Graduate jobs in the civil service (AO)

Pawwed Rig

Was surprised at the amount of people who 'forgot' their ID, letter, pencil. I think it should be part of the selection process that if you can't follow simple instructions you're out

Felt sorry for the woman who after the first test realised that she had actually answered the second test. Was some panicking for a few minutes. (They let her tranpose her answers onto the correct page at the end).

Graciefacey

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Was surprised at the amount of people who 'forgot' their ID, letter, pencil. i think it should be part of the selection process that if you can't follow simple instractions you're out

Felt sorry for the woman who after the first test realised that she had actually answered the second test. Was some panicking for a few minutes. (They let her tranpose her answers onto the correct page at the end).

oh no poor girl! I thought that the people yesterday who queued in the wrong line should be disqualified immediately

sorry for repeating myself but are all these jobs located in Dublin?

Skittlebrau

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Was surprised at the amount of people who 'forgot' their ID, letter, pencil. i think it should be part of the selection process that if you can't follow simple instractions you're out

Felt sorry for the woman who after the first test realised that she had actually answered the second test. Was some panicking for a few minutes. (They let her tranpose her answers onto the correct page at the end).

The same thing occurred to me when the girl in front of me took out 3 pencils and the checklist says 2..

Should be the first eliminator. Basic reading comprehension..

jayteecork

Not counting numerical is a joke and by far my best subject I'd out the window just cause women suck at maths.
I finished all numerical with time to spare. aced verbal too but 75% for job simulation is a joke and to be honest it's never in a million years going to be anything like a simulation for working as an AO.

"the minister is away blah blah"

nehemiah

jayteecork wrote: »

Not counting numerical is a joke and by far my best subject I'd out the window just cause women suck at maths.
I finished all numerical with time to spare. aced verbal too but 75% for job simulation is a joke and to be honest it's never in a million years going to be anything like a simulation for working as an AO.

"the minister is away blah blah"

A colleague of mine is an AO and said that it's roughly 50/50 for verbal and job simulation.

The overall mark is decided by a certain mathematical calculation. There is a specific formula that I don't know but I was told that it's definitely not 75/25.

jayteecork

.....

Pawwed Rig

jayteecork wrote: »

Its positive sexism at its worst.

How is it sexism?

jayteecork

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

jayteecork wrote: »

Its positive sexism at its worst.

How is it sexism?

it's a bit like not accepting speed as a factor in entering a sprinting training course cause white people suck at it compared to blacks

Pawwed Rig

jayteecork wrote: »

it's a bit like not accepting speed as a factor in entering a sprinting training course cause white people suck at it compared to blacks

So men are better at Maths than women? That is your point???

You should bring it up during the interview:D


btw I am sure the position will not be ordering long/short sleeves shirts in multiples of 100 so maybe they just decided that an average Maths ability was adequate for the job. It was hardly calculus anyway

Decos

For those of you that have done the tests, where is the best place to park at croke park?

Graciefacey

Decos wrote: »

For those of you that have done the tests, where is the best place to park at croke park?

I'd say the jurys car park is your best bet, right across road from entrance! Connolly station isn't too far away if you want to park and ride

cornerforward13

I parked in croke park hotel, parking is 2euro an hour there but for me it was worth it for handiness and peace of mind.

ponpon

Random Q - Doing the aptitude test tomorrow. Can anybody tell me if there is a clock in the Hogan Suite? I don't have a watch :-/

obeara

ponpon wrote: »

Random Q - Doing the aptitude test tomorrow. Can anybody tell me if there is a clock in the Hogan Suite? I don't have a watch :-/

Yeah they 2 have giant projector screens with the time on it. Just note the time you start each test as there are no warning announcements about time left

MrStuffins

They project the time onto the wall at each end of the hall. It's massive!

Lockstep

nehemiah wrote: »

A colleague of mine is an AO and said that it's roughly 50/50 for verbal and job simulation.

The overall mark is decided by a certain mathematical calculation. There is a specific formula that I don't know but I was told that it's definitely not 75/25.

You're right here actually, the AO familiarisation booklet says

It is important to note that while candidates must reach a minimum standard on all three tests it is the total scores from Test 1 (Verbal Reasoning) and Test 3/4 (Job Simulation) which will be combined to give an overall test score. The score achieved on the Numerical Reasoning Test is not added to the overall test score.

Aglomerado

I was amused by the invigilators having to rub out pencil marks from the verbal and numerical reasoning booklets while the job simulation exercise was in session.

Nice venue as well.

anbodhran

Did the test yesterday and left with the following observations

1. Invigilators in general were really helpful, but nearly burst out laughing at their seriousness when the time ran out at the end of the first test. I reckon it would have made sense to advise everyone that there were 5 mins remaining.

2. Tests were easier than the examples as many have said. The time limits start to take their toll after three tests.

3. The sheer volume of candidates only hits you when you see the huge numbers.

4. Age profile - I was also surprised by this. While I'm all for equal opportunities, the jobs were advertised in the Irish times as opportunities for graduates. In general terms when applying for jobs, you can only really refer to yourself as a graduate for about two years after you complete your degree, and this tends to be what employers are looking for when they use the term. Some of the candidates were older than my parents I reckon - and they're grandparents!

Who_8_Paul?

anbodhran wrote: »

Did the test yesterday and left with the following observations

4. Age profile - I was also surprised by this. While I'm all for equal opportunities, the jobs were advertised in the Irish times as opportunities for graduates. In general terms when applying for jobs, you can only really refer to yourself as a graduate for about two years after you complete your degree, and this tends to be what employers are looking for when they use the term. Some of the candidates were older than my parents I reckon - and they're grandparents!

This is the second or third time someone had made this absurd point. This competition doesn't exist to provide graduates of the past couple of years, but with little professional experience, with a good civil service job, it's exists to find the best whatever number of graduates to fill ao posts in Dept of Finance and other Departments. The best are more often than not going to have a number of years professional experience behind them. I'm sorry if any new graduates with little or no experience find that tough to swallow but this is the real world - not college... By the way my bachelors is from 8 years ago but I
have just finished my part time masters and I have what I would regard as 6 years of very relevant experience. I may not get anywhere near an interview but I won't crib about it when I'm beaten by a better candidate in an open and fair competition. It's tough finding your first real position after college but this competition isn't here to give you a nice big hug and a hot chocolate.

anbodhran

Who_8_Paul? wrote: »

This is the second or third time someone had made this absurd point. This competition doesn't exist to provide graduates of the past couple of years, but with little professional experience, with a good civil service job, it's exists to find the best whatever number of graduates to fill ao posts in Dept of Finance and other Departments. The best are more often than not going to have a number of years professional experience behind them. I'm sorry if any new graduates with little or no experience find that tough to swallow but this is the real world - not college... By the way my bachelors is from 8 years ago but I
have just finished my part time masters and I have what I would regard as 6 years of very relevant experience. I may not get anywhere near an interview but I won't crib about it when I'm beaten by a better candidate in an open and fair competition. It's tough finding your first real position after college but this competition isn't here to give you a nice big hug and a hot chocolate.

I'm currently on a Graduate Programme in which I beat off literally 99.5% of other candidates to fill the role. I've completed my bachelors degree three years ago and my masters degree two years ago. I don't need a hug or a hot chocolate from you or anyone else. If you or anyone else get in ahead of me fair play - you will have earned it.

As mentioned graduates were specifically targeted for these roles in all of the advertisements. It is fairly widely accepted that when roles are advertised as graduate opportunities they are generally targeting people 0-2 years out of college. Hence my surprise to see people well into their 50's turning up. My surprise does not mean I do not think they deserve to be there.

jayteecork

anbodhran wrote: »

I'm currently on a Graduate Programme in which I beat off literally 99.5% of other candidates to fill the role.

Link to said program please.

anbodhran

jayteecork wrote: »

Link to said program please.

Unfortunately not my friend. I still work for the company and obviously haven't told anyone that I was applying for the jobs. If someone at the company found out that someone went it wouldn't take too much figuring out to identify who that somebody was.

Napper McCann

Hey, can anyone give a definitive answer to how many people are to be called to the next stage and whether all candidates who get over a certain score in each test will be called to the interview stage?

jayteecork

anbodhran wrote: »

Unfortunately not my friend. I still work for the company and obviously haven't told anyone that I was applying for the jobs. If someone at the company found out that someone went it wouldn't take too much figuring out to identify who that somebody was.

:rolleyes:

Ah your immense talents are probably being wasted in the public sector anyway.

Darwinism mate, survival of the fittest.

you'd be the apex predator out in the private sector.

anbodhran

jayteecork wrote: »

:rolleyes:

Ah your immense talents are probably being wasted in the public sector anyway.

Darwinism mate, survival of the fittest.

you'd be the apex predator out in the private sector.

Ah sure the private sector is pretty ruthless alright. I've blood on my hands already anyway, reports I've carried out have already led to people being let go. Perhaps this is exactly what the CS is looking for 'going forward' as they say.

nehemiah

anbodhran wrote: »

I'm currently on a Graduate Programme in which I beat off literally 99.5% of other candidates to fill the role. I've completed my bachelors degree three years ago and my masters degree two years ago. I don't need a hug or a hot chocolate from you or anyone else. If you or anyone else get in ahead of me fair play - you will have earned it.

As mentioned graduates were specifically targeted for these roles in all of the advertisements. It is fairly widely accepted that when roles are advertised as graduate opportunities they are generally targeting people 0-2 years out of college. Hence my surprise to see people well into their 50's turning up. My surprise does not mean I do not think they deserve to be there.

Can people in their 50s not go to college too? I know of many people in their 50s who have returned to college at an undergraduate and post-graduate level. In fact, in my experience, the majority of people in the part-time post-graduate courses (in law at least) are at least 40+.

anbodhran

nehemiah wrote: »

Can people in their 50s not go to college too? I know of many people in their 50s who have returned to college at an undergraduate and post-graduate level. In fact, in my experience, the majority of people in the part-time post-graduate courses (in law at least) are at least 40+.

Why are people being so defensive? All I did was register my surprise. I didn't expect to be among the youngest people in a room full of people who applied for graduate roles.

Can't comment on part-time postgraduate, but in my full time Masters probably 80% of people came straight in after their primary degree.

nehemiah

Napper McCann wrote: »

Hey, can anyone give a definitive answer to how many people are to be called to the next stage and whether all candidates who get over a certain score in each test will be called to the interview stage?

There is no definitive answer at the moment. Public Jobs don't know and it has probably not been decided definitively as of yet. My indication is that, at most, the top 10% will be called to the next stage.

As it is a test where we are up against others, it is impossible to say what score is necessary to get called to the next stage. I presume that there is an average which would usually get you called to the next stage but who knows where you could find out that information.

nehemiah

anbodhran wrote: »

Why are people being so defensive? All I did was register my surprise. I didn't expect to be among the youngest people in a room full of people who applied for graduate roles.

Can't comment on part-time postgraduate, but in my full time Masters probably 80% of people came straight in straight after their primary degree.

That would make sense as most older graduates would be working also and therefore would not be doing a full-time Masters.

And it's not being defensive. I'm merely pointing out that you really shouldn't be so surprised.