Clerical Positions in the Civil and Public Service

Phantasos

Meathlass wrote: »

This is what I'm hoping. Would you say it in the interview though, that you had applied for another competition?

Oh god no, say absolutely nothing!! That's none of their business. You can worry about that if it's an issue and you get a graduate job offer down the track.

Never say things to undermine your chances.

Ciaran

Fooker wrote: »

If you do an interview for Dublin would you have to do another interview for another region if you held out for them?

No.

information material wrote:

Candidates may undertake a Stage of the selection process only once and therefore there will only be one opportunity to attend for interview. If for example, a candidate attends interview for the Dublin region, they will not be interviewed again for any of the other regions they may have selected. Whether a candidate qualifies or does not qualify at interview, that result will stand for the other regions also.

shalalala

Would you tell another job that you were applying elsewhere? I would say I would treat it the same. Got my interview for my normal day off work so happy with that. Little worried about the health declaration. Cant open it on my phone but feel weird about stating I have crohns

Ciaran

Divisadero wrote: »

I did a CO interview about ten years ago and it was probably the easiest interview I ever had. I really got the impression that once you did well in the tests the interview was just a formality.

I hope you're right!

Divisadero

I should add that back then they sent you a form where you had to describe a stressful incident and how you dealt with it. They then explained that they would ask you about this in the interview. So basically they allowed you to prepare your answer beforehand!

As I said prepare well just in case. But I would be surprised if there is much to it.

Meathlass

Divisadero wrote: »

I should add that back then they sent you a form where you had to describe a stressful incident and how you dealt with it. They then explained that they would ask you about this in the interview. So basically they allowed you to prepare your answer beforehand!

As I said prepare well just in case. But I would be surprised if there is much to it.

They give details of 4 competences and say to have specfic examples prepared for each.

Also that they may ask you about some of your answers from the online questionaire in relation to your IT ability for example.

Zipppy

Divisadero wrote: »

Unless things have changed you can accept the CO and leave if you are successful in the AO, EO or any other competition.

I did a CO interview about ten years ago and it was probably the easiest interview I ever had. I really got the impression that once you did well in the tests the interview was just a formality.

As I said it was a while ago and it was just my experience so be well prepared just in case!

Good luck everyone.

I'd be in the same boat....easiest interview ever...sailed through...

aoiferahmana

So does this mean we just have to 'pass' the interview and we're in.............is it strange that you would be rated more on your aptitude tests that on your interview? I'm confused, I thought the tests were just a way of culling it down to a limited number to interview, rather than decided our place??! I wonder how many they will take on..........I'm 119th, I wonder what my chances are?

gerbilgranny

aoiferahmana wrote: »

So does this mean we just have to 'pass' the interview and we're in.............is it strange that you would be rated more on your aptitude tests that on your interview? I'm confused, I thought the tests were just a way of culling it down to a limited number to interview, rather than decided our place??! I wonder how many they will take on..........I'm 119th, I wonder what my chances are?

They obviously take those aptitude tests very seriously.

A person would still need to show that they were competent and personable at interview, though, in my opinion. (I had 2 family members do the TCO interview one year, and one candidate 'didn't meet the required standard' - despite having good stuff on her CV, for her age. The following year she was successful at interview and worked for 3 months on the hatch at a Social Welfare office. Therefore I'm a little wary of saying that a civil service interview is a formality!)

The other family member is in this competition, but down in the 400's - a bit of a bad day at the office when it came to the supervised numerical test - got a bit flustered, and didn't perform to her optimum standard. I'm hoping there's hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of jobs (that's 500 at least!):p

Meathlass

aoiferahmana wrote: »

So does this mean we just have to 'pass' the interview and we're in.............is it strange that you would be rated more on your aptitude tests that on your interview? I'm confused, I thought the tests were just a way of culling it down to a limited number to interview, rather than decided our place??! I wonder how many they will take on..........I'm 119th, I wonder what my chances are?

Yes, I presumed we'd get our final place on the panel after the interview. I'm hoping if they're going to the trouble to interview 400 ish people then there are a decent amount of jobs going in Dublin - other people on here have said that peoplepoint and the airport will take about 100 immediately but don't know how accurate that is.

Also I'd say a lot of people in the top % will also go for the graduate campaign that opened today so they could take a clerical job and then leave after a month or so.

Divisadero

gerbilgranny wrote: »

They obviously take those aptitude tests very seriously.

A person would still need to show that they were competent and personable at interview, though, in my opinion. (I had 2 family members do the TCO interview one year, and one candidate 'didn't meet the required standard' - despite having good stuff on her CV, for her age. The following year she was successful at interview and worked for 3 months on the hatch at a Social Welfare office. Therefore I'm a little wary of saying that a civil service interview is a formality!)

The other family member is in this competition, but down in the 400's - a bit of a bad day at the office when it came to the supervised numerical test - got a bit flustered, and didn't perform to her optimum standard. I'm hoping there's hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of jobs (that's 500 at least!):p

The TCO is different in that there are no aptitude tests just the online questionnaire. So the interview may carry more weight. By the way I also did the TCO in 2013 and though the interview was less structured and longer than the permanent CO interview I still felt it was straightforward compared to what I've experienced elsewhere.

Anyway those are just my experiences and as I said people should prepare well in advance just in case things have changed!

Meathlass

Divisadero wrote: »

The TCO is different in that there are no aptitude tests just the online questionnaire. So the interview may carry more weight. By the way I also did the TCO in 2013 and though the interview was less structured and longer than the permanent CO interview I still felt it was straightforward compared to what I've experienced elsewhere.

Anyway those are just my experiences and as I said people should prepare well in advance just in case things have changed!

I actually wanted to clarify that as well. These are permanent positions aren't they?

Why, oh why did I not keep a copy of the advertisement :rolleyes:

aoiferahmana

So the interview is either yay or nay - if you're through, you keep your place given at stage 2 (making allowances for anyone who doesn't get through stage 3), and if not, you're out....I'd imagine it would be pretty formal, although I'm only guessing! God, they're really putting us through the ringer for a lowly clerical job......

aoiferahmana

Any idea how long it will take them to let us know if we're successful or not? I'm in Saturday at 2! Nerves starting to set in now.....

darthinvader

Did anyone not get their interview date yet? Getting worried here!!!!

Meathlass

aoiferahmana wrote: »

Any idea how long it will take them to let us know if we're successful or not? I'm in Saturday at 2! Nerves starting to set in now.....

Damn it, I'm on Monday 13th so have to take a full day off work. Typical that I wouldn't get a saturday interview

otherfrog

In on Monday the 13th too, so if you see a guy in a suit visibly shaking - that'll probably be me!

My only chance at the interview, is if they see me as one of those aforementioned "long term prospects".

So I'm definitely not seeing it as any sort of formality, just going to do as much preparation as possible and hope for the best.

Sin é.

Good luck everyone.

The One Doctor

Still not heard anything for Dublin yet.

sickle

No word for me yet either, I'm sure it will appear before the end of today

darthinvader

I phoned PAS and was told that everyone eligible will be given their interview date by the end of next week.

kg703

Haha typical would have loved the week after but got Saturday and I'm in work. Good thing I still have holidays

dooey_01

got friday morning...hope the traffic from wexford aint too bad

aoiferahmana

Meathlass wrote: »

Damn it, I'm on Monday 13th so have to take a full day off work. Typical that I wouldn't get a saturday interview

I have something important on Saturday that I really need to be at, so would much rather have the Monday interview Typical eh?! But have to get my priorities right - need a job so....have to be at the interview! Pity we couldn't swap, you could do my Sat and I'll do your Monday

The_Conductor

Ring them up- they are human- they normally allow for this sort of thing. Its far from unheard of to reschedule an interview. Just ring and reschedule sooner rather than later.

aoiferahmana

The_Conductor wrote: »

Ring them up- they are human- they normally allow for this sort of thing. Its far from unheard of to reschedule an interview. Just ring and reschedule sooner rather than later.

Do you think so? It did say 'Please attend as scheduled as requests for changes to your allocated interview slot will only be considered in exceptional circumstances'. Sure I suppose it would be worth a try - the worst they can say is 'no' right?! Thanks

RoadhouseBlues

Hey folks. I got through the online test but my number was way down the list for my areas so I don't expect to get called. However, I see some people were talking about an EO competition coming up later in the year. So I was thinking of applying for this, now that I have the experience of doing the tests etc. I might do better and get a higher placing. Even just the experience of it. But what I wanted to ask is. Could I apply for this, even though I have no degree?. Do you need a degree to be an EO?. I didn't even do the leaving cert, but I did computer courses etc. I was a TCO 2 years ago, and the education side of things wasn't an issue, but then again the EO is a higher level.

AshF22

I havnt received my interview time & date yet I suppose it will be next week now by the time it comes through! Im assuming those who received theirs had it sent to the usual place in their public jobs email? Besides from the airport jobs has anyone any idea where the jobs are likely to be based? I think if we had an idea it would make the interview a bit easier and we would really know what skills to showcase .

dooey_01

AshF22 wrote: »

I havnt received my interview time & date yet I suppose it will be next week now by the time it comes through! Im assuming those who received theirs had it sent to the usual place in their public jobs email? Besides from the airport jobs has anyone any idea where the jobs are likely to be based? I think if we had an idea it would make the interview a bit easier and we would really know what skills to showcase .

yeah went to message board on public jobs.ie no idea re the rest

Donald73

Typical haha I've been checking my publicjobs board obsessively and the one day I go out to the cinema I get the text! Have interview Saturday of next week. I see that they say to bring 3 copies of the questionnaire so assuming from that that it will be 3 people interviewing...as if it wasn't nerve-wracking enough!! Just glad to have an actual date for it, now just to prepare, prepare, prepare!

dooey_01

yea i assumed a 3 person interview too? is that the case i wonder?