2020 Executive Officer Civil Service

rostalof

GMurdoch wrote: »

Is your application confidential! Or is it disclosed to your employer, that is if you are currently a CO do PAS let your department know you've applied.

Yes it's confidential, but you are expected as a serving civil servant to apply for promotional competitions, so it shouldn't be an issue. In fact, your department is obliged to give you interview leave for any time off you need to attend/participate in assessments or interviews for civil service job competitions if you are a serving civil servant. This is confirmed on the PeoplePoint 'Leave' webpage. You should also be aware, that if your department will be hiring from the panels formed from the competition that you are participating in, they are obliged to follow standard T&A guidelines i.e. if you have to travel to assessments or interviews, you are entitled to be paid expenses and allocated travel time. Obviously in the current climate there is no travel to and from interviews so the T&A element isn't relevant but the leave entitlement still stands.

job seeker

allabella wrote: »

The problem is I don’t know how to get to the answer even when I look at the correct answer! Im in my 40’s and it’s been so long since I had to do any kind of maths. I’m not dull, if I was taught it I could get it ��

Ah, I see! I know, I'm not saying you are! I am the very same with maths anyway! The maths can be tricky in these competitions! Best of luck anyway!

redmgar

Mike Foxtrot wrote: »

In preparation for the Assessment Questionnaire: Here a few questions to warm people up (COVID-19 Edition):

Describe yourself:




Describe your ideal jobs:

Always find these questions hard to answer, would you put that you like to keep a professional distance?

Dublintigger

allabella wrote: »

I got the EO Preparation course from a certain online college, it arrived by post. I thought that it would teach me how to complete the questions and show how to work out the numerical reasoning. I also thought that it would give me pointers on stage 1. So disappointing. It’s just practice tests that I could get online for free. No tips on anything. Waste of €138

Oh flip.... I've just bought that pack 🙄
Practice and more practice I guess....

hillbloom

Is everybody practicing the Numerical, Verbal & Simulation questions already. I better start!!!

gestappo

hillbloom wrote: »

Is everybody practicing the Numerical, Verbal & Simulation questions already. I better start!!!

You loads of time. The situational assesment will be first.

Samuel T. Cogley

Know how to calculate percentage and how to interpret charts is a start. The percentage calculations are pretty complicated so make sure to practice questions which involve a number changing and how that effects the answer.

Cherry pick your questions and give yourself a few seconds at the end to answer C to any you didnt get to.

trafficlight

Anyone have any advice on how we can prepare for the situational assessment?

Dalio

trafficlight wrote: »

Anyone have any advice on how we can prepare for the situational assessment?

Practice - go online and Google practice tests and use the ones on public jobs

Dalio

Any sign of the link for the tests the booklet said from August -10th maybe tomorrow they like Thursdays for some reason any idea?

Govannan

Dalio wrote: »

Any sign of the link for the tests the booklet said from August -10th maybe tomorrow they like Thursdays for some reason any idea?

They made a mistake. Several people in this thread have emailed them and they said the link for the test will be sent by the 17th, not the 10th

hillbloom

The closing date for this Stage 1 on-line assessment was never mentioned.

Dalio

hillbloom wrote: »

The closing date for this Stage 1 on-line assessment was never mentioned.

Normally it's a week/10 days they try to give a at least one weekend .

Dalio

Govannan wrote: »

They made a mistake. Several people in this thread have emailed them and they said the link for the test will be sent by the 17th, not the 10th

Thanks for clearing that up

0xzmro3n4y7lb5

My nephew applied for this last time and again this time as he didn't proceed with the last EO scheme.

There were three tests to stage one:

Assessment Questionnaire
Your Score XX Qualifying Score 40


Verbal Reasoning
Your Score XX Qualifying Score 40


Numerical Reasoning
Your Score XX Qualifying Score 40

He qualified in all stages but he didn't do as well in the Assessment Questionnaire. The order of merit for Stage Two was from Assessment Questionnaire and Verbal Reasoning test.

The tests online he went to practice as he wants to improve the assessment score only had verbal, numerical and job stimulation.

What is the Assessment Questionnaire?

Thanks

November Golf

The Assessment Questionaire is a personality and situational judgement test.

0xzmro3n4y7lb5

Mike Foxtrot wrote: »

The Assessment Questionaire is a personality and situational judgement test.

Thank you.

Bazman33

Best of luck to everyone on the current competition, I just got my department from the 2018 completion nearly 2 years to the day

newbie18892

So, if they issue the questionnaire by August 17th when is that due to be submitted?

delishdoughnut

Bazman33 wrote: »

Best of luck to everyone on the current competition, I just got my department from the 2018 completion nearly 2 years to the day

Well done you..any tips for us?

November Golf

newbie18892 wrote: »

So, if they issue the questionnaire by August 17th when is that due to be submitted?

It will tell you the deadline in the email, its usually 4-7 days to complete.

Tigerpants

Why is the Numerical score not taken into account? Also, what is the point in having to do the numerical if it doesnt count?!

CiboC

The practise tests on Public Jobs ask a number of different questions based on the same scenario, does anyone know if the real tests are formatted in the same way?

November Golf

Tigerpants wrote: »

Why is the Numerical score not taken into account? Also, what is the point in having to do the numerical if it doesnt count?!

The numerical score does count in that you must pass the test. It doesn't count towards the order of merit because they value Verbal Reasoning more.

newbie18892

Does anyone have any experience with doing the Stage 1 assessment on a mobile device? I will be away for the next two weeks and really don't want to have to bring my laptop with me just to do a questionnaire.

November Golf

newbie18892 wrote: »

Does anyone have any experience with doing the Stage 1 assessment on a mobile device? I will be away for the next two weeks and really don't want to have to bring my laptop with me just to do a questionnaire.

No experience but they normally recommend that you don't use a mobile device.

Govannan

newbie18892 wrote: »

Does anyone have any experience with doing the Stage 1 assessment on a mobile device? I will be away for the next two weeks and really don't want to have to bring my laptop with me just to do a questionnaire.

Try the practice tests on your device. That will probably give you an idea of what it's like. Wouldn't be an absolute guarantee though, as it could be a different site or whatever in the actual test.

gestappo

newbie18892 wrote: »

Does anyone have any experience with doing the Stage 1 assessment on a mobile device? I will be away for the next two weeks and really don't want to have to bring my laptop with me just to do a questionnaire.

If you really want to do well, I'd suck it up and bring the laptop. Publicjobs is glitchy as hell on mobile devices and it's not worth losing out for the sake of not bringing the laptop away with you.

Lovestolisten

Bring the laptop.

I received the email to do the online assessment while I was overseas 2 years ago on holidays.
It rained that day... So I found a library and using Google Translate I did the test... fast forward ..

I'm an EO in a fantastic area of Civil Service.

I have received a promotion and 2 pay increments.
I have had the opportunity to study and sit 2 lots of professional exams due to amazing educational opportunities.
I have done countless workshops on improving skills to be the best I can possibly be in my role.

I can safely say I will be a Civil Servant for as long as I am welcome and needed in my employment.
It was the best decision I have ever made.

CiboC

Try the practise tests and you will probably find that you are quite tight on time to get through all the questions.

I certainly wouldn't want to be battling with an uncooperative mobile device on top of the time restriction.....