Administrative Officer 2021 in the Civil Service.

cvb03 · 03-10-2021 12:15pm #1

Graduate Opportunities in the Civil Service 2021 - Closing Date: 3 pm on Thursday 7th October 2021.

https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/index.php?option=com_jobsearch&view=jobdetails&Itemid=263&cid=140502&campaignId=21249904

Graduate Policy Analyst/Economist - Closing Date: 3 pm on Thursday the 21st of October 2021.

https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/index.php?option=com_jobsearch&view=jobdetails&Itemid=263&cid=140143&campaignId=21240808

floorpie · 03-10-2021 8:45pm

Thanks.

Very confusing that they keep calling this a graduate role. It's listed in every graduate programme brochure in universities, but unlike every other grad programme in the country, the target audience can not apply as they haven't graduated. They should call it "degree entry" or something.

I was on a meeting with all of this year's new intake and eyeballing it I'd say the average age is mid 30s.

Edit: I think it's a good thing that new entrants tend to have experience. The standard amongst AOs is really exceptional in my experience.

AP2021 · 03-10-2021 10:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117972364#Comment_117972364

Ya, these are marketed as graduate roles, but realistically they are "roles for graduates" rather than your standard graduate role that takes people on straight from university.

It's a competitive process that will have lots of EO and COs with degrees applying as a promotional route.

It's also very hard for someone straight out of university to hit the competencies without any significant work experience in a role with some responsibility. If you've a year or so of work behind you and can sell it under the competency framework though it's very possible for a recent grad to get in.

The "graduate programme" that follows it is very funny for that reason. A room full of people from their mid 20s to early 40s and later sitting around listening to a consultant talk about how to do basic time management...

lucat · 05-10-2021 10:02am

For the Policy Analyst/Economist role, how familiar do you have to be with statistical software? I vaguely remember using SPSS in college but that was a million years ago and I was very bad at it! I do work with statistics now, but mainly in excel and I'm only analyzing/interpreting them, not generating them from scratch.

exitstageleft · 05-10-2021 1:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117978582#Comment_117978582

I reckon it depends on where you eventually end up but I don't think it's too important, to be honest. Having a good knowledge of statistics is but I'd put good money on that you'll find yourself using excel most of the time on the job - cause that's what everyone else uses.

HannahR31 · 06-10-2021 3:39pm

Is there just the quick web form to do or is there a separate pdf application which needs to be uploaded?

cvb03 · 06-10-2021 5:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117984628#Comment_117984628

It's just the quick web form for now 😀

lucat · 06-10-2021 6:13pm

Is stage 1 likely to be next week or the week after? Assume it'll be the usual tests...

PCO2019 · 19-10-2021 5:33pm

Hi folks,

If a candidate is offered an interview is there a slow turnaround after the interview has taken Place where I would be informed if I was into the next round ?

Protoman · 19-10-2021 7:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118043895#Comment_118043895

You'll be put through a series of tests (the initial weeding out aptitude tests) and a memo generating exercise before you'll be in front of anyone making your case at an interview. So I'd worry about those first. Likely a presentation exercise to be done on camera for the economist/analyst role too.

exitstageleft · 19-10-2021 8:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118043895#Comment_118043895

There's an unbelievably slow turn around. At some point, you'll behind to wonder if you really applied for the job at all.

PCO2019 · 20-10-2021 9:23am

@Protoman I had an interview this week but I am not sure how soon it will be before i am told I have or haven't satisfied the minimum criteria to be considered for the next round (55% is the minimum mark in all of the key competencies to be moved forward).

Protoman · 20-10-2021 10:51am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118046672#Comment_118046672

You had an interview for this campaign (AO 2021) or another one? The testing window for this isn't even closed so I'm unsure how so.

PCO2019 · 20-10-2021 12:19pm

@Protoman I submitted a form for the below in June but the interview only took place this week.

2021 Revenue Competition for Appointment to the Position of Administrative Officer (AO). Roles in Taxation, Accounting, Law, Data Analytics, Statistics, Economics or Crime Analysis.

Protoman · 20-10-2021 2:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118047580#Comment_118047580

Ah understood.

PCO2019 · 21-10-2021 10:12am

@exitstageleft after an interview it could it take months to find out if a candidate has been shortlisted ?

Sartre · 21-10-2021 10:19am

You have applied for a different competition PCO2019, which may go faster or slower, but for these big open competitions you'll usually find out 2-5 weeks after the interview if you passed and where you are on the panel. At that point it's another waiting game to see if you'll be called.

PCO2019 · 21-10-2021 12:26pm

@Sartre thanks for the comment! Ah that’s not bad, 2-5 weeks. I was shortlisted for interview in July, however, the interview didn’t take Place till this week. I would love to be afforded the opportunity to work there. I think the next stage if I was successful with an interview is a presentation but I could have read that incorrectly, it may not be the case all the time.

exitstageleft · 22-10-2021 8:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118052406#Comment_118052406

I suppose, in fairness, that results do seem to arrive within a reasonable timeframe after an assessment takes place (2 to 5 weeks is about right).

I guess it's just the whole process that seems to take forever!

I don't think it would be unusual for the timeframe from the initial application to starting work to be in the region of 6 to 9 months. That's a particularly long wait if you fall at one of the last hurdles.

22-10-2021 9:24am

I applied for the AO accounting/tax 2021 role in June was told I was shortlisted for interview and only interviewed last Thursday! I’ve never had an interview in the civil service before found it really tough not sure how it went to be honest. They didn’t say how long I would be waiting for results but I’m guessing weeks! Anyone hear how long the results will take or how did you interview go?

26-10-2021 5:01pm

Anyone hear how they got on in their Interview in October for the AO 2021 Comp?

PCO2019 · 26-10-2021 6:13pm

@Mydell when had you an interview ? I interviewed last week and I’m not expecting to hear back until maybe the first week in December based on the above.

Protoman · 27-10-2021 1:03pm

The numeracy test was shocking. The size of the graphs and info was ridiculously small, and anyone with a hint of color blindness would have a hard time. Info way too dense for the visible window. Very little in the way of numeracy as well, just flitting between pages trying to draw info from the tiny graphs.

Had to change computer for the chat assess for some unknown reason as I couldn't get past the name entry at the start .

Do Aon do any UX testing and do the PAS review the tests before putting people through that?

Very very poor. Aon probably clean up with the PAS contract so it's extremely disappointing in that context.

doc22 · 27-10-2021 1:15pm

The UI changes from previous AO tests was awful

itsallabit · 27-10-2021 1:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118080164#Comment_118080164

Thought it was just me they really were awful. Also had to change browser for the chat assess.

Protoman · 27-10-2021 1:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118080274#Comment_118080274

I'll be sending an email anyway, absolutely chronic UI, very unfair on people that may have eyesight issues and the chat assess problem whatever was going on will have caught a lot of people on the hop.

Not good enough.

Sartre · 27-10-2021 1:48pm

These tests seem to be getting worse every year. As others have said, the UI is terrible. On the chatassess I kept having to scroll up to see the full message which wasted a lot of time. I did it on a laptop but it was showing as a mobile size screen. The verbal was a disaster due to the confusing tabs which only had tiny icons to distinguish them. It also seems the time per question is shrinking every year.

I used to complain about the old job simulation/aptitude tests but these chatassess tests are much worse. I mean, they resemble a whatsapp conversion and most of them arrive simultaneously or instantly once you reply.

Protoman · 27-10-2021 1:57pm

PAS likely don't give a hoot. Quick and dirty way to exclude and chop down rather than test-in the best possible candidates.

Nobody should be judged on that sh*tshow in my opinion.

Protoman · 27-10-2021 4:26pm

Test window extended. I guess they got the memo about the chat assess problems at least.

lucat · 27-10-2021 4:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118081249#Comment_118081249

I decided not to proceeed with this comp anyway but when I got that message I did wonder were they having IT issues or have a lot of people done as I have, and decided not to keep going for whatever reason.

Sharmela · 28-10-2021 7:41pm

How long did it take to complete the tests please? Like others I hadn't done the tests for Weds. Are they very complicated?

Protoman · 28-10-2021 7:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118087279#Comment_118087279

Probably an hour and a bit if you did them in one sitting.

Complicated is the wrong word. Imagine trying to complete a Rubik's cube with two dildos sellotaped to your hands. That's pretty much the experience.

Sharmela · 28-10-2021 7:49pm

Oh dear I'll give it a miss so 🤦‍♀️

29-10-2021 12:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118076525#Comment_118076525

Same time as you! Ok I’ll stop checking my inbox constantly as driving myself crazy ;-)

tgdaly · 29-10-2021 4:31pm

The tests were really a dumpster fire, at least they got rid of the one from last year that asked you to look at the picture pattern and say what comes next

happylad21 · 31-10-2021 3:28pm

Hi, what date have the test being extended until. Does that mean the results will be out later now?

Protoman · 31-10-2021 4:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118098346#Comment_118098346

The testing window was extended until Friday morning. Shouldn't significantly delay the results coming out, sometime the coming week you'd think.

job seeker · 31-10-2021 8:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118091074#Comment_118091074

That picture yoke was for the general AO was it not? As opposed to this graduate competition? I can't remember doing the picture thing in the last graduate competition.. I may have my wires crossed though?

furrybones · 01-11-2021 2:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118080164#Comment_118080164

I completely agree. I have never struggled with graphs and info the way I did on this test. In fact, I believe it will be a fail for me. Worst tests I've ever done.

Protoman · 01-11-2021 3:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118102355#Comment_118102355

I hope someone from public jobs reads these threads. With all the thought that goes into other State examinations like the Leaving Cert and driving test, serving up slop like that for what should be an important process to get right just isn't acceptable. It's an insult to people taking the time and effort to apply.

lucat · 01-11-2021 10:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118102691#Comment_118102691

PAS are just a mass filtering system and their priority is just to get x number of people filtered out at every stage. They don't give a fiddler's about applicants' time. If they did, they wouldn't have those ridiculous application forms. You would have a profile with your professional info etc. saved and supplementary questions they could add according to the competition.

The real shame is that they are entrusted with hiring the people who make this country run every day, public and civil servants, even if it's only in a small way. But they put no strategic thought or HR/recruitment expertise into the running of these competitions, from what I can see.

jaqqq · 08-11-2021 7:59pm

Did anyone get their Stage 1 results back today? Got mine earlier and I passed but I placed 1088. The message that came with the results was a bit confusing though, they want us to give them details of career/experience by this Friday but from what I understand, regardless of what you put in about your career/experience, you will still go forward to the next stage of the assessment centre in early December.

I'm happy to have passed but the fact that there was 1087 people in the order of merit above me makes me think its a huge uphill battle to have a chance from here? Or does your career experience and the assessment centre outweigh the Stage 1 results to the point where they mean very little as long as you have passed?

Protoman · 08-11-2021 8:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118138212#Comment_118138212

Similarly, I'm at around the 900 mark. Difficult to tell what their thinking is - it would defeat the purpose of an OOM if they were to call everyone who passed through to (what I presume is) a one-way recorded interview. Can't see them wading through a thousand recorded interviews as well, although they may have a different process in mind this time out because the tests were of such poor quality. It's a bit of a black box the whole thing.

PiPi78 · 08-11-2021 9:29pm

Got my stage 1 results today .

8x Health Policy stream

26x Finance stream

115x General Stream

Any idea what's next? Health policy would be with HSE?

Axywencz · 08-11-2021 10:21pm

Got my result. Placed around the 100 mark.

Is anyone else having issue with format on detailed application form? It's like the PDF was just formatted weirdly to my PC. Has "enter body text" on the questions/answers section, if I try and click the drop down part it just goes into text format.

shayspam1992 · 08-11-2021 10:21pm

Honestly I feel so depressed... I have a family and I'm 30. I just want to get my career going. I thought this was a huge opportunity but my oom is like 589 in the general stream. Feel like I have no chance of being called. Came out of college in the middle of this goddamn pandemic and have been floating around on **** temporary contracts. Sigh.

Protoman · 08-11-2021 10:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118138834#Comment_118138834

It's not inconceivable that's they'll get to your number if they take a couple of batches. There seems to be an unusually large volume of public sector / civil service hiring going on at the moment (I believe it's unspoken government policy due to current economic conditions, and the direct opposite response that we got in the financial crisis) and civil service renewal is a big feature - so a large cohort of AOs this intake is likely. Put it out of your mind for now, and remember 589>900!