NEW 2018 Assistant Principal Officer Competition

gmisk

HelloPeeps wrote: »

What's AHCPS?

They are a trade union
http://www.ahcps.ie/

paydembills

minky123 wrote: »

I was high up in batch one and am now 4 months into my job.

I won’t say what it is but it involves seeing highly traumatic situations daily. It’s not a role that allows me to contribute positively to those who have suffered - it’s more a cog in the wheel of the state type thing. The daily exposure reminds me of my own history. I thought given the whole AP process I would just try it and see what it’s like. But I’m not going to stick it out for two years for mobility or even one for internal moves.

Does anyone think that I have any chance of going back into the list? If I speak to PAS and confidentially outline my concerns? There is nothing else in the department that interests me. I want a policy type role which reflects my education and experience.

This is the drawback of this process. The most random jobs arise!

Thanks all

I've been an AP for a few years now, I went from one department to another, two completely different fields of work. I had to start completely from scratch and for the first long while I thought I'd made a huge mistake and hated my role. I'm now really into it, it has pushed me in ways I never expected, I've learned loads and I'm getting a lot from it. As are the department I went to as I've brought them lots of new thinking. So. Open recruitment is hard. Even if you get no joy from PAS, don't give up. Hard learning and **** jobs can sometimes have surprising results and worth, even if it take a few years to get there. Just in case you don't get the result you want from PAS, bear my experience in mind. I know that awful feeling from thinking that you are in the wrong job and you've made a wrong decision....it's not necessarily the case.
On the mobility front, in the absence of an agreed mechanism for AP grade, there is no mobility that I'm seeing at present!! That's why I'm back doing AP comps, trying to get the geographical location I want!!

gmisk

paydembills wrote: »

I've been an AP for a few years now, I went from one department to another, two completely different fields of work. I had to start completely from scratch and for the first long while I thought I'd made a huge mistake and hated my role. I'm now really into it, it has pushed me in ways I never expected, I've learned loads and I'm getting a lot from it. As are the department I went to as I've brought them lots of new thinking. So. Open recruitment is hard. Even if you get no joy from PAS, don't give up. Hard learning and **** jobs can sometimes have surprising results and worth, even if it take a few years to get there. Just in case you don't get the result you want from PAS, bear my experience in mind. I know that awful feeling from thinking that you are in the wrong job and you've made a wrong decision....it's not necessarily the case.
On the mobility front, in the absence of an agreed mechanism for AP grade, there is no mobility that I'm seeing at present!! That's why I'm back doing AP comps, trying to get the geographical location I want!!

I can concur with this, though my experience was when I went from EO to HEO....initially I hated it, I felt a bit lost with very little support...but it changed after a bad PMDs I really knuckled down and really love the role.


Although the situation from this poster it sounds like they really would be better out of that area. Talk to HR and Union if possible, and maybe they could move you to a sightly different area in same organisation?

SFC1895

gmisk wrote: »

I am really sorry to hear this, I am not sure PAS will be able to do anything as others have said here. I would definitely talk to internal HR.



The job I have been offered off this panel is entirely based around developing policy/governance...in an area I have no clue about.
My entire CV is ICT focused, but they barely have an internal ICT department....not a good fit.

Congrats and best of luck with your new posting! I'm sure you'll adapt well to it.

SFC1895

Update: I heard PAS reached approx 9 (Open) and 6 (InterD) for clearance this morning (Batch 2).

gmisk

SFC1895 wrote: »

Congrats and best of luck with your new posting! I'm sure you'll adapt well to it.

Thanks very much.
Big step up from HEO to AP but its exciting.
I am actually going to turn down the AP general one I was offered and take the ICT AP role offered...so thats one more person off this list for anyone waiting
Are you waiting on clearance or are you all set?

SFC1895

gmisk wrote: »

Thanks very much.
Big step up from HEO to AP but its exciting.
I am actually going to turn down the AP general one I was offered and take the ICT AP role offered...so thats one more person off this list for anyone waiting
Are you waiting on clearance or are you all set?

Waiting to go to clearance, a bit of way to go for me yet! Waiting for my internal panel to move too!

gmisk

SFC1895 wrote: »

Waiting to go to clearance, a bit of way to go for me yet! Waiting for my internal panel to move too!

Ah it will fly in dont worry about that!
There will be lot of people retiring Sept/Oct I would think.
Congrats.

C.O.Y.B.I.B

SFC1895 wrote: »

Update: I heard PAS reached approx 9 (Open) and 6 (InterD) for clearance this morning (Batch 2).

Good to know . Is that nearly 10 in 2 weeks ? I'm early 20s , so not long now hopefully

AndrewJRenko

What happens if you have probation problems after getting placed in one of these competitions? Has anyone ever heard of someone failing probation?

Augme

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

What happens if you have probation problems after getting placed in one of these competitions? Has anyone ever heard of someone failing probation?

I've heard of at least one person who has failed and there is probably more. Departments are generally more stricter about probation at the higher levels.

If you are a serving civil servant you'll be out back down to your old grade, if you are coming in from the outside then it's off to the queue.

Augme

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

What happens if you have probation problems after getting placed in one of these competitions? Has anyone ever heard of someone failing probation?

I've heard of at least one person who has failed and there is probably more. Departments are generally more stricter about probation at the higher levels.

If you are a serving civil servant you'll be out back down to your old grade, if you are coming in from the outside then it's off to the queue.

AndrewJRenko

Augme wrote: »

I've heard of at least one person who has failed and there is probably more. Departments are generally more stricter about probation at the higher levels.

If you are a serving civil servant you'll be out back down to your old grade, if you are coming in from the outside then it's off to the queue.

Thanks, good to know. I'm thinking about a situation where you take a promotion to a specific post in a smaller body staffed by civil servants. In a worst case scenario where the probation doesn't work out, the chances of a vacancy at the lower level for a generalist in that body are slim to none. Where would the unlucky candidate go?

Veledan22

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Thanks, good to know. I'm thinking about a situation where you take a promotion to a specific post in a smaller body staffed by civil servants. In a worst case scenario where the probation doesn't work out, the chances of a vacancy at the lower level for a generalist in that body are slim to none. Where would the unlucky candidate go?

Generally you revert to your previous grade in your old department.

ParkRunner

Did the panel move much last week?

HelloPeeps

ParkRunner wrote: »

Did the panel move much last week?

I am in the mid-teens and I haven't heard anything yet. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a bit of a lull over August.

AndrewJRenko

Veledan22 wrote: »

Generally you revert to your previous grade in your old department.

Thanks, wasn't aware of that. Is this an agreed policy written down anywhere or just a traditional practice or what?

Riskymove

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Thanks, wasn't aware of that. Is this an agreed policy written down anywhere or just a traditional practice or what?

it will be spelled out in the terms of your probation when offered a job and you sign it

AndrewJRenko

Riskymove wrote: »

it will be spelled out in the terms of your probation when offered a job and you sign it

Thanks, I found more details here;


https://hr.per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Probation-Guidelines-2019-1.pdf

43. If the civil servant’s performance has not been satisfactory, his or her appointment to the grade should not be confirmed. A civil servant whose performance has not been satisfactory may be reverted to his or her former (or an equivalent) position subject to certain conditions. The arrangements in this regard are set out in section 7 of the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956(as amended) [Appendix A].

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1956/act/46/enacted/en/print#sec7

(b) if the civil servant held, immediately prior to his appointment to his probationary position, an established position (in this paragraph referred to as his previous position), the appropriate authority shall terminate his appointment to his probationary position and, in that event, the civil servant may, if the Minister consents, forthwith be appointed to an established position (being a position which is, either, (i) in the same grade as that of his previous position, or (ii) in a grade or rank which, in the Minister's opinion, is equivalent to or lower than the grade of his previous position) to be designated by the Minister;

Addle

I’ve known two APs in different departments who reverted. Neither felt able for their new roles.

AndrewJRenko

Addle wrote: »

I’ve known two APs in different departments who reverted. Neither felt able for their new roles.

Thanks. Were they promoted within their own department? I'm just wondering about whether the old department would want me back, if my current specialist role has been filled?

Addle

Ya, they were both internal promotions.
Do your old department have a choice?

I’ve known a couple of open APs to quit.

SFC1895

Update:

At approx 14 (open) and 9 (InterD) on the panel

AndrewJRenko

Addle wrote: »

Ya, they were both internal promotions.
Do your old department have a choice?

I’ve known a couple of open APs to quit.

That's the key question really, particularly as my current role is a specialist role, recruited through a special competition, not a generalist role.

Augme

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Addle wrote: »

Ya, they were both internal promotions.
Do your old department have a choice?

I’ve known a couple of open APs to quit.

That's the key question really, particularly as my current role is a specialist role, recruited through a special competition, not a generalist role.

Do you mean your current role below the AP position? As in your for example in a specialist heo role and if you get an AP fail probation will you then be put back into the same specialist heo role? From reading the previous piece your old department will have to take you back as an HEO but they don't have to give youthe exact same old position back.

SPHarry

OnlyWayIsUp wrote: »

Uuuuuugh, here we go again with the aptitude tests and e-tray... not to mention interviews.

Anyone got any advice on how to practice for the etray?

I heard last time round loads of people failed the etray so any help appreciated.

I would say that the two things you can be mindful of are timekeeping and to prioritise tasks appropriately, according to urgency and seniority of person making the request. I saw one person in my test who had failed to submit the last (major) task on time - the screen goes blank when time is up and she had just not hit the submit button. Keep an eye on the time left in the test and submit before it ends!

On another note, I have just joined and am on probation and have heard that increments are not payable after year one, because you are on probation. Is this correct?

Good luck to everyone in the application process!

oodles19

SPHarry wrote: »

I would say that the two things you can be mindful of are timekeeping and to prioritise tasks appropriately, according to urgency and seniority of person making the request. I saw one person in my test who had failed to submit the last (major) task on time - the screen goes blank when time is up and she had just not hit the submit button. Keep an eye on the time left in the test and submit before it ends!

On another note, I have just joined and am on probation and have heard that increments are not payable after year one, because you are on probation. Is this correct?

Good luck to everyone in the application process!

Your increment is due one year from your commencement in the role, your probation ends at that time, so you should receive your first increment upon the date of your joining after one year, unless your probation has been extended, in which case I don't believe you receive your increment untill that extended period has been completed (but don't quote me on that bit!)

Addle

As long as you’re not marking time...

oodles19

Addle wrote: »

As long as you’re not marking time...

Thought marking time was done for? :


https://hr.per.gov.ie/starting-pay-on-promotion/

Addle

oodles19 wrote: »

Thought marking time was done for? :


https://hr.per.gov.ie/starting-pay-on-promotion/

I can’t access the faq.
Does that mean they may start on lower pay if success in an open comp?