) were laid off.
Every one was told that there will be a re-call in december if they want to train the new hires further and if there won't be further training for certain people, they'll be recalled in january 1st week.

So now before hiring new people from the 2009 pool, they will call back people from the 2007 pool (who got laid off on sept 11, 2009) and from 2008 pool (who got laid off between april - august, 2009). Remaining spots will be filled with people from 2009 pool. Now that being said, from the stories i have heard while working there, many (about 60%) people move on to different jobs in different departments and don't return - just like me :d . So once you are done with your tests and interviews... Just sit back and wait for january and you guys will get a call for sure.
.....

Thanks a lot...you relly have shown the light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks

Posted: Oct 9th, 2009 6:24 am
by Tichwa
matradley wrote: Yes, that is true. I have been called back a couple of times now - for different areas mind you. Nevertheless, I am still competing.





CRA chooses, as well as most government agencies, look at the list of qualified candidates for each category. When they want to hire a CR-04, for example, they would look at the list and start implementing asset qualification mandates (if available) and then call those people who make it through the filter. Another way is that you are graded and orders in order or succession. Yes, believe it or not, they rank you on the list - you just don't get to see where you rank.

I am sure you have noticed on most hiring policies, they will hire in order or requirement. Hiring might be based upon discriminate hiring - such as hiring different groups of people to meet a certain mandate. In other areas, they might want to hire people within a certain vicinity of the area. There are many factors. Just compete to the best of your ability.
....

Hi matradley, Thanks for all the info. Can you pl elaborate on "asset qualifications mandate" and the "how does hiring dept set the order of requirements?" Are these same as those listed in original job posting or something newly created by the hiring dept to weed out "less qualified" from the pool?

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 12th, 2009 10:04 pm
by girlgirl
It is Oct. now. If someone gets call from CRA or offer, Just let us know. :razz:

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 13th, 2009 7:05 am
by matradley
Tichwa wrote: ....

Hi matradley, Thanks for all the info. Can you pl elaborate on "asset qualifications mandate" and the "how does hiring dept set the order of requirements?" Are these same as those listed in original job posting or something newly created by the hiring dept to weed out "less qualified" from the pool?
The asset qualifications are, of course, extra qualifications that could be invoked to reduce the pool size when pulling candidates from the pool. The essential qualifications are precisely mandatory - you need those specific qualifications to qualify for the pool. During the interview, the interviewers will grade you on the essential qualifications and might even ask you about asset qualifications to determine if you would qualify further. These expectations will be laid out in the job posting.
girlgirl wrote: It is Oct. now. If someone gets call from CRA or offer, Just let us know. :razz:
No luck yet.

I should add some extra information for the group vying for federal positions. I am not sure if this is purely rumour (it may have some truth to it), but there has been a budget cutback in regards to hiring and making of new positions within the public service until, earliest, January.

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 13th, 2009 5:49 pm
by martianmarvin
Funding for "The Second Career Program", "Skills Development" and "Self Entrepeneur" programs has dried up and people who were waiting to get into these have been put in limbo until further notice.> :(

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 13th, 2009 8:53 pm
by missv
Has anyone else who wrote the test in August heard back at all? :)
-good luck to everyone.

Thanks

Posted: Oct 14th, 2009 9:04 pm
by lulumatiz
matradley wrote: Yes, that is true. I have been called back a couple of times now - for different areas mind you. Nevertheless, I am still competing.





CRA chooses, as well as most government agencies, look at the list of qualified candidates for each category. When they want to hire a CR-04, for example, they would look at the list and start implementing asset qualification mandates (if available) and then call those people who make it through the filter. Another way is that you are graded and orders in order or succession. Yes, believe it or not, they rank you on the list - you just don't get to see where you rank.

I am sure you have noticed on most hiring policies, they will hire in order or requirement. Hiring might be based upon discriminate hiring - such as hiring different groups of people to meet a certain mandate. In other areas, they might want to hire people within a certain vicinity of the area. There are many factors. Just compete to the best of your ability.

Thanks for the information, however after I read a post about the laid off people and the pool I felt I little discourage... it just rest to wait

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 15th, 2009 2:59 pm
by dietfrog
martianmarvin wrote: Funding for "The Second Career Program", "Skills Development" and "Self Entrepeneur" programs has dried up and people who were waiting to get into these have been put in limbo until further notice.> :(
Im sorry I am a little confused. These are like work shop programs not jobs correct?

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 15th, 2009 7:26 pm
by matradley
lulumatiz wrote: Thanks for the information, however after I read a post about the laid off people and the pool I felt I little discourage... it just rest to wait
The government has reduced funding for new non-essential positions until, at least, January. I am a contractor in Petawawa right now and they are terminating all term staff as at end of expiry.

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 16th, 2009 6:11 pm
by j31
Got a bit of a problem.

I've applied and gone through my testing for the Taxpayer Services Agent, I passed everything and today I got an email saying I have an interview Oct 23. This is for Toronto though I haven't had the option to pick Toronto or Toronto North.

The big problem is my post secondary. I went to Humber College and I contacted them about obtaining a transcript. I went there and finished in 2009, but they don't give out diplomas until November 2009.

It turns out there has been a mistake and 2 of my credits that I transferred from Fanshawe College (one communications and one gen ed) didn't go through and they think that I did not complete these courses.

So now I have a week to straighten this out, and the earliest I can go to Humber is on Monday, yet my interview is in a week. In the CRA email they state:

Note: You indicated in your application that you have a two year post-secondary diploma or university degree. We request that you bring the original and photocopy of your degree or diploma, along with all other required documents listed in your invitation.

They also state if I cannot produce these items that the interview won't proceed and my application will no longer be considered.

So what should I do? I have to confirm that I can make the interview within 72 hours and it arrived around 4:30pm today. Do you think I should tell them of the problems I'm having, or will that make me look unprofessional? If I ask to reschedule will I had no idea there were problems, as I went through these transfers years ago.

I've also read on here that this position usually only requires an OSSD which I do have. Should I tell them that I have my OSSD readily available?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm kinda panicking here.

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 17th, 2009 12:22 pm
by dietfrog
j31 wrote: Got a bit of a problem.

I've applied and gone through my testing for the Taxpayer Services Agent, I passed everything and today I got an email saying I have an interview Oct 23. This is for Toronto though I haven't had the option to pick Toronto or Toronto North.

The big problem is my post secondary. I went to Humber College and I contacted them about obtaining a transcript. I went there and finished in 2009, but they don't give out diplomas until November 2009.

It turns out there has been a mistake and 2 of my credits that I transferred from Fanshawe College (one communications and one gen ed) didn't go through and they think that I did not complete these courses.

So now I have a week to straighten this out, and the earliest I can go to Humber is on Monday, yet my interview is in a week. In the CRA email they state:

Note: You indicated in your application that you have a two year post-secondary diploma or university degree. We request that you bring the original and photocopy of your degree or diploma, along with all other required documents listed in your invitation.

They also state if I cannot produce these items that the interview won't proceed and my application will no longer be considered.

So what should I do? I have to confirm that I can make the interview within 72 hours and it arrived around 4:30pm today. Do you think I should tell them of the problems I'm having, or will that make me look unprofessional? If I ask to reschedule will I had no idea there were problems, as I went through these transfers years ago.

I've also read on here that this position usually only requires an OSSD which I do have. Should I tell them that I have my OSSD readily available?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm kinda panicking here.
I would try your best to contact Humber and get it worked out. Do you have some kind of document from Fanshawe saying you completed those 2 courses?
If you can't get it worked out, I would be honest with them and say there had been a mix up and its beening fixed. I would not reschedule, as you may not get another chance.

Good luck, it will all work out :)

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 17th, 2009 12:25 pm
by j31
dietfrog wrote: I would try your best to contact Humber and get it worked out. Do you have some kind of document from Fanshawe saying you completed those 2 courses?
If you can't get it worked out, I would be honest with them and say there had been a mix up and its beening fixed. I would not reschedule, as you may not get another chance.

Good luck, it will all work out :)

Thanks for the advice! The first thing I did this weekend was boot it to London to get a transcript from Fanshawe proving that I did the courses. Thankfully their Registrar's office is open from 9 to Noon on Saturdays.
On Monday morning I'll be heading to Humber to try to get it straightened out quickly, but I'm feeling a bit better now.

They said in the testing that new grads without diplomas yet can show transcripts, so it should be fine.

Re: Revenue canada exams

Posted: Oct 17th, 2009 9:53 pm
by matradley
j31 wrote: Thanks for the advice! The first thing I did this weekend was boot it to London to get a transcript from Fanshawe proving that I did the courses. Thankfully their Registrar's office is open from 9 to Noon on Saturdays.
On Monday morning I'll be heading to Humber to try to get it straightened out quickly, but I'm feeling a bit better now.

They said in the testing that new grads without diplomas yet can show transcripts, so it should be fine.
That is absolutely true. However, if you plan to show a transcript at your interview, make sure it says that you "graduated" from the program. Else, you'll be screened out.