Clerical Positions in the Civil and Public Service

Technocentral

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’s amazing that you are still being kept on as a TCO so long though I'd say its a bit of a headwreck having that uncertainty, I’m due to finish in October and doubt I’ll be kept on, anyway I’d say the permanent positions have put pay to all that from now on which is fair enough I suppose. Good luck anyway.

rafi bomb

That was crazy on the head :eek:

Do you lose marks for getting things wrong?

GalwayGirl26

Just completed it!
Numerical was better than expected tbh, few tricky ones!
The timing on error checking was stressful to say the least! Definitely some guess work done there!
I was concerned that I had loads of extra time for the literacy questions, but my degree is in English so I guess that's a good thing really!!

Major annoyance was having t double click the 'Next' sometimes, wasting valuable seconds!

eroc79

rafi bomb wrote: »

That was crazy on the head :eek:

Do you lose marks for getting things wrong?

There's no negative marking.

rafi bomb

Grand with the no negative marking so.

Lashed in a few guesses the odd time and was afraid I shouldn't have

kwestfan08

Just finished it there myself. Had myself scared half to death with how hard it was going to be but wasn't too bad. Numeracy went better than I expected. Was raging though as I had the correct answer to two questions but just ran out of time clicking the box. Hopefully that doesn't come back to haunt me.

Error checking went OK with a few hairy moments getting all in on time. Seemed to be over way quicker than I expected was afraid I missed a question or something!

Comprehension had a couple of tough questions but was doable. Time to sit back now I guess and wait for the results.

irishfeen

***HAPPYDAYS*** wrote: »

I did the test today - I really got caught for time on the error checking ! Did anyone else find this part tough , I don't even think I got 40-50% complete in that section !
I'd say my chances are well and truely over now

Error checking my downfall too I recon - bastard of a thing if I have ever seen it...

BTW do we get any email or a bit saying they received the test?

madfcuker

Only did the sample questions this evening. Doing it the actual thing in the morning. My biggest worry is the size of the boxes to tick. Found them small and need to readjust a fraction and click again losing valuable seconds.

K4t

Makes no sense whatsoever that an "error checking" segment should have the toughest time constraint..it just leads to more errors!

irishfeen

Anyone know how many will be culled for the interview stage? Down to 500 odd or less I suppose?

shmeee

K4t wrote: »

Makes no sense whatsoever that an "error checking" segment should have the toughest time constraint..it just leads to more errors!

I was always rushing on the last 2 for the error checking, was checking them fully and not just at a glance.

Hard to know how that test went, hated it to be honest especially the Verbal Comprehension part, pure muck!

JohnMearsheimer

I just finished mine there. I found the tests tougher than the previous pen and paper based exams. I have no idea how I did. I'm in the Department of Foreign Affairs at the moment, I would cut my arm off to be made permanent! I have nearly 2 years service in the civil service. I wish it would count for something....and I have no idea how that smiley got thrown in at the top of my post! Can't seem to get rid of it.

skitzyspider

The_Conductor wrote: »

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


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 Lothian 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.

I think you picked me up completely wrong...I never said I had any entitlement to a position. I am more than fully aware that getting a place on a panel does not give you an entitlement to a position. The panel I was on was due to stay open for 2 years but "froze" due to the embargo less than a year of being open. I had made it into the top 20 and public jobs rang me and told me to complete all the supplementary forms they had emailed me as I would be called for interview the following month. When I heard nothing about my interview date I rang them and they said they hadn't confirmed the interview dates yet. At that time, approx the end of the summer in 2008, the recession was starting and I was working as a TCO at the time on an open contract. I was getting nervous that I would lose my contract due to the recession hitting (which I did) and then when I rang publicjobs to enquire about the interview date, they informed me that the panel had frozen due to the embargo. They told me that when the embargo was lifted, the panel would reopen and run for it's remaining time and close when it reached the full 2 years.
I have been very fortunate that I got numerous long open-ended TCO contracts but I really worked my butt off with no sick leave to get a glowing report at the end of every contract. As I said I was extremely lucky with the contracts I got but being temporary for so long means that I never know where I stand and can never make long-term plans. Since the last panel froze, I have hoped and prayed that when the embargo lifted that since I was in the top 20 and there was over a year left on the panel that I might have a chance of getting an interview and proving to them that after over 5 years of dedicated service in numerous different sections and Departments and after ranking top band in the TCO tests & interviews for the past 6 years, that I feel I really deserve a permanent CO position. I just feel it's unfair that I didn't get the 2 years on the panel even though the terms and conditions of that competition stated that the panel wouldn't expire until the 2 years were up giving everybody on it a chance. I am not complaining that the panel froze as I know the embargo was necessary due to the state the country was in, I'm complaining that it was scraped altogether without a though for the people remaining on the panel who probably saw it as something to hope for. A lot of the people on that panel might not have been as lucky as me and might have got no work since. It was a light at the end of the tunnel for me. As I'm a TCO on an open contract, I can't make any big plans as all they have to give me a weeks notice and then I'm gone! It's happened to me and other people I worked with countless times during different contracts. I'm back living with my parents as I can't even sign a lease agreement as I'm not even sure if I will still have a job the month after I sign it! I feel guilty if I even look at going on a holiday as all I can think is "you will need that money if you get your notice". A permanent job is a precious thing.

I am really sorry to hear that 2 of the AO/HEO panels you were on are now scraped but at least you still have the stability of a permanent job and I hope you will have the opportunity for future competitions for promotion.


For everybody else on here that is out of work or like me needs some sort of stability, best of luck with the competition. Getting a permanent job these days is like trying to find a unicorn. Hopefully some of us will be lucky.

redout

Just finished it.

Verbal not too bad.

Numeracy was tricky.

Error checking was a joke.

Pretty sure it was designed so that the average joe can't complete it.

lolli

I just completed mine a minute ago, I actually don't know how to feel about it. I completed everything in the verbal and numerical, I did find them tricky especially the numerical. I missed some in the error checking. It's all over now so we just have to wait.

I have to say the test was over quicker than I thought it would be.

corny

Think the tests were designed to find a limit to everyones potential.

Did quite well myself. Only found difficulty in the last couple of questions in each section and even then i gave them a good go. Loved the error checking.

Just as an aside. I worked as a TCO and i am full sure the majority of people i worked with wouldn't be quick enough with a mouse to compete. Numerical and verbal abilities are irrelevant when it takes you an age to move the mouse back and forth. Stacked in favour of the computer literate generation if you ask me.

dawn8585

yea it was tough!! i actually got the error checking completed but now i'm worried did i go through it too quick n miss some errors?!! could go either way!

also!! happened me twice at the end of the numerical test where i had hit the finish button but before i had time to say i was sure the time ran out. i wonder does my last answer count even though hadn't been submitted?

Ciaran

dawn8585 wrote: »

also!! happened me twice at the end of the numerical test where i had hit the finish button but before i had time to say i was sure the time ran out. i wonder does my last answer count even though hadn't been submitted?

That happened me on one too. I assume that since I'd hit finish before the time was up and the "are you sure" box said something about having time left (as in you still have time left, are you sure you want to finish?) that it would take the answer. Hopefully anyway!

Sineadsoc

Hi just wondering does anybody know what happens next! If sucessful at this stage wats the next??

Tarzana

corny wrote: »

Think the tests were designed to find a limit to everyones potential.

Did quite well myself.

Smuggy smug smug. :pac:

irishfeen

JohnMearsheimer wrote: »

I just finished mine there. I found the tests tougher than the previous pen and paper based exams. I have no idea how I did. I'm in the Deptartment of Foreign Affairs at the moment, I would cut my arm off to be made permanent! I have nearly 2 years service in the civil service. I wish it would count for something....and I have no idea how that smiley got thrown in at the top of my post! Can't seem to get rid of it.

Pretty much in the same position as yourself, I've 9 months in Fire (job bridge) and currently about 4months of 12 in Water (paid internship). From the talk around the office the head of the department is trying for us to be made permanent but who knows...

Tarzana

Loved numerical, verbal was gggrrrraand, error checking was meh. Didn't get all the error-checking ones completed and fecked up the last example, I think but overall am happy with how I did. Just need to wait and see, I suppose!

ninebeanrows

Error checking is a mind-fuuk but once ye get into the swing of it it's alright.

Verbal was probably my worst.

Tarzana

So, will the decision on who moves forward be based on a combination of the initial questionnaire and the aptitude tests?

irishfeen

Tarzana wrote: »

So, will the decision on who moves forward be based on a combination of the initial questionnaire and the aptitude tests?

I would imagine so, all we can do is wait and see now.

Xenji

So much for this ending at noon today, had two interns come into work this morning to do the test and neither have been able to log into it.

madfcuker

Thank god that is over and done with.

Got all the numerical and verbal done.

Error checking wasn't too bad. Only had the guess the very last question in it.

Best of luck everyone

lolli

Xenji wrote: »

So much for this ending at noon today, had two interns come into work this morning to do the test and neither have been able to log into it.

oh dear hope they got it done.

Barnet

madfcuker wrote: »

Thank god that is over and done with.

Got all the numerical and verbal done.

Error checking wasn't too bad. Only had the guess the very last question in it.

Best of luck everyone

I've just finished; like yourself I got all numerical and verbal done. I was concentrating so much that I couldn't believe the error checking part finished so quickly!

It brought me back to the 'Task Description' page - No records to display - I suppose I just log out now? Phew, I'm glad it's finished! Good luck everyone.

lolli

Barnet wrote: »

I've just finished; like yourself I got all numerical and verbal done. I was concentrating so much that I couldn't believe the error checking part finished so quickly!

It brought me back to the 'Task Description' page - No records to display - I suppose I just log out now? Phew, I'm glad it's finished! Good luck everyone.

Yeah did the same with me, would've been nice to get a confirmation email to say its completed and stored