IGEES AP Economist/Policy Analyst

sandmancan91

I recently applied for this (nothing back yet, closing date early Feb). I was wondering if anyone had any idea how many applicants or positions usually go with this call? Think its every 2 years as far as I can see. Also, speaking to a few people I know in various departments there seems to be a lot of internal applicants. I am external without a PhD (have masters in econ from 2013) so am likely under qualified.

floorpie

Have you heard that PhDs are common for specialised roles in the civil service? I'm curious about this

NapoleonInRags

floorpie wrote: »

Have you heard that PhDs are common for specialised roles in the civil service? I'm curious about this

For this particular unit they would be common.

floorpie

Interesting, thanks. Do you know if it's good/bad/irrelevant to have a PhD in the civil service outside of units such as this, in terms of promotion and so on? Sry to OP for asking an unrelated question

sandmancan91

floorpie wrote: »

Have you heard that PhDs are common for specialised roles in the civil service? I'm curious about this

I was kind of just going off the top spec e.g. research, managing projects, knowledge of econometrics etc. and the fact that the albeit few people I know in IGEES have PhDs. Also, I am also concerned that the AP route was primary for promotion of AO. Not sure how much scope for outside candidates like myself.

sandmancan91

floorpie wrote: »

Have you heard that PhDs are common for specialised roles in the civil service? I'm curious about this

Would be interested too - have Gov departments started hiring more PHDs over last few years?

Ravelleman

sandmancan91 wrote: »

Would be interested too - have Gov departments started hiring more PHDs over last few years?

On an anecdotal basis, I have observed there to be a lot of people with PhDs joining the Civil Service, particularly at AO grade, and now those people are pushing on to AP.

I don't believe that this is a conscious decision by the Civil Service, nor that it is occurring only in specialist streams. Rather, quite a lot of people who graduated from undergraduate courses during the recession and might otherwise have joined the Civil Service earlier ended up going into postgraduate study as an alternative. Upon completing that postgraduate study, they found the path to entry into the Civil Service open to them, something that goes in tandem with the fact that the academic/research job market cannot absorb all the PhD-holders that are being produced each year.

It is still very much possible to get AO and AP jobs in the Civil Service without a PhD though. There are many other factors which determine who is successful in competitions.

sandmancan91

Ravelleman wrote: »

On an anecdotal basis, I have observed there to be a lot of people with PhDs joining the Civil Service, particularly at AO grade, and now those people are pushing on to AP.

I don't believe that this is a conscious decision by the Civil Service, nor that it is occurring only in specialist streams. Rather, quite a lot of people who graduated from undergraduate courses during the recession and might otherwise have joined the Civil Service earlier ended up going into postgraduate study as an alternative. Upon completing that postgraduate study, they found the path to entry into the Civil Service open to them, something that goes in tandem with the fact that the academic/research job market cannot absorb all the PhD-holders that are being produced each year.

It is still very much possible to get AO and AP jobs in the Civil Service without a PhD though. There are many other factors which determine who is successful in competitions.

Thanks for this. Very helpful. When I was completing the application form (which was tough going itself) it struck me that not having one would be a disadvantage for the AP positions. Hopefully not though. Expecting response in next week or two given eh closing date was the 4th Feb.

sandmancan91

Anyone hear anything from this call yet?

lucat

sandmancan91 wrote: »

Anyone hear anything from this call yet?

On Monday I got an email from them saying it could be another month, believe it or not. Just for shortlisting!

smurac86

lucat wrote: »

On Monday I got an email from them saying it could be another month, believe it or not. Just for shortlisting!

Thanks for that, good to know. By the way, did you email them first as I haven’t heard anything since I applied back in early Feb (external application)

lucat

smurac86 wrote: »

Thanks for that, good to know. By the way, did you email them first as I haven’t heard anything since I applied back in early Feb (external application)

Yes, I emailed them on Friday because by then it was over a month since the closing date. I got the reply on Monday or Tuesday.

smurac86

lucat wrote: »

Yes, I emailed them on Friday because by then it was over a month since the closing date. I got the reply on Monday or Tuesday.

Yeh - seems a bit longer than usual alright. I applied to the same call years ago and they were back within 4 weeks. Probably expected given the current circumstances though.

lucat

smurac86 wrote: »

Yeh - seems a bit longer than usual alright. I applied to the same call years ago and they were back within 4 weeks. Probably expected given the current circumstances though.

No even in Covid times 8-9 weeks is excessive, especially when it's not even to get to stage 1.

sandmancan91

lucat wrote: »

No even in Covid times 8-9 weeks is excessive, especially when it's not even to get to stage 1.

Still no word for me anyway. I know there was a delay in 2019 when a few I know applied but they send an email saying shortlisting would be in a few weeks etc. Maybe we will hear something next week

sandmancan91

Has anyone heard from this call yet? 2 months+ since closing so was kind of expecting a reply by now?

FrankJames22

Anyone heard back from the shortlisting of this comp yet?

sandmancan91

FrankJames22 wrote: »

Anyone heard back from the shortlisting of this comp yet?

I received an email (you probably did too) weeks ago saying shortlisting was April 20th so emailed and asked any update on Friday and was told we would be informed w/c 26th but still nothing so far this week. Seems to be moving very very slowly!

crinkley

Just got the email, through to the next round, that was the longest short listing ever

crinkley

Has anyone heard anything about interviews? Nearly a month now and not a word, was hoping things would pick up after the initial delay with the shortlisting

sandmancan91

crinkley wrote: »

Has anyone heard anything about interviews? Nearly a month now and not a word, was hoping things would pick up after the initial delay with the shortlisting

Nothing for me either. I was thinking they might be waiting for the AO call to finish before they organise the interviews maybe? Will surely hear something before end of May

a04bf589

Received a message that preliminary interviews will begin in the week starting June 14th. Anyone have any insight on how the preliminary and final interviews will differ?

crinkley

I assume the preliminary interviews will be competency based and they may throw in a presentation for the final interview

argonaut

Anyone have the booklet by any chance?

a04bf589

I have it, but am new to boards and don't know how to attach it for you...?

argonaut

a04bf589 wrote: »

I have it, but am new to boards and don't know how to attach it for you...?

Thank you! I think if you just quote this rather than quick reply this there should be a Attach Files option in 'additional options', not sure if it's limited for new users though!

crinkley

Has anyone got any further contact yet? Seems a bit late in the week if interviews are commencing Monday, just wondering if they are sending out notifications in batches

a04bf589

argonaut wrote: »

Thank you! I think if you just quote this rather than quick reply this there should be a Attach Files option in 'additional options', not sure if it's limited for new users though!

No, I'm sorry, I don't have the option!

a04bf589

crinkley wrote: »

Has anyone got any further contact yet? Seems a bit late in the week if interviews are commencing Monday, just wondering if they are sending out notifications in batches

I got a message with my date and time yesterday.

crinkley

yeah I got it too, must go hunt out my passport!

argonaut

a04bf589 wrote: »

No, I'm sorry, I don't have the option!

No worries, cheers anyway! If anyone else has the form lying around it'd be much appreciated if they could share.

crinkley

here you go

argonaut

crinkley wrote: »

here you go

Thanks a million!

"Interviews are likely to be held in March/April" huh?

crinkley

See until the end of July, will be lucky to find out by Halloween at this stage

a04bf589

There are so many days of interviews. They must be interviewing a ton of people. Anyone have any idea how many posts there might be?

argonaut

Anyone had their interview yet? I'm not up until a while into next month but obviously interested to hear any pointers! Crazy long schedule, there must be a ton of us shortlisted...

crinkley

was not expecting results out next week i thought they were interviewing up until the end of July

a04bf589

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117645556#Comment_117645556

There was a typo in the message re the interview panels, I think. The two late July dates were actually June, and I think the last day of actual interviews was July 14th. Hope the interviews went well for everyone— I think mine was pretty disastrous.

crinkley

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117646120#Comment_117646120

ah that makes more sense so, good side I wasn't expecting anything until well into August. Think my lack of an economic side didn't help so not holding out much hope

crinkley

No one heard anything? Maybe it will be 5 past 5 on a Friday

FrankJames22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117683711#Comment_117683711

Message just sent out on public jobs....rejected this time! the message was worded very unusually

a04bf589

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117684187#Comment_117684187

Also a no for me! Hope others were more successful.

sinceretrem

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117684187#Comment_117684187

I think there were mistaken emails that said "not now invited" but the "not" is a mistake. They don't make sense otherwise.

crinkley

No for me as well. Good luck to everyone else

FrankJames22

Has anyone been taken from this panel yet? Just curious how quickly they are going to start filling roles.

Protoman

Edit: Oops, this is for AP and not the current AO competition. Disregard.

bean-si

Hi - would anyone be willing to share any pointers from their interview for this? I know it’s a few years ago now but the new round has started. Thanks so much!