Civil Service Panels

Jewels2022

Hi members can someone clarify how the civil service recruitment operates panels? I hear there are several panels, I am currently on an open EO.

bjarbnickixo

Basically people are recruited in batches. Presumably you will get placed in a batch if you pass and do well enough in your competency tests; numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning & potentially a job simulation test. These tests often have a minimum individual benchmark score you need to get in order to proceed to the the second stage; the interview.

These scores are then combined in one way or another to give you your Order of Merit number (OOM). This OOM figure will determine what batch you get placed in. Say, hypothetically, you got the best score out of everyone that tested, you would get placed in Batch 1, OOM 1 and be interviewed first.

From here, you will probably then have to do a competency-based interview. This has it's own tricks that require you to hit the 5 or 6 competencies they list for the job (each unique role has similar variations of the same competencies you need to hit in the interview, like information processing, team work, etc). The exact competencies should be listed on the information booklet they send you in your publicjobs.ie inbox.

Following your interview, if you pass, you will be given a final OOM score (more senior roles may also require you to do a presentation to determine suitability for role). The interview is a standalone assessment, it does not matter how well you did in your competency tests prior to get there. If you fail the interview your name is taken out of the open competition. In order to not fail, you must hit the minimum score for each competency. I think when I applied for my AO role, the minimum score needed for each competency was 18/40. If you pass, I believe your final OOM score will subsequently be determined (I'm not 100% sure if this is combined with your competency test results from the first stage- someone else might know!)

The final OOM number you receive determines how many people are in front of you (i.e. getting an OOM 30 means there are 29 people ahead of you waiting to get placed from the same open competition who went through the same process as you but scored higher).

Publicjobs.ie are generally good at telling people how fast they are getting to your number when you are in the batch and waiting to go through clearance. I'd just drop them an email asking where they are at in terms of OOM for x competition and they should get back to you!

It seems like a lot of information but basically you just need to pass the tests and then the interview lol. Hope this helps!