(Aug 17) NEW Interdepartmental HEO comp (Serving civil servants only)

Naydy

Confucius say wrote: »

Christ... I came 19th in the test, but just realised I left one of the competencies blank on the form I uploaded. I was in an airport when I was finalising the form. Anyway I emailed the person assigned to my application on public jobs explaining the situation and attached the form with the competency filled in. So I presume I'm f**ked now? Dammit!

I would say honestly don't worry about it. I've done a lot of these competitions (although this is my first time doing HEO) and I find if you fill them in detail they will ask you about those examples specifically and if you don't you will just have to be better with coming up with examples in the interview when asked, so have stuff prepared. I ended up submitting an almost blank application form for AO last year due to not having time with personal stuff going on and I still passed interview with flying colors when it came around (eventually turned down job due to location but still passed and ranked pretty high).

Good luck and don't stress, just study that competency extra well before going in if you get to interview stage

davebarry6

Folks anyone got a change of slot from public jobs or are swaps allowed?

Red Wolf

davebarry6 wrote: »

Folks anyone got a change of slot from public jobs or are swaps allowed?

Ive gotten a change of slot before from PAS no problem. I think they do try and accommodate within reason (maybe one swap allowed per stage?)

newmum62

I was told no changes would be allowed by them before. I think it would have to be exceptional circumstances.
quoteebarry6;104844116"]Folks anyone got a change of slot from public jobs or are swaps allowed?[/quote]

eimaj18

They can't formally change your slot but if you turn up in the morning of a day you can do, they can most likely fit you in. They just have to wait until all spaces that are going to be filled are filled with people with appointments. They have a separate waiting area for the people whose appointment doesn't suit them, so they will be called last. Sorry, probably haven't explained myself well but I've seen it happen a number of times and there's no problem with it.

podge018

Frustrating reading this thread.

Everybody who passes the online tests gets called to supervised tests, regardless of where you're placed.
Wouldn't be fair if they had a cut off, as you could let some Mensa member to do your test, relegating a genuine applicant to not being called to supervised tests at all.

OzzieRules

What I don't get is why the management scenarios, which you could potentially get an AP, PO or any high level manager you know to do for you, count towards your placement and are not supervised. Surely it should be only the tests that are done in a supervised environment that should count towards your position.

BlondeBomb

I agree.

Supervised should be verbal, numerical and management.

At home, should be just verbal and numerical.

gazzer

OzzieRules wrote: »

What I don't get is why the management scenarios, which you could potentially get an AP, PO or any high level manager you know to do for you, count towards your placement and are not supervised. Surely it should be only the tests that are done in a supervised environment that should count towards your position.

I thought that the Verbal score from Stage 2 will count towards your placing? From what I know they will combine the score of the Management Scenario from Stage 1 with the Verbal Score for Stage 2 to get you overall placing.

Red Wolf

gazzer wrote: »

I thought that the Verbal score from Stage 2 will count towards your placing? From what I know they will combine the score of the Management Scenario from Stage 1 with the Verbal Score for Stage 2 to get you overall placing.

It does. People's issue is That the Management Scenarios aren't repeated at stage 2. The supervised testing is supposed to verify your scores to eliminate cheating. However, if they aren't repeating the Management test then that isn't being verified and as someone mentioned it could theoretically have been completed by someone else.

I think the problem here is the Management Scenarios are subjective bollx and untimed so PAS couldn't conceively rereun them. In reality it is simply a culling exercise to reduce numbers going onto Stage 2. The fact that the MS score carries over is highly questionable and unfair.

yabadabado

No need to have management scenario until stage 2 and then have it as a timed exercise.
It's not timed in stage 1 but realistically if it was timed at 15 minutes in stage 2 it's still plenty of time to complete it.
I'd be shocked if there isn't a high level of abuse of it not being tested under supervision.

yabadabado

Anyone got links to decent practice cut-e type exams ?

eimaj18

podge018 wrote: »

Frustrating reading this thread.

Everybody who passes the online tests gets called to supervised tests, regardless of where you're placed.
Wouldn't be fair if they had a cut off, as you could let some Mensa member to do your test, relegating a genuine applicant to not being called to supervised tests at all.

No, defo only 1168 got called from Unsupervised tests to Supervised tests. I've just looked on the previous thread again. On the 31st May, the results were out and people quoted the 1168. They subsequently called a good few more but it was about a year later nearly.

The whole aptitude tests is an awful business altogether!

ParkRunner

It’s essentially a pot luck test followed by an XFactor interview. Hopefully all this civil service reform brings about a better promotion process which actually takes account of people’s suitability & on the job performance!

Addle

ParkRunner wrote: »

It’s essentially a pot luck test followed by an XFactor interview. Hopefully all this civil service reform brings about a better promotion process which actually takes account of people’s suitability & on the job performance!

Isn't the current process the result of reform??

billyhead

It is an unfair system of promotion as luck is involved in getting through the aptitude tests. You wlil always get walter mittys whom are great talkers at the interview stage and fluke the aptitude tests promoted but PAS see the process as the only fair way of doing it. As mentioned promotion should be based on your work output over a period of time and your suitability for the role.

ParkRunner

Addle wrote: »

ParkRunner wrote: »

It’s essentially a pot luck test followed by an XFactor interview. Hopefully all this civil service reform brings about a better promotion process which actually takes account of people’s suitability & on the job performance!

Isn't the current process the result of reform??

I seem to remember doing a very similar process very many years ago when I first joined the civil service, except the tests were done on paper in the Rds, that’s about the only difference I think?

Addle

ParkRunner wrote: »

I seem to remember doing a very similar process very many years ago when I first joined the civil service, except the tests were done on paper in the Rds, that’s about the only difference I think?

Was there a competency based interview?

And even if promotions were based purely on merit, sure most people think they're great. There's no way to please everyone.

sinorita

You'd have the lick asses getting promoted no bother if it was left up to management to promote people

ParkRunner

Addle wrote: »

ParkRunner wrote: »

I seem to remember doing a very similar process very many years ago when I first joined the civil service, except the tests were done on paper in the Rds, that’s about the only difference I think?

Was there a competency based interview?

And even if promotions were based purely on merit, sure most people think they're great. There's no way to please everyone.

Yes there was a competency based interview, this is more than a decade ago. It used to be promotion based on seniority before that, which had its merits and its flaws but I think a mix of both styles has something to be said for it.

I agree it’s impossible to please everyone but I think the current process should much better reflect a persons ability and performance..im saying this as someone who scored high in stage 1 of this competition but see other well capable people fall at the first hurdle.

Addle

That's probably why promotions are mostly divided into 3 categories - internal, interdepartmental and open.
3 opportunities for existing staff to compete.

BlondeBomb

Anyone do the tests today?

TheChevron

Has anyone successfully changed their allotted time?

yabadabado

TheChevron wrote: »

Has anyone successfully changed their allotted time?

They won't let you change but if you turn up at another slot they will try accommodate you.There is no guarantee but I don't think they ever fill the exam room .

Chieftain

TheChevron wrote: »

Has anyone successfully changed their allotted time?

I did the test yesterday and there were 7 or 8 people there who weren't down for that time. They accommodated them all no problem. There was still space left in the exam centre

paul 27

Chieftain wrote: »

I did the test yesterday and there were 7 or 8 people there who weren't down for that time. They accommodated them all no problem. There was still space left in the exam centre

hi was the exam pretty much the exact one as round 1 ?

DarDee

Anyone do the supervised tests today? Few peoples names were called out to remain behind, is this normal?

yabadabado

DarDee wrote: »

Anyone do the supervised tests today? Few peoples names were called out to remain behind, is this normal?

Irish stream maybe ?

Chieftain

paul 27 wrote: »

hi was the exam pretty much the exact one as round 1 ?

yeah exact same format as the online ones. just the verbal & the numerical. Was out of there in about an hour and a quarter

Grainne28

Hi, yes the people that had to stay behind were walk ins for the day, the facilitator just had to take note