Administrative Officer Open Competition 2025

AdmiralHip

Hi everyone,

I'll be applying for the AO role in the coming days and I have some questions.

1. The application does not have any competency questions, only work history. I am getting conflicting info from people on how to format my work history. Do I incorporate the STAR method into my accomplishments/duties? Do I incorporate the competencies where possible?
2. The application asks for salaries from previous roles but not your current role. Is this new, and if so, do I need to fill it in? Some jobs I had were while I was a PhD student and they weren't paid, but they were positions I held (conference organizer for several years, student journal editor). I don't know if these are something I should include or not as well.
3. How far back in job history would you go? I've been working for 20 years, but intermittently due to school/university.
4. Any other tips for the application itself?

dory

1. No need for STAR, save that for interview. Just say what you did. Give them some bits they can mention in the interview. No need for competencies (now capabilities) in a work history.
2. I think that's new. I wouldn't worry too much. I would take your current job as a previous role and add that too.
3. Go back as far as you can. But keep it somewhat relevant. You don't need to say you worked in a garage when you were 16. Maybe post undergrad jobs. Or decide on jobs you did for at least 6 months.
4. I would say don't spend much time on it at all if there are no competency based questions. Go practice those tests they're going to give you. If you do badly in those they'll never read your form. Read through old threads for advice on those tests. Read all forums - EO, HEO, AP etc. The tests are all basically the same, with the same websites mentioned as places you should go to practice.

AdmiralHip

Thank you so much for those detailed responses! I very much appreciate it! Do you have a suggestion of where to go for the practice tests? The numeracy one is what I’m concerned about the most.

Opportunity 22

FINAL_276_AO_General_2025.pdf

Is this going to be the main boards for this competition?
It looks like it might.

I've attached the CANDIDATE INFORMATION BOOKLET - always handy to have 😊

CW2022

Is this for level 8 degree and upwards? I have a level 7, thank you

apkmbarry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123939046#Comment_123939046

Level 8 if it's your primary degree.

I've never noticed it before, but it seems they'll take a Level 7 if you've then done a Level 8 Higher Diploma, but not a Level 7 on it's own.

sanktrangelov

Similar to @AdmiralHip above, if anyone knows where I can practice the tests, that would be amazing! I got to interviews (just) in 2023, but made a hames of the situational last year. Really want to get high up on the OOM this time!

AdmiralHip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123932617#Comment_123932617

One more question: when you say take my current job as a previous role, what do you mean? Add it in twice?

job seeker

Is this for Dublin or Nationwide? I was going to apply. But not too sure..

I'm more interested in the EO if there was one coming up soon?

apkmbarry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123942034#Comment_123942034

Says Dublin on the first page of the manual.

job seeker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123942303#Comment_123942303

Sorry, I missed that!

I've been trying to log into my public jobs account all evening and it won't accept the new password for whatever reason. So I didn't read the manual properly…

raxy

my degree seems to be level 7, I think. The booklet says "Consideration may be given to relevant qualifications as deemed equivalent by publicjobs". Would it be worth applying & hoping my degree qualifies as relevant? It doesn't mention anywhere what they may consider relevant. I'm wondering if other courses & previous roles may make up for it.

job seeker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123942592#Comment_123942592

Yes definitely worth applying anyway.

AdmiralHip

Sent in my application last night. I also applied for reasonable accommodations but my report doesn’t have specific suggestions for accommodations, it just details my diagnosis etc. I sent them an email to ask, hopefully it’s enough.

Is jobtestprep still the go-to for assessment prep?

HOS56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123935086#Comment_123935086

Same! Anyone any links for practice tests? Obviously there is the one they provide on public jobs, but I'd prefer to do a couple of practice tests!

Tsetseg9

Try assessment.com, thing is you have to pay but only couple of the tests might be free.

AdmiralHip

I’ve been doing the tests on jobstestprep and they are pretty tough, I don’t know how anyone can finish the numeracy exams. I got through maybe half and got a couple wrong.

basquete99

Is it tailored to reflect the AO questions and timing?

AdmiralHip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123977965#Comment_123977965

It's called the Administrative Officer ones, and it's using the exams from Aon which I believe were used in the past for the AO so yes. As I've yet to receive an email about the assessments I don't know who is offering them this year.

basquete99

Okay I was just concerned because the AO in the British civil servant is a different grade than the Irish civil servant AO

AdmiralHip

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123984812#Comment_123984812

Yes this one specifically says Irish Civil Service. It was on recommendation from several people on this sub in past years that I went with it.

AdmiralHip

Got the email today for the assessments packet. Question about the camera/webcam: I get having my desk clear, but do I need to make sure that nothing else is around? I share a workspace with my husband in our living room.

basquete99

The assessment packet makes it all sound very intimidating. Am I right to think we can do each section at a separate time?

AdmiralHip

I am unsure, I was thinking it was all completed at once.

Rinty5000

Sova not AON appear to be providing the tests this year and you get a link to practice on their website via the assessments pack. Will have a go this afternoon and report back. Hope they provide a good few sample papers. Jobtestprep was a great help for the EO competition last year so I had a decent OOM. Messed up the interview though.

Also, as someone in their mid-40s, will this disqualify or count negatively against me? Only spotted this quote today "Please note that an invitation to complete the Stage 1 assessments should not be taken as
confirmation that you satisfy all of the eligibility requirements for this post". Have level 8 qualification but worried about the age thing.

ATandemBike4_1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124014406#Comment_124014406

Your age is irrelevant to the public sector: also in my 40s and joined as an AO with no prior CS experience. So I wouldn't worry about it :)

Rinty5000

Did the SOVA practice tests - minimal and doubt that they reflect the level of the actual test. No insight re right/wrong answers and some inconsistencies re the graph provided on one set of questions.

basquete99

Felt the exact same, feels like we're gonna get screwed

dory

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124014406#Comment_124014406

Definitely will not go against you. They’re delighted when people have a bit of life experience. Lots join at all levels in their 40s/50s.

AdmiralHip

Question on how the pass score is calculated for the numeracy. Is it simply how many questions we get right, or is it also based on how quicky we answer? I am very concerned I'll get marked down for taking longer even with having additional time for the assessments.

AdmiralHip

I just did some Sova assessments on Jobstestprep and they are really tough. Some of the numerical questions required 32 (!) calculations for the answer. How are you supposed to reasonably answer questions like that in about a minute?

I am very nervous for these. I was never good at maths and I've been out of school for almost 20 years now. I've done several tests but never getting more than half or just under half correct.