Administrative Officer 2017 Campaign

shedex

Oh my, that numerical test was a dumpster fire. I've done a couple of competitions in the past and always passed these tests just fine, but having serious doubts I'll pass after that horrible experience

shedex

Oh my, that numerical test was a dumpster fire. I've done a couple of competitions in the past and always passed these tests just fine, but having serious doubts I'll pass after that horrible experience

Kamu

Just finished the exams there.

I finished all Verbal reasoning questions, I know that I got at least one of those questions wrong, as when I was going back over it to change my answer, I mistakenly clicked next, oops. :rolleyes:

I would have preferred if we could have gone back over the verbal reasoning as I had about 5 minutes left at the end.

The maths questions themselves were tricky but the main difficulty of them was the time restraint as I had only completed 16/18 by the deadline.

Assessment was the usual.

All in all wasn't an awful test from my perspective.

Here's hoping guys, and good luck!

Australia33

bodun wrote: »

Yea the numerical was tough alright. Didn't get them all finished. They were very different to what was in the practice tests. On another note, did anyone find them hard to read, I thought the fonts used were poor. Maybe that's part of the test!

Yes I could hardly read the text in the verbal tests in particular.Very small and squiggly text... very tough on the eyes....

Asus X540L

I just realised I forgot to submit the assessment and I missed the deadline at noon today!

I've emailed them and hopefully they'll let me submit.

Doubt I'll proceed anyway after the aptitude tests.

Edit: They won't let me submit the assessment
Oh well next time eh? I'v heard in the AO recuitment you have to make presentations and form into groups and whatnot?
That's not me anyway I can't do that kind of stuff tbphwy.

Areas

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who found the numerical difficult! I love numerical tests and I usually excel at them but this one was ridiculous! As other posts have mentioned, the writing was difficult to read which made it hard to concentrate.

Aglomerado

Asus X540L wrote: »

I just realised I forgot to submit the assessment and I missed the deadline at noon today!

I've emailed them and hopefully they'll let me submit.

Doubt I'll proceed anyway after the aptitude tests.

Edit: They won't let me submit the assessment
Oh well next time eh? I'v heard in the AO recuitment you have to make presentations and form into groups and whatnot?
That's not me anyway I can't do that kind of stuff tbphwy.

Just presentations as far as I know. Never had to do a group thing (thank God, I can't stand those).

Sorry you couldn't submit (and at least gain something from the experience.)

lucat

Areas wrote: »

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who found the numerical difficult! I love numerical tests and I usually excel at them but this one was ridiculous! As other posts have mentioned, the writing was difficult to read which made it hard to concentrate.

Yeah the font size in the charts was very difficult to read, there was information that you needed to calculate not supplied (so it was a trick question) for a few of the questions, most of them required an absolute min. of 3 separate steps (i.e. calculations) to do in 60-odd seconds to arrive at the figures needed for the final calculation, which is impossible so you were expected to estimate the answers, but you couldn't really do that as there were too many steps involved to have any hope of accuracy....

The experience would put me off doing them again tbh!

Claireyy

lucat wrote: »

Yeah the font size in the charts was very difficult to read, there was information that you needed to calculate not supplied (so it was a trick question) for a few of the questions, most of them required an absolute min. of 3 separate steps (i.e. calculations) to do in 60-odd seconds to arrive at the figures needed for the final calculation, which is impossible so you were expected to estimate the answers, but you couldn't really do that as there were too many steps involved to have any hope of accuracy....

The experience would put me off doing them again tbh!

Completely agree with you. It’s off putting for me in the sense that I’ve also applied for the clerical officer campaign and I’m worried that I’ll never be able to pursue the higher grades unless I learn to master these stupid tests. Guessed a good few of the verbal and only got 13 of the Maths done, some of which I also guessed.

The_Conductor

Guys- we're all in a similar position with the maths- and for good measure- I'm colour blind- and some of the charts were pretty impossible for me to figure which was which looking at them.

They can't fail all of us- they need to put together a panel- the pass mark will be adjusted to compensate for the ridiculous test.

sister bliss

I thought the verbal was grand but the numercial was a different kettle of fish altogether! I'm not the best at maths but passed both the clerical officer and executive officer ones without too much bother. This was a major step up, quite ridiculous to be honest. I answered about 4 or 5 that I think were right but after that I just guessed. It has put me off going for these competitions if this is the level that is required!!

Any idea when the results will be out? Not that I'm hopeful or anything!!

Claireyy

sister bliss wrote: »

I thought the verbal was grand but the numercial was a different kettle of fish altogether! I'm not the best at maths but passed both the clerical officer and executive officer ones without too much bother. This was a major step up, quite ridiculous to be honest. I answered about 4 or 5 that I think were right but after that I just guessed. It has put me off going for these competitions if this is the level that is required!!


Any idea when the results will be out? Not that I'm hopeful or anything!!

It’s usually around 3 weeks later give or take. Even if by some miracle I manage to pass, I can’t see myself being able to repeat it a second time in stage 2!

Jimbob1977

It was like 'Wall Street' for a while.

Sell the Dollar

Buy the Bhutanese Ngultrum

bodun

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

It was like 'Wall Street' for a while.

Sell the Dollar

Buy the Bhutanese Ngultrum

Mine had me buying aeroplane parts with Japanese Yen. I hope I never have to fly in any of those planes after my calculations!

The_Conductor

bodun wrote: »

Mine had me buying aeroplane parts with Japanese Yen. I hope I never have to fly in any of those planes after my calculations!

We must have had different tests- no aeroplanes involved on mine- though I did learn a great deal about the replacement rates of trees when deforestation takes place...............

bodun

The_Conductor wrote: »

We must have had different tests- no aeroplanes involved on mine- though I did learn a great deal about the replacement rates of trees when deforestation takes place...............

I had that one too. Might be useful if we get jobs in Coillte!

Jimbob1977

Hi,

Does anyone have an insight about the likely timing of the supervised tests and interviews?

I'd like to think the supervised tests should occur in November. Or is that too early?

Is there any chance of getting called for interview, if applicable, before Christmas?

BobCat123

I think it said on the application that the second stage would be the week of 27th November

The_Conductor

BobCat123 wrote: »

I think it said on the application that the second stage would be the week of 27th November

Well done to them if they manage to keep to that- seems like a fairly tight turn-around?

jimba

Well, it looks as though my wish for Evergreen Ltd to go into Administration came up trumps. Unfortunately, this year's Numerical was the worst I've ever seen. Not hopeful at all.

sureitsgrand

jimba wrote: »

Well, it looks as though my wish for Evergreen Ltd to go into Administration came up trumps. Unfortunately, this year's Numerical was the worst I've ever seen. Not hopeful at all.

Ahh Evergreen Ltd.

What a bunch of bastards.

Aglomerado

sureitsgrand wrote: »

Ahh Evergreen Ltd.

What a bunch of bastards.

Feckers. With their detergents and beauty products. Grrrr.

ahnowbrowncow

BobCat123 wrote: »

I think it said on the application that the second stage would be the week of 27th November

That was before Ophelia and the extended application deadline, they'll probably be pushed back until December. No chance of interviews before Christmas imo.

PhoenixParker

ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

That was before Ophelia and the extended application deadline, they'll probably be pushed back until December. No chance of interviews before Christmas imo.

I wonder though. The tests don't need any processing or hand marking. They should have all the results ready to go now so it's just a matter of picking cut offs and sending the emails.

We may be lucky.

billyhead

Glad I am not the only one whom found the numerical exam a nightmare. TBH i am beginning to think that for some questions there were no correct answers and cannot say was missing from the options available:D.

Aglomerado

I hated that I couldn't recheck my verbal answers: I'm pretty sure I got a couple wrong.

billyhead

Aglomerado wrote: »

I hated that I couldn't recheck my verbal answers: I'm pretty sure I got a couple wrong.

I agree. It's a pity you cannot go back and double check your answers.

Jimbob1977

Will the supervised tests be arranged for regional centres (Cork, Limerick, Galway, etc).... or will they be centralised in Dublin?

The_Conductor

Jimbob1977 wrote: »

Will the supervised tests be arranged for regional centres (Cork, Limerick, Galway, etc).... or will they be centralised in Dublin?

Normally they are centralised in the test centre in PAS on Capel Street- just off O'Connell Street- in Dublin.

Aglomerado

The_Conductor wrote: »

Normally they are centralised in the test centre in PAS on Capel Street- just off O'Connell Street- in Dublin.

They used to hold them in places like the RDS, Croke Park and Neptune Stadium in Cork in the past, but in recent years it's all been in PAS.