Administrative Officer 2015 open competition

DEEDEE30

I've received notification that I'm under consideration for the policing authority.

TCO

DEEDEE30 wrote: »

I've received notification that I'm under consideration for the policing authority.

What approximate position are you on the panel? Top 10? Top 20?

DEEDEE30

30's

Veledan22

At least there is some movement on it...even if I am so far down the list I don't think I'll get a look in!

Emmal14

DEEDEE30 wrote: »

30's

Thanks! I am number 103 so praying they at least get to me!

Holysock

At least yous aren't potentially the last person on the panel like me. I haven't heard of anyone higher than 131 :P

Emmal14

Holysock wrote: »

At least yous aren't potentially the last person on the panel like me. I haven't heard of anyone higher than 131 :P

But at least it is a realistic panel then! Hopefully it will get us all!

trebormax

I'm just over 100 so have a ways to go, but keeping the chin up.

If anyone has heard, can I ask whether they were contacted via Email or phone?

DEEDEE30

I received a email.

Veledan22

Holysock wrote: »

At least yous aren't potentially the last person on the panel like me. I haven't heard of anyone higher than 131 :P

I'm not too far ahead of that, but hopefully they will get to us

ashball

Holysock wrote: »

At least yous aren't potentially the last person on the panel like me. I haven't heard of anyone higher than 131 :P

I'm a little lower, so go on and feel better! Hopefully they have a mass retirement or similar and we all get bumped up the list!

Is everyone that got through the interview day automatically on the panel for the year or just the top however-many?

Emmal14

ashball wrote: »

I'm a little lower, so go on and feel better! Hopefully they have a mass retirement or similar and we all get bumped up the list!

Is everyone that got through the interview day automatically on the panel for the year or just the top however-many?

I would say say it's whoever out of the 250 people that got past the qualifying scores for each part of the day.

northernline

A few questions for anyone who knows...

a. Is the order of merit used in order for all vacancies? i.e. When a role is filled by 1, will the next role automatically be filled by 2 or is there an additional process?

b. Is there any substantive difference between the HEO and AO grades? They seem to occupy the same space in any management structures I've seen.

The_Conductor

Are the current vacancies being notified predominantly for the Garda Policing Authority?

Emmal14

We are working off the requests we have to date and have currently reached the 30's on the panel. We have no definitive number of initial vacancies and will assign successful candidates as we receive requests.

That is an email received from PAS this morning.

:Keith:

I'm in the high 30s so feeling very hopeful now!

Emmal14

:Keith: wrote: »

I'm in the high 30s so feeling very hopefully now!

As you should Keith! Hopefully all the first batch of vacancies are for the policing authority and thus meaning other departments requests haven't been processed yet! That would be good for all of us! Though the policing authority office is just outside of town so fantastic place to get!

glasagusban

northernline wrote: »

A few questions for anyone who knows...

a. Is the order of merit used in order for all vacancies? i.e. When a role is filled by 1, will the next role automatically be filled by 2 or is there an additional process?

b. Is there any substantive difference between the HEO and AO grades? They seem to occupy the same space in any management structures I've seen.

Traditionally HEO would involve staff management and AO more policy work/report writing but the grades are considered equivalent and interchangeable. 15k difference in the starting point is a fairly substantive difference though.

cee_jay

The_Conductor wrote: »

Are the current vacancies being notified predominantly for the Garda Policing Authority?

I know of 3 people in the top 20 who are not being placed in the Policing Authority.

trebormax

northernline wrote: »

A few questions for anyone who knows...

a. Is the order of merit used in order for all vacancies? i.e. When a role is filled by 1, will the next role automatically be filled by 2 or is there an additional process?

b. Is there any substantive difference between the HEO and AO grades? They seem to occupy the same space in any management structures I've seen.

I sent an email regarding point A above as I wanted to find out how the graduate aspect would be treated within the panel, and I got back this reply;

"As this was a open competition for general Administrative Officers, successful candidates can be placed in any department irrespective of their education except if the department requests someone with certain qualifications."

So it appears that it is in order of merit the whole way down saving for if a department makes a specific request for someone with targeted skills or education such as radio operaters or environmental scientists etc. (Just examples off the top of my head) but I get the impression this would be a rarer exception to the rule.

Emmal14

trebormax wrote: »

I sent an email regarding point A above as I wanted to find out how the graduate aspect would be treated within the panel, and I got back this reply;

"As this was a open competition for general Administrative Officers, successful candidates can be placed in any department irrespective of their education except if the department requests someone with certain qualifications."

So it appears that it is in order of merit the whole way down saving for if a department makes a specific request for someone with targeted skills or education such as radio operaters or environmental scientists etc. (Just examples off the top of my head) but I get the impression this would be a rarer exception to the rule.

Kind of makes experience and sector qualifications irrelavent ( I have a QFA in addition to my degree). But such is the way of the world! I am just getting impatient lol! Not good at waiting with very little info! If i was waiting but knew for example there was 90 or 120 ao jobs i would be fine its the uncertainty i despise

trebormax

Emmal14 wrote: »

Kind of makes experience and sector qualifications irrelavent ( I have a QFA in addition to my degree). But such is the way of the world! I am just getting impatient lol! Not good at waiting with very little info! If i was waiting but knew for example there was 90 or 120 ao jobs i would be fine its the uncertainty i despise

I suppose its more about having it in the back pocket than leading with the qualification.

Yeah.. 90 wouldn't do me but 120 would I also asked if they have an idea of numbers but the reply did say they were still unsure on final numbers.

northernline

Thanks to all for the responses to my questions. I was wondering whether experience / qualifications would be taken into account.

The pre-interview booklet mentioned the possibility of "sub-competitions" for some AO roles. Does anyone know what this means?

Emmal14

trebormax wrote: »

I suppose its more about having it in the back pocket than leading with the qualification.

Yeah.. 90 wouldn't do me but 120 would I also asked if they have an idea of numbers but the reply did say they were still unsure on final numbers.

90 wouldn't do me either but if i knew there was little hope i would adjust my expectations! Ye that's all I have heard is that final numbers have not been confirmed! What did anybody think of the process?

Cakerbaker

I've been on a few civil service panels over the years, most recently last years AO. The reason they don't have the final numbers of people to be appointed is they don't know how many requests they'll get from departments over the year that the panel is valid for. While they might start off with a certain number of positions, they don't know what requests will come in over the year so don't know how far down the panel they'll get. In a way it's completely out of their hands, they run the competition but it's the departments do the hiring. Hope that helps!

Emmal14

Cakerbaker wrote: »

I've been on a few civil service panels over the years, most recently last years AO. The reason they don't have the final numbers of people to be appointed is they don't know how many requests they'll get from departments over the year that the panel is valid for. While they might start off with a certain number of positions, they don't know what requests will come in over the year so don't know how far down the panel they'll get. In a way it's completely out of their hands, they run the competition but it's the departments do the hiring. Hope that helps!

Do you mind me asking how you got on with last years panel?

Cakerbaker

They called 115 first. I'm not sure how many were put in that panel but they obviously exhausted it as they then called another 50 which included me. I was number 20 on the second panel and was appointed. Not sure how many others were appointed.

The_Conductor

northernline wrote: »

Thanks to all for the responses to my questions. I was wondering whether experience / qualifications would be taken into account.

The pre-interview booklet mentioned the possibility of "sub-competitions" for some AO roles. Does anyone know what this means?

Subcompetitions- would be confined streams that professional qualifications would grant access to- such as-

• Tax qualifications
• Accountancy professional exams
• Law professional and/or Bar exams
• Some IT streams (limited- more often than not there is a separate IT competition altogether)

Emmal14

Cakerbaker wrote: »

They called 115 first. I'm not sure how many were put in that panel but they obviously exhausted it as they then called another 50 which included me. I was number 20 on the second panel and was appointed. Not sure how many others were appointed.

And how long did it take for you to be called?

Cakerbaker

The competition started in November 2014 and the results saying the first 115 were being called to the next stage in PAS was just before or after Christmas 2014 if I remember correctly. The second lot I was in was called to PAS for the assessments / interviews in June 2015. I started in September.