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The selection process to become a border force officer will normally consist of the following elements:
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST
QUALIFYING TESTS
APPLICATION & CV
Interview
So, how do you join the UK Border Force?
Initially, you will have to register your interest and complete a basic online application form via the Home Office website.
It is worth noting at this early stage that the recruitment process to join the Border Force is thorough and lengthy. This is purposely designed in this way, to ensure that only the most committed and strongest applicants apply.
The role of a Border Force Officer is a highly rewarding exciting and sought-after career. The tasks you could undertake will be extremely varied, from checking passengers arriving in the UK, from the various airports or sea ports to being part of complex operations to detect illegal items entering the UK.
However, as with many similar rewarding roles of this nature, the competition for vacancies is fierce, so you will have to prepare comprehensively to have any chance of success. The Border Force will only accept the very best applicants and demand that you display the values and core skills which are required of all border force employees.
Once you have completed your basic online application to become a border force officer you will then be invited to complete a Verbal Reasoning test. If you are successful with this test you will be then invited to complete the next assessment, the Situational Judgement Test. If you are successful with this test you will then be invited to complete your full application.
Please note: you have to pass both of these assessments in order for your application to be progressed to the next stage.
Below we’ve provided you with some sample Border Force verbal reasoning and situational judgement test questions in order to help you prepare for this stage.
Read the passage provided and then answer the questions below.
People pay National Insurance contributions in order to build up their entitlement to a state pension and other social security benefits.
The amount that you pay is directly linked to the amount you earn. If you earn over a certain amount, your employer deducts Class 1 National Insurance contributions from your wages through the PAYE system.
You pay a lower rate of National Insurance contributions if you’re a member of your employer’s ‘contract- ed’ pension scheme, or you’re a married woman – or widow – who holds a valid ‘election certificate’.
Your employer also pays employer National Insurance contributions based on your earnings and on any benefits you get with your job, for example a company car. HMRC keeps track of your contributions through your National Insurance number. This is like an account number and is unique to you.
1) People pay National Insurance contributions in order to build up housing benefits?
Answer: Cannot say
Explanation: Although the statement makes reference to social security benefits, it does not confirm that these include housing benefits. The correct answer is cannot say based on the information provided.
2) HMRC stands for ‘Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs’?
Answer: Cannot say
Explanation: The passage makes no reference to this fact; therefore, the correct answer is cannot say based on the information provided. Also, this is a perfect example of where we must discount information that we know to be true in reality, but is not referred to in the passage.
Read the provided scenario and then rank each of the responses below either counterproductive, ineffective, fairly effective or effective.
You arrive at your desk to find that all of your paperwork for a certain task is missing. You have no idea where it’s gone, but you know that a colleague has held a grudge against you ever since you started. What do you do?
Confront the colleague and demand that they tell you where they’ve hidden your paperwork.
Answer: Counterproductive
Explanation: This is an overreaction, and you have no evidence to support your theory that this colleague has stolen your work. You’d also likely be causing a disturbance in the office.
Remain calm and keep searching for your paperwork around your desk.
Answer: Fairly Efficient
Explanation: This is fairly efficient because you may have just misplaced your work. However, you might also be wasting precious time.
Speak to your superior and accuse this colleague of hiding your work.
Answer: Inefficient
Explanation: This is better than publicly confronting your colleague and disrupting others but is still inefficient because you have no evidence that they’ve stolen from you.
Politely ask colleagues, including the one holding a grudge, if they’ve seen the paperwork that you’ve misplaced. If this doesn’t work, speak to your superior.
Answer: Efficient
Explanation: This is the best solution as it’s possible that someone had to move your paperwork throughout the day. Also, one of your colleagues might have seen the colleague move your paperwork.
Your full application will require you to submit a CV detailing your employment history, qualifications and any relevant experiences. Be sure to tailor your CV to the role of a border force officer as this will show the organisation, that you want to work for them, as opposed to just having a job.
You will also be required to submit a personal statement answering a question based around the Civil Service success profiles behaviours ‘Making Effective Decisions’.
In order to create a successful application you will need to communicate the following:
The next stage of the recruitment process is the Border Force interview. During the interview you will be assessed against two different types of interview questions; behavioural and strength-based questions.
Before we dive into the all-important interview questions, we should also not forget about interview etiquette and technique. This is also as vital to your success as much as responding correctly to the interview questions.
You will be assessed from the moment you enter the interview room. It is vital that you create a good first impression, you will only get one chance to do this, so be prepared!
The behavioural questions will seek to ascertain evidence from your previous work experience or education where you have shown certain behavioural skills. These types of questions are perfect for the use of the S.T.A.R. method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
The strength-based questions are more about what people enjoy, and less focused on work related performance. Although there are no right or wrong answers you should be honest in your approach, and consider how you can link your responses to the role of a border force officer.
When responding to these questions ensure you have a sound knowledge of the person specification, and also the Civil Service strengths dictionary, especially the strengths mapped to the behaviours;
Q. “Tell me about yourself and the skills and qualities you have that are a match for a Border Force Officer?“
With this question, you need to match yourself to the skills and qualities of a Border Force Officer. You will be able to find these within the behaviours and strengths mapping for the role. Check out our sample response below, with highlighted keywords which match the strengths and behaviours of the role.
I am someone who is disciplined and takes great pride in their work, and the professional standards that I always make sure I work to. I am hard-working, I have strong values, and I am confident, resilient and focussed in difficult and challenging situations.
When faced with problems, I always approach these in an analytical manner and am decisive when making decisions. Outside of work, I keep myself fit and active and I like to lead a relatively healthy lifestyle.
As a Border Force Officer, I understand you need to be vigilant, resilient, remain calm in difficult situations and also be capable following strict rules and procedures. I believe the skills, the attributes and the experience I have gained in life so far would enable me to be a competent Border Force Officer.
If I am given the opportunity to undertake this role, which has been an ambition of mine for some time now, I will be a great team worker, I will learn the role quickly, and I will always perform my duties to the highest standards and efficiency possible.
We guarantee that our online resources will teach you how to navigate all of the elements included in the UK border force selection process.
You’ll discover the latest border force recruitment information and access to practice tests to guide you through each stage of selection. That includes the application form, the qualifying tests and the interview.
We’ll also share our insider’s insight into the border force officer job description and eligibility requirements (including the qualifications needed to join the border force), plus how to create a successful application and CV.
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