nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

NEW 2018 Assistant Principal Officer Competition

bobbysands81

Good luck everyone!

https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/?option=com_jobsearch&view=jobdetails&cid=94163

Find more posts tagged with

jobs

management

civil service

Quick Links

Comments

Skip13

Is there much difference between cut-e and shl?

Ravelleman

quad_red wrote: »

I did the 3rd sec tests over the weekend (the more practice the better!) and it’s a new company does them now (I presume they’ll do the AP ones as well).

Different visuals. Each question now had multiple tabs with different charts and data to be answered (on both verbal and numerical reasoning).

They sound like cut-e tests. If so, these have been in use in some competitions since at least 2016.

quad_red

I did the 3rd sec tests over the weekend (the more practice the better!) and it’s a new company does them now (I presume they’ll do the AP ones as well).

Different visuals. Each question now had multiple tabs with different charts and data to be answered (on both verbal and numerical reasoning).

eigrod

BobCat123 wrote: »

Hi,

Applying for this position for the first time..just wondering if someone could clarify this for me please.

On the information booklet,selection process it says that a completion of online assessment questionnaire will take place first and then online assessment test. Are these the same or two different formats?

Thank you

Effectively the same. The 1st one you complete at home. Based on scores from that, applicants are called in to complete similar tests in PAS office to verify that the ones completed at home were more or less the same scores achieved by the verified applicant.

BobCat123

Hi,

Applying for this position for the first time..just wondering if someone could clarify this for me please.

On the information booklet,selection process it says that a completion of online assessment questionnaire will take place first and then online assessment test. Are these the same or two different formats?

Thank you

bobbysands81

ThumbTaxed wrote: »

This thread seems to be more about people bigging themselves up merely for confidence boosts from other posters than the application.

Wow you have 10 years experience. Wow you have managed a small team. Wow you have a degree.

Fill in the application and you can save that rubbish for the interview

Let’s say that’s true... so what?

Surely if posting here gives someone a small boost then that’s a good thing?

PBR

Riskymove wrote: »

I experienced all these things below PO level

It depends on the Department really, the level of responsibility across grades varies significantly by Department. My current Department would be more PO heavy in terms of Oireachtas committees and the like than below PO level but it does depend.

The_Conductor

Riskymove wrote: »

I experienced all these things below PO level

As an EO- I was named by RTE, The Irish Times- and a variety of NGOs in relation to several schemes I was assisting in administering.......... (as was my HEO). It 100% certainly happens well below PO level........

Riskymove

hardybuck wrote: »

Much more Ministerial engagement, and you could find yourself in speaking at the PAC and/or having your name mentioned in the national media.

I experienced all these things below PO level

Crunchymomma

tigger123 wrote: »

I saw that the first online assessment will be available from 21st September: anyone know-how long you have to take it? When is the closing date?

The information provided says that stage one assessments are 21-26 September

tigger123

The_Conductor wrote: »

You normally have a 5-6 day window in which to take it- with the express advice not to leave it until the last day- as the SSL and other test systems- don't seem to be up to a rush of people from here doing the online testing at the same time......... If you look back on previous competitions- a shocking number of them had unscheduled downtime- and in several cases PAS extended the deadlines in recognition of difficulties people had with the systems. Not sure of the closing date for the assessment- I assume you'll get further information in due course.

Cheers Conductor, you're a great help, as always!

The_Conductor

tigger123 wrote: »

I saw that the first online assessment will be available from 21st September: anyone know-how long you have to take it? When is the closing date?

You normally have a 5-6 day window in which to take it- with the express advice not to leave it until the last day- as the SSL and other test systems- don't seem to be up to a rush of people from here doing the online testing at the same time......... If you look back on previous competitions- a shocking number of them had unscheduled downtime- and in several cases PAS extended the deadlines in recognition of difficulties people had with the systems. Not sure of the closing date for the assessment- I assume you'll get further information in due course.

tigger123

I saw that the first online assessment will be available from 21st September: anyone know-how long you have to take it? When is the closing date?

tigger123

ThumbTaxed wrote: »

This thread seems to be more about people bigging themselves up merely for confidence boosts from other posters than the application.

Wow you have 10 years experience. Wow you have managed a small team. Wow you have a degree.

Fill in the application and you can save that rubbish for the interview

Why are you so interested in this thread? Are you applying for the role?

hardybuck

JAPhys wrote: »

It certainly seems that way from reading the thread about the last AP competition. The posters on there from the CS speculated that if you were successful in the AP competition you should just apply straight away from the next PO competition because its almost the same selection criteria.

But PO level is another ball game completely. Much more Ministerial engagement, and you could find yourself in speaking at the PAC and/or having your name mentioned in the national media.

relax carry on

ThumbTaxed wrote: »

This thread seems to be more about people bigging themselves up merely for confidence boosts from other posters than the application.

Wow you have 10 years experience. Wow you have managed a small team. Wow you have a degree.

Fill in the application and you can save that rubbish for the interview

For someone who is supposedly beyond this, you seem to have some bitterness issues with these competitions.

Crunchymomma

ThumbTaxed wrote: »

This thread seems to be more about people bigging themselves up merely for confidence boosts from other posters than the application.

Wow you have 10 years experience. Wow you have managed a small team. Wow you have a degree.

Fill in the application and you can save that rubbish for the interview

Your contribution to these threads is always rubbish, go find a real hobby and stop jumping in needlessly just to be negative

ThumbTaxed

This thread seems to be more about people bigging themselves up merely for confidence boosts from other posters than the application.

Wow you have 10 years experience. Wow you have managed a small team. Wow you have a degree.

Fill in the application and you can save that rubbish for the interview

Crunchymomma

Aitor wrote: »

No, I don’t think so. I certainly know of APs who’ve progressed internally with no degree, but I’m not 100% certain about external candidates.

Thanks, I am currently in the CS but short on the two years so will be open only. Might ring pas to clarify next wddky

Aitor

Crunchymomma wrote: »

Is a degree a requirement? I hsve a management background from the private sector but no degree. My reading of the requirements is that it would be an advantage but is not necessarily required

No, I don’t think so. I certainly know of APs who’ve progressed internally with no degree, but I’m not 100% certain about external candidates.

Crunchymomma

Is a degree a requirement? I hsve a management background from the private sector but no degree. My reading of the requirements is that it would be an advantage but is not necessarily required

JAPhys

yop wrote: »

I did the PO one before, took ages to fill out, did the apt tests and lost out on it. I've 23 yrs experience with around 10 yrs in various team lead/manager & engineer/it manager roles so I should be ok experience wise but the answer to the tests were wooly and I failed on them.
So having a load of experience isn't worth much to me if I can't get through the tests and the tests are more weighted which is odd.

It certainly seems that way from reading the thread about the last AP competition. The posters on there from the CS speculated that if you were successful in the AP competition you should just apply straight away from the next PO competition because its almost the same selection criteria.

yop

I did the PO one before, took ages to fill out, did the apt tests and lost out on it. I've 23 yrs experience with around 10 yrs in various team lead/manager & engineer/it manager roles so I should be ok experience wise but the answer to the tests were wooly and I failed on them.
So having a load of experience isn't worth much to me if I can't get through the tests and the tests are more weighted which is odd.

tea and coffee

That would be fine. It's more about showing competencies in leading staff and say, managing underperformance etc.
In some departments, managers might only have 1 or 2 direct reports. It's relatively large depts like Revenue that would have large teams.

Cushtie

I'm thinking of applying for this. From private sector. I take it the majority of the positions will be filled by current CS employees being promoted.

I will have a good read of the booklet etc over weekend and see. I currently manage a small dept in a company with approx 60 employees. Would this be considered too small fry for the CS AP position?

(Hopefully the posters with more experience of these competitions won't be head wrecked with all the questions!!!)

Aitor

JAPhys wrote: »

Aitor, in your experience, do you think it would be reasonable to assume that the first new APs from this new panel will not be placed this side of Christmas?

They might be, but pessimism is always the safer option!

Having said that, bear in mind that if you don’t immediately get called for interview after the altitude tests, you might still be interviewed in the coming months, so long as you’ve hit the minimum qualifying scores.

never_mind

gerrybbadd wrote: »

You wouldn't have managed staff perhaps, but you'll have managed the kids you taught.

Think of management like a cross. You manage up (your own managers), across both sides (your peers of equal standing), and below (your staff). But not only this, you may also manage the public, various computer systems, other stakeholders etc.

This is gold thank!!

JAPhys

Aitor wrote: »

That’s spot on. I think management in the Civil Service is a lot more consensus-based than people realise. Experience in teaching would definitely be useful- for training in new hires for example, or understanding why some people are struggling with certain parts of the job.

Aitor, in your experience, do you think it would be reasonable to assume that the first new APs from this new panel will not be placed this side of Christmas?

Aitor

gerrybbadd wrote: »

You wouldn't have managed staff perhaps, but you'll have managed the kids you taught.

Think of management like a cross. You manage up (your own managers), across both sides (your peers of equal standing), and below (your staff). But not only this, you may also manage the public, various computer systems, other stakeholders etc.

That’s spot on. I think management in the Civil Service is a lot more consensus-based than people realise. Experience in teaching would definitely be useful- for training in new hires for example, or understanding why some people are struggling with certain parts of the job.

gerrybbadd

never_mind wrote: »

I have been working in education (third level) for ten years in various teaching/admin roles. I am going to do the Irish stream as well as I speak it. I wouldn't have managed people before but am a current AO - do you think I would have zero chance?

You wouldn't have managed staff perhaps, but you'll have managed the kids you taught.

Think of management like a cross. You manage up (your own managers), across both sides (your peers of equal standing), and below (your staff). But not only this, you may also manage the public, various computer systems, other stakeholders etc.