Clerical Positions in the Civil and Public Service

kwestfan08

How did people find the real test to the practice questions. Feel like the practice ones are grand and have got them all right so far but reading through the thread seems to be horror stories about the real thing.

skitzyspider

Just completed the tests The verbal and checking tests were grand but the numerical was head-wrecking I have been working as a TCO for a good few years now and I sat both the CO & EO written tests back in 2007/08 but the numerical on this test was way harder as your so short on time that you barely even get a chance to even use a calculator after you have read the question. The questions were too hard for the time limit. If you had more time at least you could work it out properly.

Did anybody else here do the last written CO exams back in '07?? After nearly a year waiting on the old panel I finally reached the top 20 and I was notified that I would be called for interview but then all of a sudden the panel froze due to the embargo. Publicjobs ensured that when the embargo was lifted the panel I was on would open up for another year (panels last 2 years and then expire). When this competition was announced, I rang Publicjobs to enquire about my old panel re-opening but was informed that all previous frozen panels had been scraped as they were run under different terms and conditions. I informed them that one of the conditions of that old panel was that candidates would remain on the panel for a period of 2 years so that was extremely unfair that they broke the conditions of the campaign and we only got a year on the panel compared to all other previous panels that got a full 2 years. I would love to hear from anybody else that was on one of the panels that was frozen due to the embargo.


Also, I got no notification at the end to say my test was complete, did anybody else get notification???

gerbilgranny

That's seems very unfair, skitzyspider - and unwise. If you were good enough to get on a panel back then, and you've had a good enough work record to have been employed as a TCO for a good few years (presumably it'd have been easy enough for them to let you go, or not re-hire you, if you weren't satisfactory) then you deserve a permanent position now.

Otsuka

***HAPPYDAYS*** did mine about 2 hours ago and had the same problem. Error checking was by far the worst section for me. Time just kept running out . Found the others grand.

Ciaran

I'm glad to see other people talking about not getting any notification of being finished! I just got put back to the list of tasks with nothing left on it, that seems to be the end of it.

The practice questions gave me a bit of a false sense of security for the verbal and numerical parts. They got harder and longer fairly quickly after the first couple but still doable. The error checking was very intense though, with 32 questions in 12 minutes you just have to power through and not let yourself stop to think at all.

yenom

I found error checking to be very hard too. The tiny boxes cost me an answer or two, they were too small. Some of them maths questions would of taken a while too.

Technocentral

skitzyspider wrote: »

I have been working as a TCO for a good few years now

Do you mean that you got in every summer or are continuously employed in the same place as a TCO for years?

Technocentral

yenom wrote: »

I found error checking to be very hard too. The tiny boxes cost me an answer or two, they were too small. Some of them maths questions would of taken a while too.

I found error checking fine (if very fast) bit numerical impossible, I guess people either have one type of these skills or the other, fortunately for you, but not me, numerical is marked the highest.

An Ri rua

My advice would be the read the question first, then scan the material. That's what you'd do for a maths question, so do the same for the verbal also. get a feel for what they're looking for and you'll shortcut things.

Also, DO NOT use a netbook. I did, despite the test environment prompting me that there would be problems and I found the error checking harder than I should have; due to scrolling to view.

Also, as others have pointed out, ENSURE you are using a laptop/desktop setup that you're familiar with; as the little boxes are very difficult to click on under pressure.

Make sure you have a calculator and pen & paper to hand. and try and stay calm and write down answers in some of the questions where you see (??) questionmarks. As one or two of the maths questions are inter-related.

But as someone else said, a pass is all that is required in the maths. Hope that's true! So stay calm and focus on being accurate while going as quickly as you can. YOU WILL NOT BEAT THE CLOCK IMO. I came 19th out of 350 in tests under a decade ago for Offaly County Council, set by PAS, and the maths in this test was tough under time-pressure. But not tough without that.

Best wishes to all

qwertyabcd

just did it now, error checking was the worst for me, my sister also did it and found numerical hardest

fingers croseed

skitzyspider

Technocentral....

I have over 5 years service as a TCO but with some breaks in between contracts. I have been with my current Department for 2 1/2 years but I came straight from another Department i.e. finished in one Department on a Friday evening and started in the new Department that following Monday morning. I have been told that since we don't work Saturday or Sunday, that those two Departments would count as continuous service as I did not break a working day of service.

I am still fuming over the old 2008 panel being "frozen" during the embargo and just recently totally scraped. I studied so hard for the exams I sat and I really deserved my place on the panel only for publicjobs to go and scrap it without a thought to the people who deserved their place on the panel and were patiently waiting and praying for the panel the re-open over the last few years. I was in the top 20 and as I was told the panel would re-open for another year when the embargo was lifted so I really thought I had a chance of finally being made permanent. I also think it's extremely unfair that none of us were told it was scraped. I was only informed when I rang to enquire after they announced they were starting to hire again!!!

wiseup42

Just completed test. Found error checking easy and completed but found numerical hard and forgot to use the calculator. Wish they mixed up the categories to get a better average result. Im out I'd say. Probably out anyway as 28,000 applicants.

Hennesm

sweet baby jesus that was awful!

Divisadero

skitzyspider wrote: »

Technocentral....

I have over 5 years service as a TCO but with some breaks in between contracts. I have been with my current Department for 2 1/2 years but I came straight from another Department i.e. finished in one Department on a Friday evening and started in the new Department that following Monday morning. I have been told that since we don't work Saturday or Sunday, that those two Departments would count as continuous service as I did not break a working day of service.

I am still fuming over the old 2008 panel being "frozen" during the embargo and just recently totally scraped. I studied so hard for the exams I sat and I really deserved my place on the panel only for publicjobs to go and scrap it without a thought to the people who deserved their place on the panel and were patiently waiting and praying for the panel the re-open over the last few years. I was in the top 20 and as I was told the panel would re-open for another year when the embargo was lifted so I really thought I had a chance of finally being made permanent. I also think it's extremely unfair that none of us were told it was scraped. I was only informed when I rang to enquire after they announced they were starting to hire again!!!

That does sound very unfair like they are making it up as they go along and moving the goal posts because they just want to start afresh. But unless you have something in writing (which I doubt) you are probably going to get nowhere with this. I hope you get through this time. If not hopefully things will ease up if the economy continues to improve and they hire in greater numbers. As an aside you have done well to get so much long term TCO work.

Good luck.

starlit

I found doing the harder tests first and then the least hardest in terms of your best type of test. Found it helped. I wasnt nervous but dreaded the numerical i knew i do ok in verbal but not sure how error one go but found it grand. I did the best I could. Best of luck to everyone.

The_Conductor

skitzyspider wrote: »

Technocentral....

I have over 5 years service as a TCO but with some breaks in between contracts. I have been with my current Department for 2 1/2 years but I came straight from another Department i.e. finished in one Department on a Friday evening and started in the new Department that following Monday morning. I have been told that since we don't work Saturday or Sunday, that those two Departments would count as continuous service as I did not break a working day of service.

I am still fuming over the old 2008 panel being "frozen" during the embargo and just recently totally scraped. I studied so hard for the exams I sat and I really deserved my place on the panel only for publicjobs to go and scrap it without a thought to the people who deserved their place on the panel and were patiently waiting and praying for the panel the re-open over the last few years. I was in the top 20 and as I was told the panel would re-open for another year when the embargo was lifted so I really thought I had a chance of finally being made permanent. I also think it's extremely unfair that none of us were told it was scraped. I was only informed when I rang to enquire after they announced they were starting to hire again!!!

It always was the case that panels had a finite lifespan- and at the end of the timespan, were scrapped- irrespective of how many people were on the panel unplaced.

Its proposed the current panel will have a 1 year lifespan.

For arguments sake- if they put 500 people on the panel (which from media reports is plausible)- its entirely forseeable that half of them may not receive a placement before the panel is disbanded.

I'm still on 1 2006 panel that hasn't been officially disbanded, and 2 2007 panels that were- for AO, HEO and a technical position. Obviously nothing is going to come of them.

Just because you get a place on the panel- means precisely nothing.

Also- while you may be working in the civil service- each government department is an individual employer- so moving from one government Department to another- can mean you have contiguous employment- but not with the same employer- it would be an interesting to ask your union rep whether or not the fixed term working act applies.

If you managed to get on the panel before- there is no reason you won't manage again (aside from the fact that you have a hell of a lot more people who are competing with you this time- who may not have considered a civil service position previously).

You don't have any entitlement to a position- even if you make it onto the panel- its an achievement to get on the panel- but it doesn't guarantee you anything.

Sorry.

butterly.john

Does anyone have any idea when we will hear how we got on ? I persume everyone has to be finished by Thursday, so the fact that they are computer corrected could we hear early next week ?

eoh70

How long does it take to complete roughly? Don't want to start until I'm sure I have enough time to complete it!

An Ri rua

eoh70 wrote: »

How long does it take to complete roughly? Don't want to start until I'm sure I have enough time to complete it!

They say 90 minutes, most here say 45-60. In fairness, you are setting yourself up to do less than optimally if you are not preparing properly. i.e. reading their preparatory notes and also this thread. This has been covered extensively within the past 10 pages.

another question

butterly.john wrote: »

Does anyone have any idea when we will hear how we got on ? I persume everyone has to be finished by Thursday, so the fact that they are computer corrected could we hear early next week ?

I contacted Saville after I completed my test to make sure they had received and stored my results and they replied within 10 minutes saying my tests were completed and stored and that the results were expected to be sent to candidates in mid-August.

eoh70

An Ri rua wrote: »

They say 90 minutes, most here say 45-60. In fairness, you are setting yourself up to do less than optimally if you are not preparing properly. i.e. reading their preparatory notes and also this thread. This has been covered extensively within the past 10 pages.

Thanks for that, I did see the posts about the time alright, just wanted to be sure, it just happens to be one of those manic weeks for me and I am just trying to make sure I allocate myself enough time before I start. Kinda dreading it now reading the posts :-/

Naggins

Do you need a calculator for the tests?

qwertyabcd

Naggins wrote: »

Do you need a calculator for the tests?

Yes, a basic one is fine, its a few percentages and a few additions and subtractions, no major maths involved.

Ciaran

eoh70 wrote: »

How long does it take to complete roughly? Don't want to start until I'm sure I have enough time to complete it!

Took me 50 minutes including breaks after each section to feed the cat and then kick the cat out! If you take every second available, the tests take 16, 16 and 12 minutes plus the time to read the instructions.

eoh70

Ciaran wrote: »

Took me 50 minutes including breaks after each section to feed the cat and then kick the cat out! If you take every second available, the tests take 16, 16 and 12 minutes plus the time to read the instructions.

Great, thank you :-)

Diddlina

Ciaran wrote: »

Took me 50 minutes including breaks after each section to feed the cat and then kick the cat out! If you take every second available, the tests take 16, 16 and 12 minutes plus the time to read the instructions.

I'd say you could have strangled the cat lol

I just finished mine. Tough enough some of the error checking and numerical I ran out of time. Numerical I did better than I expected. Error checking I needed more time it was extrememly close. Verbal reasoning was fine.

I think if you still have to do it stay positive it's not as bad as you would have expected. That said I won't be holding my breath!!

highlydebased

Just did mine. Was a bit intense alright but nothing too bad- tight for time on error checking.

wotaccent

I need a lie down after that...

The time limit was too tight for me re. the numerical. Although I always did quite well in maths, I was never lightning-quick in it. Happy with the verbal and error checking, but that's me out.

Ciaran

Diddlina wrote: »

I'd say you could have strangled the cat lol

Yeah, not a good time for him to be looking for attention!

Poll Dubh

I've done aptitude tests on previous recruitment campaigns but found this much harder. In previous campaigns you'd get a block of time to do all the verbal tests and another block for the numerical tests. You'd have an opportunity to skip over difficult questions and come back at the end to go over them. No such joy with these two minute 'testlets'. You may get one testlet done quickly but you can't use that spare time in another testlet where you are struggling.