Administrative Officer - Revenue Commissioners

barneystinson

Mavic09 wrote: »

Having read the piece at the start of this thread about the day to day duties of an AO in Audit. Would someone have any guidance on what the day to day duties of an AO in Compliance would involve? The information booklet provided on the AO job role is pure HR jazz...

You'll be a Revenue auditor - I think the competition last year was for "AO Audit & Compliance"; not sure why the change in name this time round but AFAIK they're looking for more of the same type of people they recruited already.

I don't know of any AOs hired in the last 3 years (other than the ones hired specifically for ICT obviously) who didn't end up in an audit unit, with the exception of one guy who was a former social welfare inspector who works mostly on shadow economy stuff.

But since their target recruit (based on what they've been hiring) is accountants / ITI's (or both!) with audit/tax experience, there's only one place you're going if that's your background...

BESman

I'm surprised by how low the starting salary on the scale is (€29,922). Most newly qualified accountants, solicitors and tax advisors would be taking a big salary cut to go in at this level. I would have thought AO's would start on at least €35,000.

Who_8_Paul?

BESman wrote: »

I'm surprised by how low the starting salary on the scale is (€29,922). Most newly qualified accountants, solicitors and tax advisors would be taking a big salary cut to go in at this level. I would have thought AO's would start on at least €35,000.

At least with the passing of the Haddington rd legislation these discriminatory new entrant scales will be adjusted which mean those on them will eventually reach the same max as their colleagues sitting beside them doing the same work...

dashdoll

Applied for this myself but not holding out much hope. I entered a previous AO competition last year and came in the Top Group after sitting the aptitude tests in Croke Park, was ranked 31 in my group but still didnt make the interview stages.

I'm guessing a huge amount of applications would have also been received for this role? Roles hopefully but there may only be a few?

JokersWild

Going on last years competition which had the same entry requirements etc there were about 550 applicants and 110 called to interview. Around 40 were placed on a panel. The only difference between this and last summers competition is this is only for Dublin.

As has been stated they seem to be looking for people with audit experience and preferably some professional qualification on top of your degree (or studying towards one).

No idea on how many spots there are initally but these panels usually last 2yrs. Anyone left on last years panel are holding out for any locations outside Dublin that may arise over the next 12 months.

Who_8_Paul?

dashdoll wrote: »

Applied for this myself but not holding out much hope. I entered a previous AO competition last year and came in the Top Group after sitting the aptitude tests in Croke Park, was ranked 31 in my group but still didnt make the interview stages.

I'm guessing a huge amount of applications would have also been received for this role? Roles hopefully but there may only be a few?

Not sure if you mean the ao economist, hr, accounting, law and finance competition last year for per, finance and Taoiseachs but if so I remember there were aptitude tests and then the top 100 or so from each were invited to send in application forms from which they selected 40 or so for interview for each speciality. I think this is a far better system than simply calling the top 40 from the aptitude test to interview as that excludes loads of really well suited qualified strong candidates who maybe scored a few marks less on the day of the aptitude test. This is coming from a person who finished in the top 20 of the aptitude test for my speciality and got an interview too. I know some of my colleagues that got the job finished well down the pecking order after the aptitude test.

dashdoll

Who_8_Paul? wrote: »

Not sure if you mean the ao economist, hr, accounting, law and finance competition last year for per, finance and Taoiseachs but if so I remember there were aptitude tests and then the top 100 or so from each were invited to send in application forms from which they selected 40 or so for interview for each speciality. I think this is a far better system than simply calling the top 40 from the aptitude test to interview as that excludes loads of really well suited qualified strong candidates who maybe scored a few marks less on the day of the aptitude test. This is coming from a person who finished in the top 20 of the aptitude test for my speciality and got an interview too. I know some of my colleagues that got the job finished well down the pecking order after the aptitude test.

Yep, this is the one I'm talking about. Understand completely that it makes more sense to grade people on their experience rather than aptitude tests etc but this is pretty much why I'm not holding out much hope this time around either.

As others have mentioned though the salary is v low for most qualified accountants in particular given the large number of vacancies in that industry at the moment.

Anyway, I imagine it will a good while before hearing anything judging by how these things generally go!

delricyo

dashdoll wrote: »

Anyway, I imagine it will a good while before hearing anything judging by how these things generally go!

Going by last years processing speed - id say we will get results within 3 or 4 weeks

Rock of Gibraltar

Did anyone get a email or call confirming receipt of their application?

dashdoll

Rock of Gibraltar wrote: »

Did anyone get a email or call confirming receipt of their application?

No nothing yet.

delricyo

dashdoll wrote: »

No nothing yet.

You wont get a confirmation. They probably got a few hundred applications, I doubt they will send an email to everybody (they didnt last year anyway)

littlelady81

rang today to see when we might have word over 860 applications received! ! should have word in the next few days!! think this is more than was received last time!!

dashdoll

littlelady81 wrote: »

rang today to see when we might have word over 860 applications received! ! should have word in the next few days!! think this is more than was received last time!!

Wow, I'm quite surprised that the number is so high particularly given the low starting salary if it is being aimed at qualified accountants/solicitors/tax consultants. It also seems to be a few hundred more than the previous competition, pretty much forgetting about my chances if this does transpire to be the case!

Was this advertised on publicjobs.ie? Can't even remember where I saw it at this stage.

barneystinson

dashdoll wrote: »

Wow, I'm quite surprised that the number is so high particularly given the low starting salary if it is being aimed at qualified accountants/solicitors/tax consultants. It also seems to be a few hundred more than the previous competition, pretty much forgetting about my chances if this does transpire to be the case!

Was this advertised on publicjobs.ie? Can't even remember where I saw it at this stage.

There's no way they've got applications from 860 qualified candidates - there'll be all sorts in there, including a whole clatter of final year Uni students.

Anyway, only looking at the starting salary is a very short-sighted view because:

1. AO has always been a recruitment grade for future senior management and with the age profile of Revenue that will be at least as true as ever in the next 5-10 years. There'll be a new AP panel formed every 2 years, and anyone coming in as an AO will have 2 opportunities (confined and open) every second year. AP scale starts at 65k, so there's a good chance of reaching this within 4 - 6 years.
2. There is a degree of certainty about the salary scale (and under Haddington Road the scale will be corrected to the pre-2011 scale, an immediate 10% jump).
3. There are benefits of having worked inside the system, making you a more attractive proposition if you decide to head back out to private practice again - have a look at any of the medium / large firms and see how many of the tax partners are ex-Revenue.

littlelady81

yeah there are probably a lot of applications that aren't suitable!! they will have to weed them out. I suppose we will find out the story sooner rather than later! !

delricyo

I dont know if the 860 figure is correct ?? But perhaps it is. Seems to be very very high

Just by going on the activity on this thread alone - there appears to be much less activity than this time last year. Rough estimate, I know

Just for info for anybody applying outside Revenue(who may not have heard this already), from the 1st July you will be working an extra 2.5 hours a week than what is stated in the job information book. The powers that be, cheekily changed that before the Haddington Road agreement has been passed ...
Not that it will put off people applying

Nelly1234

delricyo wrote: »

I dont know if the 860 figure is correct ?? But perhaps it is. Seems to be very very high

Just by going on the activity on this thread alone - there appears to be much less activity than this time last year. Rough estimate, I know

Just for info for anybody applying outside Revenue(who may not have heard this already), from the 1st July you will be working an extra 2.5 hours a week than what is stated in the job information book. The powers that be, cheekily changed that before the Haddington Road agreement has been passed ...
Not that it will put off people applying

I would love to work for revenue! didn't even know they were hiring:(

berettaman

"There's no way they've got applications from 860 qualified candidates - there'll be all sorts in there, including a whole clatter of final year Uni students."

That may be very true but on the other hand I know a lot of people that are qualified accountants/registered auditors that are pissed off enough with their present situation to apply to the Revenue.

The situation if you are working in practice is that you work pretty long hours, a lot of regulation to be adhered to for which clients are unwilling to pay. Very hard to get paid these days, especially if you are a self employed accountant.

I was at a CPD course recently and two qualified accountants, 8 and 10 years PQE were discussing this and both definite that they were going to apply for the AO position.

Personally I think it would be an interesting line of work..and thanks Barney for the insights..

Rock of Gibraltar

I'm very surprised they got 860 applications.
Poor form of them not to confirm receipt of application, if they don't have the wherewithal to do that then they should have gotten the public appointments service to run the competition.
That'd make it easier to get feedback if you're unsuccessful too.

BESman

delricyo wrote: »

I dont know if the 860 figure is correct ?? But perhaps it is. Seems to be very very high

Just by going on the activity on this thread alone - there appears to be much less activity than this time last year. Rough estimate, I know

Just for info for anybody applying outside Revenue(who may not have heard this already), from the 1st July you will be working an extra 2.5 hours a week than what is stated in the job information book. The powers that be, cheekily changed that before the Haddington Road agreement has been passed ...
Not that it will put off people applying

Will still be at least 10 hours less per week than most accountants/solicitors are doing now for same ball park salary after tax.

sodabread

Got the PFO email today so it seems like they're finally moving on recruitment.

"Thank you for your application for the above position.

A total of 863 applications were received and it was necessary to shortlist for Stage 2 of the selection process.

I regret to inform you that you are not among those candidates invited to attend for interview on this occasion.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in applying for this position and wish you well in the future.

Regards,"

dashdoll

Got mine too.....ah well.

Who_8_Paul?

I've made interview, no date or time yet; by the way after reading through this thread last night I think there is a feeling that only qualified accountants and tax consultants stand a chance now in Revenue AO comps. Wrong. I am on a completely different career path but am through to interview so they are obviously looking for a range of skills. If you read the role of an AO in Revenue section of the info booklet it lists a fairly diverse range of posts/skills needed. Saying that I'm sure the normal recruit is an accountant/tax specialist. It seems its mainly dublin posts this time around although since there were only 40 placed last time and half of those have been recruited, I'd say its worth expressing an interest in other locations too. They still have a good few posts to fill to reach their ECF ceiling.

delricyo

Who_8_Paul? wrote: »

I've made interview, no date or time yet; by the way after reading through this thread last night I think there is a feeling that only qualified accountants and tax consultants stand a chance now in Revenue AO comps. Wrong. I am on a completely different career path but am through to interview so they are obviously looking for a range of skills. If you read the role of an AO in Revenue section of the info booklet it lists a fairly diverse range of posts/skills needed. Saying that I'm sure the normal recruit is an accountant/tax specialist. It seems its mainly dublin posts this time around although since there were only 40 placed last time and half of those have been recruited, I'd say its worth expressing an interest in other locations too. They still have a good few posts to fill to reach their ECF ceiling.

I made the interview stage too. Very happy to have made it to this stage.
It isnt true that accts are the only ones with a chance. I have a quali in business but most of my work to date is in the IT area.

They are looking for a range of people - not everybody will be an auditor when they start. For that reason, I dont know how they will select people. Some roles will be to do with economics and analytics - will they put an accountant into that role ?? Only time will tell ...

Back in the day when the economy was doing well, accts probably wouldnt have gone for this role. AO was (and still is) - a graduate role. That is, a lot of 21/22 year olds would start at this grade after completing their honours degrees. Now that the ar*e has fallen out of the economy - the role is more attractive to people with a professional quali.

littlelady81

got an interview as well. im a qualified accountant so will see how it goes. I wonder have they many positions to fill??

berettaman

Congrats and commiserations to each, as the case may be.

A work colleague got his PFO yesterday too. B.Comm and qualified accountant with a lot of audit experience...he's taking it a bit hard but I would say there is a skill to filling the applications other than just having the qualifications..

He is definite that he will apply when any positions come up again though...

delricyo

Has anybody got a date for the interview yet ? Or even an idea of a date range ?

Last year the interviews were in Sept. But I heard from a friend of a friend, that they plan to move a bit quicker this year, ie interviews will be sometime over the summer perhaps ?

Dont quote me Ive been wrong before and will be wrong again !

littlelady81

I contacted manpower nothing has been arranged yet they haven't even set up the panel that will be carrying out the interviews. I dont think it will be anytime soon.

Have you any insight into the format of the interview? ?

delricyo wrote: »

Has anybody got a date for the interview yet ? Or even an idea of a date range ?

Last year the interviews were in Sept. But I heard from a friend of a friend, that they plan to move a bit quicker this year, ie interviews will be sometime over the summer perhaps ?

Dont quote me Ive been wrong before and will be wrong again !

delricyo

A colleague of mine was interviewed last year for this position. It will be a competency based interview. They will ask you about the examples you provided on the form. What could have been done better, issues encountered & how you tackled them etc etc.
Its hard to know what type of questions you will be asked. One person could review your form, and ask you a set of questions based on his/her experience. Another could ask you a different set of questions ..

Thanks for the info above. Looks like my source was wrong. I guess we will sit tight and wait for a panel to be formed

JokersWild

The last poster summed up the interview relatively well. My interview panel stuck closely to my examples on the first 3 competencies. The last competency they gave me a very broad question about my experience in how it relates to the role. But this may have just been the general information that I had put down for this part... Also it may depend on the panel you get.

Finally, I had expected to get asked general questions on say current affairs and the challenges that faced Revenue etc etc. None of this came up with my panel, but you should probably just cover yourself in case...;)