Clerical Positions in the Civil and Public Service

nc19

got called for interview in February

what can I expect?

Penguin100

gerbilgranny wrote: »

My younger daughter who was in the top 200 for Dublin after the initial tests (done at home) last year - but didn't go to the second assessment as she was continuing in education instead - has now been called to Stage 2 for another region - she's forgotten what she applied for - but it must be Kildare/Wicklow.

She never explained why she didn't turn up for Stage 2 of the Dublin competion - yet that hasn't discounted her from another region.

She won't be attending Stage 2 for Kildare/Wicklow

On the other hand, the daughter who was unsuccessful at interview for Dublin region (despite, blah blah blah blah blah)....doesn't get a chance for Kildare/Wicklow. Given that her previous public services employers - where she worked as a TCO - reckoned she'd be suitable for a permanent position, it really miffs me that one 3-person interview panel had the power to decide she was unsuitable for every region.

I'll be blah blah blah-ing about that PAS for a while yet!

Ah don't say that. I accepted a position in Dublin last week as I was told there was nothing in Kildare at the moment. If I knew it was moving along, I would have held out. Ah well!

Diddlina

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Yep, I'll be unsuccessful at interview as well. Aged 40 with a 10 year blank spot on my CV I haven't a hope no matter how well I do in the tests. I'm just doing this (well, the EO job at this point) to stop going mad.
In the good old days, it was an open exam in the RDS and no interview took place. It was fair and transparent.
So the interviews are nothing to fear, the likes of me might be in the queue but we're placeholders.

surely theres something you can put to fill the gap? travelling? volunteering? pretend job to fill the gap?

Donald73

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Yep, I'll be unsuccessful at interview as well. Aged 40 with a 10 year blank spot on my CV I haven't a hope no matter how well I do in the tests. I'm just doing this (well, the EO job at this point) to stop going mad.
In the good old days, it was an open exam in the RDS and no interview took place. It was fair and transparent.
So the interviews are nothing to fear, the likes of me might be in the queue but we're placeholders.

Don't even THINK like this!! I am 41, almost 42 and had a 3 year gap and I was successful at interview. It is all about the day. Prepare, prepare, prepare. They will give you the competencies they are looking for beforehand and will want examples from you of each. What I did was sat down with a notebook, wrote down the competencies one per page and thought of as many examples as I could - like say for instance of how you changed the way things were done to make things more efficient and thought of how I reorganised the filing system to make it much more accessible. Have your competencies sorted and you can't go much wrong.

Just please, please stay positive. Good luck with it.

Donald73

Diddlina wrote: »

surely theres something you can put to fill the gap? travelling? volunteering? pretend job to fill the gap?

No pretend jobs, just be honest. They've called him/her for interview for a reason, they did well in the tests and they looked good on paper.They just have to go in there and back it up.

Diddlina

Good advice. Sometimes you just need a bit of a refocus!

Donald73

For everyone going to interview:

Prepare, prepare, prepare.Practice with a friend if possible. I read lots and lots of blogs about interviews for tips and I found some Youtube videos which were very helpful too.

There were 2 interviewers at mine and as far as I know with most interviews. Make eye contact, talk to each of them. They took turns in asking me questions, they had my completed application in front of them and parts of it were highlighted and they asked me about those parts. Then they took turns asking about the competencies. I had prepared examples of each so felt it went ok even though I was MASSIVELY nervous and luckily it did.

It really is ALL about the competencies, once you can show that you fulfil those and give examples of them from your employment past then it will be all good.

Tarzana2

Got a Valentine's Day interview too. Ranked 622. Are you re-ranked after interview?

Don't think I'm going to go to interview, I don't have good referees. My last job ended really terribly. I have a job currently that I wasn't required to interview for, but the past referees are the ones of interest at the hiring stage. My job before the one that went bad was a UK government agency. My manager from there has retired, and trying to get through to any of my supervisors is met with the 'data protection' stonewall.

barneystinson

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Got a Valentine's Day interview too. Ranked 622. Are you re-ranked after interview?

Don't think I'm going to go to interview, I don't have good referees. My last job ended really terribly. I have a job currently that I wasn't required to interview for, but the past referees are the ones of interest at the hiring stage. My job before the one that went bad was a UK government agency. My manager from there has retired, and trying to get through to any of my supervisors is met with the 'data protection' stonewall.

You'd be very foolish not to go to interview for that reason. References are just a tick box exercise, you can definitely overcome that.

Tarzana2

barneystinson wrote: »

You'd be very foolish not to go to interview for that reason. References are just a tick box exercise, you can definitely overcome that.

That bad job has previously cost me a position, sadly. I went for interview and two medicals and still lost out on it. A very painful experience I am reluctant to repeat. The job was bad (exploitative), I was treated unfairly, but I definitely made things worse for myself in it too. Feel I won't ever get to move on from it. I have to provide a reference from it unfortunately, as my last job. Or might find another position where references aren't checked, and that's not many! My current position stemmed from a very basic part-time data entry job I took while studying, hence there being no interview.

barneystinson

Tarzana2 wrote: »

That bad job has previously cost me a position, sadly. I went for interview and two medicals and still lost out on it. A very painful experience I am reluctant to repeat. The job was bad (exploitative), I was treated unfairly, but I definitely made things worse for myself in it too. Feel I won't ever get to move on from it. I have to provide a reference from it unfortunately, as my last job. Or might in another position where references aren't checked, and that's not many! My current position stemmed from a very basic part-time data entry job I took while studying, hence there being no interview.

Well, you've been told. If you can't heed good advice you don't deserve the job...

Tarzana2

barneystinson wrote: »

Well, you've been told. If you can't heed good advice you don't deserve the job...

It wasn't really advice. No real insight. A lot of places take references very seriously actually, as I have discovered.

Avada

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Got a Valentine's Day interview too. Ranked 622. Are you re-ranked after interview?

Don't think I'm going to go to interview, I don't have good referees. My last job ended really terribly. I have a job currently that I wasn't required to interview for, but the past referees are the ones of interest at the hiring stage. My job before the one that went bad was a UK government agency. My manager from there has retired, and trying to get through to any of my supervisors is met with the 'data protection' stonewall.

For my references they only called my current employer.

Tarzana2

Random_Name wrote: »

For my references they only called my current employer.

Ah, cool. But still, it might not be the same everywhere. I don't know, I'm in two minds. We'll see.

Avada

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Ah, cool. But still, it might not be the same everywhere. I don't know, I'm in two minds. We'll see.

It mightn't be the same, but dont skip the interview because of it. Also, as far as I remember it doesn't have to be your last 3 employers. Just your current and 2 others

Tarzana2

Random_Name wrote: »

It mightn't be the same, but dont skip the interview because of it. Also, as far as I remember it doesn't have to be your last 3 employers. Just your current and 2 others

I'd imagine the current employer is only contacted once a conditional offer has been made? I should hope so anyway!

nc19

I don't want them contacting my employer tbh. what if I don't want the job???

doubt I'll go tbh

Avada

Tarzana2 wrote: »

I'd imagine the current employer is only contacted once a conditional offer has been made? I should hope so anyway!

Thats correct

Donald73

Tarzana2 wrote: »

I'd imagine the current employer is only contacted once a conditional offer has been made? I should hope so anyway!

They'll let you know before contacting current employer. they only want 3 references, if things ended badly then leave that one out. The job in the government agency - I am sure you could put that in and they'd contact the Human Resource team there. They wanted references from me for the full 3 though. Don't give up this opportunity though for one bad employer,

nc19 wrote: »

I don't want them contacting my employer tbh. what if I don't want the job???

doubt I'll go tbh

Surely if you didn't want the job you would not have applied? Or if it is now a case that you got a job since applying and are happy there then the decent thing to do would be to let PAS know so that they don't put in the effort and time on your application and instead move onto someone who DOES want the job?

LauraK85

Haven't even made the interview yet, but just wondering is it three referees they look for? I've only had two proper jobs, worked in both for 6/7 years. Have no idea who I'd give for a third.

Tarzana2

LauraK85 wrote: »

Haven't even made the interview yet, but just wondering is it three referees they look for? I've only had two proper jobs, worked in both for 6/7 years. Have no idea who I'd give for a third.

You could give two from one job?

nc19

donna35 wrote:

Surely if you didn't want the job you would not have applied? Or if it is now a case that you got a job since applying and are happy there then the decent thing to do would be to let PAS know so that they don't put in the effort and time on your application and instead move onto someone who DOES want the job?

I would not know if I want the job without first having all pertinent information, information I would gleen from said interview.

Donald73

nc19 wrote: »

I would not know if I want the job without first having all pertinent information, information I would gleen from said interview.

Ah right. They don't tell you much about the jobs in the interview as you could basically be sent anywhere and they'd differ slightly depending on department.

Idjit

Did you guys get contacted for interview via the PublicJobs message board or did they ring you to arrange it?

nc19

donna35 wrote:

Ah right. They don't tell you much about the jobs in the interview as you could basically be sent anywhere and they'd differ slightly depending on department.

am I right in thinking that some off here got the DAA and something in a garda station???

Idjit

nc19 wrote: »

am I right in thinking that some off here got the DAA and something in a garda station???

You wont know anything about where you're being placed until you succeed in the interview. You should do the interview at least. If you succeed and it's not something you want, you can always turn it down. They wont contact your current employer without mentioning it.

If you really don't want to do the interview, call PAS (Lo-Call: 1890-449999
Tel: +353-1-8587400) and let them know so they can close your application for you.

WilsonIRL

Just got the mail from publicjobs. Interview set for the 16th. High 700s btw

Idjit

WilsonIRL wrote: »

Just got the mail from publicjobs. Interview set for the 16th. High 700s btw

Low 800's here, got my interview two days after you. Did my assessment before Christmas so anyone in the same boat, check your messages!

Tarzana2

donna35 wrote: »

Surely if you didn't want the job you would not have applied? Or if it is now a case that you got a job since applying and are happy there then the decent thing to do would be to let PAS know so that they don't put in the effort and time on your application and instead move onto someone who DOES want the job?

This is a bit judgemental, IMO. Who knows why people applied? Maybe they might have got a job since applying but are dissatisfied in it, maybe they'd take a CO position dependent on where it is, not everywhere might be convenient. In a competition this size, there's always going to be people a bit on the fence about the whole thing, and some of them will progress quicker in the process than people who want it more. That's life. Better for people to focus on their own application then resent others who might be doing better.

gerbilgranny

eroc79 wrote: »

Hi. I've been reading your comments over the past few months and I'm just wondering if it's possible your daughter intentionally let herself down in the interview because it's not what she wants to do but didn't feel she could tell you this. It's just hard for me to see how someone with her tco experience wouldn't pass the interview. I apologise if you think I'm being too personal. My curiosity getting the better of me.

Gosh, no need to apologise at all!

I'll tell you the honest truth - the daughter (although having a Degree in the 'education' field) - loved working in the Property Reg Authority for the summer. She got to see some of the interaction between the department and the legal profession - and she was saying how the opportunity to do further study whilst working in the Civil Service would be great. (Personally, I raised my eyebrows a bit, because she wouldn't be one to be overly enthusiastic about study - and that was when she was a full-time student!).

She'd worked for a summer in taxes in Revenue a few years back, and enjoyed that - but thinks it might have been more because the people with whom she was working were really nice, rather than loving the actual work.

I happened to end up working in the very same Revenue section a couple of years later, and honestly, the people there said had no problems with her - in fact they rated her highly. Grant it, they're hardly going to say to me 'Your daughter is an eejit/useless/a disgrace - but it's not just a case of them saying 'ah yes, she was grand'. When they heard she'd failed the interview, they were shocked, and some were a bit annoyed - because they said anyone with taxes experience would be very valuable to them, because (as we can now see) it takes a good while to train a C.O. in taxes.

And the same with the Property Reg - the people there knew she was being called to interview (2 weeks after her TCO contract ended), and they were hoping that she might return to that area - again, a practical issue of her having been trained in the area.

So when she was going in for the interview - she really wanted the job. I can appreciate that her preparation for interview could have been a lot better - she has her own mind/will, and wasn't going to pay much attention to me going on about competencies.

When she got the result of the interview, many people wisely suggested she get feedback, but she said 'I know, I was like a deer caught in the headlights'. She had been asked about mailmerge, and the panel seemed a bit shocked that she didn't know about it - but of course, yes, there must have been other stuff in the interview that caused her to fail.

Someone who was on a panel, who herself worked in Revenue - said she had witnessed an interview where things weren't going well for the candidate - and she (the interviewer) got them to talk about their previous TCO experience in Revenue - and that changed the course of the interview.

Anyway, that's what happened - but previously daughter has done well at interview. She had another interview the same week for Christmas work in retail, and she's still in that job, and is hoping that somehow the temporary Christmas job will become permanent - but it's a case of hoping and praying. As she said herself though - she hasn't been 'sacked' yet - and it is a store where standards are very high.