Clerical Officer 2020

GeorgeVictor

I got a call on Christmas Eve from HR. I was told my start date would be on the 11th of January and they would contact me after Christmas to arrange final details. Well, I am a little bit afraid with the current Covid restrictions they might postponed it. Hopefully not!
Does anyone due to start next week have any further information regardless of the Department ?

abbeybella

telebingo94 wrote: »

Starting a CO position in the Dept of Children & Youth Affairs, and have just been informed I’ll be working from home for the foreseeable. Not sure how this will work with regards to training/ induction etc but will see how it goes. Looking forward to it.

Congratulations and best of luck. Do you mind me enquiring roughly your OOM? I passed my interview back in November and just wondering where they are in Dublin, thanks🙂

telebingo94

abbeybella wrote: »

Congratulations and best of luck. Do you mind me enquiring roughly your OOM? I passed my interview back in November and just wondering where they are in Dublin, thanks🙂

Thanks, I am (or was) batch 15, OOM in the 60’s.

EmmetWhitey

the competition is every 2 years

Tashajulia1993

abbeybella wrote: »

Congratulations and best of luck. Do you mind me enquiring roughly your OOM? I passed my interview back in November and just wondering where they are in Dublin, thanks🙂

Passed my interview in november too, I am batch 16 OOM 28 and there is 12 people ahead of me which would mean they are currently on batch 16 OOM 16 in dublin 😀

Sweetiesloth

I emailed PAS today: Limerick OOM 25 and Clare OOM 11 - it has been slow movement but at least it has moved along.

tiny14

Sweetiesloth wrote: »

I emailed PAS today: Limerick OOM 25 and Clare OOM 11 - it has been slow movement but at least it has moved along.

Thanks for the info was going to mail them im just over 100 on panel for limerick & tbh i cant see myself even getting interview but at least its moved a small bit but with things getting worse with covid its hard to see much more happening but still ypu never no & thanks again

celticbest

GeorgeVictor wrote: »

I got a call on Christmas Eve from HR. I was told my start date would be on the 11th of January and they would contact me after Christmas to arrange final details. Well, I am a little bit afraid with the current Covid restrictions they might postponed it. Hopefully not!
Does anyone due to start next week have any further information regardless of the Department ?

Got a phone call on the 23rd of Nov. from my assigned Dept. to know if I could wait until after Xmas to start, they said they'll contact me the 1st week of Jan so hoping to hear my start date & location by the end of this week.

Is anyone else in a similar position?

Belle23

I have my interview later this week, would anyone have any advice please.

I have done one interview in my life and am in my present job 17 years.

I am covering the competencies, finding it a bit hard to give multiple examples as have worked with the same people more or less for so long..

Do they ask personal questions?

Thanks again

Eco22

Summer111 wrote: »

That’s fantastic, congratulations, best of luck!!
Do you know if you’ll be based in the office or will you have a chance to work from home some days with the Covid restrictions in place.

I'm haven't heard anything so assume I go in on Monday. Not sure with AGS if working from home is a possibility even taking into account current situation. Hopefully find out more on Monday

Samuel T. Cogley

Belle23 wrote: »

I have my interview later this week, would anyone have any advice please.

I have done one interview in my life and am in my present job 17 years.

I am covering the competencies, finding it a bit hard to give multiple examples as have worked with the same people more or less for so long..

Do they ask personal questions?

Thanks again

They will stick to the competencies and don't worry if they cut you off, that simply means you've answered the question to their satisfaction.

Samuel T. Cogley

Eco22 wrote: »

I'm haven't heard anything so assume I go in on Monday. Not sure with AGS if working from home is a possibility even taking into account current situation. Hopefully find out more on Monday

New starts probably won't be WFH for a while. Members are obviously in but Staff tend to be working on rotation.

Sweetiesloth

tiny14 wrote: »

Thanks for the info was going to mail them im just over 100 on panel for limerick & tbh i cant see myself even getting interview but at least its moved a small bit but with things getting worse with covid its hard to see much more happening but still ypu never no & thanks again

God only knows as Limerick is very slow compared to other counties which I am a bit surprised with. Good luck and hope you will be called sometime in the future.

sineadglam

Congratulations and best of luck in your new position. All training is done online now as far as I know.

You'll be in the office to sign the mountain of paperwork required when you start off and after that online training. I suppose if they assess your suitability for work at home (Internet speed etc) it's a possibility you'll be asked to work from home otherwise a lot of CO's continuing to work in offices. It really depends on the nature of the work.

Red Honeysuckle

EmmetWhitey wrote: »

the competition is every 2 years

Have they clarified this, as information pack said it was a year this time so May end.

shmeee

Red Honeysuckle wrote: »

Have they clarified this, as information pack said it was a year this time so May end.

The current panel is a 1 year panel.

As per the information booklet:

General Information
Appointments from Panels

It is envisaged that a panel of qualified individuals will be established from which vacancies may be filled. If a candidate is offered and accepts a position, they must be available to take up that position within a reasonable time frame. Qualification and placement on a panel is not a guarantee of appointment to a position. Please note that once an offer of appointment has been accepted a candidate will be removed from the panel and no further offers of appointment will be made. It is not envisaged that appointments will be made from this competition after May 2021.



*with the way the last year went, you wouldn't know if they would extend that date or not.

ellejay

Belle23 wrote: »

I have my interview later this week, would anyone have any advice please.

I have done one interview in my life and am in my present job 17 years.

I am covering the competencies, finding it a bit hard to give multiple examples as have worked with the same people more or less for so long..

Do they ask personal questions?

Thanks again

If you Google "star" interview responses you might find that helpful.
A lot of the websites give sample questions.
Sit down with a pen and paper and have two answers for each questions, learn them and have them ready to roll off your tongue.

An example interview question might be Give us an example that you improved your workplace. Or give us an example of a project you undertook.
If you were to just say "I revamped our website" that wouldn't be what they're looking for.
If you applied the star format it'd be something like
Situation: I recognised the requirement for our website to be updated when customers commented about lack of information and volume of calls increased.
Task: I undertook to renew the website, got quotes, sourced samples, hired media company.
Action: Be able to speak about going live with the job (website) and what was involved.
Result: Be able to speak about positive benefits of your task (new website) eg lesser volume of calls, easier to navigate, increase in online sales.

They won't ask personal questions like are you married, they can't by law.

They might ask something like Tell us about a time you didn't get on with a colleague or Tell us about a time you disagreed with your supervisors decision.
Another question might be tell us about a customer complaint.
Just write out the answers in Star format and remember them well.

They might also ask you questions to get an understanding of how computer literate you are.
Have some answers / situations ready to show that you can create a word document to type letters. Create a folder. Create and use a spreadsheet.Create emails and attach documents.

Have a practise with someone for your online interview.
Check internet speed / microphone etc.
It can be hard to not lean into the monitor.
And try to look at the camera rather than the screen.
Don't fidget with a pen or paper, if you were sitting in an interview room you wouldn't do that.
Although I imagine they take that into consideration.

The interview only lasts about 20 mins to half hour and it goes by very quickly.
Hope that helps

toyoct20065

How long after receiving assignment notice from PAS should I expect to hear from the HR department from the assigned office? Received assignment notice yesterday. Just curious as to hear how long I might be waiting for a start date.

Tashajulia1993

Just been offered a position with AGS delighted as it's what I wanted. Have been informed vetting can take 16-18 weeks. Happy all the same.

sineadglam

Tashajulia1993 wrote: »

Just been offered a position with AGS delighted as it's what I wanted. Have been informed vetting can take 16-18 weeks. Happy all the same.

I'd love AGS - congratulations

Can I ask your Panel number and OOM please - my TCO position is due to end soon and I'm hoping to be offered soon (I'm 16 oom58).

Tashajulia1993

sineadglam wrote: »

I'd love AGS - congratulations

Can I ask your Panel number and OOM please - my TCO position is due to end soon and I'm hoping to be offered soon (I'm 16 oom58).

I was batch 16 OOM 28 I reckon you will be offered in the next couple of months, theyve got through 12 people since jan 4th

Sarah Elizabeth29

sineadglam wrote: »

I'd love AGS - congratulations

Can I ask your Panel number and OOM please - my TCO position is due to end soon and I'm hoping to be offered soon (I'm 16 oom58).

Hi, I’m 16 oom 49 ! I wonder how long it will be until we are called very exciting

Jd292190

Sarah Elizabeth29 wrote: »

Hi, I’m 16 oom 49 ! I wonder how long it will be until we are called very exciting

I’m in the 30s and have been contacted for vetting / references so hopefully you won’t be too long waiting :-)

Sarah Elizabeth29

Jd292190 wrote: »

I’m in the 30s and have been contacted for vetting / references so hopefully you won’t be too long waiting :-)

Oh wow thanks for that !
Goodluck with new job

Tashajulia1993

Does anyone know what the dress code may be for CO in AGS? I've read in some departments it's quite casual but I would imagine a little more formal for AGS.. if anyone could help that would be amazing thanks

tritriagain

Tashajulia1993 wrote: »

Does anyone know what the dress code may be for CO in AGS? I've read in some departments it's quite casual but I would imagine a little more formal for AGS.. if anyone could help that would be amazing thanks

You should be given a contact. Pop them an email and ask for some guidance on dress code.

Jessie2487

Tashajulia1993 wrote: »

Does anyone know what the dress code may be for CO in AGS? I've read in some departments it's quite casual but I would imagine a little more formal for AGS.. if anyone could help that would be amazing thanks

I’ve a family member in that department, put it this way I’ve never seen him go in in a suit nor a tracksuit, smart casual seems to be the daily work wear :-)

Tashajulia1993

Jessie2487 wrote: »

I’ve a family member in that department, put it this way I’ve never seen him go in in a suit nor a tracksuit, smart casual seems to be the daily work wear :-)

Thank you so much, very helpful I appreciate it

TrishaK

Has anyone been called off the leitrim panel lately?

Samuel T. Cogley

Tashajulia1993 wrote: »

Does anyone know what the dress code may be for CO in AGS? I've read in some departments it's quite casual but I would imagine a little more formal for AGS.. if anyone could help that would be amazing thanks

The handbook suggests something more on the formal side of things. However jeans etc are listed as acceptable. My advice is start a bit more formal and dress down if appropriate. Some HEOs/APs/Supers appreciate a little more formality, others couldn't give two hoots.

In the office I worked in COs would wear anything form a shirt and tie to smart jeans and non-branded sweatshirts. The women tended to be a bit smarter dressed than the lads but there was a slightly older age profile.