How fair will Garda recruitment be?

Father Spodo Komo do

So...How many lucky people are getting in because they're the sons/daughters/cousins/friends of high ranking Gardai, TDs, MEPs, Councillors etc?

I'm gonna say at least 50%

Gotta love nepotism in this country...

Faith and Justice

Father Spodo Komo do wrote: »

So...How many lucky people are getting in because they're the sons/daughters/cousins/friends of high ranking Gardai, TDs, MEPs, Councillors etc?

I'm gonna say at least 50%

Gotta love nepotism in this country...

You've got a bad attitude pal. Less negativity, more studying, no one to blame but yourself. Of your good enough you'll get in

Father Spodo Komo do

You obviously haven't experienced it first hand so. I have a number of times, and heard about it from countless Guards. My attitude is fine thanks, and I've plenty of studying done. Unfortunately the best person doesn't always get the job. Accepted or refused, it'll be by my own merit.

3fullback

Father Spodo Komo do wrote: »

So...How many lucky people are getting in because they're the sons/daughters/cousins/friends of high ranking Gardai, TDs, MEPs, Councillors etc?

I'm gonna say at least 50%

Gotta love nepotism in this country...

Im with ya chief! Its goning to be 70% of those with pull and 30% of the highest educated, physically fit and mentally strong individuals. The latter being probable some of the best Garda Trainees to ever enter Templemore.

thestar

I have spoken about this issue on another thread already. I know that there will be a certain amount that will get in on who they know but 70% to me sounds crazy. Time will tell but I don't see this country being as twisted as people say. Why bother with the recruitment process at all then? At the end of the day no matter how much pull somebody has they still have to pass the aptitude test and that will be fun..

jamesr123

thestar wrote: »

I have spoken about this issue on another thread already. I know that there will be a certain amount that will get in on who they know but 70% to me sounds crazy. Time will tell but I don't see this country being as twisted as people say. Why bother with the recruitment process at all then? At the end of the day no matter how much pull somebody has they still have to pass the aptitude test and that will be fun..

I don't believe the aptitude test is/will be as hard as they say. Just look at some of the members who have past it before :eek::eek:

Devil08

Public jobs look after the testing and interviews. Then successful candidates are passed onto Garda HQ. nobody will get in if they aren't good enough.

thestar

Look at some of the people that got into lots of different in this country during the boom. The pass mark is going to be of a way higher standard and that's obvious

jamesr123

Is there a meeting with your local super for full time or is that just to join the reserves?


It would be nice to have a 100% fair campaign but this being Ireland I don't think that's ever possible...

thestar

Devil08 wrote: »

Public jobs look after the testing and interviews. Then successful candidates are passed onto Garda HQ. nobody will get in if they aren't good enough.

Yes no matter how much pull you have you still have to pass aptitude test. A fiend of mine is a guard now who has a relation at the top tier of the force. He told me himself that for the interviewhe could have went in and sat on the table and he would have passed

thestar

ya you have to meet the local super as part of reserve application

jamesr123

thestar wrote: »

ya you have to meet the local super as part of reserve application

do you for full time aswell?

thestar

Ya full time aswel

jamesr123

Hopefully that changes. Having 2 meetings seems very time consuming IMO Surely public jobs interview is enough to form an opinion on a candidate.

Father Spodo Komo do

My Reserve interview was with an ex-Super and a P.A.S. employee, followed then by a meeting with my local Sgt, then the local Super. I've heard for recent full-timer interviews before the moratorium you'd be sitting infront of a Super and P.A.S employee. I'm not 100% but I think they've done away with four people sitting in on your interview like they had years ago. They probably can't be arsed paying a psychologist to sit quietly noting your body language this time around.

thekopend

Devil08 wrote: »

Public jobs look after the testing and interviews. Then successful candidates are passed onto Garda HQ. nobody will get in if they aren't good enough.

Ags are heavily involved in the interview and have more of a say than the PAS employee as far as I'm aware, that is where the 'pull' is usually used:/

Scouser

Garda HQ only get their hands on applications after PAS are finished with aptitude tests and interviews

pull really doesnt exist during that process

DO NOT compare calibre of applicants from the celtic tiger years to the ones going for it now. the standard will be ferociously higher this time around in my opinion!

best of luck to everyone and may the best person win!

Faith and Justice

Biggest load of nonsense ever. The best people will get in regardless of who they are

thestar

I hope your right faith and justice. The shout is going to be given at that reserve graduation today

Scouser

thestar wrote: »

I hope your right faith and justice. The shout is going to be given at that reserve graduation today

i thought the grad was tmorow?

thestar

sorry it is tomorrow

kev-bt

Scouser wrote: »

going for the fuilltime you WILL NOT be meeting your local super

We met local super last time we applied in 08, have you info that the format has changed?

Scouser

kev-bt wrote: »

We met local super last time we applied in 08, have you info that the format has changed?

no i dont have any info

i forgot all about that part of the process

maybe it has remained!

dewsbury

The idea of nepotism and using "pull" may well be a thing of the past.

Things have changed in Ireland.

If a senior member of the guards tried to influence a recruitment process then it could be damaging to his career (and indeed may result in the disqualification of the potential candidate).

Also, the main reason that you will not be successful in trying to join the force is statistics. There are simply far more applicants than jobs.

Don't blame nepotism ... it is simply the fact that there is a lot of competition!

Faith and Justice

dewsbury wrote: »

The idea of nepotism and using "pull" may well be a thing of the past.

Things have changed in Ireland.

If a senior member of the guards tried to influence a recruitment process then it could be damaging to his career (and indeed may result in the disqualification of the potential candidate).

Also, the main reason that you will not be successful in trying to join the force is statistics. There are simply far more applicants than jobs.

Don't blame nepotism ... it is simply the fact that there is a lot of competition!

Thank you. A bit of sense has finally been spoken

rickmar

Just wondering if religion plays any part in the recruitment. Do the garda actively recruit from minorities for example protestants?

Scouser

rickmar wrote: »

Just wondering if religion plays any part in the recruitment. Do the garda actively recruit from minorities for example protestants?

Mormans, plenty of mormans

Father Spodo Komo do

dewsbury wrote: »

The idea of nepotism and using "pull" may well be a thing of the past.

Things have changed in Ireland.

If a senior member of the guards tried to influence a recruitment process then it could be damaging to his career (and indeed may result in the disqualification of the potential candidate).

Also, the main reason that you will not be successful in trying to join the force is statistics. There are simply far more applicants than jobs.

Don't blame nepotism ... it is simply the fact that there is a lot of competition!

I can tell you right now I know a few people who's chances of getting in once they pass initial exams will be severely influenced through certain people they know. I'm not going into specifics for obvious reasons, and if I did you wouldn't be so sure of yourself Faith and Justice. I've seen it happen with full time members, I've even seen it with Reserves. I'd love a fair competition as much as the next person, but it's not going to be that way unfortunately. If you think the best people are going to get the job you're being very naive.

Faith and Justice

Father Spodo Komo do wrote: »

I can tell you right now I know a few people who's chances of getting in once they pass initial exams will be severely influenced through certain people they know. I'm not going into specifics for obvious reasons, and if I did you wouldn't be so sure of yourself Faith and Justice. I've seen it happen with full time members, I've even seen it with Reserves. I'd love a fair competition as much as the next person, but it's not going to be that way unfortunately. If you think the best people are going to get the job you're being very naive.

Well if you feel that way then your hardly going to bother applying?

thekopend

Father Spodo Komo do wrote: »

I can tell you right now I know a few people who's chances of getting in once they pass initial exams will be severely influenced through certain people they know. I'm not going into specifics for obvious reasons, and if I did you wouldn't be so sure of yourself Faith and Justice. I've seen it happen with full time members, I've even seen it with Reserves. I'd love a fair competition as much as the next person, but it's not going to be that way unfortunately. If you think the best people are going to get the job you're being very naive.

Well said father, to say there is no pull used at interview shows a lack of knowledge about what goes on! It's a pity but it's beter to be realistic. Of course people will still apply, they have nothing to lose by applying.

Father Spodo Komo do

This is it. If I don't get in, and I know people who do who are very well suited to the job then I'll be delighted for them. I'd just dread the day they turn to me saying "So and so is fecking useless in training, sure ya know he/she only got in because they know..."

Faith and Justice

Father Spodo Komo do wrote: »

This is it. If I don't get in, and I know people who do who are very well suited to the job then I'll be delighted for them. I'd just dread the day they turn to me saying "So and so is fecking useless in training, sure ya know he/she only got in because they know..."

How corrupt do you think the organisation is?

Who's to say you won't be useless at the training?

Who ever gets in, got through the competition and deserves it. Don't begrudge anyone there place, because they will have earned it

Father Spodo Komo do

Faith and Justice wrote: »

How corrupt do you think the organisation is?

Who's to say you won't be useless at the training?

Who ever gets in, got through the competition and deserves it. Don't begrudge anyone there place, because they will have earned it

1) I know how the organisation operates first hand, and as I've said before, I've spoken to countless members about it. Pull is huge within AGS.

2) I haven't said or implied once that I would make a good candidate. If you're trying to hit me on a personal note however, my performance in Reserve training was higher than average.

3) If you think the best people get the job in this world, then my god expect a reality check soon.

Scouser

sad that this debate rages the day before a Garda recruitment campaign!

subaru scooby

it's not all about WHAT you know but WHO you know!!

WilcoOut

subaru scooby wrote: »

it's not all about WHAT you know but WHO you know!!

He could have been Pope!

Father Spodo Komo do

Once the recruitment process is over there's going to be a lot of people upset, quite easily myself included. Some people won't get in while others will who won't be as suited to the job, mostly for reasons I've stated before. It's happened before and it'll happen again. It's just something to bare in mind in case it happens and you feel down over it. At the end of the day all you can do is give it your best shot and hope for the best. If you're serious about the job, you feel you're well suited and you're determined to become a member of AGS then I can wish you nothing but the very best of luck.

thekopend

Faith and Justice wrote: »

How corrupt do you think the organisation is?

Who's to say you won't be useless at the training?

Who ever gets in, got through the competition and deserves it. Don't begrudge anyone there place, because they will have earned it

Your head is in the clouds I'm afraid. A lot of people who genuinely should get in who would be good at the job might not because there is so few places, there might not even be enough 'jobs for the Boys'. I know we should all think in an ideal way about the recruitment but it is hard to. Not everyone who will get through it will have 'earned it' I fear.

palmtrees

Faith and Justice wrote: »

How corrupt do you think the organisation is?

Who's to say you won't be useless at the training?

Who ever gets in, got through the competition and deserves it. Don't begrudge anyone there place, because they will have earned it

Hit the nail on the head.

Anybody who is of a high enough rank to get any input to the recruitment process would not be stupid enough to put their career in jeprody to help somebody else getting in. It almost sounds like people are making excuses already.

If you go into an interview with the attitude "I probably won't get this because my daddy's not a garda" and the next person goes into it with the attitude "I deserve this, and this is my opportunity to prove to them that I do", who do you think will do a better interview?

Put the head down, put the work in and earn your place on the course like everybody else will.

A lot of people who should get in probably won't, that's the nature of the process when the demand is so high. But on the same token, nobody is going to get in just because "they know someone".

Father Spodo Komo do

palmtrees wrote: »

Anybody who is of a high enough rank to get any input to the recruitment process would not be stupid enough to put their career in jeprody to help somebody else getting in.

I'd love to know where you're getting this view from. I've heard reliable stories of it happening before, from members who probably have 2-300 years of experience between them. Do you think a Senior Garda or politician is going to worry about losing their job by subtly telling someone involved in recruitment to remember a certain applicants name?

thestar

Anyone that knows anything about the recruitment process will know it goes on regularly. I'd just love to know the extent to which it is happening. Will be very interesting to see the what % of recruits have a reserve background.

palmtrees

Father Spodo Komo do wrote: »

Do you think a Senior Garda or politician is going to worry about losing their job by subtly telling someone involved in recruitment to remember a certain applicants name?

I actually do. Maybe it's just me, but I've been through the reserve process and got in on my own merit. I am related to senior Gardai and, while I would never put them in that position, I know that if I were to ask they would politely refuse.

Any garda I know would help me no-end with my application but none of them would "put in a good word". If you're good enough for the job you can get it yourself would be their mindset I would imagine. A lot of these rumours come from what was common practise years ago, and a small amount of begrudgers probably!

Will be very interesting to see the what % of recruits have a reserve background.

More of it. Think about it this way; reserves already have experience, you know if they can follow orders well, they already have their uniform and they have gone out and decided to volunteer. It shows initiative and interest in the job.

Presuming the reserve is well respected and does a good job, would they not make a better applicant than somebody who has no garda reserve experience? Presuming all else is equal, of course.

Faith and Justice

thekopend wrote: »

Your head is in the clouds I'm afraid. A lot of people who genuinely should get in who would be good at the job might not because there is so few places, there might not even be enough 'jobs for the Boys'. I know we should all think in an ideal way about the recruitment but it is hard to. Not everyone who will get through it will have 'earned it' I fear.

Negativity and defeatism, will not get you through the competition.

Positivity and hard work will.

Start as you mean to go on. Hit the ground running. Blitzkrieg

Father Spodo Komo do

If only everyone were as honest as your family!

msg11

Father Spodo Komo do wrote: »

I'd love to know where you're getting this view from. I've heard reliable stories of it happening before, from members who probably have 2-300 years of experience between them. Do you think a Senior Garda or politician is going to worry about losing their job by subtly telling someone involved in recruitment to remember a certain applicants name?

Well if the **** hits the fan with a member they have put a word in for or shoved into training and it comes to light that is how the member got into the organization the last thing they need to be worring about is there job.

palmtrees

Father Spodo Komo do wrote: »

If only everyone were as honest as your family!

lol, maybe I've just been very luck in the AGS members I've spoken to. I know they're not all saints but it just doesn't seem worth it to put your job on the line. As I said, any garda you know would be more than happy to help you to prepare for the interview/assessments, anything to give you that advantage.

It might be worth noting that if somebody were to put in a good word for you, in most companies, that would terminate your application.

Father Spodo Komo do

It's just pretty annoying, I've heard of it happen before. I'm sure you've heard a few stories yourself. Now I'm starting to hear of it happening again, all you can do is sit back and grit your teeth!

thekopend

As said in other thread ex super who was on interview panel for years will be on radio. For example if Someone who knew him personally went for interview would you not think they would have an advantage. Or a lad
Who's father or uncle went to templemore with him in the day, an easy phone call. Pffff ye are in denial lads, that won't threaten anyone's career. Not all candidates get in with pull which gives us hope but to think that none do and that everything is so legit and straight shows ye don't know as much as ye think. I know of a few that got into training with help, and one told me the hardest question they were asked was where would you like to be stationed, and if he fell asleep in the interview it wouldn't have mattered, of course I won't expect anyone to believe me. All I'll say is it's easy to pick out the innocent people on this. I'm not saying anymore on this, I'm starting to feel negative about it.

thekopend

Haha ' no it doesn't help having a family member in the gards' as if he could say anything else.

Father Spodo Komo do

Ha, he wasn't hesitant or stuttering at all after being asked that! :P

thekopend

Father Spodo Komo do wrote: »

Ha, he wasn't hesitant or stuttering at all after being asked that! :P

Pity he wasn't connected to a lie detector it would have exploded!