Administrative Officer 2015 open competition

The_Conductor

donkey_kong wrote: »

Any idea how often these competitions will be? I live in China at the moment, obviously it will be a major hassle to get time off work and come home for interviews. But if this won't come up again for 2-3 years I'd be more inclined to.

The intention is that they would be an annual competition- as was the case in the past- however, this is at the discretion of DPER.

donkey_kong

I emailed public jobs asking the same question as above and was told 'it is not yet known if there will be a competition in 2016'. So I guess that means it's likely but unconfirmed.

Mac0783

Hi all, the closing date has now passed has anyone received an invitation yet to do the online aptitude test?

Armaghmagic

No, i submitted mine the day before the deadline and have heard nothing yet

donkey_kong

Mac0783 wrote: »

Hi all, the closing date has now passed has anyone received an invitation yet to do the online aptitude test?

From the information booklet:A link to the actual on-line assessment tests will be sent to candidates’ Messageboards in advance of the test-taking window. It is anticipated that candidates will receive a link to their Stage 1 on-line assessment tests by Thursday 22 October, 2015. If you do not receive communication by 23 October, 2015 you should email graduaterecruitment2015@publicjobs.ie immediately

Armaghmagic

donkey_kong wrote: »

From the information booklet:A link to the actual on-line assessment tests will be sent to candidates’ Messageboards in advance of the test-taking window. It is anticipated that candidates will receive a link to their Stage 1 on-line assessment tests by Thursday 22 October, 2015. If you do not receive communication by 23 October, 2015 you should email graduaterecruitment2015@publicjobs.ie immediately

Can I ask.......what are the stages for this competition?

I recently had an interview for the Revenue Executive Officer competition (but was not successful) and thought that perhaps this AO competition would be similar. But obviously it isn't if you have to perform tests before being interviewed!

donkey_kong

Armaghmagic wrote: »

Can I ask.......what are the stages for this competition?

I recently had an interview for the Revenue Executive Officer competition (but was not successful) and thought that perhaps this AO competition would be similar. But obviously it isn't if you have to perform tests before being interviewed!

There's no information in the booklet about what exactly happens if you get through. When I applied for Third Sec in 2013 stage 2 was an assessment day. I repeated the initial exams in a supervised room, plus another written exam, and performed a group task under observation. Stage 3 was a formal interview. I didn't get to stage 4, but I believe it involved a pre prepared presentation. I imagine this competition will be broadly similar.

Armaghmagic

Thanks Donkey,

Also is there an Irish test as part of the recruitment process?

donkey_kong

Armaghmagic wrote: »

Thanks Donkey,

Also is there an Irish test as part of the recruitment process?

Only if you elect to go for the Irish stream.

Mac0783

Has anyone heard about aptitude test? Emails are meant to issue by tomorrow, they're hardly all being left until the last day?

The_Conductor

Mac0783 wrote: »

Has anyone heard about aptitude test? Emails are meant to issue by tomorrow, they're hardly all being left until the last day?

Check your Publicjobs.ie inbox regularly- it can take the e-mail about a new message- a day or even more, to be sent out (honestly- if they used carrier pidgeons they'd be faster- I don't know what they use as a mail server- but I suspect its something that pre-dates Vax machines........)

That said- I've just checked my Publicjobs Inbox- and there is nothing there..........

lauras91

Just received a message - got a text to check publicjobs

keepkeyyellow

Just got the details regarding the aptitude tests. Just timed verbal and math and a questionnaire. Should be fine. We'll have the actual exam by Friday to be completed by next Wednesday.

mamaheidi

Great timing... I'm 4 days overdue with my baby and will have to spend the weekend swatting up for these tests ;-) Somehow I don't think I'll be getting a job out of this

Reginald P. DuM

And where would one swat for these tests?

Sisyphus Mark II

Is there sample aptitude tests online or on public jobs .ie? I know that there was a preparation course for Garda aptitude tests. This in my opinion defeats the purpose. But you'll need to do preparation if everybody else is. The logical tests for Garda recruitment were simply impossible! So where do you prepare for these tests?

keepkeyyellow

Sisyphus Mark II wrote: »

Is there sample aptitude tests online or on public jobs .ie? I know that there was a preparation course for Garda aptitude tests. This in my opinion defeats the purpose. But you'll need to do preparation if everybody else is. The logical tests for Garda recruitment were simply impossible! So where do you prepare for these tests?

At the bottom of the pdf there's a link to sample tests

Sisyphus Mark II

keepkeyyellow wrote: »

At the bottom of the pdf there's a link to sample tests

I know for a fact that these samples are insufficient preparation to score well on the test. The aptitude tests are quite difficult and will put you under significant time pressure. I also know that there are better examples of aptitude tests out there if anyone would like to divulge their locations.

Armaghmagic

Did everyone get an email today with the actual tests on it? Is there another email we are to get?

Sisyphus Mark II

Got a link to the tests today, yes. I'd imagine that's all we will be sent for the moment.

Armaghmagic

I have to wait until I can use the girlfriends Mac on Sunday as I dont trust the work computers nor do I trust my dodgy laptop.......has anyone done it yet?

The_Conductor

Armaghmagic wrote: »

I have to wait until I can use the girlfriends Mac on Sunday as I dont trust the work computers nor do I trust my dodgy laptop.......has anyone done it yet?

Make sure it has an up-to-date version of Flash (as per the instructions).
Our work PCs don't have Flash (at all)- so they're out of the question........

Reginald P. DuM

So have we all brushed up on our domestic demand of steel for year 4?!! 100% of me has. Seems way too straightforward tho. I expect a hitch when I sit this tomorrow.

Sisyphus Mark II

Reginald P. DuM wrote: »

So have we all brushed up on our domestic demand of steel for year 4?!! 100% of me has. Seems way too straightforward tho. I expect a hitch when I sit this tomorrow.

The real test is much harder 36 questions in 30 min and u need to use calc for a lot of them.

Reginald P. DuM

Sisyphus Mark II wrote: »

The real test is much harder 36 questions in 30 min and u need to use calc for a lot of them.

I predict a headache..

billyhead

Did anyone do stage 1 today. It consisted of 3 parts. The first 2 parts were rate yourself under different choices i.e being a good leader etc and the 3rd part was a job scenario exercise were you choose between 5 options as to what you would do when confronted with a work task i.e choosing between bag to acceptable/good etc. Was there a verbal and numerical reasoning test which I should have got to do aswell? When I submitted the 3 part I thought it was finished

Reginald P. DuM

billyhead wrote: »

Did anyone do stage 1 today. It consisted of 3 parts. The first 2 parts were rate yourself under different choices i.e being a good leader etc and the 3rd part was a job scenario exercise were you choose between 5 options as to what you would do when confronted with a work task i.e choosing between bag to acceptable/good etc. Was there a verbal and numerical reasoning test which I should have got to do aswell? When I submitted the 3 part I thought it was finished

I'd say you blew it Billy did ya!!? My understanding is 3 parts, 1 is verbal test, taking 24 mins, 2 is the maths one, also 24 mins, and finally a general one with no actual time limit just a guide of 40 mins..

The_Conductor

The third part is on an entirely different website- PAS have the testing outsourced to two different parties. If you read your message- you'll see it has two separate links that you have to go to- it sounds like Billy have done part 3, but not parts 1 and 2 yet.........

Georgie Berkeley

Sisyphus Mark II wrote: »

I know for a fact that these samples are insufficient preparation to score well on the test. The aptitude tests are quite difficult and will put you under significant time pressure. I also know that there are better examples of aptitude tests out there if anyone would like to divulge their locations.

That's a very good point, and it's one I'd like to echo, having spent days looking for suitable practice material in the run up to a similar test last March. At that time I was working as a TCO, and many of my colleagues, all of whom were permanent, were swotting for a variation of the same test; yet none was prepared to reveal the source of his/her study material, even when pressed - "there's loads of stuff on the Internet" was the stock response. I suppose the bottom line is (to state the bloody obvious) that competitions are competitive, and if one has a competitive edge, it would be foolish to give it away.

Reginald P. DuM

Did mine earlier today.. Was ok now, few hairy moments where guess work was needed, most 50/50 some pure random due to timer. Its just annoying more than difficult...