NEW 2018 Assistant Principal Officer Competition

APcomp

HannahR31 wrote: »

Re Batch 1.2: on the 8th of January they said "it is anticipated that the second round of interviews will be held at some stage in February for candidates that have selected Dublin, Kildare and Meath and have met the qualifying standard in the previous round of verification".

So this is people who have done the supervised tests, and qualified but were shy of the cut off for the first round of interviews.

I would be interested if anyone has been on to them more recently though as their estimate may be better informed now.

I just rang them about 1.2 and they were giving nothing away! She said they are working on what they have at the moment and will re-assess then where they are at and what requests they have from Departments, before deciding what they will be doing next. Not what I was hoping to hear and not the impression I was given when speaking to them last month!

PhoenixParker

Current status of competition:

Stage 4: awaiting a job

Batch 1.1 Dublin: Completely qualified candidates on a panel of unknown size who have complete all steps and are awaiting offers. I'd estimate 100-150 of 150-200 interviewed.

Stage 3: Supervised testing complete & awaiting interview

Batch 1.2 Dublin: completed supervised testing and qualified to proceed. 349 (of 750ish originally) candidates were offered supervised testing and approx 150-200 were interviewed already. This is those remaining and is a small group.

Estimated interview date was originally January but is most likely by end of Feb.

Stage 2: Shortlisting & supervised testing
Batch 1.1 Regional - a group of 200-250 people who only put regional locations down. Awaiting shortlisting and supervised tests. Would expect a next stage to be imminent. At a guess shortlisting is quietly proceeding in the background.

Stage 1: passed stage 1 testing

Batch 2 - anyone with a score below 114 on the first stage tests. Currently awaiting shortlisting. Dublin candidates up to ? Oom likely to be shortlisted by end Feb

APcomp

PhoenixParker wrote: »

Current status of competition:

Stage 4: awaiting a job

Batch 1.1 Dublin: Completely qualified candidates on a panel of unknown size who have complete all steps and are awaiting offers. I'd estimate 100-150 of 150-200 interviewed.

Stage 3: Supervised testing complete & awaiting interview

Batch 1.2 Dublin: completed supervised testing and qualified to proceed. 349 (of 750ish originally) candidates were offered supervised testing and approx 150-200 were interviewed already. This is those remaining and is a small group.

Estimated interview date was originally January but is most likely by end of Feb.

Stage 2: Shortlisting & supervised testing
Batch 1.1 Regional - a group of 200-250 people who only put regional locations down. Awaiting shortlisting and supervised tests. Would expect a next stage to be imminent. At a guess shortlisting is quietly proceeding in the background.

Stage 1: passed stage 1 testing

Batch 2 - anyone with a score below 114 on the first stage tests. Currently awaiting shortlisting. Dublin candidates up to ? Oom likely to be shortlisted by end Feb

In relation to the regionals, if they are only starting to shortlist those now, and then have to bring them in to the do the supervised tests before they can call any of those forward for interview, there's a good chance they would want to interview those at the same time as batch 1.2, which means us on 1.2 could be waiting quite a while yet for the call to be interviewed! ?? weeks to finish shortlisting of application forms and issue the results, 2 weeks notice for the supervised tests, a week to issue the results, 2 weeks notice for interview - at least 6 weeks away at best if they decide to interview the regionals and 1.2 (Dublin) together!

minky123

Hi all,

Ive an offer I am not that keen on, I am mulling it over and wonder if you guys know:

1. is it usual/acceptable to ask to meet your boss before making a decision or meeting a colleague in the same role?

2. Are there any circumstances in which you can get another offer?

3. How long does one have to serve before you could apply for other jobs within the civil service?

Many thanks!

JackReacher1980

minky123 wrote: »

Hi all,

Ive an offer I am not that keen on, I am mulling it over and wonder if you guys know:

1. is it usual/acceptable to ask to meet your boss before making a decision or meeting a colleague in the same role?

2. Are there any circumstances in which you can get another offer?

3. How long does one have to serve before you could apply for other jobs within the civil service?

Many thanks!

Hi, I was in the same boat as you two weeks ago. I decided to just go for it, as sometimes the things you don’t ask for seem to be the best for you. The dept I am due to join contacted me and gave me details of the role, so i’m happy enough. I think you need to do your years probation before you can even apply for transfer

tea and coffee

On #2. If you are on Interdepartmental and Open panels, and have been offered on Inter D, you could turn that down and wait for Open offer. That would be the last offer though.

minky123

tea and coffee wrote: »

On #2. If you are on Interdepartmental and Open panels, and have been offered on Inter D, you could turn that down and wait for Open offer. That would be the last offer though.

Just on the open... any chance of another offer?

JackReacher1980

minky123 wrote: »

Just on the open... any chance of another offer?

I don’t think so

HannahR31

minky123 wrote: »

Just on the open... any chance of another offer?

Very unlikely - I've heard of it happening once or twice but at their behest, not the applicant's (as in "We've offered you X, but Y now urgently needs someone, would you go there instead?").

PCX

minky123 wrote: »

Hi all,

Ive an offer I am not that keen on, I am mulling it over and wonder if you guys know:

2. Are there any circumstances in which you can get another offer?

Another thing to consider is that if you put more than one location on your application you can reject an offer based on location.
ie if you put Dublin and Kildare on your application you could turn down a Dublin offer and still remain on the panel for Kildare.
I am assuming the offer you got is for Dublin and if so it is a dangerous game to hold out for an offer in another county as most of the jobs will be Dublin based.

Megidje

minky123 wrote: »

Hi all,

Ive an offer I am not that keen on, I am mulling it over and wonder if you guys know:

1. is it usual/acceptable to ask to meet your boss before making a decision or meeting a colleague in the same role?

2. Are there any circumstances in which you can get another offer?

3. How long does one have to serve before you could apply for other jobs within the civil service?

Many thanks!

For what it's worth I was previously told that it would not be appropriate to make any contact with a boss at the new post until after clearance has been completed.
Any harm in asking where on Order of Merit you were placed?

rcard

Megidje wrote: »

For what it's worth I was previously told that it would not be appropriate to make any contact with a boss at the new post until after clearance has been completed.
Any harm in asking where on Order of Merit you were placed?

Thanks - clearance is complete.
Top 10

Addle

I've known a prospective AP to visit an office before deciding on taking a job.
They didn't take it!

Chomper57

I am in Dublin 1.2 batch and just called for mid February for interview

CBCB

Ditto !

HannahR31

Same! Anyone who did the first batch of interviews - were there any questions that really threw you? I think I have a pretty exhaustive list of normal interview questions but I'm wondering if anyone came on some surprises.

PhoenixParker

Delighted for ye. Good luck.

Fingers crossed for regional shortlisting to folliw shortly.

chrismean

Anyone else have success asking for an interview re-schedule - e.g., to a future batch?

TaurenDruid

chrismean wrote: »

Anyone else have success asking for an interview re-schedule - e.g., to a future batch?

Not tried for an interview but I did get my supervised tests and e-tray deferred - PAS had no problem with it.

HannahR31

chrismean wrote: »

Anyone else have success asking for an interview re-schedule - e.g., to a future batch?

It says in their message that re-schedule requests won't be considered but all they can say is no so I don't see the harm in emailing.

ahnoyouregrand

chrismean wrote: »

Anyone else have success asking for an interview re-schedule - e.g., to a future batch?

Im fairly sure i read about it happening on the thread for the last comp...

JackReacher1980

ahnoyouregrand wrote: »

Im fairly sure i read about it happening on the thread for the last comp...

As soon as I found out we were being called for interview (they told us the week of interview so before giving actual dates), I emailed and asked for the latest date, as I am posted abroad. They were very accommodating. Also, I know someone who made it past shortlisting in batch 1.1, but was on holidays for supervised tests, so was able to go into next batch

PhoenixParker

My impression (from personal experience on a non AP comp) is that they don't "reschedule". They can only interview you when interviews are taking place for other candidates.

They will (usually?) however include you in the next batch albeit reluctantly. You are taking the risk that there will be no next batch.

LORDLEPRECHAUN

May I ask, does anyone know how many were brought to interview before Xmas? And from that how many were put on the panel?

Fredddy

Question for the 1.1 batch outside of serving civil servants (if any) who have been made offers of an actual placement to date. Is your current employer contacted for a reference in advance of offering you a position or is the current employer contacted only if you have not worked for any other company over the past 3 years?

Max Mustermann

LORDLEPRECHAUN wrote: »

May I ask, does anyone know how many were brought to interview before Xmas? And from that how many were put on the panel?

Around 160 were interviewed for batch 1.1 (Dublin +). The highest panel position mentioned was in the 40s but I guess there must be at least twice that.

BobCat123

For those called for 1.2 batch. Would you mind saying what number you came after the first round of tests,just want an idea of how many people they’ve worked through. Thanks

AndrewJRenko

Fredddy wrote: »

Question for the 1.1 batch outside of serving civil servants (if any) who have been made offers of an actual placement to date. Is your current employer contacted for a reference in advance of offering you a position or is the current employer contacted only if you have not worked for any other company over the past 3 years?

From a previous competition, they did require a reference from the current employer before confirming you for the post. A decent HR manager arranged mine without involving my line manager at the time.

minky123

hi Fredddy and AndrewJ
The request for my current employers reference happens in clearance - so before you know what the job is!

minky123

Does anyone know - is Justice considered internal (for potential transfers) if you are in the Court Service?