Senior Executive Officer, Local Authority 2020

prettyboy81

Best of Luck.

https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/index.php?option=com_jobsearch&view=jobdetails&Itemid=263&cid=122264&campaignId=20148810

moneymaid

Interested in this.

Anyone any previous experience of the application process etc?

Nicole2020

moneymaid wrote: »

Interested in this.

Anyone any previous experience of the application process etc?

Would also be looking for any hints or tips if anyone has any

dee75

Pay scale and level of responsibility seems to be equivalent to AP in civil service.

Anyone had experience of applying previously? What was the process like?

Has anyone any insight into the role itself? And working in Councils generally? Thanks

Cheeseplant

helpful infor here from 2017 competition
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=103661140

FutureGuy

Hi all, have read up on the previous thread.

I am coming directly from the private sector. Would this put me at a disadvantage when it comes to the process?

Rikand

FutureGuy wrote: »

Hi all, have read up on the previous thread.

I am coming directly from the private sector. Would this put me at a disadvantage when it comes to the process?

It shouldn't until you get to the interview stages. Having a good knowledge of local authority would be very advantageous at that point I would imagine

FutureGuy

Rikand wrote: »

It shouldn't until you get to the interview stages. Having a good knowledge of local authority would be very advantageous at that point I would imagine

Really appreciate the answer Rikand.

Cushtie

Application gone in for this today. Not holding out much hope personally, but sure if you're not in you can't win.

Good luck to all applying

Vinoveritas29

Has anyone here applied previously for this role? Just curious are applicants generally already working in local authorities or was anyone successful from other sectors?

Avdel

Applied for this role myself. Currently working in Civil Service. Dont suppose anyone has a link to any practice test??

prettyboy81

Assessment Day.co.uk I find useful for these style of tests.

moneymaid

Missed the application date for this, thought it was today. Raging

TrixIrl

Just got notification for first round of assessments, running from 27 August to 1 September. 12 minute (so short !!!) Verbal and numerical tests and a Mgmt scenario test.

Although I'm an SEO in the HSE that's equivalent to a Grade 7/Administrative Officer in LA, I've never sat these sorts of assessments before so definitely going to try practice as much as possible.

prettyboy81

Got notification myself. Competition moving quickly.

lucat

Are there any actual practice tests we can do? The Info Booklet just links to a video about how the tests work.

Zulu Art

lucat wrote: »

Are there any actual practice tests we can do? The Info Booklet just links to a video about how the tests work.

The pas seem to be using new tests each time. I suspect it is to avoid building a secondary sales industry for the test providers while maintaining a level playing field - which is how these tests are supposed to work

lucat

Zulu Art wrote: »

The pas seem to be using new tests each time. I suspect it is to avoid building a secondary sales industry for the test providers while maintaining a level playing field - which is how these tests are supposed to work

Well they're using a company connected to Cut-e which is who they always use. But normally they provide practice tests of some kind. I've never ever heard of a competition that doesn't have them.

Pinkmouse2020

lucat wrote: »

Well they're using a company connected to Cut-e which is who they always use. But normally they provide practice tests of some kind. I've never ever heard of a competition that doesn't have them.

there doesn't seem to be any practice test only video's as someone mentioned, I have been on to jobtestprep.co.uk and they advised the pack for the Executive Officer, however I feel this may be an easier version. If it's the only option to practice available I will go with.. I did find them useful for the APO test as never had completed this previously!!

TrixIrl

I read the info but couldn't see any mention of this- are we allowed to use a calculator? And if there is a supervised test round will we also be allowed there?

My numerical reasoning is very good but the actual maths of it all ...

Casarina

Yes you can use a calculator. Also in the supervised tests if they happen.

TrixIrl wrote: »

I read the info but couldn't see any mention of this- are we allowed to use a calculator? And if there is a supervised test round will we also be allowed there?

My numerical reasoning is very good but the actual maths of it all ...

Avdel

Yes, I got my email yesterday for the online test. I would suggest sending an email to them if you didnt get it yet.

dee75

Well, tests done. The Cut-e style is very different from the SHL type used in the AP competition.

I got about 32 done in numerical, out of 37 questions. It wasn't too bad.

Only got 32 done in verbal. Thought I would get a lot more answered than that, given there are 49 questions! As people mentioned in the previous SEO competition thread, it's off-putting moving between the different threads no matter how fast a reader you are.

Management scenario was fine. Always impossible to know how you got on with that one until you get your score.

Good luck to everyone doing the tests this weekend.

Pinkmouse2020

dee75 wrote: »

Well, tests done. The Cut-e style is very different from the SHL type used in the AP competition.

I got about 32 done in numerical, out of 37 questions. It wasn't too bad.

Only got 32 done in verbal. Thought I would get a lot more answered than that, given there are 49 questions! As people mentioned in the previous SEO competition thread, it's off-putting moving between the different threads no matter how fast a reader you are.

Management scenario was fine. Always impossible to know how you got on with that one until you get your score.

Good luck to everyone doing the tests this weekend.

Thanks so much @dee75 for the insights, did you do any practice test or just watch the videos before completing?

dee75

Pinkmouse2020 wrote: »

Thanks so much @dee75 for the insights, did you do any practice test or just watch the videos before completing?

I signed up with Job Test Prep UK for some practice tests.

Pinkmouse2020

dee75 wrote: »

I signed up with Job Test Prep UK for some practice tests.

Perfect thanks again

tungsten

dee75 wrote: »

Well, tests done. The Cut-e style is very different from the SHL type used in the AP competition.

I got about 32 done in numerical, out of 37 questions. It wasn't too bad.

Only got 32 done in verbal. Thought I would get a lot more answered than that, given there are 49 questions! As people mentioned in the previous SEO competition thread, it's off-putting moving between the different threads no matter how fast a reader you are.

Management scenario was fine. Always impossible to know how you got on with that one until you get your score.

Good luck to everyone doing the tests this weekend.

Thanks for your observations on the tests
Do you know of they were the old cut-e type - evergreen ltd with the tabs - trying to get my head around the different tests in jobstestprep. aiming to complete them tomorrow

dee75

tungsten wrote: »

Thanks for your observations on the tests
Do you know of they were the old cut-e type - evergreen ltd with the tabs - trying to get my head around the different tests in jobstestprep. aiming to complete them tomorrow

I've never done this style of test before so I'm not sure. However it was related to a company called Evergreen Ltd and had six tabs to flick between on both the numerical and verbal tests.

Best of luck tomorrow.

lucat

Ugh, well that was a waste of time. I only got 16 or 17 questions done in Verbal. Really annoyed!

Redchick

Well that's me out.... Logged in to complete the management scenario questions and once I got beyond the practice question I was presented with a blank white screen. I've emailed the support desk but I'm not sure if they will reinstate it. Oh well��

tungsten

Redchick wrote: »

Well that's me out.... Logged in to complete the management scenario questions and once I got beyond the practice question I was presented with a blank white screen. I've emailed the support desk but I'm not sure if they will reinstate it. Oh well��

The system will legitimately see a bug - don't worry

tungsten

dee75 wrote: »

Well, tests done. The Cut-e style is very different from the SHL type used in the AP competition.

I got about 32 done in numerical, out of 37 questions. It wasn't too bad.

Only got 32 done in verbal. Thought I would get a lot more answered than that, given there are 49 questions! As people mentioned in the previous SEO competition thread, it's off-putting moving between the different threads no matter how fast a reader you are.

Management scenario was fine. Always impossible to know how you got on with that one until you get your score.

Good luck to everyone doing the tests this weekend.

With the management senario - my gut is to spread points between different responses - with zero points going to the least likely response

What are people's approach - is their validity in allocating all point to one response as an alternative

Redchick

tungsten wrote: »

The system will legitimately see a bug - don't worry

You were correct! Thankfully they emailed me back almost straight away and had unblocked it.

Redchick

tungsten wrote: »

With the management senario - my gut is to spread points between different responses - with zero points going to the least likely response

What are people's approach - is their validity in allocating all point to one response as an alternative

I'm thinking that spreading points will be required of most scenarios - there's rarely only one option when managing a situation. I plan on giving the highest rating to the option that I would most likely do first in my current position and then maybe allocate some points to what I might see as my back up action.

tungsten

Redchick wrote: »

I'm thinking that spreading points will be required of most scenarios - there's rarely only one option when managing a situation. I plan on giving the highest rating to the option that I would most likely do first in my current position and then maybe allocate some points to what I might see as my back up action.

Thanks for that and glad you got sorted quickly!

lucat

tungsten wrote: »

With the management senario - my gut is to spread points between different responses - with zero points going to the least likely response

What are people's approach - is their validity in allocating all point to one response as an alternative

I allocated all points to one option for maybe... two questions.

Frankly, I wasn't impressed with this test. I noticed that options 1 and 3 in many, if not most, of the questions were virtually the same, so I felt like I actually had only two options rather than a real three. Especially for these questions, I tended to allocate 3 points to two different options (so 3/3). Usually I hate doing this but the options were so limited in this particular test!

Did anyone else get this impression?

Cushtie

Well that's me gone I'd say. Fecking Evergreen Ltd again!!

I think I came across the same test for a Revenue Competition in the last couple of years.

Did anyone have an issue where the tab " Market Share" didn't have any data in the numerical test. All other tabs had a table or graph but feck all under that one.

I think I got about 20 answered in both.

Third section was fine. Spread out the points for about two thirds of the questions and gave a few of them 6 points.

Tigerpants

Is it me or was there a few cannot tells under the Numerical test. Asking about FY2 or some year that there was no data for??

FutureGuy

Just looking at jobtestprep. DO I have to buy two separate products - one for verbal and numerical and one of managaemnt scenarios (£50 each) or will the £70 option cover everything?

tungsten

FutureGuy wrote: »

Just looking at jobtestprep. DO I have to buy two separate products - one for verbal and numerical and one of managaemnt scenarios (£50 each) or will the £70 option cover everything?

I got 2 packs

• SJT Management
• Cut-E all inclusive

lucat

Tigerpants wrote: »

Is it me or was there a few cannot tells under the Numerical test. Asking about FY2 or some year that there was no data for??

Yes there were a good few.

FutureGuy

tungsten wrote: »

I got 2 packs

• SJT Management
• Cut-E all inclusive

The wording on the site sounds like the 69.99 pack allows access to both.

BMHOPE

The last time, they interviewed the top 200 after the supervised appititude tests, it was widely speculated that there would be a second tranch but there wasn't... after about 12 months there was a email issued for expression of interest for Cork. There was ocean's called to supervised tests though, a number of days with a number of sessions each day and the room was full.

delricyo

lucat wrote: »

Ugh, well that was a waste of time. I only got 16 or 17 questions done in Verbal. Really annoyed!

I wouldn't rule yourself out just yet. 16 or 17 well answered questions could place you quite high.
You are not expected to answer all of them

delricyo

Redchick wrote: »

Well that's me out.... Logged in to complete the management scenario questions and once I got beyond the practice question I was presented with a blank white screen. I've emailed the support desk but I'm not sure if they will reinstate it. Oh well��

I encountered similar. Turns out Flash was blocked on my computer. I allowed it, went back in, and got it working

FutureGuy

delricyo wrote: »

I wouldn't rule yourself out just yet. 16 or 17 well answered questions could place you quite high.
You are not expected to answer all of them

That is good news because, goodness, I'm finding them a huge struggle.

lucat

delricyo wrote: »

I wouldn't rule yourself out just yet. 16 or 17 well answered questions could place you quite high.
You are not expected to answer all of them

Oh I know you're not expected to answer them all, but it got me wondering...


Getting 16/17/18 etc. done averages out to around 50 seconds per question, according to my very lazy maths. So I wonder would they prefer candidates who got 90% of their questions correct within a 50 second timeframe, (like me, hopefully!) or would they prefer faster candidates who maybe spent only 25ish seconds on each question but got the same number correct? So if these candidates got 17 out of an attempted 34 in total correct (meaning only 50% correct but more answered), which is better? I'd be interested to hear what people think!

Redchick

Just finished mine! Not impressed with my brain... Managed 22 in numerical and 31 in verbal. But not confident about the accuracy!! I definitely remeber seeing sample questions somewhere over the past week for Evergreen Ltd so I guess if you were cute (see what I did there??) about it and had done enough of the civil service assessments maybe some of the info would stick with you. Very doubtful though.... I've forgotten it already :-)

FutureGuy

You'll be delighted to know that, as someone who has been a senior manager for a decade, I am laughing my way through some of the answers in the jobtesttraining management practice tests.

Redchick

lucat wrote: »

Oh I know you're not expected to answer them all, but it got me wondering...


Getting 16/17/18 etc. done averages out to around 50 seconds per question, according to my very lazy maths. So I wonder would they prefer candidates who got 90% of their questions correct within a 50 second timeframe, (like me, hopefully!) or would they prefer faster candidates who maybe spent only 25ish seconds on each question but got the same number correct? So if these candidates got 17 out of an attempted 34 in total correct (meaning only 50% correct but more answered), which is better? I'd be interested to hear what people think!

Hard to know isn't it? Any of the free practice tests I did gives you a percentile ranking and also an accuracy rating. I'd say thy just go with the top certain percent and that's it.

Reputable Rog

Cushtie wrote: »

Well that's me gone I'd say. Fecking Evergreen Ltd again!!

I think I came across the same test for a Revenue Competition in the last couple of years.

Did anyone have an issue where the tab " Market Share" didn't have any data in the numerical test. All other tabs had a table or graph but feck all under that one.

I think I got about 20 answered in both.

Third section was fine. Spread out the points for about two thirds of the questions and gave a few of them 6 points.

Interesting to hear they’re still trading, have they diversified from hair and cosmetics?