Open First Secretary DFA 2021

Kagi

Just opened…

https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/?option=com_jobsearch&view=jobdetails&cid=144225&campaignId=21310101

LegallyAbroad

It's Open and Interdepartmental.

Ahshurlookit

Would I be right in thinking there would be very few jobs up for grabs from this competition? How many first secretary posts are in DFA?

Protoman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118093038#Comment_118093038

Think I read somewhere that the DFA is the 'oldest' department in terms of average age; probably a lot of retirements coming up with current 1st secs being bumped up. It's also the point in people's careers where after a few postings the job has lost its luster and people with families either move to other departments or leave the civil service altogether.

job seeker

What grade would this be comparable to? I'm assuming EO?

By the way what qualifications do you need? It doesn't appear to outline any or did I just miss it?

jnap

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118096424#Comment_118096424

Definitely not EO, judging by pay and responsibilities it looks like it's equivalent to AP.

You're right though it doesn't appear to outline any qualification requirements, but I'm guessing significant experience is needed.

HartsHat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118093038#Comment_118093038

Yes, relative to an AP competition in the general CS there is very few. You're probably talking about an open panel of 20-25.

Kagi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118096424#Comment_118096424

It is the diplomatic grade equivalent to AP.

(Third Secretary: AO/HEO First Secretary: AP Counsellor: PO)

tippgal84

What level of experience would be expected of someone coming from the private sector?

Protoman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118113483#Comment_118113483

It's a bit opaque, but I'd imagine a few years managing people and projects would be what they are looking for. Specialist experience and knowledge in international relations / legal would be huge boost for an 'outsider.' A lot of third secs that fail to get promoted internally go this route and would have a natural advantage, as would folks from other departments who know the civil service patter and the way to play the game in these competitions. Hiring at this grade is still a relatively new phenomenon for the DFA, it would be interesting to know the profile of those who came from the private sector with no civil service background and the percentage makeup of same from the open intakes.

Minifox

Hi guys,

Has anyone been called to the next stage yet? I know the application stage only closed last Thursday but I keep getting emails from PAS asking me to complete a feedback form. The way some of the questions are phrased makes it sound like the competition is over.

marley83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118211662#Comment_118211662

I haven’t heard anything yet either. It might be a bit early for feedback.

DavidM1234

No. I've heard nothing yet. Not even a feedback form to complete.

marley83

Results are out. The next step for those shortlisted, is a video interview.

Monkeyknowsbest

Congrats marley83.

I narrowly missed out by a mark do you think they might go further down the list at some stage?

marley83

Thanks :)

I have no idea, sorry! I'm used to the AP competitions, where they usually go further down the list. But I'm not used to the First Sec competitions.

Minifox

Well done, Marley, and commiserations to Monkeyknowsbest.

Missed it by 2 points myself, which is closer than I thought I'd get.

Avenger2020

How do u know ur score/placing if u passed? Do they rate each competency?

marley83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118362332#Comment_118362332

If you pass, they don't provide your score or placing - neither by competency nor overall scores.

Avenger2020

How the hell can I prepare for this? I’ve never done one before! To get all my background in in 1 minute 30 seconds and then to pick an example of leadership. Any ideas how to approach it? What level of leadership example are they looking for?

marley83

The questions are very similar to the application form. Does anyone know if you can use an example in the video interview that was also used in the application? Thanks!

firstsechopeful

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118415780#Comment_118415780

Not a problem to use the same example, as far as I know.

Hope we get the results soon!

Avenger2020

Hi. Does anyone know if we can apply for extensions due to Covid? My nose is completely blocked and I can’t talk for long periods.

firstsechopeful

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118448631#Comment_118448631

You could call PAS to ask but I'd say it's unlikely.

toryumon

Hopefully we all hear back on the video interview soon.

Anyone know about the final interview?

Would be good to know what sort of questions they’ll have for us.

firstsechopeful

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118461511#Comment_118461511

They usually take about three weeks to process the video interviews. I'd expect two weeks' notice of the final interview after that.

hippo24

Does anyone know how many more stages there are and what they consist of?

Xofpod

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118465908#Comment_118465908

Likely to be just the video interview and the full final interview if recent external DFA comps are anything to go by.

hippo24

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118468007#Comment_118468007

Thanks Xofpod for the insight. I presume the full final interview can be done via video too for those abroad?

Xofpod

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118469178#Comment_118469178

All interviews via video (Zoom) seems to be standard practice now

Embir78

Will we be requested to do an aptitude or etray test like in other public jobs competitions? Also, do public jobs ask for presentations or similar to be included as part of the interview? I’m coming from the private sector, so this is my first public sector job application so I’m not sure what to expect! I know this is an open competition, but really how many non DFA people actually get these jobs?

It’s agonizing how long they take to give results/feedback, and how short the preparation time feels when you’re working full time!

toryumon

looks like results are out.

my score was 183 - qualifying standard but not enough to be called to the next round this time.

Anyone got any insight on numbers or the chances of further callups?

bangorbrix

Is the final interview likely to mirror the same sorts of questions in the video interview do you think? Trying to work out how duplicative it will be and whether I’ll need additional examples for the competencies already covered at video interview - to avoid giving them the same examples twice.

My message said I’d be invited to final interview but no indication of when and I’ve a holiday coming up, so hoping they don’t conflict 😫

hippo24

I'm at a real loss of my score of 156, is there any way to appeal or request feedback?

marley83

You can request feedback in other Civil Service competitions, so I presume the same goes for this competition. And while it's great to get that feedback (speaking from experience), the feedback will not be very detailed.

Wing Back

It was my first time doing a DFA competition, as I'm very much finance based. I have started to work with EU material over the past few years however and said I'd try my hand at this as I'm very interested in Diplomacy and International affairs in General. Was happy to have hit the pass mark for each Question/Competency but overall only scored 179......So a bit off the 225. I'm guessing that it might be the end of the line unless they only called a very small batch initially.

Saying that I said I'd throw it out here first before emailing PAS. Does anyone reading this thread know anything about the following:

-Total no. of applicants for competition?

-Total no. called for video interview?

-No. of candidates who reached qualifying standard?

-No. of candidates who scored over 225?

-What is the next stage of the process?

-What other stages are after this in the process?

-No. of forecast available posts?

PAS don't seem to have any phone lines for general enquiries because of Covid which seems a bit daft. I work in Public Service, and for the past 2 years all my work calls just come through my laptop. I know I can send an email too, but just want to talk to a human being I guess.

Thanks for any information

Avenger2020

If its any consolation to anyone I am at a real loss of my score as well. Especially as I opened with the fact that I have been assigned an AP role since last year… The standard must be unreal. ‘I’d love to hear from those that got through - if its luck, how you present yourself or career experience. Id say there’s little hope for anyone who didn’t make the cut as I hear vacancies r very limited this time as they also ran an internal competition last year. Personally I think the selection panel should be made of PAS officials and maybe an external examiner rather than staff from a small department like DFA. It was mentioned on the Tonight Show recently given the Champagne scandal that there’s a lot of family and connections in there. I think Shane Ross mentioned that but I must check.

Avenger2020

I don’t think PAS release information of competitions ongoing. Not very transparent, I know, and by the time it is released we will have forgotten about it or not bother contesting! Most other countries even publish the names of the successful candidates at this stage! It would make it easier to call out anything that may be going on if so.

LegallyAbroad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118561757#Comment_118561757

In what way is DFA a small department?

It has more employees (over 1,300) than the Departments of Health and Transport put together.

misswrite347

I heard there were interviews last week and this week. Anyone here get called to them?

kj2022

Yes I interviewed last week. Anyone else? Not holding out much hope - wasn’t a disaster but was definitely a challenging interview. Panel were all extremely nice though.

Ladda

Results are out! I’m almost at 20 on the panel. How did others get on?

DBB2022

Yes, I’ve placed too. I wonder how many are on the panel and how many appointments will be made right away?

kj2022

well done! I have also placed- also interested in likelihood/ pace of appointments as I have another job offer on the table and am wondering what to do!

Ladda

I see there is also an interdepartmental panel created. I wonder which panel will be prioritised?

LegallyAbroad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118752335#Comment_118752335

It is 1:1:1 ratio between internal/interdepartmental/open so neither will be prioritised.

bangorbrix

I’ve placed too! I’m so delighted as I had Covid during the interview so was not my finest performance 😅😅 I heard rumours they appointed in lots last time eg 5 off internal, then 5 off open etc, but not sure if there’s any merit in that. But like everyone else, really curious to know how likely it is to actually secure an appointment off this merit list!

bangorbrix

Interested to know what backgrounds others on the Open have come from? I’m from the civil service myself, but not in Ireland

Xofpod

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118752794#Comment_118752794

Not necessarily the case - for example, if a lot of candidates have been placed recently from an internal DFA competition, there may be a debt owed to the "external" two compenents, so all the next appointments will take place from these sources. Previous experience would suggest that they may take a batch of people from the external panel at the start. Congrats to all who got through.

bangorbrix

Not to be the bearer of bad news but just in case anyone was wondering about future interview rounds, when I tried to reschedule my interview due to covid they told me that they couldn’t reschedule and they could only add me to the list if they did another round of interviews later, however, “it is not envisaged at present that we will be calling further batches to interview for this competition.”

Ladda

Hi all, did anyone get on the panel get called? I haven’t heard anything.