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Administrative Officer 2015 open competition

2456715

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,038 ✭✭✭Armaghmagic


    I have to wait until I can use the girlfriends Mac on Sunday as I dont trust the work computers nor do I trust my dodgy laptop.......has anyone done it yet?


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,286 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    I have to wait until I can use the girlfriends Mac on Sunday as I dont trust the work computers nor do I trust my dodgy laptop.......has anyone done it yet?

    Make sure it has an up-to-date version of Flash (as per the instructions).
    Our work PCs don't have Flash (at all)- so they're out of the question........


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,316 ✭✭✭Reginald P. DuM


    So have we all brushed up on our domestic demand of steel for year 4?!! 100% of me has. :D Seems way too straightforward tho. I expect a hitch when I sit this tomorrow.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭Sisyphus Mark II


    So have we all brushed up on our domestic demand of steel for year 4?!! 100% of me has. :D Seems way too straightforward tho. I expect a hitch when I sit this tomorrow.

    The real test is much harder 36 questions in 30 min and u need to use calc for a lot of them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,316 ✭✭✭Reginald P. DuM


    The real test is much harder 36 questions in 30 min and u need to use calc for a lot of them.

    I predict a headache..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,388 ✭✭✭✭billyhead


    Did anyone do stage 1 today. It consisted of 3 parts. The first 2 parts were rate yourself under different choices i.e being a good leader etc and the 3rd part was a job scenario exercise were you choose between 5 options as to what you would do when confronted with a work task i.e choosing between bag to acceptable/good etc. Was there a verbal and numerical reasoning test which I should have got to do aswell? When I submitted the 3 part I thought it was finished:confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,316 ✭✭✭Reginald P. DuM


    billyhead wrote: »
    Did anyone do stage 1 today. It consisted of 3 parts. The first 2 parts were rate yourself under different choices i.e being a good leader etc and the 3rd part was a job scenario exercise were you choose between 5 options as to what you would do when confronted with a work task i.e choosing between bag to acceptable/good etc. Was there a verbal and numerical reasoning test which I should have got to do aswell? When I submitted the 3 part I thought it was finished:confused:

    I'd say you blew it Billy did ya!!? My understanding is 3 parts, 1 is verbal test, taking 24 mins, 2 is the maths one, also 24 mins, and finally a general one with no actual time limit just a guide of 40 mins..


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,286 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    The third part is on an entirely different website- PAS have the testing outsourced to two different parties. If you read your message- you'll see it has two separate links that you have to go to- it sounds like Billy have done part 3, but not parts 1 and 2 yet.........


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33 Georgie Berkeley


    I know for a fact that these samples are insufficient preparation to score well on the test. The aptitude tests are quite difficult and will put you under significant time pressure. I also know that there are better examples of aptitude tests out there if anyone would like to divulge their locations.

    That's a very good point, and it's one I'd like to echo, having spent days looking for suitable practice material in the run up to a similar test last March. At that time I was working as a TCO, and many of my colleagues, all of whom were permanent, were swotting for a variation of the same test; yet none was prepared to reveal the source of his/her study material, even when pressed - "there's loads of stuff on the Internet" was the stock response. I suppose the bottom line is (to state the bloody obvious) that competitions are competitive, and if one has a competitive edge, it would be foolish to give it away.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,316 ✭✭✭Reginald P. DuM


    Did mine earlier today.. Was ok now, few hairy moments where guess work was needed, most 50/50 some pure random due to timer. Its just annoying more than difficult...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 190 ✭✭Halpenny


    Why would there be an ABORT button for these tests? In the Information Booklet they warn against using it then within a few sentences it states you must press it in another situation. The same word but with wildly contrasting outcomes depending on when you press it!

    "Do not click ‘Abort’ during the test as this will end your test session."

    "you must select the ‘Abort’ button on your screen – failure to do so will lock you out of the system."

    Good thing it's not a shiny red button ...

    stimpy-red-button.gif


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30 minalaury


    Can anyone tell me if it's possible to complete each of the three tests in separate sessions?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,038 ✭✭✭Armaghmagic


    Is there a point having a calculator for the numerical tests? As in will there be time to use it or is it possible to guess them?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 190 ✭✭Halpenny


    minalaury wrote: »
    Can anyone tell me if it's possible to complete each of the three tests in separate sessions?

    Yes you can complete the Questionnaire completely separate and then when you login into Saville for Numeric and Verbal tests you can do one now for example and the other tomorrow. Good luck!


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,286 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    Is there a point having a calculator for the numerical tests? As in will there be time to use it or is it possible to guess them?

    Honestly- if you start using a calculator- you're going to get screwed for time. By all means do a little elementary calculations- however, if you sit down to work things out- you're going to be in trouble.

    Normally- touching the surface of the question with a simple calculation- even in your head- will get you a sufficiently close ball-park answer that you can correlate with the choice of answers available to you.

    Personally I found the numeracy easier than the verbal- even timewise- I found myself guessing on the verbal a hell of a lot more than on the numerical.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭Sisyphus Mark II


    Honestly- if you start using a calculator- you're going to get screwed for time. By all means do a little elementary calculations- however, if you sit down to work things out- you're going to be in trouble.

    Normally- touching the surface of the question with a simple calculation- even in your head- will get you a sufficiently close ball-park answer that you can correlate with the choice of answers available to you.

    Personally I found the numeracy easier than the verbal- even timewise- I found myself guessing on the verbal a hell of a lot more than on the numerical.

    I think you'd be nuts to attempt it without a calculator, unless you're amazing at working things out in your head. People are just conditioned into using a calculator these days from years in the educational system.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,286 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    I think you'd be nuts to attempt it without a calculator, unless you're amazing at working things out in your head. People are just conditioned into using a calculator these days from years in the educational system.

    Different people have different aptitudes- what I was suggesting is do elemental calculations- to get you a ballpark answer- don't sit down and try to work out the answer- just get a ballpark answer- and run with it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 325 ✭✭octo


    Is there a point having a calculator for the numerical tests? As in will there be time to use it or is it possible to guess them?
    I just did it and I used a calculator - there were a lot of questions I couldn't have done without it. But maybe others are really good at mental arithmetic.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 169 ✭✭DoctorDre


    Couldn't see any of the graphs in the numerical test. Had to guess blindly. That's me out!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,140 ✭✭✭✭noodler


    Bring and use a calculator.

    I was successful in this twice and did both times.

    Sometimes, judging by the different choices of answer, you won't need to do the final calculations as you can tell the ballpark figure 75% of the way through the answer.

    However, not bringing and using a calculator would be suicide in my opinion.

    You need to get a good amount correct. You don't need to do them all.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,501 ✭✭✭✭Slydice


    I always have a calculator.

    Always! :)


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,286 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    40 Minutes- for the 3rd section?
    It took me well over an hour- 40 minutes, as a suggestion, was so far out.
    Also- it crashed twice while doing it- but allowed me to go back and it had kept my answers- because I hadn't submitted them...........

    If they want to do a psychometric profile- and are going to this extent- they may as well go whole hog and do a proper profile........ Its far more detailed than any recent ones I've done for PAS.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 354 ✭✭Piglet85


    40 Minutes- for the 3rd section?
    It took me well over an hour- 40 minutes, as a suggestion, was so far out.

    God, I was going to say the opposite! I spent between 20-25 mins on it. I didn't feel there was much point in thinking about any of it for long, thought it best to go with my gut instead. I might regret that...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 325 ✭✭octo


    DoctorDre wrote: »
    Couldn't see any of the graphs in the numerical test. Had to guess blindly. That's me out!
    No way! Why was that? Maybe your flash wasn't up to date or something. Could you see the graphs on the examples?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,829 ✭✭✭LostArt



    Personally I found the numeracy easier than the verbal- even timewise- I found myself guessing on the verbal a hell of a lot more than on the numerical.

    Agree, there was quite a bit of thinking required in the verbal.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,625 ✭✭✭An Ri rua


    Just for anyone wondering about system requirements, I use Linux (Ubuntu) and the testing worked for me on Chromium. Not on Midori strangely, which I usually have to use for Youtube these days.

    I, too, found I needed a calculator occasionally. One or two of the scenarios were rea time-drainers. Guessing would be impossible. As another poster said, accuracy over quantity could be key.

    On the 3rd part, I took the advice of PAS and went fairly quickly through it. The 10 scenarios were close, if not not 100% identical, to last year's AO test.

    Best wishes to everyone.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭Sisyphus Mark II


    I think that a few of the questions need to be skipped in numerical, and it is vital to get it completed.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,038 ✭✭✭Armaghmagic


    Whatever the result well done for all who did it. I thought it was a lot less pressurised than the Garda ones last year.

    When should we expect to hear our results?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭Sisyphus Mark II


    Just did the numerical reasoning test there, ran out of time on three questions, guessed at least four, thought it was tough. Was particularly sickened as I knew the answer to one question just ran out of time before I clicked it.

    Did the verbal there, was a lot more difficult than other ones I had done, think I had the wrong approach, was reading the questions before the passage.

    Doubt I'll get this to be honest, will concentrate on the EO audit and compliance competition. Fair play anyone who found them easy.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,625 ✭✭✭An Ri rua


    Just did the numerical reasoning test there, ran out of time on three questions, guessed at least four, thought it was tough. Was particularly sickened as I knew the answer to one question just ran out of time before I clicked it.

    Did the verbal there, was a lot more difficult than other ones I had done, think I had the wrong approach, was reading the questions before the passage.

    Doubt I'll get this to be honest, will concentrate on the EO audit and compliance competition. Fair play anyone who found them easy.

    Best of luck with both competitions. In fairness to you, I always scan questions firstly and believe it to be the superior way. Your brain is already hunting for answers/keywords as you then scan the piece(s). Its what all speed-readers would do.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,765 ✭✭✭Jessibelle


    I had issues with the graphs in the second half of the numerical test, I took a screen grab of each testlet it happened with and emailed them immediately after the test completion. It means essentially I'm down ten questions (2 full testlets and 2 questions mid question 3), so hopefully they can reset it and allow me to redo. I checked all my computer specs before hand and had everything closed as requested so it wasn't (that I can see) anything on this end. Bit annoyed to be honest but sure we'll see what saville say when they get back. The verbal went off without a hitch.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,204 ✭✭✭fiachr_a


    Some easy and some tough ones in both verbal and maths. Not as demanding/exhausting as expected though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 169 ✭✭DoctorDre


    Jessibelle wrote: »
    I had issues with the graphs in the second half of the numerical test, I took a screen grab of each testlet it happened with and emailed them immediately after the test completion. It means essentially I'm down ten questions (2 full testlets and 2 questions mid question 3), so hopefully they can reset it and allow me to redo. I checked all my computer specs before hand and had everything closed as requested so it wasn't (that I can see) anything on this end. Bit annoyed to be honest but sure we'll see what saville say when they get back. The verbal went off without a hitch.

    Exact same happened to me. They've re-set it but I've not tried it again yet.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,765 ✭✭✭Jessibelle


    D'ya mind me asking if you still have to have it completed by 12 tomorrow? I'm in work from 8, which means it'll be impossible to do before 4 (firewalls in work mean we can't access a lot of external sites).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 169 ✭✭DoctorDre


    Jessibelle wrote: »
    D'ya mind me asking if you still have to have it completed by 12 tomorrow? I'm in work from 8, which means it'll be impossible to do before 4 (firewalls in work mean we can't access a lot of external sites).

    There was nothing said about extending my time so I assume it stays the same. Hope you can get it sorted, best of luck.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,765 ✭✭✭Jessibelle


    DoctorDre wrote: »
    There was nothing said about extending my time so I assume it stays the same. Hope you can get it sorted, best of luck.

    Thanks! Pas emailed me back about ten minutes after I emailed them and reset it. Just finished it there, felt it was a little more difficult than the previous one, but I suspect that was just nerves :o. credit where it's due, they got it sorted asap! Delighted it's done now, all that's left is the wait.....:eek:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 705 ✭✭✭keepkeyyellow


    Have we been ask what area we want to be placed in during this application? I don't seem to remember...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 114 ✭✭heathledgerlove


    Found the verbal grand, no problem at all, but the numerical left me gibbering... they might even out! As to the Assessment, sure just put down 'Very Confident' or w/e it was for everything!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29 ColcloughP


    Did the verbal there, was a lot more difficult than other ones I had done, think I had the wrong approach, was reading the questions before the passage.

    I did the opposite and had problems. I was so flustered that I kept on rereading the text and completely glossing over the relevant parts again and again. I would read a paragraph and realise that I hadn't a clue what it said because the whole time I was distracted by how ****ed I was.

    I ended up using ctrl+f to find key words from the questions in the texts. It worked sometimes, especially for the "which one of these wasn't mentioned in the text", but other times it didn't work. I also kept on making typos in the search bar and lost a lot of time trying to retype them. I had to guess at least one of the 4 from each segment and even with the 2 or 3 I was able to answer, I wasn't able give a confident answer. I'm positive that some of them were wrong but if I had just another 10 seconds per question I could have made sure.

    Overall, it was just too quick. None of the other 30 or so online tests gave such a small amount of time. I was routinely getting in the top 10% of those because I given about a minute for each question. I knew it'd be fast from the examples but the examples were all so easy that I was hoping that they'd be prioritising speed over difficulty in the real test.

    Luckily the numerical test was grand, practice did me well there. Still won't be enough though I reckon .

    Best of luck to everyone else.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 468 ✭✭Elliot192


    Ah lads! That was a disaster. Messed up on the numerical big time. Any idea when we'll get the results?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭✭OwaynOTT


    I'm ambivalent about the whole thing. I haven't being doing great at the numerical tests, I've been doing but I have been doing great at the verbal ones - go figure.
    However, in the actual tests, I felt that the numerical test was easy enough with some questions where I had plenty of time left over.
    I actually feel that I've done better in the numerical test than the verbal test.
    None of that matters, as I think I fcked up the assessment part.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24 hard copy


    Finished just in time! For me the numerical was far too difficult (good chance I failed). Nothing was that hard but there simply wasn't time to understand and make calculations. Never been strong at them but usually survived as have been able to make good educated guesses. Had to answer too many as wild guesses so my fate will be down to blind luck. The other parts were ok, they were at a level I expected.

    For me, they've got it wrong with the numerical, as it seemed a bit too tricky for the jobs that are up. Think a lot of capable people might end up excluded Anyway, best of luck everyone


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 705 ✭✭✭keepkeyyellow


    I thought the numerical was actually grand - the only one that caught me out was the computer games one but I was able to do 50% in my head, 35% with calculator and 15% were guess work due to no clue/no time.

    Funny story though - sister's calculator showed everything in fractions and I only found out when I actually started the test and had to shout the house down to get her to fix it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭✭OwaynOTT


    It's a pity that each booklet only got 3 minutes, unlike the practice tests they linked to. On the practice tests, I was able to hoard some time for the harder ones, no chance here.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29 ColcloughP


    OwaynOTT wrote: »
    It's a pity that each booklet only got 3 minutes, unlike the practice tests they linked to. On the practice tests, I was able to hoard some time for the harder ones, no chance here.

    Yeah, it seems like they're just cutting down on time to force people to guess so even fewer people will get top scores, making it easier to cull a larger number. It's pretty cheap.

    I know from people involved in recruiting for the cadets in the army that they despise the psychometric tests. The majority of the people who get past them aren't suited to be officers and they have to inevitably hire people who aren't qualified for the job. Meanwhile people who would sail past all the other tests and make excellent officers aren't passing the psychometric tests.


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 32,286 Mod ✭✭✭✭The_Conductor


    From the brief description some people are giving of some questions they encountered- I think we must have been presented with a few different versions of the tests. Anyhow- I think we're all in the same boat one way or another- I don't think any of us can say with any degree of confidence that we're happy with the tests and are definitely through to the next round......... Any idea when the results are out?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18 Sunnies Washington


    Hi

    Yes I understand there were different versions of tests. I thought overall it was extremely difficult. And for the life of me I cant understand how/why someone would attempt to do a numerical reasoning test without a calculator if you have the option.

    Do we have a ballpark figure of how many applied? I know that public jobs are required to disclose, so it will be interesting to see how many make it through to interview from those that applied.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,501 ✭✭✭✭Slydice


    For the numerical tests, wait to see the results. Some users have posted in the past that the numerical isn't given much strength in the overall results.

    We'll have to wait and see how they did this one.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 190 ✭✭Halpenny


    In the most recent EO campaign candidates' position on the order of merit was based only on Verbal and Questionnaire results; it was just sufficient to reach the qualifying standard in the Numerical test. I remember a lot of people here weren't impressed with that because they'd done well in the maths element. Not sure whether this was the same for last year's AO/Graduate campaign, maybe someone who got past stage 2 AO could let us know.

    In terms of a time scale for when we'll receive results - I don't know but last year's closing date was Wed 12th Nov and results were out Fri 28th. So going by this we could find out on Nov Fri 13th - unlucky for some or possibly in our case unlucky for many ...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 Minty Green


    I did mine last night at 11:30. Tired and exhausted. I guess most of my answers in numerical. Numbers is not on my side. It's so hardnto compete with time!
    Best of luck to everyone!


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