Third Secretary Campaign 2022

niallkenny83

Results for the precis in the last campaign were around 2 weeks after. Not sure if that helps

UnderHeaven

How did people feel about the time? I finished verbal and numerical with ten minutes to spare and got around 600 in each. The Precis though I was pushing it til the last minute. 3 pages down to around 350 words wasn't easy

KRedzer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119817989#Comment_119817989

Yeah same as you on both counts - submitted the Précis in the last minute, working until the end. Happy with the final submission though.

exitstageleft

Gosh, looking at this the thread, seems a lot quieter than previous third sec comps. I wonder if there are less applicants this time round.

Seems like the precis was fairly well received too.

SavageSpuds

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119818155#Comment_119818155

Yes me also, the time flew, but I wasn't happy with the final submission. I only managed 300 words... presuming I will lose marks due to this but it did only say that the MAX word count was 350 - 400...

UnderHeaven

Seems very quiet. With inflation, grads options for higher salary private sector jobs and the low salary at 3rd sec level I guessed as much could happen. New message from PAS to let us wait for another message haha. I wonder how many grads are in the running, I'm a bit older (mid 30s) and would be taking a pretty big pay cut.

KennedyD

Glad to know it's not just recent grads going for the job. I'm 32 and looking at a pay cut also if I were to be accepted, which I'm in the lucky position to be able to absorb.

BLIZZARD7

Précis exercise results are out!

ConsRoxMySox

Passed the précis but one of the sections by the skin of my teeth so fell well outside the interview batch. I'm sitting the JLPT in December so I'm actually relieved to not have an interview in the middle of the study but who knows if they'll do further batches down the line at all.

odelazy

Oh I'm gutted, just one point off qualifying for interview.

janecleary

Congrats to everyone called for interviews ! I made the qualifying standard but just barely - anyone have any idea if there’s any chance more will be called for interview in the future or do they tend to just do one batch ? Don’t want to have my hopes up unnecessarily!

KRedzer

Sorry to hear some people missed the qualifying mark, but if its any consolation, if you check the thread from the last competition - they took people with a lower qualifying score to interview later so you might be fine.

I somehow managed to pass with almost full marks. But I am wondering if anyone knows - It mentions that the language test is in addition to the marks you get for the interview, is it worth doing the test even if you might have pretty low but not minimal standard of the language? Just so that some marks are better than none overall.

tomjmsn

Congratulations to everyone who reached the qualifying mark. My score was a really disappointing 30. I wonder what I should have done differently but I guess we'll never know!

tomjmsn

Without giving too much away would anyone who passed be willing to share some general ideas on what worked well for them on the précis? No worries if not. Just really at a loss to know how to do better next time around.

SavageSpuds

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119824736#Comment_119824736

Ouch, that's rough. At least you'll be the first to be called if they call a second batch for interview though!

UnderHeaven

Got 18 and 19. Not actually too unhappy with it but under the level needed for an interview, classic PAS when they say "you have reached the qualifying standard and your score is 37" then later "43 or higher will get an interview". Never done one before but would definitely practice if I ever had one again. Well done to the people who got through to the next round I hate going through these things so actually a bit of a relief

niallkenny83

The previous 2020 campaign seems to have taken people with lower precis scores than 43 in subsequent months in a 2nd and 3rd batch. Id say if you got 35+ you've a good chance of proceeding to interview down the road. Good luck

Firstnamebunchofnumbers

The familiarisation booklet issued in advance of the interview advises us to expect a "challenging interview". Has anyone here done the interview before and can offer some insight into what to expect?

agoodusername

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119849888#Comment_119849888

I've never done a CS interview, just a PS one so sorry but I can't help there.

It would be really appreciated by me and I'm sure by plenty of us with a score lower than 43 if you could keep us posted with progress made on the panels. There only appears to be two that are being interviewed on this thread. Given that it'll probably be a 2 year panel, I feel that I could be in the dark for quite a while on this without the updates on here.

I imagine that I'll be in the next (if there is one) round of interviews, but have no idea when that would be sadly.

Firstnamebunchofnumbers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119855087#Comment_119855087

Absolutely. If I have anything of use to you in that regard I'll post it here.

portiaorleans

Does anyone know how low they went for calling people to an interview? I scored 26, so I’m just wondering if I ever have a chance to get an interview, even if it takes a long time to get one

KRedzer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119855087#Comment_119855087

Yeah no problem, will do. Based on the amount of timeslots and days they're interviewing, I estimate they progressed about 60 to interview. That is based on six per day, could be less or more. Will pop in updates.

Firstnamebunchofnumbers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119855087#Comment_119855087

Out of interest, would you mind clarifying what "CS" and "PS" interviews are? Cheers!

KRedzer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119858515#Comment_119858515

CS = Civil Service, PS = Public Service, I am presuming in this case.

tlcsde1092

Does anyone have any idea whether the fact that there was no video/preliminary interview this time round is likely to affect further recruitment, or calling a second/third batch of interviews? Just thinking it might mean there was a bigger pool of candidates doing the précis this time.

exitstageleft

Has anyone been interviewed yet? I wonder when the results will come out. I think in previous campaigns the first people weren't placed until after Christmas / early spring but the timeline looks quicker this year. Maybe they're eager to get a new batch of recruits started sooner this time around. That would probably be good news for people sitting further down the lists.

Firstnamebunchofnumbers

I have my interview tomorrow morning. I'm slightly terrified haha.

Firstnamebunchofnumbers

Interview done. It's in the lap of the Gods now.

KRedzer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119881240#Comment_119881240

Likewise! Best of luck.

Firstnamebunchofnumbers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119882165#Comment_119882165

Thanks! Same to you.