Civil Service - EO exams

Climate Expert

Mrbrianmolko wrote: »

Out of curiosity what age are the other EO's here? Im 24 and I think i must be the youngest EO out there?

All the oul ones in my office hate me for it, they think that one of them (who have all been there since the year dot) should of got the promotion instead of a young lad like me coming in from the outside, but thats life!!

Im winning them round though!!

I wouldn't say you are too young. Sure I was a grad at 20.

The_Conductor

Mrbrianmolko wrote: »

Out of curiosity what age are the other EO's here? Im 24 and I think i must be the youngest EO out there?

All the oul ones in my office hate me for it, they think that one of them (who have all been there since the year dot) should of got the promotion instead of a young lad like me coming in from the outside, but thats life!!

Im winning them round though!!

Depends on the area you're in. General admin areas tend to be a lot older than IT/Legal/Science areas. I was the youngest in my first section (at age 28) by a long shot, but now following getting the EO ICT (at age 35)- my line manager is 10 years younger than I am. Swings and roundabouts.......

tricky@

Mrbrianmolko wrote: »

Out of curiosity what age are the other EO's here? Im 24 and I think i must be the youngest EO out there?

All the oul ones in my office hate me for it, they think that one of them (who have all been there since the year dot) should of got the promotion instead of a young lad like me coming in from the outside, but thats life!!

Im winning them round though!!

I was 26 when i started last year, of the 5 other EO's in my office nobody is under 28. Work in HR in my department and saw plenty of EO's and AO's recruited who were in their early 20's so there are plenty of others out there of a similar or younger age.

billyhead

I am an EO the last 4 years and am 27.

MAKE MY DAY

I was an EO between ages 21-27, now a HEO

Lamps

MAKE MY DAY wrote: »

I was an EO between ages 21-27, now a HEO

HEO at 27, fair play mate!

Just a bit of a rant:

Im the same, a young EO and all the owl ones hate me for it.

I really dislike my job, full of bitchy women in their 50s, really stressful work (who said the civil service is handy!), way more repsonsability for what im paid (im over 24 staff and the public). But thats the way it is and ive just got to put the head down and get on with it. Its mental jsut because im a n EO everyone expects me to know the answer to all questions(im there 4 months, theres people there 30 years who ask me questions about the work process!), if i suggest a change that will speed or improve things, they'll all agree to my face and then have a bitch and moan about me the second my back is turned.

Suppose its the same in most offices, but i just think the recruitment process is wrong. The people who are there 20 years and know the role should be promoted to EO, not young people out of college who were able to preform well in an exam and interview.

I believe i should never of been put into the job, one of the oul one SO's should of been promoted and saved us all the hassle. But im stuck here now, another 10months to go before i can be put on the transfer list!

Cadet?

Anyone heard anything from the PAS post-budget?

Climate Expert

The civil service needs a clearout of all these jobn for life auld one dinosaurs. I've heard so much stories about them over the years. They play a large part in the state of this country.

Lamps

Climate Expert wrote: »

The civil service needs a clearout of all these jobn for life auld one dinosaurs. I've heard so much stories about them over the years. They play a large part in the state of this country.

Tell me about it.

The older staff cant even use the email system which makes it hard to send office announcments around.

Thats just one or 2 now, they're near retirement and just counting the days, but still I couldnt believe it when i started!!

Climate Expert

The older staff cant even use the email system which makes it hard to send office announcments around.

That is just shocking. Its nothing to do with age its all to do with attitude. Anybody who works in an office enviroment and can't use email should be let go.

InReality

As I understand it , one of the reasons that civil servants have job security , is so politicans can't have them fired on a whim.
For example a politican could ring and say "give my voter a medical card or else your gone".
I think thats basically a good thing, although the hse needs reform and job cuts.

bobbygirl

Just wondering if anyone had heard anything about interviews etc lately as got a message today so say I have one on 12 Nov?

Nolanger

Lamps wrote: »

Tell me about it.

The older staff cant even use the email system which makes it hard to send office announcments around.

Thats just one or 2 now, they're near retirement and just counting the days, but still I couldnt believe it when i started!!

Let me guess - you work in a dole office?

Cadet?

bobbygirl wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone had heard anything about interviews etc lately as got a message today so say I have one on 12 Nov?

Do you mind me asking what panel you were on bobbygirl? Was it Dublin? If so, what was your number on the panel?

Thanks

yerwon

bobbygirl wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone had heard anything about interviews etc lately as got a message today so say I have one on 12 Nov?

Hey,

I got an email on Friday saying my interview is on the 18th and I know someone else who is on the 19th, both for the Dublin panel.

Now I need to trawl back through this thread to see what's said about the written bit...

I'm assuming calling us for interview means there are actual jobs waiting to be filled, yeah?

Cadet?

Hey yerwon,

You mind me asking what number you were on the Dublin panel?

bobbygirl

Hi yes it was Dublin and I was number 182 but the message they sent also had the other places I applied for .

Cadet? wrote: »

Do you mind me asking what panel you were on bobbygirl? Was it Dublin? If so, what was your number on the panel?

Thanks

bobbygirl

Just wondering if anyone who has done this interview has any advice or can let me know some examples of questions that have come up ? Havent dont a serious interview in years so a bit scared....

BurnsCarpenter

bobbygirl wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone who has done this interview has any advice or can let me know some examples of questions that have come up ? Havent dont a serious interview in years so a bit scared....

Just know your competencies inside out. Try and anticipate what kind of questions they could ask about them and prepare answers that show your good qualities.
They won't ask any bull**** general questions - 'tell me your strengths', etc. so you'll need to sell yourself when discussing the competencies. It'll be very specific - what exactly you did in your competency examples.

I hate interviews generally but this one wasn't so bad. Time flew and they're not really trying to catch you out.

The_Conductor

Do have a second decent example prepared for each of the competencies- while they're not trying to catch you out, if they feel the example you gave does not cover what they are looking for- they will ask for other examples.....

One other thing- don't assume that the interview went badly or well, on how long it lasts. A colleague of mine got EO ICT from a 20 minute interview, mine lasted almost an hour.......

bobbygirl

Thanks guys think Im going to find this tough was hard enough trying to think of the first examples and Im not great at waffling on either !!!

Sorry for all the questions but for attire would something like a blouse and skirt be ok or will it have to be a suit???

The_Conductor

bobbygirl wrote: »

Thanks guys think Im going to find this tough was hard enough trying to think of the first examples and Im not great at waffling on either !!!

Sorry for all the questions but for attire would something like a blouse and skirt be ok or will it have to be a suit???

Its a formal interview- so dress accordingly. There may not be any marks for attire, but you will give a bad first impression. Its safer to dress too formally, than it is to dress not formally enough. In practice the interviews tend to be held by older staff of at least a grade above that which you are being interviewed for. They will be a lot older than you (normally) and probably have more conservative ideas than you have. (If you are offered the job- you can see what everyone else is wearing and dress similarly yourself. I spent 7 years in a Policy Section where I had to dress in a formal suit most days- now in IT they'd look at me like I had two heads if I turned up in a suit (occasionally I do still wear a shirt and tie).

Re: the examples- they don't have to be in a work context- they can include hobbies you have, societies you've been a member of, school activities etc- literally any events in your life that you feel showcases the attribute they are examining you on. Remember its what *you* did- so its "I did" blah, and then "I did blah"....... They are looking at you and how you performed- not how they specific events unravelled.

Don't waffle- you won't get extra points- they will be a lot happier with someone who gets to the point, than someone who dances around the bush for a few minutes without ever hitting the point they are trying to make. But- you are not to talk in bullet-point style either.

Don't learn off your examples by rote- they will stop you as you go and ask for more detail (make sure you listen carefully to what they ask- and make sure you answer their question).

It would be a good idea to prepare a few examples- and then get a friend to practise them on.

If you've never done a structured interview before- there are some very good courses out there (Carr Communications do one specifically aimed at PAS and Garda interviews, other companies do similar).

Hope this helps,

Shane

Vanbis

bobbygirl wrote: »

Thanks guys think Im going to find this tough was hard enough trying to think of the first examples and Im not great at waffling on either !!!

Sorry for all the questions but for attire would something like a blouse and skirt be ok or will it have to be a suit???

I did the interview a while back and i was asked for other examples on my application form i sent with questions and examples they wanted. I think once you are prepared then with your answers and come accross well then you should have nothing to be nervous about. I wasnt nervous myself and was even more relaxed once i went into the room.

I heard back 2 weeks later and i was told i was successful.

I'm now waiting to get called up, but god knows when that will. I could be waiting another 2 months or 12 months which is the most frustrating part.

Good luck.

gary the great

Do a lot of talking and come across confident and sure of yourself. I never stopped going, they had to keep interupting me to ask new questions. Dont confuse this with talking ****e though!

And give a broad range of competancies, dont just stick to work related things.

Mrbrianmolko

I hear DFSA have approved 110 new staff to cope wth the extra workload, although I hear its only CO's and So's, but there may be a few EO's needed to i dont know.

Who said the civil service was handy, my God ive never worked so hard and been under so much stress as I currently am! One of yis can have my job if you want!!!

yerwon

Vanbis wrote: »

I did the interview a while back and i was asked for other examples on my application form i sent with questions and examples they wanted. I think once you are prepared then with your answers and come accross well then you should have nothing to be nervous about. I wasnt nervous myself and was even more relaxed once i went into the room.

I heard back 2 weeks later and i was told i was successful.

I'm now waiting to get called up, but god knows when that will. I could be waiting another 2 months or 12 months which is the most frustrating part.

Good luck.

Hey Vanbis, I'm just wondering - you did the interview for EO a while back and were successful but you've actually been told it will be between two and twelve months before you're called, is that right? What a wait! If I'm successful I'll have to remember to be patient...

Cadet? wrote: »

Hey yerwon,

You mind me asking what number you were on the Dublin panel?

107!

Aglomerado

Mrbrianmolko wrote: »

Who said the civil service was handy, my God ive never worked so hard and been under so much stress as I currently am! One of yis can have my job if you want!!!

Same here; I've been an EO for 2.5 years; have 10+ staff and responsibility for a lot of stuff besides... the pressure's unbelievable at times. The people are great though and the flexi time's handy so that keeps me going.

Vanbis

yerwon wrote: »

Hey Vanbis, I'm just wondering - you did the interview for EO a while back and were successful but you've actually been told it will be between two and twelve months before you're called, is that right? What a wait! If I'm successful I'll have to remember to be patient...

Hey Yerwne

I wasn't given a time, i was just saying i could get called in 2 months or 12 months. I supose it all depends on when they come around to me and have a position available which will be the same for everyone else.

channelsurfer

one thing to be careful is that you must pass both the written and interview. if you fail the written then you dont pass. the written one can be a bit tricky you are under time pressure. make sure you dont write the date that you do the interview. its spelt out what date you should write and DONT sign your own name. you would be surprised the amount of people that sign their own name on the letter they have to write.
the questioning at the interview will be intense none stop but they will guide you to the write reply if you listen to them carefully.
best of luck

bobbygirl

Just thought Id give an update after all my questions about the interview!! Got a message today to say Ive been successful !! In shocjk as thought Id made a bit of a mess of the whole thing especially the letter but my 2 interviewers were really nice so could have been lucky...

Anyone else heard anything since or started a job??