Civil Service Parliamentary Reporter Posts 2013

lucat

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone else has applied for this competition? If so, what will the 'written test' stage entail?

Thanks,

Lucat

LWB

Yes, I have. There's a booklet available in the 'Advice Centre: Preparation' section on publicjobs. Here's the relevant bit:

Stage 1: Here is the list of the tests being used in Stage 1 of the competition and a general overview of what they are designed to measure.

Verbal Reasoning
This test measures the ability to absorb and evaluate verbal information and to make correct decisions or inferences. It is designed to measure other aspects of complex reasoning which are important in the Parliamentary Reporter grade.

Verbal Application Test
This test measures the ability to understand the meaning of words and logic within sentences and the use of grammar, which are essential skills in the role of Parliamentary Reporter.

There's some examples too - it all looks fairly basic.

EmmsH

Applied for this too.

Wonder what the application numbers are like and how many jobs there are?

thehouses

EmmsH wrote: »

Applied for this too.

Wonder what the application numbers are like and how many jobs there are?

Maybe it is like the guards where 20,000 people applied for 200-300 vacancies...

EmmsH

I wouldn't doubt that's the kind of scale we're looking at.

The Third Sec competition allegedly had about 1700 applications for about 30 positions :-/

Still though, I'll give it my best shot

thehouses

EmmsH wrote: »

I wouldn't doubt that's the kind of scale we're looking at.

The Third Sec competition allegedly had about 1700 applications for about 30 positions :-/

Still though, I'll give it my best shot

Of course and it's all experience - you never know what might happen.

EmmsH

That's funny, I was only just saying that to someone earlier today!

That even though it's a long shot, it's good to go through the application process for these things, if nothing comes of it, at least you've learned something and can hopefully use that to help you improve for the next time. Never a wasted enterprise!

maupat

Well peeps what did we make of this morning's session?

Personally I found the actual test questions more difficult that the sample material (isn't it always the way ). Just got to wait and see now I guess.

The head facilitator did mention that there would be a number of further test sessions. Does anyone have a rough idea of how many applied?

EmmsH

maupat wrote: »

The head facilitator did mention that there would be a number of further test sessions. Does anyone have a rough idea of how many applied?

Well, I am not due to take the test until tomorrow. If it's running over a few days I imagine there are quite a few applicants.

How many were there today, approximately?

EmmsH

maupat wrote: »

The head facilitator did mention that there would be a number of further test sessions. Does anyone have a rough idea of how many applied?

Apologies, when you mentioned further test sessions, I thought you meant there will be more tests at later stages....d'oh!

LWB

I'm tomorrow as well. How many people took the test today?

K_P

I applied for this position a few years ago - actually more than a few, it was back in 2006 I think. :eek:

Got through the first written test. As far as I remember the next (and final) stage was another written test followed by an interview. The interview was unusual in that pretty much 90% of the time was spent asking my views on various news issues of the day. The interviewers made a point of saying that views expressed wouldn't affect the outcome of the interview, but it was basically a very rigorous test of your knowledge of news and current affairs.

I'm not sure if that's still the case but it might be worth brushing up on current affairs knowledge as well as the usual job interview type questions, if/when you get to that stage. Good luck.

maupat

There were 40 people (approx.) there today.

LWB

27 in my group today and, according to my invite, that was session six. I'm guessing there must be at least a couple of hundred applicants overall.

lucat

Best of luck to everyone yet to do them!

I found the VR part more difficult than I had anticipated, and there wasn't enough time for the VA part- I didn't get that section completed. Oh well...

krossie

Just found out I was 30 or so places off the top 50 which was the 2014 cut-off - would dearly love, for my own pride(!) to know how many applicants - guessing 200-300.

Kp

LWB

Commiserations, krossie . I think you're probably close on the number of applications; that was about my guess too.

I'm through to the report writing exercise, but the message didn't say how many others were - 50 is better than I might have guessed!

EmmsH

Hey :-)

I didn't make the top 50 either....raging! Very dissapointed in myself. publicjobs.ie said there were 300+ candidates.

Well done, LWB! Best of luck for the next stage

Seems totally mad to me that there was no test of grammar or punctuation. I imagine it's kinda important, like!

Boo for tests

krossie

One of the great things about public service job applications is that at least you do get some info back.
But it's interesting that I get a slightly different bit of info then LWB!!
Any ways Well done LWB you were in the top 50 that's quite an achievement already and commiserations EmmsH.
Mind you different people do differently on all sorts of psychometric tests so I never take it to heart -though if it was 300 or so applications I'm fairly chuffed.

Next step is an actual job simulation by the sounds of it - hope it goes well!

Kp

EmmsH

Ah yeah, I know sometimes these tests generate weird results that may even be out of sync with someone's actual capabilities. It's just a little upsetting when you don't make the grade and you're a bit sad about it! I feel like ringing them up and being all "BUT I'M AMAZING!!!!!", lolol.

It's a huge achievement to place top 50 :-)

Going through these things is an experience in itself too, I guess.

LWB

Thanks guys . And Emms, I've had that "what do you mean you don't want me? I'm awesome!" reaction a LOT over the past few months! It's totally understandable.

krossie

Me too all the time with many, many job applications -but it's just literally a winowing out huge numbers.
I guess loads of very suitable folks knocked out. Onwards!

Kp

EmmsH

Haha, Yes, that was Stage 1: Anger.

Next is Stage 2: Denial: "There must have been some sort of terrible mistake, because I am an English language genius!" *chuckles*

Onwards indeed, guys :-D. I'd still love to know what the next stage involves, etc. Just for the sake of interest and for future reference.

Please do keep us posted if you get the chance (or are so inclined!), LWB! It'd be cool to know what the job simulation was like.

krossie

Second that!

Kp

LWB

Will do! Good luck to you both in the job hunt .

LegalEagleCork

Just found this thread.. How did people find the Job simulation today? my god did I regret ticking the box to say id try it in Irish! and as for the English, I found it difficult "even the ludites. . . " that line was a killer! was so scared of the negative marking found it very hard to know what to change and what not to, and it occurred to me its really an exercise in editing which I have no experience of, why didn't they just advertise for experienced editors? this is the furthest I've ever gotten in a public competition but I'll be surprised if I get the next round!

LWB

I missed seeing your post until now, LegalEagleCork! I found the job simulation tricky enough at the time, especially deciding how many changes it was acceptable to make. I'm through to interview though - how about you? Anyone else lurking out there who's still in the competition?

maupat

Congrats LWB Which interview did you get called for - the English only panel or the English and Irish panel?

LWB

Thanks maupat . It's English only for me - how about you? Are you still in the competition?

fifty grand

Anyone know when the interview is going to take place and what it will involve (eg presentation or something)? Also, is there just one interview or is it the first of two?

Tralalalala

It's the last round, apparently. No word yet on what it involves or when it'll be, though!

florete

Just saw this thread for the first time! My interview is on Monday. Am very nervous.. However, it does bode well if there are about 50 left, as I spoke to someone who knows a few people who have done this job and they seem to hire quite a lot of people at a time.

fifty grand

Hi Florete, did you have the interview today? What was it like? Mine has been rescheduled so thought it was strange yours was still on...

florete

Yup, had it on Monday at 12.35. It was fine, quite long, but they were nice. Did they give you any indication of why yours was rescheduled? When will it be now?

fifty grand

No, no reason given. Mine was due to be later in day so maybe that had something to do with it. Weird though. Rescheduled for end of month.

Did they ask many questions about politics and current affairs or was it more about you and your background etc? I'm English only btw, are you too?

florete

Weird enough alright. It was about 70/30 interview questions/politics split. Yup English only! There must be a fair amount of people still in the running if the interviews are stretched out over a month? They gave no inclination about when we would find out whether we'd been successful or not either!

Tralalalala

I asked when we might hear and they said mid-May, but that would seem relatively early if they're interviewing up until the end of the month, so I wouldn't hold my breath.

florete

True. That said, in the initial information pack they said they expected to hold the interviews at the end of March, so obviously they're quite a bit delayed? Best of luck in yours anyway, let us know how it goes!

Fear na Sleibhte

Anyone any idea how many they'll hire or how they decide on the split between English only and English/Irish? I got a ranking for the English/Irish panel, but no indication of whether my number was high enough to expect a job.

florete

I rang them up yesterday to ask that very question! There was only one job open for the English only panel, which I missed out on by a few places.. Pretty gutted, thought there would be more, especially after such a long and drawn out process.

Tralalalala

Apparently there's no job yet for the English and Irish panel, but that might change - there seemed to be some level of uncertainty, so fingers crossed! And there seems to be a lot of talk about various inquiries and things at the moment, so maybe that'll require some more reporters?

DeeMitch

What did you all think of the process? Overall, I was unimpressed. It was long and drawn out, a waste so many people's time - and tax payers' money with that 3-man interview panel, plus one woman taking notes - and all for just one job. They could show a little more respect for job seekers. Interviews are such contrived situations; exams should suffice for Civil Service jobs. Everyone who attended that interview likely could do the job equally well, but an inexperienced interviewee is at a disadvantage. The ability to plámás strangers shouldn't really be the deciding factor.