mindef application is a thorough waste of time, even by civil service standards.
I am from a CS agency, and am a career civil servant. For other ministries and stat boards, the interview/application process is very uniform. No false hopes and nonsense.
Apply -> if selected -> written test + 1st interview -> second interview -> max 2 weeks to tell you keen to proceed or not. HR will be involved in every step.
There is no phone interview or all that.
Can you believe that I went for 4 interviews for
MINDEF this year? All different positions. And for all 4 positions, HR was NEVER INVOLVED.
1st position - international stakeholder engagement role.
I applied in Dec 2023. Sometime in Mar 2024, Impress AI notified me that I was rejected. Ok fine. But in Apr 2024, I received a call from the hiring manager. Turns out phone interview, and I was invited down for a unit preview cum second interview in May 2024.
During interview, wah got dragon got phoenix all tell me im very suited for the job and if selected, will have written test. Went for written test. Cricket silence thereafter. Sent the chaser email to the person in contact and NO RESPONSE.
Second Position - Comms role (Apr 2024)
Called me for interview very fast i.e. phone interview in the morning then afternoon arranged for a site preview and second interview to be held a week later. All within Apr 2024. No written test. Immediately after the second interview, was asked to fill up G50 by the hiring unit which was super strange because from this thread, HR is supposed to be the liaison for all these but it did raise my hopes.
Sent in my G50 the next day and RADIO SILENCE until impress ai sent me a rejection email 2 months later.
Third Position - HR in some unit.
Went for interview - no phone screening or written test. Interview went well but hiring unit said that the position which i was interviewing for may be too mundane and low level for me. No outcome.
Fourth position (most recent) - Policy role.
I didnt apply for this one. I suspected the third position referred me internally for this role. Hiring unit contacted me. Went for interview less than 2 weeks ago and was prompted by impress Ai to apply cos of formality. Was given an extensive tour of the office, met colleagues including the one im replacing, etc.
Now waiting game.
So ... i just want to understand - if hiring unit wants you, how long did you wait before being contacted/informed that they are keen to proceed after the interview? When will HR contact you?