Clerical Positions in the Civil and Public Service

otherfrog

donna35 wrote: »

I just came on the thread to ask the same. I keep checking my publicjobs almost obsessively and my phone and email. Hoping it will be soon, the wait is nerve-wracking.

Ditto.

If it follows the last stage & if the "next three weeks" mentioned earlier in the thread is accurate - I'd expect a message today or tomorrow, with interviews starting next week.

I am a bundle of nerves at this stage.

swht

Anyone know if the original information booklet had a list of competencies/ person specification in it. I can't find it through the link anymore as the competition is closed. I assume the email with invitation to interview will have these but would like to start preparing.

Donald73

gonzo.phd wrote: »

Anyone know if the original information booklet had a list of competencies/ person specification in it. I can't find it through the link anymore as the competition is closed. I assume the email with invitation to interview will have these but would like to start preparing.

Here you go x

https://publicjobs.ie/publicjobs/client/toolkit/docs/a4_foldout.pdf

swht

donna35 wrote: »

Here you go x

https://publicjobs.ie/publicjobs/client/toolkit/docs/a4_foldout.pdf

Brilliant, Thanks!

Meathlass

donna35 wrote: »

Here you go x

https://publicjobs.ie/publicjobs/client/toolkit/docs/a4_foldout.pdf

Fair play to you. I spent ages looking for something like that last week. Can anyone remember what the starting salary was?

butterly.john

Meathlass wrote: »

Fair play to you. I spent ages looking for something like that last week. Can anyone remember what the starting salary was?

I think it's around 20,000

Phantasos

Out of interest, can I ask how many of you are already Dublin-based? Are there many outside the Pale gunning for these positions?

dooey_01

Meathlass wrote: »

Fair play to you. I spent ages looking for something like that last week. Can anyone remember what the starting salary was?

yea i think its somewhere between 21k and 22k...plus 25% extra if ya get airport job...afaik you would start slightly higher if you have done a tco position before...

Meathlass

Phantasos wrote: »

Out of interest, can I ask how many of you are already Dublin-based? Are there many outside the Pale gunning for these positions?

I'm based in Tipp. If I'm offered it I have a big decision to make as can't live in Dublin on the salary and the commute from the commuter belt could be a nightmare.

I would love either of my other non-Dublin options but it's a huge risk turning down a job in the hope of getting something from the other two panels. I'd also be worried about having to stay at the clerical officer grade for years before I could go for promotion.

swht

Meathlass wrote: »

Fair play to you. I spent ages looking for something like that last week. Can anyone remember what the starting salary was?

€20859

http://www.impact.ie/Your-Sector/Public-Sector/Civil-Service/Civil-service-salary-scales/New-scales-for-new-entrants-2011-Civil-Service.htm

Theres talk of upping the increments to bring new entrants back in line with serving civil servants but nothing is finalised yet.

Donald73

gonzo.phd wrote: »

Brilliant, Thanks!

You're welcome, we're all in this together

Donald73

Phantasos wrote: »

Out of interest, can I ask how many of you are already Dublin-based? Are there many outside the Pale gunning for these positions?

Dublin-based here. I've no idea of the numbers from outside Dublin, I just know they narrowed the Dublin jobs candidates down to 887 to go forward to stage 2 and then narrowed it down again for stage 3. I would imagine though that a fair few of those have Dublin down as a choice (like Meathlass) and have other areas down too.

otherfrog

In Naas, so I applied for Kildare/Wicklow too, but Dublin is an easy commute - I assume that a very large percentage of people in Kildare/Wicklow, as well as Meath, would have also applied for Dublin.

That could have an interesting effect, as any of us who got through Dublin were probably in the top 50 or so of the surrounding regions.

I'm unemployed and if I manage to get through the interview successfully, I'll take anything offered.

chopperp

Anyone know when the next offer will be ?

Donald73

chopperp wrote: »

Anyone know when the next offer will be ?

What do you mean next offer? They're going to be starting interviewing soon (in Dublin anyway) if that's what you mean, would assume there will be a little wait after that for job offers to be made to successful candidates.

Phantasos

Meathlass wrote: »

I'm based in Tipp. If I'm offered it I have a big decision to make as can't live in Dublin on the salary and the commute from the commuter belt could be a nightmare.

I would love either of my other non-Dublin options but it's a huge risk turning down a job in the hope of getting something from the other two panels. I'd also be worried about having to stay at the clerical officer grade for years before I could go for promotion.

I'm based in Galway and have the same dilemma. I don't know how I'd ever be able to afford proper accommodation or build a life for myself in Dublin on a salary like this.

mariosuarez

Salary starts at €21,345. It won't let me post link to a website but it was revised in 2014.

swht

mariosuarez wrote: »

Salary starts at €21,345. It won't let me post link to a website but it was revised in 2014.

I did read that somewhere but I'm almost sure that the information booklet said 20859, hopefully it is just a case that it was prepared before they were revised.

shalalala

I never really understood why the public service don't pay more for people living in Dublin. Like how they do it in London. It just makes more sense because your euro goes a lot further in certain parts of the country.

Starry12

I think I'm out ... After working out the figures (with a helpful social welfare inspector) today, it'll cost me in the region of €90 a week to work after rent and childcare are paid. Hate hate hate that I'm forced to stay on SW. Its demeaning

swht

Nikki2302 wrote: »

I think I'm out ... After working out the figures (with a helpful social welfare inspector) today, it'll cost me in the region of €90 a week to work after rent and childcare are paid. Hate hate hate that I'm forced to stay on SW. Its demeaning

I'd say go for the interview anyway there's talk of being able to retain part of your social welfare payments if taking up a low paying job. Maybe the budget will bring some news on this.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/unemployed-parents-to-keep-benefits-when-they-get-jobs-30521376.html

sashafierce

This post has been deleted.

nukie1978

Nikki2302 wrote: »

I think I'm out ... After working out the figures (with a helpful social welfare inspector) today, it'll cost me in the region of €90 a week to work after rent and childcare are paid. Hate hate hate that I'm forced to stay on SW. Its demeaning

That's short term thinking. You should get an increment every year, and there are opportunities for promotion, which would obviously bring about pay increases— given you've scored somewhere in the top 5% or so of this competition, you would have an excellent chance of progressing in an internal competition. I think there are other social welfare supports too.

The kids will go to school, and you can apply for a reduced work-pattern to eliminate the necessity for childcare after school, plus shorter working year to cover the holidays. An au pair might be an option to reduce the cost of childcare somewhat, assuming you've no-one who can give you a dig out with that.

And you will be providing a more positive role-model for your kids, as well as having the satisfaction of working for a living and receiving a paycheck, rather than queuing at the post office for a living, which I know is not fun.

Starry12

Thanks guys. I know its short term thinking but its 3/4 years till the youngest goes to school and I just cant afford to make up the difference. I live on a shoe string as it is. I'll explore every available option. I really want to work. Thanks again

swht

Nikki2302 wrote: »

Thanks guys. I know its short term thinking but its 3/4 years till the youngest goes to school and I just cant afford to make up the difference. I live on a shoe string as it is. I'll explore every available option. I really want to work. Thanks again

I assume the social welfare inspector told you that you may be entitled to family income supplement? If you have one child and earning 21450 you would get over €80 a week I think. Problem is that it takes a long time for them to process family income supplement but it is back paid of course.

Starry12

gonzo.phd wrote: »

I assume the social welfare inspector told you that you may be entitled to family income supplement? If you have one child and earning 21450 you would get over €80 a week I think. Problem is that it takes a long time for them to process family income supplement but it is back paid of course.

Yep, she was very helpful and knowledgeable. But its still not manageable. Ah well, maybe I'll go for EO in November or try again next year. Thanks for all the replies and good luck with the interviews

swht

Nikki2302 wrote: »

Yep, she was very helpful and knowledgeable. But its still not manageable. Ah well, maybe I'll go for EO in November or try again next year. Thanks for all the replies and good luck with the interviews

That's a shame, really is a terrible situation, hope they do make some changes to address it.

Tarzana

shalalala wrote: »

I never really understood why the public service don't pay more for people living in Dublin. Like how they do it in London. It just makes more sense because your euro goes a lot further in certain parts of the country.

Yep, seems very unfair.

sillysocks

Its awful Nikki. I'm kind of in the same situation, I'm not a single mother but the cost of childcare means even though I was in the top 5 in my area it would cost me money if I took the job. And while that might be short sighted it's not sustainable to indefinitely be working for a loss. And i wouldn't be convinced that promotion would come very quickly. The starting wages are just too low and I don't know how anyone in Dublin could survive on them!

I will also try the EO competition and that extra few thousand would make a huge difference.
Even once my kids start school it's not going to save me much money - they'd still have to be minded after school if you're working full time and for me that costs 20 eur per day as opposed to 30 for a full day so not much savings there!

gerbilgranny

nukie1978 wrote: »

That's short term thinking. You should get an increment every year, and there are opportunities for promotion, which would obviously bring about pay increases— given you've scored somewhere in the top 5% or so of this competition, you would have an excellent chance of progressing in an internal competition. I think there are other social welfare supports too.

The kids will go to school, and you can apply for a reduced work-pattern to eliminate the necessity for childcare after school, plus shorter working year to cover the holidays. An au pair might be an option to reduce the cost of childcare somewhat, assuming you've no-one who can give you a dig out with that.

And you will be providing a more positive role-model for your kids, as well as having the satisfaction of working for a living and receiving a paycheck, rather than queuing at the post office for a living, which I know is not fun.

While you make very good points, to be fair - if someone is going to be down €90 a week by taking up the job, then I think the 'short-term thinking' is quite valid.

I wouldn't factor in promotion into the equation - to date the track record of certain sections of the Civil Service has been quite scandalous on that score.

So while it's fine to hope for - and maybe even reasonable to expect - promotion, it's simply not certain enough to take into account when weighing up the pros and cons.