Civil Service promotion worries

LegacyUser

Hi everyone,
I’m posting this on behalf of a family member who is a serving civil servant. I’ll have to be vague so hopefully it will make sense.
So, a permanent position was advertised in an open competition. She entered it (at this point she was a permanent civil servant in the grade below this particular job) and has been offered the job.
However, she realised after submitting her application that she doesn’t meet the education criteria specified in the original ad (i.e., you need a degree and she hasn’t got one). No-one appears to have noticed this so far, and she’s been appointed but hasn’t signed a contract yet. She has understandably kept schtum thus far, but she’s worried that someone will notice she doesn’t have a degree and she’ll be demoted to her original job. What we’re wondering is, is there any possibility that, because she was an internal candidate, those education criteria didn’t apply to her in the first place? As in, the criteria for external candidates and internal might be different? For example, say you were a CO with no degree, that wouldn’t stop you from eventually climbing the ranks to AO, but if you were and external candidate applying to be an AO you would. So is it possible that she didn’t actually need the degree at all, and that the criteria only applied to outsiders? If that was the case, her superiors may have realised she has no degree but not cared.
If anyone can shed any light on this it would be much appreciated. Obviously she doesn’t want to go talking to HR or anything about this, so I was hoping someone here might know more. Thanks!

Emsloe

Did she ever explicitly say she had a degree? Like ticked a box saying she met the educational requirements? If not she has nothing to worry about as she wasn't dishonest - though if HR ask for the degree transcript there may be some discussion over the fact she doesn't meet the educational requirements. If I were her I wouldn't be drawing attention to it.

LegacyUser

That's the thing, she said she entered the competition (on Publicjobs.ie) without reading the rules of entry, she just ticked the box to say she met the criteria. This was because the advertisement said that the competition would be closed when they had reached a certain number of applications, and she was in a rush to get hers in. It was only after she'd applied that she went back and read the terms and conditions, and was understandably panicked at that point! She presumed someone would pick up on it along the way, but they haven't yet. She's afraid it will come out before a contract is signed, and I think she's probably right to be...

InReality

Normally they ask for evidence of a degree before interview so if she wasn't asked then it might be ok. it should state clearly somewhere whether an internal candidate needed one or not though.if she is moving depts her new hr section would be another worry.

amen

Sorry OP but the job spec asked for a degree. She doesn't have one. She should mention it now. While there is a chance she may get away with it, what would happen in 2 years time if they find she has no degree ? Will she be fired? Loose her promotion ? Have to payback excess wages etc

Not mentioning the fact that has no degree and taking the job is a reflection on her honesty and trustworthyness