'Optional' Irish language test - how hard?

pow wow

I haven't had any responses to my other post about this so...

I'm going for a civil service interview and have been offered an 'optional' verbal Irish language test which involves me having a conversation on what they call every day topics. If I pass it, it adds 6% on to my interview grade.

Does anyone know how hard this test is? I haven't spoken Irish in years...we're talking Junior Cert honours about 9 years ago!

Also, if I take it and fail it does that look worse than not taking it at all?

PeakOutput

ellscurr wrote:

I'm going for a civil service interview and have been offered an 'optional' verbal Irish language test which involves me having a conversation on what they call every day topics. If I pass it, it adds 6% on to my interview grade.

i went for the air corp and the final round of interviews has an "optional" irish interview on everday topics worth and extra 6% aswell. i went in and was told that i had ticked the box to do the optional test i knew i hadnt because i did pass even for the junior cert. even at my basic level i could understand the questions easily enough but i didnt have the vocabulary to answer properly. it was about 10/15mins long. i came out feeling(besides wtf did i do dat for) that if i knew it was part of the process and had studied a litle bit it would of been fine

pow wow

Thanks....I was thinking I'd look worse if I failed it?

And also I was thinking what level of Irish would be necessary for the job I was applying for? I figure it would be pretty advanced but maybe it's a standard 'can they speak a bit of irish' test rather than needing to know all the technicalities of the job as gaeilge?

PeakOutput

well i didnt get into the air corp and i think it was either coz i failed the hand eye coordination test or they didnt check as to weather i did tick the box or not and just thought i was a dumbass for signing on for sumtin i was crap at.........it does not go against you in anyway for not doing it so i personally would not take the risk

nesf

ellscurr wrote:

Thanks....I was thinking I'd look worse if I failed it?

And also I was thinking what level of Irish would be necessary for the job I was applying for - and I figured it would be pretty advanced but maybe it's a standard 'can they speak a bit of irish' test rather than needing to know all the technicalities of the job as gaeilge.

I might put my name down so....and swot up before I head in!

Well, honestly, there's a huge gap between reading and writing Irish and actually being able to have a conversation in it. If you can't have even a very basic conversation now I'd say not to bother. You aren't going to suddenly before a proficient speaker in a few weeks unless you are gifted with languages.

pow wow

That's the whole thing though...I can have a 'basic' conversation in it, I can say what I did last night, where I'm going tomorrow, the price of eggs etc. but if it's a "what do you think about EBS possibly demutualising and the ramifications for account holders" then I'm not going to do so well.

damnyanks

If you can't do it why would you look to try it in an interview. Of course it will look bad if you do it poorly. They are looking to hire you ,not help you refresh your irish

pow wow

I was asking the extent of what constitutes everyday conversation. I don't have everyday conversations with anyone in Irish right now because I live abroad.

nesf

Why not try having this discussion here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=904

and see how you get on. Discussing it there as Gaeilge might give you an idea of where your Irish is at. Someone there might have taken the test before too and might have some information for you. Without knowing exactly what level is expected I'm not sure we can help you very much.

pow wow

Thank you, I posted because I hoped someone here would have already taken it and known how extensive it was.

Thanks a lot for the help