Junior Diplomat/Third Secretary

cadet123

turkirish113 wrote: »

Was called to complete the e-vetting there about 2weeks ago, anyone have any idea of a rough timeframe on this stage of the process? ie time from vetting/clearance beginning to job offer?

I'm in the same boat. I'm still waiting on one document to arrive but I haven't heard anything in about 2 weeks now after submitting everything else.

AngelMae

It took 3 months for me from e-vetting to negotiating start date with DFA

Susurrus

Does anyone know whether they've started on the third panel yet? I rang up in June and they had finished the second panel, but I haven't heard anything yet about the third. I don't like to be ringing too often and pestering PAS

cadet123

Susurrus wrote: »

Does anyone know whether they've started on the third panel yet? I rang up in June and they had finished the second panel, but I haven't heard anything yet about the third. I don't like to be ringing too often and pestering PAS

I am in the second panel l, haven't heard anything after filling out the clearing stuff yet.

eeejay

Anyone any idea where they're at now?

zs

Long time lurker. Like some of you, I am on the third panel.

The last I heard, they had finished with the second panel and had yet to start on the third. I kind of got the impression that things won't be moving for a while. Not sure if that's a result of things slowing down during the summer months or because they don't anticipate many more openings. Sucks to be in limbo like this but all we can do now is to hope for the best in terms of expansion, attrition and uptake of positions ahead of us!

If anyone has been in touch with PAS more recently or has any other updates, I'm sure we would all appreciate your sharing the news - be it good or bad!

cadet123

Second panel here. Still no word about anything after many many weeks in clearing stage

cadet123

Does anyone have any news. Or know what it is the likeliood if an offer after clearing and reference request of actually getting offered a place?

There seems to be a really long time between communication. I'd be really keen on this but at the same time, I'm applying for others just in case

Susurrus

cadet123 wrote: »

Does anyone have any news. Or know what it is the likeliood if an offer after clearing and reference request of actually getting offered a place?

There seems to be a really long time between communication. I'd be really keen on this but at the same time, I'm applying for others just in case

My understanding, though I could be wrong, is that they only call you for clearance and reference requests once there will actually be a position available for you to take up. Friends who've worked in other departments have told me that it can be three months between getting called for clearance and sorting out the start date with fairly long gaps in communication. I think there's just not really a lot happening at the minute because it's the summer. People on holidays etc.

cadet123

Susurrus wrote: »

My understanding, though I could be wrong, is that they only call you for clearance and reference requests once there will actually be a position available for you to take up. Friends who've worked in other departments have told me that it can be three months between getting called for clearance and sorting out the start date with fairly long gaps in communication. I think there's just not really a lot happening at the minute because it's the summer. People on holidays etc.

Cheers thanks so much. It's been in limbo for so long, some other opportunities have come up but I'd hate to say yes, and go through other interviews only for this to actually come through.
Hard to know what to do!

AnnCK

Anyone have any more updates? I’m pretty high on panel three and an existing civil servant so thought I’d see some movement by the end of summer but sounds like it’s completely stalled. It’s completely infuriating to be honest. Starting to feel like they just did the extra panel for the lol.

cadet123

AnnCK wrote: »

Anyone have any more updates? I’m pretty high on panel three and an existing civil servant so thought I’d see some movement by the end of summer but sounds like it’s completely stalled. It’s completely infuriating to be honest. Starting to feel like they just did the extra panel for the lol.

In the second half of the second panel. I was contacted last week l after clearance. It was a long wait since clearance. But now haven't been contacted again since! Seems a bit slow, maybe people are still on holiday holidays

AnnCK

cadet123 wrote: »

In the second half of the second panel. I was contacted last week l after clearance. It was a long wait since clearance. But now haven't been contacted again since! Seems a bit slow, maybe people are still on holiday holidays

Ye everything civil service wide does slow down in summer. Glad to hear you finally got contacted though! Fingers crossed you get in soon!

ThereYet?

cadet123 wrote: »

In the second half of the second panel. I was contacted last week l after clearance. It was a long wait since clearance. But now haven't been contacted again since! Seems a bit slow, maybe people are still on holiday holidays

Hi Cadet, did you get any update yet?

zs

ThereYet? wrote: »

Hi Cadet, did you get any update yet?

Haha I think there is a good few of us on here that are quietly lurking and praying for any kind of update!

eeejay

I second this. Any news?

zs wrote: »

Haha I think there is a good few of us on here that are quietly lurking and praying for any kind of update!

cadet123

Sorry very late reply! But I was successful so I presume they are nearing the end of the second panel by now.

zs

cadet123 wrote: »

Sorry very late reply! But I was successful so I presume they are nearing the end of the second panel by now.

Just hopping in on this asap to say that I believe they have finished the second panel but have yet to begin on the third.

CrouchTiger

Best of luck to those on the third panel. I've heard rumours that there are some issues with funding and budget, which may have slowed down the throughput of hires... That said, I think anyone on that panel has a much better shot of getting in now than in whatever competition comes next as there may be a significant curtailment of new positions or even another embargo if there is an emergency Brexit budget.

CrouchTiger

For anyone still lurking or wondering about progress, I've heard that further hiring may be unlikely this calendar year. I believe that things reset financially in January, so there may be better news then for those on the third panel. No news of any new competition as yet in the Department anyway.

Susurrus

Hi to everyone still waiting, they've started calling people on the third panel. I'm not sure how many they called but I was 5th on the panel and received my email yesterday evening. Hope other people will also start to hear soon!

By the way, has anyone done the police disclosure form who lived in Scotland? I just need that but the UK has a confusing number of options for it and I'm not sure which one is correct. Scotland also seem to have a different system to England and Wales. Thanks!

Hughsie88

Anybody have any idea when the next competition will open? They generally tend to run every two years around August. I wonder if the times we are living in will delay this..

Leyendecker

Hughsie88 wrote: »

Anybody have any idea when the next competition will open? They generally tend to run every two years around August. I wonder if the times we are living in will delay this..

I'm looking for an answer for this same question. They're running a Second Secretary competition now. That, and I think they announced the Third Secretary competition in 2018 in late July/August. Could be a good sign.

Anyone know anything?

Easton Assassin

Recently ran a Assistant Secretary role as well so signs are good that recruitment is going ahead. Where is the Second Secretary role advertised? I have not seen this.

delricyo

Easton Assassin wrote: »

Recently ran a Assistant Secretary role as well so signs are good that recruitment is going ahead. Where is the Second Secretary role advertised? I have not seen this.

Fairly sure there is no second secretary grade. It goes from 3rd to 1st Sec (AP level). Not sure if a First Sec role has been advertised recently

Ravelleman

delricyo wrote: »

Fairly sure there is no second secretary grade. It goes from 3rd to 1st Sec (AP level). Not sure if a First Sec role has been advertised recently

Second Secretary is for Third Secretaries when sent on foreign postings, I believe.

eeejay

Hughsie88 wrote: »

Anybody have any idea when the next competition will open? They generally tend to run every two years around August. I wonder if the times we are living in will delay this..

They're still calling from the 3rd panel atm... No news on a new comp. Postings and reshuffle expected from Aug onwards.

CrouchTiger

Ravelleman is right, there's no recruitment at Second Sec - that's just the designation of a Third Sec on posting. There also hasn't been a First Sec competition in quite a while.

I'd heard there was meant to be a Third Sec competition in June, but obviously that hasn't happened. They still appear to be hiring off the third panel this year, which is remarkable given some people started in early 2019 and we're heading toward 2021!

Remains to be seen if/when they'll recruit again at TS - it seems very likely they'll have limited resources to recruit and there is already a big queue for going on posting. Will be up to the priorities of the new government really.

exitstageleft

Has anyone heard if there will be a third secretary campaign happening this year?
I know there was supposed to be one but it's gone very quiet. PAS aren't giving anything away either.

The_Conductor

exitstageleft wrote: »

Has anyone heard if there will be a third secretary campaign happening this year?
I know there was supposed to be one but it's gone very quiet. PAS aren't giving anything away either.

I strongly suspect that there will be a defacto barr on PS recruitment alongside an unwinding of the use of contractors across the whole of the public sector. Its up for discussion as part of the public sector pay negotiations (which are going to be tough themselves- with a freeze on increments etc on the table).

Don't assume that competitions are going ahead- and even if they do- don't assume if you get a place on the panel, that panels are going to move.........

We're in unprecedented times- and the public sector are going to be asked to do an outsized amount of financial lifting to try and bring government finances more into kilter.

Tough times ahead..........

exitstageleft

The_Conductor wrote: »

I strongly suspect that there will be a defacto barr on PS recruitment alongside an unwinding of the use of contractors across the whole of the public sector. Its up for discussion as part of the public sector pay negotiations (which are going to be tough themselves- with a freeze on increments etc on the table).

Don't assume that competitions are going ahead- and even if they do- don't assume if you get a place on the panel, that panels are going to move.........

We're in unprecedented times- and the public sector are going to be asked to do an outsized amount of financial lifting to try and bring government finances more into kilter.

Tough times ahead..........

Thanks The_Conductor, depressing as your answer is!

CrouchTiger

Plans were still moving ahead for a competition in 2020 until very recently. It was due to be June, but I'd still expect something before year-end given the preparation. No guarantee of course, but it seemed like it was happening.

The_Conductor

Announced this morning:

https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/?option=com_jobsearch&view=jobdetails&cid=123997&campaignId=20191806

newbie18892

Really interested in applying for this. How have people who applied in the past found it?

HartsHat

newbie18892 wrote: »

Really interested in applying for this. How have people who applied in the past found it?

Great. I got it. Couldn't recommend it enough. Great job, great work, great people.

newbie18892

HartsHat wrote: »

Great. I got it. Couldn't recommend it enough. Great job, great work, great people.

That's really good to hear. Could I PM you for some info by any chance? I feel like reading the information booklet gives me more questions than answers lol

HartsHat

newbie18892 wrote: »

That's really good to hear. Could I PM you for some info by any chance? I feel like reading the information booklet gives me more questions than answers lol

Sure. Go for it.

exitstageleft

Possibly time for a new thread for this latest campaign.
See:

https://touch.boards
.ie/thread/2058114670/1/#post114664086

Benarros

Anyone knows how the précis writing exercise works? It seems very daunting. Where can we find good material to practice that please?