Junior Diplomat/Third Secretary

The_Conductor

ElChe32 wrote: »

Quick question guys, I applied for both the AO and 3rd Sec positions. Got a message back the 21st talking about the AO position and online exams. The next message is about the Graduate Opportunities Online Tests and mentions that the exams are used to evaluate AO and 3rd Sec candidates. Was wondering should I have received a message specifically for the 3rd sec positions too? I sent an e-mail to clarify this to the contact person and of course she's out of office till 3rd of November...

No- its the one e-mail/publicjobs message for both positions- and the same exam. No second e-mail. I'm the same as you.

ElChe32

Cheers mate I thought as much!

ElChe32

How did you guys find the two assessment exams? I got a bit flustered at the beginning of the numerical one, haven't a clue how it went. Verbal one was more difficult than I expected.

Overall...meh sums it up.

Best of luck!

Stormington

Quick question about the My details section: do you leave your name & email address as the one provided or substitute it for your own on the SCO site?

ColcloughP

ElChe32 wrote: »

How did you guys find the two assessment exams? I got a bit flustered at the beginning of the numerical one, haven't a clue how it went. Verbal one was more difficult than I expected.

Overall...meh sums it up.

Best of luck!

I found the same. I've been practising psychometric tests every day for the past 6 weeks and I still found the verbal reasoning test to be more difficult than any of the 2 or 3 dozen practice tests I did.

There was just not enough time. Even a minute per question would have made a huge difference.

I'm pretty sure I didn't get through. Pretty frustrating since I have a BA in Politics and French and an MA in International Relations and Diplomacy as well as decent Japanese and 6 years experience living abroad in various different countries.

ElChe32

ColcloughP wrote: »

I found the same. I've been practising psychometric tests every day for the past 6 weeks and I still found the verbal reasoning test to be more difficult than any of the 2 or 3 dozen practice tests I did.

There was just not enough time. Even a minute per question would have made a huge difference.

I'm pretty sure I didn't get through. Pretty frustrating since I have a BA in Politics and French and an MA in International Relations and Diplomacy as well as decent Japanese and 6 years experience living abroad in various different countries.

Aye tell me about it, my whole academic studies have been geared towards this and it all comes down to some random tests that you could be unlucky with. Feck it now anyway, its done. Best of luck to you.

Omnishambles99

good evening guys and girls, just gotten locked out of my Saville consulting page, when i go to ask for a new password, the page says that the email address i'm providing is incorrect (despite it being the email address all my PAS correspondence has ever gone to since Year Dot). I've dropped an email to them at their helpdesk but I don't think that works out of hours, any suggestions?

ColcloughP

ElChe32 wrote: »

Aye tell me about it, my whole academic studies have been geared towards this and it all comes down to some random tests that you could be unlucky with. Feck it now anyway, its done. Best of luck to you.

Best of luck to you too buddy.

ElChe32

Omnishambles99 wrote: »

good evening guys and girls, just gotten locked out of my Saville consulting page, when i go to ask for a new password, the page says that the email address i'm providing is incorrect (despite it being the email address all my PAS correspondence has ever gone to since Year Dot). I've dropped an email to them at their helpdesk but I don't think that works out of hours, any suggestions?

I guess sit tight until tomorrow morning, hopefully they'll get back to you before noon deadline.

Omnishambles99

ElChe32 wrote: »

I guess sit tight until tomorrow morning, hopefully they'll get back to you before noon deadline.

Cheers, in fact just finished now. got the password !!! relieved is not the word !!!!

best of luck to every one !!

swim every day

Hi guys,

Just wondering if you're supposed to receive a confirmation email once you complete the tests? I finished them yesterday and haven't heard anything since which seems strange.

Best of luck to anyone who hasn't started yet!!

Anongeneric

Hey all,

any word on the Assessment Questionnaire?

How did everyone find it?

RingTheAlarm!

Numerical was very tough, would be very shocked if I made it to the next round!

ColcloughP

Anongeneric wrote: »

Hey all,

any word on the Assessment Questionnaire?

How did everyone find it?

It's hard to tell. If I did as well on it as the public jobs sample one (which was a slightly different format) I'll be grand, since I got in the upper band. That having been said, I did very well on their sample verbal reasoning test and did abysmally on the real thing.

We won't know until we get the results I suppose. Anyone know when that is?

CathyMoran

I did the psychometric two nights ago and then the other two yesterday afternoon, they seemed harder than previous ones for the verbal which I always love but the maths was a lot easier...I know that I did not pass but I am curious to see how I did.

Montjuic

What % will be called to the second round?

jw1234

Anyone know when we get the results of the assesments ?

jw1234

Anyone know when we get the results of the assessments ?

Slydice

There was an assistant principal (higher up grade) competition run before this one and they are expecting their results soon

..so the results for this one probably won't be out before then.

Tristram

Looking back over some recent competitions the first stage results appear to be issued approximately two weeks later (sometimes a little under, sometimes a little over).

The_Conductor

Montjuic wrote: »

What % will be called to the second round?

Depends entirely on how many PAS wish to be on the final panel. The pass mark will levitate up or down- depending on the number of candidates- to bring as many of PAS wish to bring to Stage 2 (and subsequent stages). Its probable- that you'll be in the 10% of candidates to get through to stage 2- and after stage 2 and 3- less than 5% of the original candidates would normally make the panel.......

Also- Stage 2 is supervised testing. Deviating more than 15% (or whatever percentage they decide) from your original Stage 1 mark- gives PAS the right to examine your candidature- and exclude you- if they feel you might possibly have received assistance in Stage 1- irrespective of whether you reach the pass mark at stage 2 or not.

Montjuic

Any idea when the results of this will be out?

Montjuic

Any idea at all?

ElChe32

Haven't a clue, I'm resigned to the fact that this is going to be dragged out for months. Don't be worrying yourself.

ColcloughP

Just read the past few posts, they all say nobody knows, but probably around 2 weeks after the deadline for the tests.

Should be some time next week.

The_Conductor

ColcloughP wrote: »

Just read the past few posts, they all say nobody knows, but probably around 2 weeks after the deadline for the tests.

Should be some time next week.

They got the AP out yesterday evening- and this is simply a compilation of the Stage 1 test scores- there really isn't any good reason they couldn't have them out today if they wanted to..........

Omnishambles99

Just rang them there - PAS said they hope to have phase 1 results out by end of next week, so I'm guessing next Friday

Sunnies Washington

Omnishambles99 wrote: »

Just rang them there - PAS said they hope to have phase 1 results out by end of next week, so I'm guessing next Friday

I did too- according to PAS they received a very large amount of applications. Couldn't get an exact figure off them though.

Rock of Gibraltar

PAS tweeted that the 3rd Sec results would be released on during the third week of November

https://twitter.com/Publicjobsie/status/660067410012217344

Kirby42

Just stumbled across this thread. Forgive my ignorance, but as I understand it, junior diplomat/third secretary is an entry position into the dept. of foreign affairs? You generally do 2 years in Dublin and are then sent abroad to an embassy or am I misinterpreting it? Good luck to all who applied.

The_Conductor

Kirby42 wrote: »

Just stumbled across this thread. Forgive my ignorance, but as I understand it, junior diplomat/third secretary is an entry position into the dept. of foreign affairs? You generally do 2 years in Dublin and are then sent abroad to an embassy or am I misinterpreting it? Good luck to all who applied.

Its not necessarily Dublin- DFA have offices elsewhere- HQ is still Dublin- but it was part of the decentralisation........

hard copy

Would you think that everyone who went for AO went for 3rd Sec also? Would they have different criteria for the assessment section I wonder? I certainly imagine there's far less positions for this one. Missed the AO cut today by a good few hundred so I'm guessing I'm goosed for this one too

ElChe32

Welp...that was a waste of time, missed it by a few hundred. Best of luck all of those who made it through the AO first stage. Not looking great for the 3rd sec for me.

Anongeneric

Hey all,

I got 342 on the order of merit but I'm a bit confused by the message, it says-

"It is intended to call those candidates placed up to an including 250 on the order of merit to the next stage of the selection process"

If I'm no 342, I take it I'm 108 places off the pace, and yet the message goes on to say-

"Should you come under consideration for this stage you will hear from us shortly."

Have they just sent out the same message to all candidates irrespective of where they are on the order of merit or am I missing something obvious here?

Thanks to anyone that can cast some light on this.

ColcloughP

Anongeneric wrote: »

Hey all,

I got 342 on the order of merit but I'm a bit confused by the message, it says-

"It is intended to call those candidates placed up to an including 250 on the order of merit to the next stage of the selection process"

If I'm no 342, I take it I'm 108 places off the pace, and yet the message goes on to say-

"Should you come under consideration for this stage you will hear from us shortly."

Have they just sent out the same message to all candidates irrespective of where they are on the order of merit or am I missing something obvious here?

Thanks to anyone that can cast some light on this.

That's the results for AO only, the results for 3rd sec aren't out until next week.

As for your question, yeah, I think it's safe to assume that's what they did; same message for everyone.

Slydice

Anongeneric wrote: »

Have they just sent out the same message to all candidates irrespective of where they are on the order of merit or am I missing something obvious here?

Yes.

Well, 1 post over on the administrative officer competition hints that they also sent out a message letting people know if they didn't get a place at all.

Omnishambles99

The waiting is killing me on this one.... Anyone any thoughts on how many they will short list at phase 1 for the third secretary specifically ? ( I know there's been a fair bit of comment on the amount shortlisted for the AO component of the overall competition .. Just not much on the third Sec )

The_Conductor

Omnishambles99 wrote: »

The waiting is killing me on this one.... Anyone any thoughts on how many they will short list at phase 1 for the third secretary specifically ? ( I know there's been a fair bit of comment on the amount shortlisted for the AO component of the overall competition .. Just not much on the third Sec )

If they're shortlisting 250 for the general AO- I'd hazard a guess that 30 or 40 would be the extent of it for third secs (though depending on how interviews etc go- they may go to a second and subsequent rounds).

Veledan22

The results are out, they are bringing 283 to the next stage.

Sunnies Washington

Scored highly in both Numerical Verbal. Failed Assessment. Flummoxed!

caien

Does anybody know how the next stage works? I've heard they test you in person to make sure you didn't get help with the online tests, and that you have to stay within your original score bracket to be further considered, but if that's the case does that mean all 283 of us (minus those who have a discrepancy in their test scores) will be interviewed for further shortlisting?

brighton1

Im a bit confused i have reached the qualifying standard and am on the order of merit list but further back than 283..."Should you come under consideration for this stage you will hear from us shortly" but I am a good 200 places beyond 283...it seems a bit stupid to bother to tell me that...clearly not that many people will deviate so much when retested?

Paphos

For the AO comp., Stage 2 consists of the assessment tests, job simulation, a presentation and an interview, all taking place on the same day. I image there will be something similar for this.

caien

Paphos wrote: »

For the AO comp., Stage 2 consists of the assessment tests, job simulation, a presentation and an interview, all taking place on the same day. I image there will be something similar for this.

They're going to do that with 283 people? And 250 for AO? Christ.

The_Conductor

caien wrote: »

They're going to do that with 283 people? And 250 for AO? Christ.

There is something strange going on there- it just doesn't make sense. DFA isn't even one of the bigger Departments. I'm thinking the 250 they're calling in the general AO- is going to be the first tranche- and further will be called in due course- things just don't add up otherwise.

DLboy

Hi all,
Just wondering does anyone know if the order of merit in stage 1 is carried over to stage 2? I.e. If you are placed100 in the order of merit do you stay in that position in stage 2 and have to fight your way up, or does everyone start from scratch?
Also the email says only the assessment questionnaire and verbal test were taken into account, does that mean only these two will be assessed again or will the numerical test be done again?

Omnishambles99

Got in the 70s. Delighted... Now all that's left to pass are stages 2, 3, 4 ..... lol !!

Paphos

The_Conductor wrote: »

There is something strange going on there- it just doesn't make sense. DFA isn't even one of the bigger Departments. I'm thinking the 250 they're calling in the general AO- is going to be the first tranche- and further will be called in due course- things just don't add up otherwise.

It's not so strange. Apparently there are only going to be 200 vacancies filled across all graduate positions, including:

- Administrative officer in the civil service;
- Graduate economist with the Irish government economic and evaluation service;
- Trainee auditor in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General;
- Junior diplomat/third secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs;
- Legal researchers.

I expect the numbers called forward to be culled even further in latter stages and panels to be established for each job.

(Note: It won't let me post a link to the source. Just Google 'Brendan Howlin' and 'graduate recruitment'.)

Mr. Mercurial

Placed 167, very pleased considering I didn't make it through the first round last time.

Unfortunately, the next round begins the day I'm due to fly to the UK for my graduation, which is a bit awkward, but whatever.

megastructure

Did anyone not get their results? Very confused, no notification from public jobs. Maybe they send them out in different batches?