Temporary Clerical Positions in the Public Service

Atlantis50 · 14-03-2012 4:28pm

Surprised to get into the top group in Cork.

I was sure I'd be in the reserve group after answering all of the questions on the first page admitting I'd no experience in any of the areas listed.

They must not attach much weight to that section which makes sense I suppose as they don't want to exclude people who've just finished school or college and wouldn't have much experience. That means the algorithm which ranks candidates changes depending on the age of the applicant (i.e greater weight would be given to the experience section if you are older).

ninebeanrows · 14-03-2012 4:37pm

Does everybody get on the reserve list yeah?:o

EdenHazard · 14-03-2012 4:41pm

I'd rather they just said sorry your application was unsuccessful as opposed to this 'Reserve List' which most people here seem to be on.

Amzie · 14-03-2012 4:42pm

spudz21 wrote: »

Top band Dublin

Can anyone tell me what the expected weekly pay is for this role if have never worked in public service before?
It has probably been mentioned already but thanks

Its €379 Per week

Amzie · 14-03-2012 4:44pm

I got into top band for Waterford:D Last year I got the reserve list and still go in so for those who are feeling dissapointed dont be because there is every chance of getting in, it might just be a bit later than expected

EdenHazard · 14-03-2012 4:46pm

That's good, wouldn't have minded that. I just don't get it, I criticized the questionnaire at the end, which probably didn't sit well with them.

Amzie · 14-03-2012 4:52pm

EdenHazard wrote: »

That's good, wouldn't have minded that. I just don't get it, I criticized the questionnaire at the end, which probably didn't sit well with them.

I felt like that last year too and I really thought I had no hope of being called but out of the blue one day they called!!! Dont worry too much over the questionnaire, you just have to wait and see:):P

EdenHazard · 14-03-2012 4:53pm

Ha cool, congrats btw

niallers1 · 14-03-2012 4:55pm

Amzie wrote: »

Its €379 Per week

Is that Net pay into your hand ?

Amzie · 14-03-2012 4:56pm

niallers1 wrote: »

Is that Net pay into your hand ?

No thats before tax, this is the new rates as there was a 10% decrease

tiger_cub · 14-03-2012 5:16pm

Pistachio wrote: »

On the reserve list for Galway and Clifden, probably not much chance of getting anything out of it.

same as myself. I assume we will never see an interview or a job

anyone make it into the top band in Galway?

Mayo Miss · 14-03-2012 5:24pm

I got reserve group for Mayo.

Last year I was in the same group and was gobsmacked when I got the call in late Sept. My contract was only for 8 weeks and another batch of people replaced us when we finished.

Belkin1975 · 14-03-2012 5:28pm

Hi all, only joined this today. I got top group for Donegal and Gweedore, so hopefully I will get called for interview. Gweedore office is 10 mins away and Donegal will be an hour. I will need childcare for 3 kids so I won't have much left out of the €379 less tax, but it will get me out of the house. I'm not entitled to Jobseekers so anything will be a bonus

Toasterspark · 14-03-2012 5:34pm

tiger_cub wrote: »

anyone make it into the top band in Galway?

Yep, top band for Galway and Clifden. Fingers crossed there's work, I really need it!

Liamario · 14-03-2012 5:35pm

Reserve list- Westmeath.

Am disappoint.

cornerforward13 · 14-03-2012 6:10pm

Top group for Kerry, reserve group for Listowel. Hopefully I get something out of it.

starlit · 14-03-2012 6:35pm

Reserve for county and town I chose. Hoping to have got into top band for local town, disappointed in that as I felt I did ok with the questionnaire.

Second year in row been put in reserve2. Not hopeful I get anything in the mean time.

So if you are in the reserve group is it likely you could get an interview if a vacancy arises at a later date?

Acapella · 14-03-2012 6:55pm

Reserve list for Limerick.

Genuinely gutted! It is a never ending cycle of PFO's...!

starlit · 14-03-2012 7:02pm

Acapella wrote: »

Reserve list for Limerick.

Genuinely gutted! It is a never ending cycle of PFO's...!

I know how you feel, sick of PFO's!

culsoh · 14-03-2012 7:55pm

doovdela wrote: »

So if you are in the reserve group is it likely you could get an interview if a vacancy arises at a later date?

I wouldn't be banking on it

skitzyspider · 14-03-2012 9:07pm

Top Band Wexford

14-03-2012 9:51pm

reserve list for meath, aw well! onwards and upwards

keepkeyyellow · 15-03-2012 11:39am

My friend was telling me that when she was in revenue in Killarney she was with some reserve people so there's hope !

We also have to consider the amount of people who'll drop out or the people who won't be available until August and so on so on

Brendog · 15-03-2012 12:32pm

What people don't seem to understand is that the job is dealing with repetitive tasks.

They want people in for the summer because many offics have back logs of work that need clearing, be it Emails, reports that need filing or reports that need to be done.

They want someone who can come in and deal with the workload quickly and efficiently.

The questionnaire is designed to test that. Aswell as your typing abilities.

Graciefacey · 15-03-2012 12:43pm

Brendog wrote: »

What people don't seem to understand is that the job is dealing with repetitive tasks.

They want people in for the summer because many offics have back logs of work that need clearing, be it Emails, reports that need filing or reports that need to be done.

They want someone who can come in and deal with the workload quickly and efficiently.

The questionnaire is designed to test that. Aswell as your typing abilities.

How are your typing abilities assessed by an online tick the box questionnaire?! Absolute nonsense!

Jellybaby1 · 15-03-2012 5:41pm

Brendog wrote: »

What people don't seem to understand is that the job is dealing with repetitive tasks.

They want people in for the summer because many offics have back logs of work that need clearing, be it Emails, reports that need filing or reports that need to be done.

They want someone who can come in and deal with the workload quickly and efficiently.

The questionnaire is designed to test that. Aswell as your typing abilities.

I am brilliant at repetitive tasks, I was always given the 'boring' stuff as it never bothered me and I just got on and did it. My typing speed is pretty fast, 70-80wpm, and I have excellent computer skills. The questionnaire basically got us to filter ourselves in, or out. I would say a lot of those being taken on don't have fast typing speeds, but typical of the civil service, I don't think they are even interested in speed.

starlit · 15-03-2012 5:53pm

Graciefacey wrote: »

How are your typing abilities assessed by an online tick the box questionnaire?! Absolute nonsense!

Yes very true. Nonsense. I can type faster than you can say hello!

My typing speed be roughly the same as Jellybaby1!

daretodream · 15-03-2012 7:05pm

Anyone any idea of where i can get a list of departments/offices for civil service by county? Don't feel confident as there's bound to be fewer places outside Dublin and I've applied for Westmeath.

scoopmine · 15-03-2012 8:03pm

Reserve list for Carlow. Annoyed really wanted a chance at the interview.

steph1 · 15-03-2012 8:13pm

Reserve list for Belmullet. Think I can forget about this!

Jellybaby1 · 15-03-2012 9:17pm

daretodream wrote: »

Anyone any idea of where i can get a list of departments/offices for civil service by county? Don't feel confident as there's bound to be fewer places outside Dublin and I've applied for Westmeath.

I would just check the green pages in the ordinary phone book for your area.

EdenHazard · 15-03-2012 10:05pm

Keep thinking that Reserve List means we're next in line for interviews if people who got top list don't do well but even getting top list doesn't mean your a shoe in, it just means you HAVE A FREAKIN INTERVIEW

Waste of time filling that out daaaaaaaaaaah need moooneeey!!!

EOB32 · 16-03-2012 11:02am

What does the 'Top Group' mean? Are you guaranteed an interview or what?? Seems very vague to me!!

brokenhinge · 16-03-2012 11:56am

EOB32 wrote: »

What does the 'Top Group' mean? Are you guaranteed an interview or what?? Seems very vague to me!!

Pretty much, but they won't give you any rock solids- even if you nail the interview they don't guarantee you'll get one. Just saw you're in the top group to be hired.

EOB32 · 16-03-2012 3:07pm

brokenhinge wrote: »

Pretty much, but they won't give you any rock solids- even if you nail the interview they don't guarantee you'll get one. Just saw you're in the top group to be hired.

I presume you meant 'say you're in the top group to be hired'?? If not how do you know who I am!!??

TheMilkyPirate · 16-03-2012 10:20pm

Got in to top group for Wexford. Just got a new job though so not sure if this will be much use to me. Wages I'm on now are crap so maybe if its a long contract (3-4) months id be interested

Belkin1975 · 22-03-2012 7:20pm

Hi all,
Did anyone get called for an interview yet? I know I am being very impatient but I soooo need a job

lolli · 23-03-2012 12:08am

Belkin1975 wrote: »

Hi all,
Did anyone get called for an interview yet? I know I am being very impatient but I soooo need a job

I didnt get called for interview until december and I was in the top group

Flunch · 23-03-2012 10:05pm

lolli wrote: »

I didnt get called for interview until december and I was in the top group

December? I thought most of these positions were for Summer?

lolli · 23-03-2012 11:54pm

Flunch wrote: »

December? I thought most of these positions were for Summer?

No, its a year long Panel. When you are doing the questionnaire you were asked to pick if you want just to be called during the summer or anytime during the year.

Mrs OBumble · 24-03-2012 2:04pm

tiger_cub wrote: »

anyone make it into the top band in Galway?

I filled it in, just in case my current private sector contract doesn't get extended. (I think it will, but just in case.)

Got top band for Galway - and that's with saying that I won't be available until August, but did want year-round.

Last year I got reserve band. Sometime in Jan / Feb, I missed a call from a Dublin number that, when I googled it, came back as the public service recruitment people.

A tip, based on what I've observed & heard from various people: you're on this panel for a year, or until you get offered a position. If they ring you, and you don't answer, they don't leave a message, they just move on to the next person on the list, and don't make you an offer So:

- if you want a job with them right now, make sure you answer your phone
- if you don't want it right now, but may later in the year, don't answer, because then you won't have turned them down.

Not 100% guaranteed to be true. And yes there's a risk that it may be another employer offering a fantastic job that you're not answering - but most others will leave a message.

Monife · 24-03-2012 2:11pm

Got top band in 2010 and got a 2 year contract out of that. Applied again in 2011 because I was advised that the panel may remain open longer for a year. Got top band again and called for interview. Wasn't available for the duration of the panel. Applied this year again as my contract ends this year, got reserve list

Pretty sure I answered the same as I would have before (honestly like), so don't know how I made it into the reserve list this time.

Liamario · 24-03-2012 4:54pm

JustMary wrote: »

I filled it in, just in case my current private sector contract doesn't get extended. (I think it will, but just in case.)

Got top band for Galway - and that's with saying that I won't be available until August, but did want year-round.

Last year I got reserve band. Sometime in Jan / Feb, I missed a call from a Dublin number that, when I googled it, came back as the public service recruitment people.

A tip, based on what I've observed & heard from various people: you're on this panel for a year, or until you get offered a position. If they ring you, and you don't answer, they don't leave a message, they just move on to the next person on the list, and don't make you an offer So:

- if you want a job with them right now, make sure you answer your phone
- if you don't want it right now, but may later in the year, don't answer, because then you won't have turned them down.

Not 100% guaranteed to be true. And yes there's a risk that it may be another employer offering a fantastic job that you're not answering - but most others will leave a message.

I'm pretty sure they rang me via a private number, but I failed to answer on both occassions. I never received another call from a private number since. This was a few weeks ago.

Postgrad10 · 25-03-2012 12:54am

Why don't they leave a message ? People are allowed to put their phones down for a minute .

It might a good idea to save the public appointments number on our phones so we know to pick up straight away just in case.

Monife · 25-03-2012 2:32am

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Why don't they leave a message ? People are allowed to put their phones down for a minute .

It might a good idea to save the public appointments number on our phones so we know to pick up straight away just in case.

That might not help either... When I was offered a position, it was someone from my organisations HR department that rang me and on a Cork number (head office is in Cork, but I work and live in Dublin).

spudz21 · 26-03-2012 11:36am

Any word on interviews yet?

lolli · 26-03-2012 12:00pm

spudz21 wrote: »

Any word on interviews yet?

nope!

Mrs OBumble · 26-03-2012 1:23pm

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Why don't they leave a message ? People are allowed to put their phones down for a minute .

Because they're looking for a general-purpose worker, not a highly skilled and difficult to find specialist!

Imagine you are given a list of names/numbers and told to hire one to start next Monday. You could call the first, leave a message, wait 24 hours to see if they call back, if they don't, call the next, leave a message, wait 24 hours ....

Or you could just work through the list calling 'til you get someone who says "yes" on the spot.

Postgrad10 · 26-03-2012 2:52pm

Must take my phone in to the shower with me from now on . :rolleyes:

spudz21 · 26-03-2012 2:56pm

Postgrad10 wrote: »

Must take my phone in to the shower with me from now on . :rolleyes:

Or else get a secretary!!:p

Temporary Clerical Positions in the Public Service

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