Principal Officer competition 2022

Ahell · 20-06-2022 1:52pm

@flended12 what makes you think you missed out?? Did you get results?

flended12 · 20-06-2022 5:46pm

It's the interview, this time round an extremely specific question- my answer was not the one they wanted, but it was the truth.

Spoke to a few other colleagues who were doing same comp.

One response was " I lied me arse off and gave them what they wanted".

Maybe that's they way to go?

Ben_Dovers · 20-06-2022 6:31pm

Results out by Friday 01 July, as per PAS

TaurenDruid · 20-06-2022 10:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119227886#Comment_119227886

Can you give us an example? I'm struggling to imagine what sort of question they could ask that has a black and white answer unless it was along the lines of "yeah, I'd break the rules/the law because X"

flended12 · 21-06-2022 9:15am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119228747#Comment_119228747

The question was "during your time managing (named section) how did you make sure that your staff followed the (named plan) of the Organisation?"

My answer was - there was a huge absenteeism rate in the section I managed (dates/stats given) and one of my first aims was to reduce this, it was through fixing the abseentism, which I did, that I discovered how removed/not engaged/no interest from the overall aims of the plan for the organisation the current staff were.

Thats the summary.

paydembills · 21-06-2022 10:03am

Sounds fine to me!

TaurenDruid · 21-06-2022 11:57am

Sounds fine to me, too! More "real world" and actually relevant than a bland "The 'named plan' set out our objectives so I ensured they were mapped to the unit's own business plan and then in turn the business plan objectives were included in named individuals' PMDS plans"

lightspeed · 21-06-2022 2:36pm

I'm starting a HEO position soon and coming from private sector.

I'm just curious, are Assistant Principal and Principal jobs open to public or do you have to be an existing civil service position and passed your probation period?

Also, am I right in thinking there are assessments etc for all such positions even if it by internal competition?

HartsHat · 21-06-2022 2:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119230939#Comment_119230939

33% of AP positions are open to public. For PO it is 66% of positions.

There are interviews for both open and internal are broadly the same. Internal Dept interviews focus a bit more on the Depts subject matter and expertise, but that's it really.

APparently · 21-06-2022 4:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119230939#Comment_119230939

Every 2 years or so PAS will run open AP and PO competitions and anybody can apply. If you get onto a panel then any Department (theoretically) can call you. Also each Department will run internal competitions every few years but you need to be 2 years at the grade below the relevant grade. I found that most internal competitions don't have aptitude tests as a means of shortlisting but often will read cv's/application forms, one or two interviews and often a presentation instead. The is the 2022 open PO comp and there is a new AP comp in progress too. So it's likely another 2 years before you will get the chance again. HTH

druss · 22-06-2022 9:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119231457#Comment_119231457

One recent difference for internal competitions, in our place anyway. It is no longer 2 years at "the grade below the relevant grade". It's just two years at any grade and with satisfactory performance. So a HEO, for example, could apply for a PO internal competition if they were 2 years or more in the organisation. They would obviously need to be able to demonstrate PO-level competencies on their form and in interview, but they might be able to do that from previous work experience in private sector.

dryden2016 · 24-06-2022 4:32pm

Results are out. Very best of luck to everyone.

softskills · 24-06-2022 4:36pm

You too Dryden2016!

I made the OOM but so far down that I am not hopeful :-(

paydembills · 24-06-2022 4:39pm

Same. Wonder how big the panel is. I’m wondering what I need to tweak in my approach to score more highly next time.

dryden2016 · 24-06-2022 4:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119244387#Comment_119244387

Well done. And don't forget this is first batch! Everyone on first panel from 2019 competition received an offer, to the best of my knowledge.

APparently · 24-06-2022 4:40pm

I got onto the panel- top 30. Can't believe it, I keep re-reading the message in case I read it wrong! Good luck everybody else.

Mugser11 · 24-06-2022 4:49pm

Made the panel. Early 20's. Happy with that.

dryden2016 · 24-06-2022 4:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119244410#Comment_119244410

Well done APparently. I am similarly shocked to be top 20. Interview obviously went better than I thought, hopefully that bodes well for others too!

paydembills · 24-06-2022 4:52pm

Ah congrats that’s great 😊

Anyone remember we if we had to specify locations? Can’t see anything on the form.

imwiththeband · 24-06-2022 5:13pm

On the panel too! The panel will definitely clear - so I wouldn't worry about OOM. Well done to all. For those not on the panel that's really tough going after all the work.

DaDoRonRonRon · 24-06-2022 5:33pm

I made the panel too. Well done everyone.

Ahell · 24-06-2022 5:42pm

Made it into the top 10 so I'm really pleased. Well done to everyone who got through. It will be interesting to see what offers arrive.

May Day · 24-06-2022 11:26pm

Thanks to everyone on this thread for the assistance and advice. Made it to top 20 and delighted. May not get a role but the experience was something else. I still wonder about the screening process.. those tests are bonkers. The best of everything to everyone xx

BlitheSpirit · 25-06-2022 9:37am

I also made the panel this time. So it's wait and see what happens now. Well done to everyone else who made it.

Witco · 25-06-2022 9:46am

Delighted to be placed in the top 10 too, phew! I feel like I've run a marathon

Radial · 25-06-2022 9:56am

On the panel also, but in the early 70's so fingers crossed that they get to me at some point.

Overall, congrats to all who made the panel and I hope that everyone eventually gets offered a role.

As a matter of interest, does anyone know the total no. who were placed?

APparently · 25-06-2022 12:12pm

@Radial I haven't heard anybody further that mid-70s yet. But I expect that up 150 were interviewed (seeing as 250 were through the first round and we didn't hear of too many shortlisted out based on application form). You would imagine that well over half of those interviewed will have been successful seeing as we were the first batch who had were the top of the tests firstly and our application forms were deemed to be of sufficient experience. The 2019 competition placed nearly 200 people and there is a large amount of POs expected to retire over the next year so I expect we will all be offered roles (possibly by the end of the year) and they will likely call a second and maybe third batch. All very exciting.

softskills · 25-06-2022 1:00pm

Great to see everyone doing so well. Thank you to everyone who offered advice for the various sections.

I was a little deflated with my OOM in the 60s yesterday afternoon. But today I've brushed myself off and reminded myself that I don't have a CS background, have never applied before and had limited time to devote to preparation so I am not happier to have (hopefully) made the cut.

Could I ask what I suspect is a 'I don't know what a tracker mortgage is' type question? The only government department I regularly interact with is Agriculture, Food and Marine. The people I meet there all seem to be senior inspectors (on some public private type committees) . Roughly speaking would this be analogous to PO roles?

Radial · 25-06-2022 1:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119247709#Comment_119247709

Good info APparently and thanks for posting it. We'll bide our time and see how the panel progresses.

As you've said, an exciting time and I hope there's also a chance for those under the first 250 to progress to an interview during the lifetime of this competition.

martian1980 · 25-06-2022 1:51pm

Hi APparently, are you sure that many were assigned off the previous competition? The AHCPS newsletter from December 2021 said that 74 had been assigned from the 2019 competition at that stage…

Principal Officer competition 2022

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