Graduate jobs in the civil service (AO)

jayteecork · 08-05-2012 7:18pm

Anyone hear Anything About Accounting?

(pity there's no alliteration sub campaign)

BarneyJ · 09-05-2012 12:24pm

jayteecork wrote: »

Anyone hear Anything About Accounting?

(pity there's no alliteration sub campaign)

I phoned the PAS yesterday to enquire about the law sub campaign. I was told that accounting and law are the final two sub campaigns to be dealt with. They are waiting on confirmation from the Dept of Finance in respect of numbers (I'm not sure whether this relates to the accounting or law sub campaigns or both) and they hope to be contacting people in a few weeks time.

Who_8_Paul? · 09-05-2012 6:30pm

Just got final forms etc for the economist stream; there are positions available in Dept Finance, Dept Public Expenditure/Reform and Dept of An Taoiseach. Apparently they will decide in the coming weeks who is going where. By the looks of it I'd guess there will be between 20 and 30 posts which is a lot more than I thought there would be initially

noodler · 09-05-2012 8:17pm

Who_8_Paul? wrote: »

Just got final forms etc for the economist stream; there are positions available in Dept Finance, Dept Public Expenditure/Reform and Dept of An Taoiseach. Apparently they will decide in the coming weeks who is going where. By the looks of it I'd guess there will be between 20 and 30 posts which is a lot more than I thought there would be initially

The additional two letters on top of the two references by Friday is really short notice.

obeara · 09-05-2012 8:25pm

noodler wrote: »

The additional two letters on top of the two references by Friday is really short notice.

What were ye asked for? I'm waiting on the banking/finance stream

Who_8_Paul? · 09-05-2012 8:25pm

noodler wrote: »

Who_8_Paul? wrote: »

Just got final forms etc for the economist stream; there are positions available in Dept Finance, Dept Public Expenditure/Reform and Dept of An Taoiseach. Apparently they will decide in the coming weeks who is going where. By the looks of it I'd guess there will be between 20 and 30 posts which is a lot more than I thought there would be initially

The additional two letters on top of the two references by Friday is really short notice.

Hold on, my reading of that is you have to send in 2 letters if you were unemployed in the last while? Otherwise it's the health form, the vetting form and your birth cert followed by your current employer reference last

Who_8_Paul? · 09-05-2012 8:30pm

obeara wrote: »

noodler wrote: »

The additional two letters on top of the two references by Friday is really short notice.

What were ye asked for? I'm waiting on the banking/finance stream

As above, a health form, a Garda vetting form, birth cert and all by Friday!?!

noodler · 09-05-2012 8:36pm

Who_8_Paul? wrote: »

Hold on, my reading of that is you have to send in 2 letters if you were unemployed in the last while? Otherwise it's the health form, the vetting form and your birth cert followed by your current employer reference last

Oh wait....

Is Part 2

If you were unemployed:

then A) or

?

Rather than:

A)If you were unemployed..

Or

(presumably if you weren't unemployed) provide two letters.

Makes more sense now if it is the first one.

EDIT: Sorry, thats not clear but basically if you provided employment references then you don't have to worry about part 2?

Who_8_Paul? · 09-05-2012 8:44pm

noodler wrote: »

Who_8_Paul? wrote: »

Hold on, my reading of that is you have to send in 2 letters if you were unemployed in the last while? Otherwise it's the health form, the vetting form and your birth cert followed by your current employer reference last

Oh wait....

Is Part 2

If you were unemployed:

then A) or ?

Rather than:

A)If you were unemployed..

Or
(presumably if you weren't unemployed) provide two letters.

Makes more sense now if it is the first one.

EDIT: Sorry, thats not clear but basically if you provided employment references then you don't have to worry about part 2?

I sincerely hope it's the first one; having two written references back from employers and then back to them by Friday having only been told today would be nuts...

So you have already provided reference contact details? I haven't yet, think a phone call in the morning is required at this stage, all a bit conflustered

noodler · 09-05-2012 8:48pm

Who_8_Paul? wrote: »

I sincerely hope it's the first one; having two written references back from employers and then back to them by Friday having only been told today would be nuts...

So you have already provided reference contact details? I haven't yet, think a phone call in the morning is required at this stage, all a bit conflustered

I haven't emailed my written references just yet. Hopefully tomorrow.

I assumed it was definitely two written references from employers alright as per Number 1.

I just though it was also an additional two letters (of character presumably) on top of that but thats probably not the case.

bossdrum · 09-05-2012 10:18pm

Has anyone/everyone got feedback from the first stage yet?

Weren't they meant to be out at the end of April?

(I was in the accounting part)

aidom · 10-05-2012 10:10am

Are they looking for references from a current employer? I wouldn't be able to get anything from mine before I handed in my notice.

Is there offer information included in their request? Anything about start dates?

My employer generally expects 2 months and that's in the usual contracts but thankfully for me someone in HR messed up and I never actually got given my permanent contract. So I never signed anything. I'd still like to give as much notice as possible.

Anyone hear anything about Banking and Finance or is it just economics that's out at the moment?

This seems relevant

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0510/finance-department-announces-reorganisation.html

anbodhran · 10-05-2012 10:40am

Sorry if there is a very obvious answer to this which I'm not seeing, but are they asking for references after you've sat an interview, but before you've been offered a position?

Would be very difficult to go looking for a reference before you were even offered a job!

Pawwed Rig · 10-05-2012 11:09am

bossdrum wrote: »

Has anyone/everyone got feedback from the first stage yet?

Weren't they meant to be out at the end of April?

(I was in the accounting part)

Accounting has not been released yet.

noodler · 10-05-2012 1:35pm

anbodhran wrote: »

Sorry if there is a very obvious answer to this which I'm not seeing, but are they asking for references after you've sat an interview, but before you've been offered a position?

Would be very difficult to go looking for a reference before you were even offered a job!

Would have said that was standard - sure what if the references all turn out negative?

You are told you are under consideration for appointment when they come asking for references as well as asking for you to sign a medical form and Garda Vetting form.

So at this stage, I would presume you are being appointed unless there is a hitch with the formalities.

laurdamay · 10-05-2012 1:57pm

noodler wrote: »

Would have said that was standard - sure what if the references all turn out negative?

You are told you are under consideration for appointment when they come asking for references as well as asking for you to sign a medical form and Garda Vetting form.

So at this stage, I would presume you are being appointed unless there is a hitch with the formalities.

When did you recieve the references letter requests??

Im placed on banking and finance and economics panels and I havent heard anything since being told I had been placed?

Also what I got from my interview was that you would be required to carry out econometric analysis as well as interpret academic papers. I was asked a lot about my knowledge of cointegration and how I would test for it in bond markets and what those results would mean for government. So Im guessing thats the type of work we'll be required to do.

noodler · 10-05-2012 2:06pm

laurdamay wrote: »

When did you recieve the references letter requests??

Im placed on banking and finance and economics panels and I havent heard anything since being told I had been placed?

Also what I got from my interview was that you would be required to carry out econometric analysis as well as interpret academic papers. I was asked a lot about my knowledge of cointegration and how I would test for it in bond markets and what those results would mean for government. So Im guessing thats the type of work we'll be required to do.

Recieved them this week. Maybe they are working their way down the panel.

Wow, quite surprised they quizzed on cointegration. Also surprised I got no technical questions like that to be honest.

EDIT: Scary!

anbodhran · 10-05-2012 2:20pm

noodler wrote: »

Would have said that was standard - sure what if the references all turn out negative?

You are told you are under consideration for appointment when they come asking for references as well as asking for you to sign a medical form and Garda Vetting form.

So at this stage, I would presume you are being appointed unless there is a hitch with the formalities.

In my experience I've been basically offered jobs and asked for references at the same time.

This is slightly different in that you're being placed on a panel, for jobs that mightn't appear. Or you could be waiting a considerable period of time to be offered a job. Would be awkward to be asking for a reference from your boss and still be looking at him or her a couple of months later!

noodler · 10-05-2012 2:22pm

anbodhran wrote: »

In my experience I've been basically offered jobs and asked for references at the same time.

This is slightly different in that you're being placed on a panel, for jobs that mightn't appear. Or you could be waiting a considerable period of time to be offered a job. Would be awkward to be asking for a reference from your boss and still be looking at him or her a couple of months later!

The references asked for at this stage were for previous employers.

Christ, I would have been stumped if they had laid a cointegration question on me at the interview.

You sure you weren't being interviewed for the Econometrics position?:P

anbodhran · 10-05-2012 2:28pm

noodler wrote: »

The references asked for at this stage were for previous employers.

Christ, I would have been stumped if they had laid a cointegration question on me at the interview.

You sure you weren't being interviewed for the Econometrics position?:P

No, haven't been interviewed at all yet. HR stream - totally getting ahead of myself!

noodler · 10-05-2012 2:35pm

anbodhran wrote: »

No, haven't been interviewed at all yet. HR stream - totally getting ahead of myself!

Sorry I meant to address the other part of my post to Laurdamay.

laurdamay wrote: »

Also what I got from my interview was that you would be required to carry out econometric analysis as well as interpret academic papers. I was asked a lot about my knowledge of cointegration and how I would test for it in bond markets and what those results would mean for government. So Im guessing thats the type of work we'll be required to do.

I kind of wish we knew more about the roles. "Familarity with Econometrics" is a little vague and I am worried they'll be expecting stata/SAS experts now who can do umpteen regressions and tests.

Lockstep · 10-05-2012 3:21pm

Getting fairly disheartened by the wait for the law results.
I'm gonna be out of the country in a month so I'll be unable to get back for the interviews if I get that far.

laurdamay · 11-05-2012 12:08am

noodler wrote: »

The references asked for at this stage were for previous employers.

Christ, I would have been stumped if they had laid a cointegration question on me at the interview.

You sure you weren't being interviewed for the Econometrics position?:P

I had put it in my application that I had completed a lot of projects on cointegration and contagion analysis during my masters so maybe thats why they brought it up? From what I gathered in the interview you will be using some sort of software package, not sure if they use STATA (i've heard it only really used by academics) or some other package. Once you know one though you catch on to the others quick enough so I wouldn't be worried!

Where were you placed on the panel if you don't mind me asking? Just curious as to when I'll get asked for references, as I presume once they're looking for references you'll be starting shortly afterwards. I have a thesis to work on for the summer so I'm hoping I'll have a few weeks before I get called!

noodler · 11-05-2012 10:00am

laurdamay wrote: »

I had put it in my application that I had completed a lot of projects on cointegration and contagion analysis during my masters so maybe thats why they brought it up? From what I gathered in the interview you will be using some sort of software package, not sure if they use STATA (i've heard it only really used by academics) or some other package. Once you know one though you catch on to the others quick enough so I wouldn't be worried!

Where were you placed on the panel if you don't mind me asking? Just curious as to when I'll get asked for references, as I presume once they're looking for references you'll be starting shortly afterwards. I have a thesis to work on for the summer so I'm hoping I'll have a few weeks before I get called!

Between 15 and 30 is all I am willing to say!

The letter said they are looking to fill the positions quite quicly and that (after the references and other forms were sent back) you may be called at extremely short notice to provide a reference from your current employer.

I am in the same mindframe as you regarding notice - I worry I the CS won't be giving me the amount of notice I my current job will need.

anbodhran · 11-05-2012 10:09am

Three media announcements from Government departments in as many days voicing concerns about staffing levels...must be a few jobs coming on the basis of that.

noodler · 11-05-2012 10:13am

anbodhran wrote: »

Three media announcements from Government departments in as many days voicing concerns about staffing levels...must be a few jobs coming on the basis of that.

In fairness, when John Moran was on RTE yesterday clarifying the call for additional staff, he did say he was mentioning it after the Government had already approved the hiring of the additional staff for the DoF.

anbodhran · 11-05-2012 10:28am

noodler wrote: »

In fairness, when John Moran was on RTE yesterday clarifying the call for additional staff, he did say he was mentioning it after the Government had already approved the hiring of the additional staff for the DoF.

Yes, but still a fair amount of spin.

The Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants are also meeting today which probably has something to do with it, but more interesting comments from them. Apparently the average age of civil servants is 45, and they are expecting 50% of the workforce to retire within the next 5-10 years.

noodler · 11-05-2012 10:29am

anbodhran wrote: »

Yes, but still a fair amount of spin.

The Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants are also meeting today which probably has something to do with it, but more interesting comments from them. Apparently the average age of civil servants is 45, and they are expecting 50% of the workforce to retire within the next 5-10 years.

I saw that alright - thats quite a statistic if true.

evelyn23 · 11-05-2012 11:20am

Lockstep wrote: »

Getting fairly disheartened by the wait for the law results.
I'm gonna be out of the country in a month so I'll be unable to get back for the interviews if I get that far.

I feel the same! Still waiting for results from HR sub-campaign ugh......

Lockstep · 11-05-2012 12:23pm

Yeah, I was seriously pleased when I got the results of the civil service exam but it's of no use if they havn't even done stage 3 for the law exams.

CavanGal · 14-05-2012 5:37pm

Did anyone get a breakdown of their results from the tax category? I got mine and I am in the top percentile but no word of an interview. Was the report just for my own information?

OBSC · 14-05-2012 5:42pm

Ditto that CavanGal. Not too hopeful really, lacking experience. It was a bit odd, getting the text message for something of so little consequence!

blueblood1 · 15-05-2012 12:40am

CavanGal wrote: »

Did anyone get a breakdown of their results from the tax category? I got mine and I am in the top percentile but no word of an interview. Was the report just for my own information?

yeah got mine, top percentile also which was nice to hear! They initially said we'd have that by the end of April so a few weeks late but I think it's just for our own benefit. Everyone who applied for tax got a breakdown of how they fared!

Im dreading the presentation/interview. I've basically zero experience in tax although my degree was in taxation. I've management experience which Im hoping will balance things out for me!

CavanGal · 15-05-2012 9:14am

blueblood1 wrote: »

Im dreading the presentation/interview. I've basically zero experience in tax although my degree was in taxation. I've management experience which Im hoping will balance things out for me!

I'm the same. I have no tax experience but do have legal and financial and a law degree so its my best shot until or if they send out the law applications.

Is it just me or are they very slow getting back to us about interviews?

aidom · 15-05-2012 10:30am

Has anyone from the Banking and Finance stream heard anything since being placed on the panel?

Hopefully I'll be moving up with a few people who are ahead of me taking an economics offer first

blueblood1 · 15-05-2012 12:51pm

CavanGal wrote: »

I'm the same. I have no tax experience but do have legal and financial and a law degree so its my best shot until or if they send out the law applications.

Is it just me or are they very slow getting back to us about interviews?

Yeah same as, Law and Tax Degree and I've a good few years experience with a Solicitors firm.

They are slow but Im thinking thats a good thing for us because people have applied for multiple panels. The more that is accepted on to other panels/jobs it'll help reduce the numbers on tax and law. But I do feel Im clutching at straws! And Im also dreading the presentations!:eek:

Lockstep · 16-05-2012 6:26pm

Just got the Law feedback. Said I placed in the top percentile but no mention of what happens next or when.

Glinda! · 16-05-2012 6:29pm

WTF was dat message about? No wonder i didnt qualify I cant even understand their messages! Sincerely feel so sorry 4 those poor ppl that had 2 sort through all that jus to tell me that yes u did crap and here is how crap u did compared to every1 else! Lord . . . .:rolleyes:

Lockstep · 16-05-2012 6:35pm

Did you apply for law?
AFAIK, nothing has been set for law so you might still qualify.

For those who got their feedback for other areas, how long did it roughly take between getting feedback and getting instructions on the next stage?

Glinda! · 16-05-2012 6:38pm

Ya law feedback bu such a load of muck and waste of time. Would they not jus sort out hu they want to proceed to next stage and get on with it? :mad:

Lockstep · 16-05-2012 6:39pm

I know exactly what you mean, I'm leaving the country in a month so if they leave it too late I won't be around for the interviews.

jayteecork · 16-05-2012 8:01pm

lool, top percentiles in numerical and verbal yet 10-30 percentile in job simulation.

Fairly embarassing to be honest.

Verbal Reasoning Test
Your Score 654 Qualifying Score 336

Numerical Reasoning
Your Score 647 Qualifying Score 396

Job Simulation Exercise
Your Score 400 Qualifying Score 400

aidom · 16-05-2012 9:22pm

Lockstep wrote: »

For those who got their feedback for other areas, how long did it roughly take between getting feedback and getting instructions on the next stage?

I actually got my economics and Business and Finance feedback after I'd sent in my follow up application so I don't think the feedback stage is related to moving on to the next stage.

LillySV · 16-05-2012 9:33pm

I think the whole recruitment process is a joke to be honest :rolleyes:
Eg in the job ad for tax and accounting they stated that being a qualified accountant or tax advisers would be desirable.
Yet the whole recruitment is based on these speed tests.
I would love to know of the top 100 in tax and accounting how many were qualified and had experience.

Pawwed Rig · 17-05-2012 2:16pm

LillySV wrote: »

I think the whole recruitment process is a joke to be honest :rolleyes:
Eg in the job ad for tax and accounting they stated that being a qualified accountant or tax advisers would be desirable.
Yet the whole recruitment is based on these speed tests.
I would love to know of the top 100 in tax and accounting how many were qualified and had experience.

I would assume the top 100 were further screened for relevancy of qualifications etc on which they then interviewed anyone that qualified. What will be interesting is that alot of the same people will be on different panels so when it comes to actually hiring (if they ever get to that stage) the pool of condidtaes on the panel may well dry up pretty quickly as they choose one stream over another.
It depends on how many jobs are actually available which noone seems to know.

Pawwed Rig · 17-05-2012 2:26pm

jayteecork wrote: »

lool, top percentiles in numerical and verbal yet 10-30 percentile in job simulation.

Fairly embarassing to be honest.

Verbal Reasoning Test
Your Score 654 Qualifying Score 336

Numerical Reasoning
Your Score 647 Qualifying Score 396

Job Simulation Exercise
Your Score 400 Qualifying Score 400

I am slightly confused over what they were looking for in the Job Simulation Exercise. I assumed they were looking for the normal things like leadership, teamwork, efficency, delegation etc etc and answered accordingly. For example do you remember the question about the photocopying. Should you come in on Saturday, ask the secretaries to do it or put off the deadline. I would have answered get the to do it but my results in that section indicate that I was on the wrong track. So not sure what they are wanting

phoenix999 · 17-05-2012 4:20pm

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I am slightly confused over what they were looking for in the Job Simulation Exercise. I assumed they were looking for the normal things like leadership, teamwork, efficency, delegation etc etc and answered accordingly. For example do you remember the question about the photocopying. Should you come in on Saturday, ask the secretaries to do it or put off the deadline. I would have answered get the to do it but my results in that section indicate that I was on the wrong track. So not sure what they are wanting

That was the answer I chose actually. And I came in the 85-100th percentile in Job Simulation. However, I only got 38 of 52 Verbal reasoning completed which put me in the 20-30th percentile. So it dragged down my score big time. Was bit surprised as I thought the results would have been the other way around. Found the Job Simulation a bit confusing but did get it all completed. So rather disappointed that the verbal reasoning ruined my score overall.

jayteecork · 17-05-2012 4:22pm

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I am slightly confused over what they were looking for in the Job Simulation Exercise. I assumed they were looking for the normal things like leadership, teamwork, efficency, delegation etc etc and answered accordingly. For example do you remember the question about the photocopying. Should you come in on Saturday, ask the secretaries to do it or put off the deadline. I would have answered get the to do it but my results in that section indicate that I was on the wrong track. So not sure what they are wanting

If I knew how to answer that I wouldn't have been in 10-30 percentile would I?

Well anyway just goes to show what a pantomime this process is.

I pwn in general intelligence yet get shafted in "job simulation" - like you can simulate a job in a series of MCQs over 45 minutes,

Lockstep · 17-05-2012 4:59pm

Do they break it down further into 10-30 percentile?
Mine just says top percentile.

blindside88 · 18-05-2012 11:31pm

Very confused now! I was told a number of weeks ago that I was ranked 117 in the hr sub campaign and that the first 100 were through to the next stage. Then at 23:22 tonight I got an email from public jobs with an application form for stage 3 to be returned by 23rd may. Anyone else get this? Bit of a strange time to send such correspondence no?

Graduate jobs in the civil service (AO)

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