NEW 2020 Assistant Principal Officer Competition

Sammy96

griffid wrote: »

Is there anyone else here who moved location since applying for this and now the choice of region doesn't suit anymore? Covid opportunity was too good to pass up.

Hi griffid!! I'll send you a PM

tap28

I contacted PAS to see where in total I was on the list.

They stated - we have contacted all candidates from the previous AP2020 Dublin batch

griffid

Any tips for this video interview please?

Mbwb

griffid wrote: »

Any tips for this video interview please?

For each of the competencies, I gave a brief summary at the beginning of each with about five examples of say leadership: I led a team of 7 on .... just a sentence for each, then went straight into a more detailed example using STAR. I practiced by recording myself by video, to get each example down to less than three minutes and to make sure I was looking at the camera. On the day, two of my examples were about 2½ mins and the other one was just inside the 3 mins. I had notes in front of me as well to prompt me. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

griffid

Mbwb wrote: »

For each of the competencies, I gave a brief summary at the beginning of each with about five examples of say leadership: I led a team of 7 on .... just a sentence for each, then went straight into a more detailed example using STAR. I practiced by recording myself by video, to get each example down to less than three minutes and to make sure I was looking at the camera. On the day, two of my examples were about 2½ mins and the other one was just inside the 3 mins. I had notes in front of me as well to prompt me. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

Thanks for the tips, that’s great info. My AP was telling me to stick to the examples I used on my form. She didn’t seem to agree that the form being a year old mattered?

Mbwb

griffid wrote: »

Thanks for the tips, that’s great info. My AP was telling me to stick to the examples I used on my form. She didn’t seem to agree that the form being a year old mattered?

I didn't use the examples on my form, it was so long ago and I think I had come up with better examples by then. You just need to demonstrate your competencies, look at the AP framework and make sure you are hitting the sub-competencies under each competency. You will be recording your answers online, no-one will be asking you any questions or your form, so if you feel you have better examples now than your form, I would definitely use them instead.

They will refer to your form briefly at the final interview, just to ask you about your work background, they didn't really refer to my form again, apart ask me about my degree and I used my examples from the video interview for my final interview, (not the ones on my form)

lucat

Mbwb wrote: »

For each of the competencies, I gave a brief summary at the beginning of each with about five examples of say leadership: I led a team of 7 on .... just a sentence for each, then went straight into a more detailed example using STAR. I practiced by recording myself by video, to get each example down to less than three minutes and to make sure I was looking at the camera. On the day, two of my examples were about 2½ mins and the other one was just inside the 3 mins. I had notes in front of me as well to prompt me. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

Thanks for that. What Batch were you in, do you mind me asking?

For anyone wondering, I think they use these video interviews to avoid having to read all the applications, for what it's worth. They're a time saving device.

griffid

Mbwb wrote: »

I didn't use the examples on my form, it was so long ago and I think I had come up with better examples by then. You just need to demonstrate your competencies, look at the AP framework and make sure you are hitting the sub-competencies under each competency. You will be recording your answers online, no-one will be asking you any questions or your form, so if you feel you have better examples now than your form, I would definitely use them instead.

They will refer to your form briefly at the final interview, just to ask you about your work background, they didn't really refer to my form again, apart ask me about my degree and I used my examples from the video interview for my final interview, (not the ones on my form)

I think that’s what I’ll do too. I definitely have stronger examples now and all my experience with interviews and training has always been to have more examples prepared than just what’s on your form.

Thanks again!

Mbwb

lucat wrote: »

Thanks for that. What Batch were you in, do you mind me asking?

For anyone wondering, I think they use these video interviews to avoid having to read all the applications, for what it's worth. They're a time saving device.

Batch 4. I did my interview on 1 March and we were informed of our interview results last Thursday, after they had completed the interviews. Just to give a timeline from my batch, I did the online video 10 January, etray 4 February and interview 1 March,.

Also if you are doing the online video, look back through this thread on tips, there is lots of good advice.

sunny7700

From reading this thread, Just wondering if everyone who scored 107 and above has been called accross all counties? Or is it only select counties.

I'm in the low 100's and looking for regional, with a year left on this competition, what are the chances of another batch being called?

lucat

griffid wrote: »

I think that’s what I’ll do too. I definitely have stronger examples now and all my experience with interviews and training has always been to have more examples prepared than just what’s on your form.

Thanks again!

I've been on a career break since 2019 so I don't have many more examples!

Irishder

Just called for stage 4 interview next week.

FlexBrowne

Just got called for Stage 4 Interview for March 29th. I have Waterford and Wexford as choices as far as I can remember. A long process!

big big loader

Is that Regional - which counties?

caarp

FlexBrowne wrote: »

Just got called for Stage 4 Interview for March 29th. I have Waterford and Wexford as choices as far as I can remember. A long process!

Would you be willing to let me know what your OOM was after the testing stage? Trying to figure out if I have any chance of being called to the next stage.

FlexBrowne

caarp wrote: »

Would you be willing to let me know what your OOM was after the testing stage? Trying to figure out if I have any chance of being called to the next stage.

Hi. In the Open comp I was 356 and 237 in the Interdepartmental. That was in July 2020

FlexBrowne

big big loader wrote: »

Is that Regional - which counties?

Waterford & Wexford

dee75

FlexBrowne wrote: »

Waterford & Wexford

I'm in the 2nd regional batch just now called for Stage 2 recorded video interview, and my counties are Kildare and Wexford.

It's interesting to hear that candidates from the 1st regional batch are only now being brought for final interview. I had assumed a regional panel was already in place, as the 2018 panel expired 31 October gone (I was on it but didn't get placed).

Best of luck with the interview.

avocado123

Hi, does anyone have advice about *which competency* is being mainly asked for under each of the 3 questions for the video interview?

Questions 1 & 2 both mention leadership, and questions 2 & 3 both mention delivery of results. Not sure whether to try and hit a bunch of the competencies under each Q, or treat each question as if it's asking about one of the competencies. Any views?

Good luck to anyone doing their video interview this week!

PhoenixParker

Ive been working on the assumption it’s leadership for the first, management for the second, analysis & decision making for the third with communication across the three.

Mbwb

PhoenixParker wrote: »

Ive been working on the assumption it’s leadership for the first, management for the second, analysis & decision making for the third with communication across the three.

Yes your assumption is correct

griffid

Just did the 3 recordings. Flippin hell! Anyone else on an OGCIO laptop? Stupid firewall blocked the recording. I was all set and ready to get it done when the other half was out for a run and I knew I'd have a quiet house. Instead, had to wait to get access to their laptop so that I could do the test! Ended up feeling really stressed and wound up before starting cos I'm supposed to be studying for an exam and this was eating into my time. My heart was pounding and my nerves were showing through my speech. BTW I blatantly read off my script on the screen. I figure they've given us time to prepare, they must expect that we'll read our answers.

I'm not impressed OGCIO. Not impressed.

lucat

griffid wrote: »

Just did the 3 recordings. Flippin hell! Anyone else on an OGCIO laptop? Stupid firewall blocked the recording. I was all set and ready to get it done when the other half was out for a run and I knew I'd have a quiet house. Instead, had to wait to get access to their laptop so that I could do the test! Ended up feeling really stressed and wound up before starting cos I'm supposed to be studying for an exam and this was eating into my time. My heart was pounding and my nerves were showing through my speech. BTW I blatantly read off my script on the screen. I figure they've given us time to prepare, they must expect that we'll read our answers.

I'm not impressed OGCIO. Not impressed.

A couple of years ago I decided to do one of these tests on my work computer, but of course there was some kind of firewall that blocked javascript (or something) and I wasn't able to see the text of the verbal reasoning properly. I was so annoyed but now I know not to do it on a secure network!

I'm not going to be able to spend any time on this on Sunday, because I've a family thing that day. It's basically going to be prepared and done tomorrow or Monday, so I'm trying to plan my time management now. How long did everyone take to prepare and what did you do? Did you re-write your examples/come up with entirely new ones etc.? I'm not sure if I have the time to draft new examples from scratch...

griffid

lucat wrote: »

A couple of years ago I decided to do one of these tests on my work computer, but of course there was some kind of firewall that blocked javascript (or something) and I wasn't able to see the text of the verbal reasoning properly. I was so annoyed but now I know not to do it on a secure network!

I'm not going to be able to spend any time on this on Sunday, because I've a family thing that day. It's basically going to be prepared and done tomorrow or Monday, so I'm trying to plan my time management now. How long did everyone take to prepare and what did you do? Did you re-write your examples/come up with entirely new ones etc.? I'm not sure if I have the time to draft new examples from scratch...

I rewrote 2 examples to make them suitable for speech and for the time limit (bout 450 words) and wrote a new example for one. Took longer than I expected but mostly because I find it hard not to be too wordy.

quad_red

griffid wrote: »

Just did the 3 recordings. Flippin hell! Anyone else on an OGCIO laptop? Stupid firewall blocked the recording. I was all set and ready to get it done when the other half was out for a run and I knew I'd have a quiet house. Instead, had to wait to get access to their laptop so that I could do the test! Ended up feeling really stressed and wound up before starting cos I'm supposed to be studying for an exam and this was eating into my time. My heart was pounding and my nerves were showing through my speech. BTW I blatantly read off my script on the screen. I figure they've given us time to prepare, they must expect that we'll read our answers.

I'm not impressed OGCIO. Not impressed.

To be fair - it’s not the OGCIOs job to ensure compatibility with what is to all intents and purposes an external job application platform. The PAS material repeatedly warns not to use work devices as there are likely to be issues.

But I feel for ye.

griffid

quad_red wrote: »

To be fair - it’s not the OGCIOs job to ensure compatibility with what is to all intents and purposes an external job application platform. The PAS material repeatedly warns not to use work devices as there are likely to be issues.

But I feel for ye.

Thanks, I get ya. My phone screen is smashed and I’ve sellotape over it so my microphone is blocked. Was the laptop or nada. Until the runner came home so I could use the other laptop in the house anyway!!! ‘Tis alright. I’m over it now. It’ll be something I can blame when I fail. “Wasn’t my fault, I swear! It was the fright I got doing it that ruined me.”

lucat

This statement is freaking me out: "Please note that one of the questions you will be asked relates to your management experience at an appropriate senior level, including your experience of leading teams and managing resources. Due to the importance of this area in the Assistant Principal Officer role, if you are deemed not to meet the standard on the basis of the answer provided in this area, the remainder of your video interview will not be reviewed or assessed." I assume they're referring to Q1?

griffid

lucat wrote: »

This statement is freaking me out: "Please note that one of the questions you will be asked relates to your management experience at an appropriate senior level, including your experience of leading teams and managing resources. Due to the importance of this area in the Assistant Principal Officer role, if you are deemed not to meet the standard on the basis of the answer provided in this area, the remainder of your video interview will not be reviewed or assessed." I assume they're referring to Q1?

I was freaked by that too. I’d it’s question 1 I’m decked cos I was a nervous wreck!!!

PhoenixParker

lucat wrote: »

This statement is freaking me out: "Please note that one of the questions you will be asked relates to your management experience at an appropriate senior level, including your experience of leading teams and managing resources. Due to the importance of this area in the Assistant Principal Officer role, if you are deemed not to meet the standard on the basis of the answer provided in this area, the remainder of your video interview will not be reviewed or assessed." I assume they're referring to Q1?

Question 2 specifically says management experience and leading teams in the wording.

dee75

lucat wrote: »

This statement is freaking me out: "Please note that one of the questions you will be asked relates to your management experience at an appropriate senior level, including your experience of leading teams and managing resources. Due to the importance of this area in the Assistant Principal Officer role, if you are deemed not to meet the standard on the basis of the answer provided in this area, the remainder of your video interview will not be reviewed or assessed." I assume they're referring to Q1?

I was thinking it was more likely Q.2