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Third Secretary & Development Specialist Campaign 2020

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 17 Leyendecker


    Regarding the DFA Political Division internship itself, does anyone know of someone who did the internship and went on to successfully make Third Secretary in an open competition?
    I guess I'm wondering about the value of the internship - does it offer any real advantage in future Third Secretary competitions?

    I know people who have done the internship and I know people who are third secretaries. But I wouldn't see any correlation between the two. The person I know who did the internship is now a policy advisor for the DFA. And the diplomats I know never did any internships with the DFA.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 adwickham


    Regarding the DFA Political Division internship itself, does anyone know of someone who did the internship and went on to successfully make Third Secretary in an open competition?
    I guess I'm wondering about the value of the internship - does it offer any real advantage in future Third Secretary competitions?


    I know at least 3 people who are Third Secretaries now that did internships in Political Division in the past, myself included. It won't help get you past the tests but it gives you great experience when it comes to interview stage. When I was an intern I was doing work that was comparable to Third Sec work.


  • Registered Users Posts: 26 AvaSatiVaLomu


    I got the two tasks in on time and formatted correctly. The content was pretty hit and miss (mostly miss if I'm being honest). I'm hoping there were no trick interventions at the end of either document. I think it's close to an impossible task to do well, especially with two documents, so I guess they judge on best efforts. We'll find out in a few weeks I suppose.

    Very well done to you and Emsfeafaz for getting it in with the right formatting. It was definitely a learning experience to take with me if I ever get in the Third Sec competition again. I hope youse get to the next stage :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭blithe


    pluggedout wrote: »
    Has anyone been called for clearance yet?

    The first 15 on the second panel have been called as of today according to PAS.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1 saore


    Hi all, does anyone know whether being called up for clearance means you’re guaranteed a position? Thanks!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 33 Murpl


    saore wrote: »
    Hi all, does anyone know whether being called up for clearance means you’re guaranteed a position? Thanks!

    In my experience with the PAS so far it generally does mean that there will be a position for you. How quick you get through clearance really does depend on your own individual clearance process, as it can sometimes take weeks/months.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17 Leyendecker


    Hi all,

    I was placed on a panel for a Political Internship with the DFA - does anyone know how many interns they'll likely take on in the next year? The panel is made up of 21 people and I assume only about half will be called? Would I be right in that?


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Anyone know when DFA in Dublin will be returning to work in the office? Am wondering about getting accommodation in Dublin (e.g. for September)


  • Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭LegallyAbroad


    threesecs wrote: »
    Anyone know when DFA in Dublin will be returning to work in the office? Am wondering about getting accommodation in Dublin (e.g. for September)

    Ask HR. They'll give you a steer.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2 sroseg


    I was placed on a panel for the DFA internship around 2 weeks ago and I haven't heard anything since- should I presume I haven't been successful?



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  • Registered Users Posts: 17 Leyendecker


    I don't know the answer to this but I'm in the same boat. I e-mailed them and asked how long the panel lasts and how many interns they expect to take on in a year but I never heard back. If I hear I'll let you know.



  • Registered Users Posts: 21 emhds


    Just been called for an interview for third secretary, so it appears things are moving once again. Best of luck to anyone else who has been called.

    Does anyone know how long, if successful, the process usually takes from interview to actually being employed? I know that the clearance can take a while, but a rough estimate of how many months would be very helpful!



  • Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭belgowho


    congrats emhds. May I ask what score you got on the precis test?



  • Registered Users Posts: 21 emhds




  • Registered Users Posts: 2 sroseg


    Thanks! Yeah, I emailed them and basically just got the same answer repeated to me, that I've been placed on a panel and the panel lasts 22 months. Not really sure what to do in the meantime, but still hoping for the best! Congrats to you:)



  • Registered Users Posts: 9 Heyou


    Hey folks,

    I received a message to do the language test but I didn't understand how the marks will be assessed. Will it make any difference if you are proficient in two or three languages or they only consider just one foreign language for that purpose?

    I sent emails to them but never got a reply:-(



  • Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭blithe


    Hi, you can do them in as many languages as you like but they will only take into account your highest scoring language. I did two or three of them but only my Spanish counted because that was the one I scored highest in. Hope this helps you and best of luck with them!



  • Registered Users Posts: 9 Heyou


    Thank you very much for your reply. I sent many emails to PAS but they never answered. So will they consider only one foreign language?

    It says that the language counts towards as one competency, I believe that is towards the Specialist Knowledge. So that means that they won’t evaluate the specialist knowledge during the interview for those with languages skills and jump directly to the other competencies during the interview?



  • Registered Users Posts: 63 ✭✭blithe


    No problem. Yeah, they will consider just your highest one in the end.

    As far as I remember the foreign language is kind of a separate bonus added on to your points for all the other competencies, so definitely prepare for every part of the interview. They won't skip any part just because of the language skills, it'll just help to boost your end mark.

    Best of luck!



  • Registered Users Posts: 9 Heyou




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  • Registered Users Posts: 39 SophieRogan


    I just got an email asking to confirm if I'm still interested in the TS competition. Not an actual invitation to interview though. Fingers crossed still.

    I scored 29 on the precis for anyone wondering.



  • Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭belgowho


    Anyone who did the interview care to share how long they last and format? Just policy and competency questions?



  • Registered Users Posts: 9 Heyou


    It lasts for 45 min. It is a competency based test.




  • Registered Users Posts: 9 Heyou


    Do you know how long it will take to receive the results for the interview from last week? Waiting for that is eating me alive.



  • Registered Users Posts: 21 emhds


    Results are out! Congrats to everyone who has been placed on the panel. Does anyone have any info about how long the gap between being panelled and getting called for security clearance?



  • Registered Users Posts: 148 ✭✭belgowho


    For people who did a language exam, did you pick the standard before starting?



  • Registered Users Posts: 9 Heyou


    Thank you. Congratulations everyone who survived the 4th stage. I believe that it is the last stage, or is there any other?

    I understand that the competition lasts for two years, so until mid 2022.Please correct if I am wrong.



  • Registered Users Posts: 9 Heyou


    Does anyone know if you were recently appoint to an HEO position( one month on the role) and then called to the 3 third Sec, do you carry the HEO salary?



  • Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭Omnishambles99


    for soneoner who is an established civil servant you can not go in any lower than your existing salary (even coming in on an open competition). it'd be either an off point on the salary scale equating to what you're on now (1st pt of HEo scale) or the next pt up on the Third Sec scale - something like that - in your case I'm not sure whether you only recently having arrived in the grade will make your case different but in any case a mixture of HR, PeoplePoint and PSC calculators will work it out !



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  • Registered Users Posts: 141 ✭✭Omnishambles99


    indeed - you kind of need to be happy to go to at least the top 10-15 of your preferences as you never know how the different factors in placing officers in locations will affect you - aiming for top 3 throughout career will possibly lead to a career of relative disappointments! (unless of course you're amazing and super impressive)



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