ICT Specialists (Executive Officer level) in Civil Service

KJK1LL3R

Spoke with HR at DAFM and they have contacted my employer to confirm they are a public body so they should be able to cary my 4yrs service over and match my current salary.

I also spoke with the IT Manager and explained my circumstances of having to effectively move country from Northern Ireland. He said that the vacancy isn't going anywhere so said it would be no big deal if I needed a month or 6 weeks to get things sorted out. He also said that covid could work in my favour as I could potentially work remotely in the beginning until I got my feet under the table. He explained that DAFM is a big department and there would be plenty of promotion and training opportunities within the Irish Civil Service. Overall he gave me the feeling that he was keen to have me on board so I have a big decision to make ahead of the PAS deadline on Thursday.

Does anyone know when this competition panel is due to end? I have considered the idea of turning this down and holding out hope for an IT role in my first choice locations of Westmeath & Offaly perhaps with the Department of Education as I know they have some IT staff there but perhaps that is highly unlikely to materialize anyways. Ideally I'd also prefer to be taking a job that was going to be a substantial pay rise since relocating will bring considerable added costs since I currently live at home with minimal bills to pay. I guess the idea of moving away from home is always going to feel a bit scary regardless though so perhaps it will never feel like the right time until I just do it.

KJK1LL3R

PAS have informed me that this panel is all but exhausted, it was extended until the end of September but not expected to be any further than that so it looks like I either take this vacancy with DAFM Laois or else miss out entirely.

ireland456

KJK1LL3R wrote: »

PAS have informed me that this panel is all but exhausted, it was extended until the end of September but not expected to be any further than that so it looks like I either take this vacancy with DAFM Laois or else miss out entirely.

Do you mean this EO ICT panel is closed or are you mixing it up with the EO Open competition
I thought this panel was running till june 2021?

KJK1LL3R

ireland456 wrote: »

Do you mean this EO ICT panel is closed or are you mixing it up with the EO Open competition
I thought this panel was running till june 2021?

No when I spoke with PAS I gave them the campaign ID for this competition so it must've just been a one year panel from August 2019 until August 2020.

Unless of course PAS are just telling me that to force me to accept the Laois offer and save themselves any further hassle but I'd like to think they wouldn't do such a thing.

Burgo

KJK1LL3R wrote: »

No when I spoke with PAS I gave them the campaign ID for this competition so it must've just been a one year panel from August 2019 until August 2020.

Unless of course PAS are just telling me that to force me to accept the Laois offer and save themselves any further hassle but I'd like to think they wouldn't do such a thing.

Have a look at the information booklet, it should state how long the panel will be running for.

KJK1LL3R

So after giving it much thought, I informed PAS today that I wish to be considered for the vacancy with DAFM in Laois. I'll await their response to see what happens next but I'd imagine it would be vetting and clearance which I've heard can take 2 or 3 weeks? I'm wondering will they advise me of when is a suitable time to hand in my notice to my current employer? As I would need to relocate from Northern Ireland, there is a lot of things that I would need to sort out such as accomodation, bank account, car registration, etc. but I'm assuming I probably should start the ball rolling on that kind of thing until I actually get an official job offer letter from the HR department at DAFM.

I currently live alone with my disabled dad too so I will need time to organize some kind of care package for him as I do have concerns about leaving him on his own. I know there is a lot of remote working at the moment due to covid so I am thinking of asking about the possibility to initially work remotely on consecutive days like Thursday & Friday or Monday & Tuesday or Friday & Monday so that I could go up home for long weekends then rent a place in the Midlands during the week. Just as a temporary solution in the beginning to help my father deal with the transition. I have lived with him for the past 20yrs but I'm now 32 so it's time to start planning for a life of my own.

doc22

KJK1LL3R wrote: »

So after giving it much thought, I informed PAS today that I wish to be considered for the vacancy with DAFM in Laois. I'll await their response to see what happens next but I'd imagine it would be vetting and clearance which I've heard can take 2 or 3 weeks? I'm wondering will they advise me of when is a suitable time to hand in my notice to my current employer? As I would need to relocate from Northern Ireland, there is a lot of things that I would need to sort out such as accomodation, bank account, car registration, etc. but I'm assuming I probably should start the ball rolling on that kind of thing until I actually get an official job offer letter from the HR department at DAFM.

I currently live alone with my disabled dad too so I will need time to organize some kind of care package for him as I do have concerns about leaving him on his own. I know there is a lot of remote working at the moment due to covid so I am thinking of asking about the possibility to initially work remotely on consecutive days like Thursday & Friday or Monday & Tuesday or Friday & Monday so that I could go up home for long weekends then rent a place in the Midlands during the week. Just as a temporary solution in the beginning to help my father deal with the transition. I have lived with him for the past 20yrs but I'm now 32 so it's time to start planning for a life of my own.

While DAFM will give you as much time as you need to move. Unless everyone is working from home I'd say you'd have to earn those type of concessions through time. If you're working on infrastructure I'd guess your expected to be there if the rest of the team are doing their time.Especially when you're just in the door.

KJK1LL3R

Got an email yesterday morning saying my application forwarded through Public Appointments Service has been received by the National Vetting Bureau. Does anyone have any idea how long garda vetting generally takes? I'm trying to figure out when I might officially be offered the post as then I can hand in my notice to my current employer which will give me an idea of when I will actually be able to move down.

PS - is there a forum on here where I could get advice and opinions about relocating from Northern Ireland to the Republic?

doc22

KJK1LL3R wrote: »

Got an email yesterday morning saying my application forwarded through Public Appointments Service has been received by the National Vetting Bureau. Does anyone have any idea how long garda vetting generally takes? I'm trying to figure out when I might officially be offered the post as then I can hand in my notice to my current employer which will give me an idea of when I will actually be able to move down.

PS - is there a forum on here where I could get advice and opinions about relocating from Northern Ireland to the Republic?

https://borderpeople.info/ has some info, do you have a pps number yet

KJK1LL3R

doc22 wrote: »

https://borderpeople.info/ has some info, do you have a pps number yet

Yes I already have a PPS number thankfully so I'm lucky in that regard. At the moment I'm trying to decide if I should rent a place or live with my girlfriend's parents. I know which option makes most financial sense but there are other factors to consider too.

doc22

KJK1LL3R wrote: »

Yes I already have a PPS number thankfully so I'm lucky in that regard. At the moment I'm trying to decide if I should rent a place or live with my girlfriend's parents. I know which option makes most financial sense but there are other factors to consider too.

Did Ag give you any idea on possible working from home. Most Public servants in ROI are but I guess in an infrastructure position you'd be expected to be on site. I know in some Ag offices they are doing split shifts due to Covid.

The attractiveness of Renting I suppose depends on price, availability and commitment in terms of lease etc in the midlands

fergald

Vetting can take a bit. However my wife did it a couple of weeks ago and it took roughly 3 weeks. It depends, however you cant hand in your notice until you receive full offer. Best of luck with everything.

bada_bing

vetting might be slower this year due to covid 19 but last year it took just under 3 weeks for me as well.

AndrewJRenko

New EO and HEO competitions launched; https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058111195

KJK1LL3R

PAS came back to me today asking for permission to contact my current employer for a reference even though I haven't been officially offered the job yet. This puts me in a bit of an awkward position as I didn't want my boss to know anything about my potential exit until I had actually accepted a job offer and handed in my notice. I told PAS I don't even know for certain that I will accept the official job offer unless I am guaranteed not to have to start at the bottom of the pay scale. The HR department previously mentioned that given my years working in the public sector, I "'could" be started on a hight scale point but I would need something more concrete than that before I could commit. Just seems crazy to me that my boss is gonna know about this before I've even actually accepted the job. Imagine I turned the job down and decided to stay, my position would be kind of untenable. And until I can officially hand my notice in, I'm going to have to go around for these next couple of weeks pretending like I'm fully committed even though my boss will already be fully aware that I'm seeking opportunities elsewhere. This just seems odd to me, I would nearly rather they had contacted my boss for a reference without asking for my permission so I would be none the wiser.

AndrewJRenko

KJK1LL3R wrote: »

PAS came back to me today asking for permission to contact my current employer for a reference even though I haven't been officially offered the job yet. This puts me in a bit of an awkward position as I didn't want my boss to know anything about my potential exit until I had actually accepted a job offer and handed in my notice. I told PAS I don't even know for certain that I will accept the official job offer unless I am guaranteed not to have to start at the bottom of the pay scale. The HR department previously mentioned that given my years working in the public sector, I "'could" be started on a hight scale point but I would need something more concrete than that before I could commit. Just seems crazy to me that my boss is gonna know about this before I've even actually accepted the job. Imagine I turned the job down and decided to stay, my position would be kind of untenable. And until I can officially hand my notice in, I'm going to have to go around for these next couple of weeks pretending like I'm fully committed even though my boss will already be fully aware that I'm seeking opportunities elsewhere. This just seems odd to me, I would nearly rather they had contacted my boss for a reference without asking for my permission so I would be none the wiser.

There is a Catch-22 situation here, and I've been in that situation before. It is difficult. Is there anyone else in your current employment who could give a reference, other than your direct manager?

KJK1LL3R

PAS are just awaiting a reference from my current employer in the coming days then when they have recieved that reference from my manager, they will send my file to DAFM for sign off and notify me that they have done so. At that stage am I safe enough to hand my notice in to my current employer or is there still a chance DAFM might not sign off on my file?

AndrewJRenko

KJK1LL3R wrote: »

PAS are just awaiting a reference from my current employer in the coming days then when they have recieved that reference from my manager, they will send my file to DAFM for sign off and notify me that they have done so. At that stage am I safe enough to hand my notice in to my current employer or is there still a chance DAFM might not sign off on my file?

Most departments are crying out for staff, so it is unlikely that it won't progress. But personally, I would never hand in my notice until I have a clear offer on the table.

KJK1LL3R

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Most departments are crying out for staff, so it is unlikely that it won't progress. But personally, I would never hand in my notice until I have a clear offer on the table.

Ok so even though PAS have sent my file to them for sign-off, you reckon there is still a chance DAFM could withdraw the offer at that stage? Surely PAS wouldn't send my file to them in the first place though if there was any kind of problem with my clearance or references? I'd ideally like to get my notice handed in as soon as possible as I'd like a little bit of time between finishing my notice period and starting the new job, given that I have to actually relocate for the role so couldn't realistically finish at my current job on the Friday and then start the new job on the Monday.

AndrewJRenko

KJK1LL3R wrote: »

Ok so even though PAS have sent my file to them for sign-off, you reckon there is still a chance DAFM could withdraw the offer at that stage? Surely PAS wouldn't send my file to them in the first place though if there was any kind of problem with my clearance or references? I'd ideally like to get my notice handed in as soon as possible as I'd like a little bit of time between finishing my notice period and starting the new job, given that I have to actually relocate for the role so couldn't realistically finish at my current job on the Friday and then start the new job on the Monday.

It's your call, but anything could happen. There could be Government recruitment embargo announced in the morning. I don't think that will happen, but it's still a possibility.

KJK1LL3R

I just got the following message on my Publicjobs.ie portal from the PAS recruitment manager:


"I am pleased to inform you that you are being assigned as Information and Communications Technology (EO ICT) Specialist, Infrastructure and Operations, with the Department of Agriculture and the Marine – Co Laois.

The Department of Agriculture will contact you directly with regard to your appointment.

Please bring your relevant Academic Qualifications, Driving Licence and Passport with you, for verification, on the day that you take up duty for this post.

I wish you every success in your new position."


Do you guys think I could hand my notice in now or should I still hold out until someone from DAFM contacts me?

doc22

KJK1LL3R wrote: »

I just got the following message on my Publicjobs.ie portal from the PAS recruitment manager:


"I am pleased to inform you that you are being assigned as Information and Communications Technology (EO ICT) Specialist, Infrastructure and Operations, with the Department of Agriculture and the Marine – Co Laois.

The Department of Agriculture will contact you directly with regard to your appointment.

Please bring your relevant Academic Qualifications, Driving Licence and Passport with you, for verification, on the day that you take up duty for this post.

I wish you every success in your new position."


Do you guys think I could hand my notice in now or should I still hold out until someone from DAFM contacts me?

Depends on your notice period. If you want to start asap or you could wait till they contact you and arrange a start date with DAFM.

Did you get your starting pay confirmed or did they more than likely say they'll get it sorted after

KJK1LL3R

doc22 wrote: »

Depends on your notice period. If you want to start asap or you could wait till they contact you and arrange a start date with DAFM.

Did you get your starting pay confirmed or did they more than likely say they'll get it sorted after

My notice period is one month, I definitely don't want to start ASAP as I would like a two or three week gap in between as I have to relocate to the Irish Midlands from County Derry. The starting pay will get sorted afterwards but I think they will be able to take my many years of public service in the North into account so fingers crossed won't have to start at the very bottom of the scale at least.

Burgo

KJK1LL3R wrote: »

My notice period is one month, I definitely don't want to start ASAP as I would like a two or three week gap in between as I have to relocate to the Irish Midlands from County Derry. The starting pay will get sorted afterwards but I think they will be able to take my many years of public service in the North into account so fingers crossed won't have to start at the very bottom of the scale at least.

I'd be onto DAFM straight away and get that sorted. What you think and what they think may not be the same thing, better to get it officially.
Were you planning on taking the position and then bringing it up?

doc22

How did everyone find the Online Assessments? the last one was terrible for me, I could there all day and not pick the right one

rostalof

Has anybody else been placed from this competition since?

the_syco

rostalof wrote: »

Has anybody else been placed from this competition since?

Only seeing the above person getting placed from the 2019 EO ICT competition. Not seeing or hearing about anyone else getting any feedback.

rostalof

the_syco wrote: »

Only seeing the above person getting placed from the 2019 EO ICT competition. Not seeing or hearing about anyone else getting any feedback.

Sorry, it was the 2019 competition I was asking about. Has there even been tests or interviews for 2020 yet?

the_syco

rostalof wrote: »

Sorry, it was the 2019 competition I was asking about. Has there even been tests or interviews for 2020 yet?

Got the following today in reference to the 2020 competition;

In relation to the above mentioned competition, Stage 1 results will be issued by Friday 20th November 2020.

MTECHMaybe

Any tips on the interviews people, have one scheduled soon and includes both Infra and Networking , but was lucky to be placed well on the OOM
Will the interviews be based on the EO competencies or a technical interview? For any help or advice, thanks in advance