Cabinet Office Homepage

1. Register interest on Fast Stream Website

2. Online self-assessment

Prospective applicants undertake a self–assessment before they can access the online application form. (Process adjustments are made for candidates with disabilities.) This is designed to encourage people to judge themselves honestly against the requirements of Fast Stream posts. Those who decide not to proceed are encouraged to investigate other opportunities in the Civil Service.

The self-assessment comprises:

• the Fast Stream Situations Test – requires the individual to choose the most appropriate action in a variety of situations
• cognitive tests of verbal and numerical reasoning (of the type used at the online testing stage)

These are completely automated and prospective applicants receive computer–generated feedback with advice about their suitability for the Fast Stream. Those who opt to proceed further into the selection process are deemed to have submitted an application to the Fast Stream.

3. Application

Application is online unless agreed otherwise in exceptional circumstances on an individual basis (eg people requiring process adjustments because of disability).

Complete online sift – automated assessment of:

• verbal and numerical reasoning
• Fast Stream competencies

The bottom 50% of candidates eliminated at this stage.

4. Invigilated final sift

Held at a regional computer test centre, this comprises:

• further tests of verbal and numerical reasoning to verify the online result
• an electronic in-tray (e-Tray) assessment which simulates Fast Stream work. Automated scoring of the main part of this exercise identifies the strongest 1000 or so candidates to be invited to the Assessment Centre. For these candidates, an assessor marks the second, written part of the e–Tray exercise. Evidence and marks from this contribute to the final decision on a candidate.

5. Assessment Centre

One day, involving:

• a dossier analysis and written report
• a group exercise
• a self-assessment of performance
• a briefing exercise in which a scenario has to be analysed and proposals presented to an assessor, who then questions the candidate about these proposals and the thinking behind them
• an interview focussing on delivery and interpersonal skills which draws on both self–assessments and observed performance during the process