final interview

[gazzamanda]

ok im proper gutted come back frm the pgac as i passed and got my final interview date so i go last tuesday,,, and i was interviewed by a women sgt... and was about a hour long and she goes yeah i think your good enough and would like to offer you a date... so im there all giddy and pleased so she popped out to get the stuff but the flight sgt guy wasent there to do something so she told me to pop back friday,....
so meanwhile i packed my job in, finshed off at 6th form andn cancelled all my broadband, told all my friends,,,

it comes to friday i go back and the flight sgt is there... being assesed by this other guy..

and i fought i would be signing away but he starts interviewing me about my past which i told him i tried cannibis when i was 13 about 3 tiimes.

so he asking me all these questions and said he would send my case down to cramwell.

i get a letter yesterday saying they dont think the raf is for me

all my life , all i ever dreamed of is military life, this guy as broke my dreams....

the women said she fought i was good enough and the guy said i wasent

can they do that?
could i appeal?
what next?
where did i go wrong...
im so upset i feel embarrsed more then anything
sorry about the mass of writing... please help

[rockapemk1]

Mate thats gutting!

At least they will have to admire you for you honesty i suppose?

[gazzamanda]

yeah i know it is .
but its not going to stop me..
i will right to them and ask them why..
jsut really getting to me that the women said yes and the guy didnt approve...
i dunno , why i did it..and honestly is usally the best policy not in this case...
Are any people from the Afco on these boards they could help?
thanks

[Tab]

Gazzamanda,

Even using a computer and spell checker, you have made many mistakes on your Post. Now if you have had a written test with out all these aids I shudder to think just what it looks like and what scores you have managed to notch up. No I am not having a go at you, but if they employ you just what do you hope to do. Does the RAF have the time to try and teach you what you should have learned during the last dozen years.

[Gazza85]

I've got a mate who originaly went for the RAF and was told before his interview to be 100% honest about his past and everything will be fine.

So he get's to his first interview and after listening to this advice and one of the questions being "have you ever tried any drugs" he told them that he did once or twice about 5 years ago.

They knocked him back for the same thing.

O well the RAF's loss is the army air corps gain.

[Rockape]

I think you should query the decision, purely on the fact that you were offered employment by one individual, only to have the offer recinded later by another individual(s). In my opinion, it doesn't show the staff of that particular AFCO in a good light.

However, as TJD as mentioned, the previous drug use might be a contributing factor. The RAF can be particularly selective these days as to who is offered employment and who is not. It might be that those people with previous drug use/experimentation are now considered less suitable than those with no history of drug use, etc. For example, two people, both going for the same trade, both equally qualified, however one of them has used/experimented with drugs before. Which one is the Recruiter going to select? Bit of a no-brainer really.

I'm not saying that this is what has happened in your case, but it's something to consider.

[Gazza85]

I was told when i was going for the army that people who have previously used certain drugs can black out and have flash backs and if they have one whilst driving a 4 tonner or whilst holding a loaded SA80, well you can guess the rest.

[richjoyce]

I think a similar thing has just happened to me mate.

I sat my interview for pti 2 weeks ago and on christmas eve received a letter telling me that i have been unsuccessful. Now in my opinion i feel that i played a blinder in the interview, i felt confident, i was articulate, personable, basically everything you need to be in an interview situation. The only blip that occured throughout the whole interview was when i was questioned about a caution i received 7 years ago for possesion of cannabis. I got a real grilling about it wanting full details about any history i have with drugs so like you i thought honesty would be the best policy and told the truth.

I'm really annoyed about it because the fact that i was cautioned over 7 years ago at 16 yrs old has no bearing on my character now.

I have drawn my own conclusions that this is the probable reason for me being unsuccessful. If i'm right it's really unfair.

[sittingstress]

Blah, blah, blah check the news, there have recently been defence CUTS with the RAF taking an almighty hit. Common sense dictates the selection process will pick the better candidates. It doesn't matter whether you think you have played a blinder or the system has changed it's mind you didn't make the cut so move on. I am certain there are plenty of jobs in which you will excel. It is better to be told earlier rather than later so you can alter tack and push your efforts into your second choices.

On a separate issue this is yet another example of the woolly, PC educational system which through it's constant molly-coddling does not prepare people for failure. I will make a sweeping statment and say that apart from GCSE results when are students (of any age) told they have FAILED something outright. My daughter's school was ordered to stop competitive sports days as it was unfair to the "less successful" pupils. The Head wrote a letter apologising to all the parents and informed us that next year each pupil would receive a Completion Certificate stating how many "activities" they had taken part in. Utter arse!

ANNNNNNNNNNND another thing! The bleeding-heart education system does not teach personal responsibility either. Why is something always someone else's fault?

Regards

ss

PS Now back in my grumpy old man shell.

[Gryllzy]

I've been reading all of the post on this topic and found it quite interesting. I'm not having a go here but, I'm pretty sure once the recruitment process has started it states on most of the documents that the RAF have the right to withdraw your apllication, the same as you have the right to back out at any point. So to me, you can't really grumble there. Now the fact that one member of staff offered you a position and another said no you weren't good enough and withdrew that offer, that you can grumble about.
I hope you get it sorted out,
Sarah x

[richjoyce]

ss i think the view you take on moving on is a good one but i really really want to get in the raf. I'm going to persevere and see if there are any other options i can take on a route in or see if any decisions can be changed on the raf recruitment side.

[richjoyce]

TJD, firstly thanks for the help you've given me with your posts.

Secondly, i haven't had my debrief yet and am still waiting to receive it. Do you know of any people or examples of times when this sort of thing has happened and an applicant has still been accepted for service?. As i mentioned in my earlier post i still really want in. And as i mentioned in the other post, i aren't entirely sure wether the caution is the reason for me not being successful. I've made the mistake of thinking of reasons for not getting through to the next stage before reciving the debrief.

thanks again