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AP interview help

  • 20-07-2024 8:15am
    #1
    moneymaid
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭


    I've completed 4 assistant principal officer level interviews but haven't been offered any of the jobs.

    My feedback for 2 has been excellent, for 1 not great and the other feedback wasn't forthcoming.

    I don't know where I'm going wrong. I have the experience, education etc. I'm being called for interview so what am I doing wrong that I'm not getting the jobs? I'm an external candidate to the civil service.

    Has anyone done an AP interview prep course? Are they worth the cost? If so, can anyone recommend a particular course provider?



Comments

  • #2
    336699
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭336699


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058360575/ap-interview-help

    I’d highly recommend Mark Kehoe. He’s an AP in the civil service so know his stuff.

    He provides interview preparation for all grades in the Civil Service and also helps with application forms. He gives a great insight into what assessors and interviewers are looking for in Civil Service competitions. He’ll do practice interviews with you so you’ll be well prepared.

    And he’s an absolute gent. His number is 086 881 6034



  • #3
    moneymaid
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭moneymaid


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403725#Comment_122403725

    I really appreciate that, thanks very much.



  • #4
    Pogue eile
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,877 ✭✭✭Pogue eile


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403725#Comment_122403725

    He's hardly a serving AP in the Civil Service? If he is and he is charging fees for freelancing he could land himself in serious bother!



  • #5
    Ted222
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 379 ✭✭Ted222


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122415377#Comment_122415377

    Not really. If there’s no conflict of interest and he’s doing the extra work in his own time, there shouldn’t be a problem.



  • #6
    Pogue eile
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,877 ✭✭✭Pogue eile


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122415428#Comment_122415428

    Official Civil Service Code of Conduct clearly states;

    4.2 Civil servants must never seek to use
    knowledge acquired in the performance
    of, or as a result of, their official duties to
    benefit themselves

    If he is a serving AP (surely if he so capable at the interview process he would be at least a PO?) then he is absolutely guilty of a conflict of interests. Even ignoring the above and the benefit to himself, what about his care of duty to his own HEOS's, he is literally training others how to beat them in a competition.

    I would be shocked if he is a serving AP and hasn't been outed.



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  • #7
    Ted222
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 379 ✭✭Ted222


    I don’t think the paragraph you quote is relevant to this circumstance. It would be more relevant to information acquired in relation to government policy etc.

    The CS departments themselves provide training to its officials on how to pass promotion tests. You could equally argue that taxpayers money is being used to confer an advantage to serving civil servants to the disadvantage of newcomers.

    If there was ever an action taken against the Ap offering training, I’d be very confident that I could represent him successfully.



  • #8
    RiseNshine
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭RiseNshine


    yes I here

    Post edited by RiseNshine on


  • #9
    RiseNshine
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭RiseNshine


    you didn’t get the job!



  • #10
    bobbysands81
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,213 ✭✭✭bobbysands81


    I’ve used Frank Sweeney in Carr Communications previously and found him amazing. Cost me about €350 for 90 mins many years ago. Expensive but I breezed the interview as a result of his help.



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