Clerical Positions in the Civil and Public Service

Occono

loughgill wrote: »

There's a lot of talk about the type of questions in this over in the TCO threads, not sure if it is this years one or last years.

I've been working as a TCO recently and I think what they are looking for in those tests is actually the opposite of the type of thing you might read in an advice guide. Where sometimes you might see things like 'owning the problem' in a work or customer service context, the civil service is so hierarchical that that sort of mentality is not necessarily rewarded - at the CO level you need to be able to focus just on the basic/routine thing you are supposed to be doing. It is fine to go out of your way to help a member of the public if the situation is suitable, but anything more complex than your normal routine has to get sent up the line, even if you would feel confident in doing it yourself. When doing the test, remember they are testing for what they want COs to do now, and not whether or not you might make good HEO or higher material in a few years time.

I guess it's not applicable to every job then? If I do apply for it again in the future, I'll just say I'll ask your boss everything and never take any responsibility, got it. :cool:

It isn't like this is the job I was born for, there's just......nothing else for me and my house is driving me insane.

Thanks.

jaffusmax

Occono wrote: »

If I got 0 points I would do that.

Really though...is there any basic advice guides for that sort of thing? I did work experience in college but there was no training for issues like that.

I scored 120 in that section, my advice is give answers that show that you are taking ownership of a situation and you are not going to compromise employer/boss with your actions. Hope that makes sense.

rmtoh

Got through to Stage 2 in Dublin and placed quite high. Not getting ahead of myself here but what's the interview like? Is it a formality to some extent?

The_Conductor

rmtoh wrote: »

Got through to Stage 2 in Dublin and placed quite high. Not getting ahead of myself here but what's the interview like? Is it a formality to some extent?

I'm guessing its the standard competency based interviews- e.g. they tell you a specific trait (Team working for example) and you give an example of how you have displayed this trait and answer any questions they may have.

Not 100% certain- but for EO, HEO, AO, AP etc- its definitely competency based- not sure about CO........

AngelaG

Does anyone know if there will be vacancies arising in Donegal in the immediate future ??

Aglomerado

The_Conductor wrote: »

I'm guessing its the standard competency based interviews- e.g. they tell you a specific trait (Team working for example) and you give an example of how you have displayed this trait and answer any questions they may have.

Not 100% certain- but for EO, HEO, AO, AP etc- its definitely competency based- not sure about CO........

There are CO competencies as well. This is the full list for all grades.

Lorimaher79

The_Conductor wrote: »

I'm guessing its the standard competency based interviews- e.g. they tell you a specific trait (Team working for example) and you give an example of how you have displayed this trait and answer any questions they may have.

Not 100% certain- but for EO, HEO, AO, AP etc- its definitely competency based- not sure about CO........

What did stage 2 consist of ?

The_Conductor

Lorimaher79 wrote: »

What did stage 2 consist of ?

Stage 2 = supervised resitting of stage 1 in the offices of the Public Appointment Service on Abbey Street.

The One Doctor

Still haven't got the details for Stage 2 - I'm position 223 in Dublin. Should I wait till the September 4th cutoff as advised in the PS message or contact them now?

Annasopra

The One Doctor wrote: »

Still haven't got the details for Stage 2 - I'm position 223 in Dublin. Should I wait till the September 4th cutoff as advised in the PS message or contact them now?

why wouldnt you wait?

The One Doctor

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

why wouldnt you wait?

Paranoia!

butterly.john

Did anyone get called for the next satge yet ?.

Starry12

Not yet, have you? Really curious about dates. September is such a busy month for me 😕

butterly.john

No nothing yet, I did well in the Dublin area so it should be soon

keowny8

Does anyone know how many will be called for Supervised testing?

Are they just gonna call the top 200/500/1000 on the panel or will everyone who received a panel number get an opportunity?

Ciaran

keowny8 wrote: »

Does anyone know how many will be called for Supervised testing?

Are they just gonna call the top 200/500/1000 on the panel or will everyone who received a panel number get an opportunity?

The message said 887 people would be called didn't it? I don't know how many will be called for interview afterwards though.

The_Conductor

keowny8 wrote: »

Does anyone know how many will be called for Supervised testing?

Are they just gonna call the top 200/500/1000 on the panel or will everyone who received a panel number get an opportunity?

Presumably- its the whole 887 (or however many) are in the group for Stage 2.

Starry12

The independent suggested the 400-600 jobs are being created nationwide from this recruitment drive.
I placed 427 in Dublin in the tests and am nervous that I'll be just outside. Really really want this job!

eroc79

Any idea when people who applied for regions apart from Dublin will be called to stage 2. I'm in the cork region. I have read the faq but just wondering if anyone has some extra information

kaiser31

I'm hoping to hear something soon. My score was 301 & Im placed 46 in the Kerry region.

The_Conductor

Guys- keep your powder dry. These competitions can stretch over months.

butterly.john

The_Conductor wrote: »

Guys- keep your powder dry. These competitions can stretch over months.

Easier said than done, its hard waiting for all the seperate results then the next stage takes so long to come around

butterly.john

I rang the PAS just to see what the story is. The 800 or so who were successful in stage 2 are getting tested very soon, all tests will be done before the last week of September. Those who are successful will be interviewed in early October with the jobs being available immediately in the Dublin region.

QueenBey

As someone living abroad who applied I asked what my options are and they said stage 2 takes place this month and if I don't show theres nothing they can do....so that's that!

butterly.john

QueenBey wrote: »

As someone living abroad who applied I asked what my options are and they said stage 2 takes place this month and if I don't show theres nothing they can do....so that's that!

if you are in the UK it is probably still do-able at short notice

Starry12

butterly.john wrote: »

I rang the PAS just to see what the story is. The 800 or so who were successful in stage 2 are getting tested very soon, all tests will be done before the last week of September. Those who are successful will be interviewed in early October with the jobs being available immediately in the Dublin region.

Did they happen to mention how many jobs?

The_Conductor

Nikki2302 wrote: »

Did they happen to mention how many jobs?

There isn't a 'number of jobs'.
The competition is for a place on the panel.
Candidates are placed from the panel- as and when the posts are sanctioned by the Department of Finance.
A number of locations are using staggering numbers of temporary clerical officers at present (look at Peoplepoint as an example). Those TCO posts are very likely to suppressed and replaced with permanent CO posts.

Anywhere where TCOs are constantly being sought- aka they are in lieu of permanent staff- rather than simply replacing people on extended leave- are likely to be posts that will be permanent CO posts........

As it stands- there are no CO posts sanctioned (yet)- because there isn't a panel from which candidates can be drawn.

So the simple answer is- there are no immediate jobs. However- once the panel is constituted- immediately, there could be a significant number of posts- and more- as current TCO positions wind down.

yenom

There's a new welfare office opening in Cork, that will take maybe 30 new staff members? Remember it's all the public sector, not just the Civil Service.

yenom

AngelaG wrote: »

Does anyone know if there will be vacancies arising in Donegal in the immediate future ??

There has to be, there's so many public offices in the county.

noonie1983

Ciaran wrote: »

The message said 887 people would be called didn't it? I don't know how many will be called for interview afterwards though.

Sorry do you mind me asking where the 887 came from or what message you got?