Clerical Positions in the Civil and Public Service

rsl1976

the first two sections is two minutes per question. The last section which is error checking has 8 items to check per question. The questions themselves are fine it's just the time which i found tough

Unitedfandoc

I reckon I got an average of 7/10 questions answered on the error checking one. The time flies by for that part of the test.

The questions are pretty much the same as the examples link but the test is more intensive.

sickle

did mine today too, the verbal and error checking went well (ran out of time on a few of the error checking ones).
The numerical didn't go too well, had a calculator problem & had to try and figure out how to get it back into normal mode so missed a couple of questions/had to guess them. Oh the panic!!

So make sure your calculators are set up right and not displaying fractions as answers like mine was (think my cat stepped on it and changed the mode!)

another question

OMG I found the whole thing CHRONIC. I'm a wreck after finishing it. LONG SIGH.

another question

gonzo.phd wrote: »

I thought the pension contributions were lower than this, as far as I can figure its 3.5% of pensionable remuneration (21000*.035 = €735). From what I can tell the additional 3% net pensionable renumeration wouldn't apply as double the state pension is more than 21000. After tax just under €1500pm or €345 pw.

I might well be calculating this wrong or using wrong rates?

Edit: Source www.per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Single-Scheme-booklet-Final.pdf

Are pension contributions compulsory?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

OK, it would seem that I have put a few noses out of joint with my remarks.

The_Conductor wrote: »

I think that you really need to qualify this- most government Departments have not had internal promotion opportunities of any nature in the last 5 years. A few Departments (4) held promotion panels late last year and early this year- for the first time in 5 years- working their way from the top down to EO level- the experience of which was approx. 80 candidates per post at EO levels (tapering to approx 15 candidates per post at PO level).

There have not been promotional opportunities of any nature- in any location- for the vast majority of government Departments. There have been the opportunities to redeploy at your current grade elsewhere- but not as a promotion.

Cases for promotion would have had to have been sanctioned on an individual basis- one-by-one by PED. They have happened- and they have been sanctioned- but as exceptions, not the rule........

I didn't mean it as the rule. Both of my promotions had to be sanctioned. I work for a Department that has seen massive increases in work and expenditure in the past few years. I'd imagine you can guess which one. I'm simply saying that the opportunites will be there again, not that they have been all along and that nobody bothered about them. The point I was trying to make is that even in austere times, there can be light at the end of the tunnel.

gazzer wrote: »

Sorry. That may be the case where you are but I can tell you that it is not the reality for a lot of Departments. Take my department for example. Only one EO and one HEO competition in the last 7 years. The EO competition has 40 candidates for 4 positions. The HEO had 30 candidates for 4 positions. We had 25 people retire over the last 7 years and it has taken that long to do a competition.

There was some competitions in other departments but they are only for staff in those departments and no staff in my department were being let move due to the fact that we are below the staff number level set by PAS

I'm fully aware that there is little or no scope for promotion in some Departments, this is largely sue to stagnation linked to the age profile of an office or Department. I worked for a Department like that in the past. That doesn't mean that it will always be the case where you work. These things happen in cycles.

gerbilgranny wrote: »

It would seem that the branch of the civil/public service you've been in is based in Disneyland - compared to where I am located.

Disneyland it most definately is not!

Look, I am probably not the best indicator of how long Civil Servants should expect to wait for promotion opportunities to come up, I've been in the right place at the right time, and have thankfully done well and managed to take the opportunities. Flexibility and willingness to relocate really helped me. All I'm trying to do is give people who are applying for these jobs a bit of hope that there is scope for progression. If I've pissed a couple of people off, then that really wasn't my intention! I honestly wasn't trying to be flippant about the whole thing.

Anyway - the best of luck to ye all who are applying!!

Finical

Hi guys,

Just done the aptitude tests. Found the numerical tricky enough due to the time pressure.

Is it possible to see how you actually got on in the aptitude tests I'm fairly sure I read you could see your result in the email. I could be wrong though.

oconnol1

There are only 400 CO positions going. From a relatable source.

oconnol1

There are only 400 CO positions going.

The_Conductor

oconnol1 wrote: »

There are only 400 CO positions going.

They're constructing a panel of 400 initially- from which appointments will be made as they arise. Its a little bit different from there being 400 positions going- there are going to be 400 on the panel.........

Some appointments will be immediate- but they may not be in Dublin City Centre- its best to wait and see what happens......

UnluckyInLuck

Pretty sure I just crashed and burned. First one was ok, went well. The numerical one killed me altogether. Most of it was guessed. Last one was in. Ran outta time a few times. Nightmare 😞

sillysocks

The_Conductor wrote: »

They're constructing a panel of 400 initially- from which appointments will be made as they arise. Its a little bit different from there being 400 positions going- there are going to be 400 on the panel.........
.

Would that be a panel of 400 for the whole country or would each area have it's own panel and 400 is the Dublin one?

oconnol1

sillysocks wrote: »

Would that be a panel of 400 for the whole country or would each area have it's own panel and 400 is the Dublin one?

400 for the island of Ireland, lol.

KCC

Anyone else finish the tests?

I found the verbal reasoning fine.

The error checking is intense given the incredibly tight timeline but I managed to complete most of them.

The numerical reasoning was strange - some questions were so easy and others would take way too long to work out for the time involved. I had to guess a few.

I think it used to be the case that candidates only had to pass (40%) the numerical test, but is this the case this time?

sashafierce

This post has been deleted.

sashafierce

This post has been deleted.

swht

another question wrote: »

Are pension contributions compulsory?

Yes as far as I can tell anyway.

Even in that new single scheme the pension isn't bad, you do get the contributory old age pension plus if your career average earnings were 33000 over 40 years you would get an additional weekly payment of about €147 linked to consumer price index (it can only rise with cpi not fall). You would also get a lump sum of about 46000. Certainly not 'gold plated' but not too bad either.

There is not too much information about the single scheme presumably as not too many people are on it as it only came into force in the last couple of years so I am only basing all this on the booklet I linked to in the earlier post and I may be calculating it wrong, would be great if someone in the know could confirm it.

gerbilgranny

sashafierce wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I have no idea when the interviews will be, but I'd be with your aunt on this.

I did a CO (type) exam in the 1990's, and was put on a panel. I was in no rush at that time to start the job, due to having young children. It wasalmost two years before I was called for interview, and then a couple of months after that, I started the job.

I had said to my now not-so-young children that they should apply this time around. One of them has a two-year course starting in September, but if the panel formed this time around lasts for a couple of years, I think it's worth applying.

It would be more cost-effective to have more people on a panel for a couple of years than to run a competition in a year's time, would it not?

But who knows!

Technocentral

Going to do it tonight, hows the server handling the pressure, is it slow?

Glyni

My laptop has just died does anyone know if you can do these test on an ipad?

eroc79

Glyni wrote: »

My laptop has just died does anyone know if you can do these test on an ipad?

It's not recommended but I think that might be due to screen size rather than the pad not being able to handle it.

davydoc

Just done it there, it IS hard, whatever people say, mainly due to the time constraints........do you get an email to tell you that your results have been completed and saved like the last one ? I finished, and it just went back to 'My Tasks' screen, with no tasks there ? After each section it did say results saved, but no completion bit to say, you have completed all parts, and all saved successfully...

Mayo Miss

davydoc wrote: »

Just done it there, it IS hard, whatever people say, mainly due to the time constraints........do you get an email to tell you that your results have been completed and saved like the last one ? I finished, and it just went back to 'My Tasks' screen, with no tasks there ? After each section it did say results saved, but no completion bit to say, you have completed all parts, and all saved successfully...

Roughly how long did it take to do from logging in till the end? I'm planning on doing it today and getting it out of the way.

davydoc

I'd guess about 35 mins....the time REALLY flies in the error checking bit....

davydoc

I'll tell you what too - I'd like to see the CURRENT crop of civil servants do that test....Not too many of the ones I worked with would pass......I can assure you of that...

Mayo Miss

davydoc wrote: »

I'd guess about 35 mins....the time REALLY flies in the error checking bit....

Thanks. I'd be fine with the test I think if it wasn't against the clock but I suppose they have to thin out the applications somehow.

Technocentral

davydoc wrote: »

I'll tell you what too - I'd like to see the CURRENT crop of civil servants do that test....Not too many of the ones I worked with would pass......I can assure you of that...

You could say that about a lot of jobs, there are probably people in banks 25 years who wouldnt pass new tests for their jobs, work entry requirements are hugely more difficult than they were when I started looking seriously about 20 years ago.

davydoc

Technocentral wrote: »

You could say that about a lot of jobs, there are probably people in banks 25 years who wouldnt pass new tests for their jobs, work entry requirements are hugely more difficult than they were when I started looking seriously about 20 years ago.

Yeah, the ones I worked with told me that for years and years, the civil service was looked down upon in this country, and it's only since the country became screwed financially, that it became a desirable occupation.....which I was very surprised about, because to be honest, It's the best job I've ever had, nothing else comes close to it.....which makes it harder....lol...perhaps if I didn't want it so much, I wouldn't be as bothered...

FloatingVoter

Thats me finished in more ways than one.

The verbal wasn't a problem. I had to rely on guesswork for the numerical. Error checking wasn't too bad - got most of them done and guessed the final one in each.
The clock made a mess of me. :(

davydoc

FloatingVoter wrote: »

Thats me finished in more ways than one.

The verbal wasn't a problem. I had to rely on guesswork for the numerical. Error checking wasn't too bad - got most of them done and guessed the final one in each.
The clock made a mess of me. :(

How many questions were in the error checking part ? I was that relieved to be finished I just exited out...