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NEW 2018 Assistant Principal Officer Competition

bobbysands81

Good luck everyone!

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

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ParkRunner

TaurenDruid wrote: »

Self-booking for the next batch doing Stage 3 supervised tests/e-Tray opens tomorrow. How long were the tests on for, last time - a week, wasn't it?

18th - 27th this time I understand am and pm

PhoenixParker

FlexBrowne wrote: »

Me too. How many are going through to Stage 3?

Well they've shortlisted down to 106, which is oom in the 1500's and you've to allow that there will be a few people at that oom.

We know that they took 750ish to stage 3 Dublin from earlier posts in this thread, and that 349 psssed shortlisting.

Seems to me like they took another 750-800 forward for shortlisting and I would assume that means 350-400 have passed shortlisting.

Basically same group size as last time.

FlexBrowne

Riskymove wrote: »

word of mouth is around 350

Thanks. From an initial application of what....5/6k?

Beebeebug

dee75 wrote: »

Got my regional shortlisting reply also. Score from online tests was 129.

Didn't make it through shortlisting though and they said it was management/ leadership criteria that I fell down on.

However I was successful in batch 1 of the 2016 competition and came 2nd in one of my counties. Got offered an AP role but turned it down at the time as it didn't suit.

So basically 2 years ago I met all criteria, scored very highly in tests and interview and got offered a job.

Now 2 years later (with significant professional development especially in the management and leadership side) I don't make it through shortlisting?

Bizarre!!

Ah well, their loss!!

Dee, I'm more less the same as you except I was sat at no.1 on my regional panel in the 2016 comp waiting for 8 months for a post to come up. Unfortunately it didn't and the panel expired. Didn't make the cut on shortlisting on basis of project management/ operations. I moved to a new CS dept so had also broaden my experience in the meantime. Kicker for me is if I had put down Dublin as a location choice last time I'd be 18 months an AP now. Unfortunately Dublin isn't a possibility for me personally however I'm fairly flexible on other locations but PAS limit us to 2 counties. Not even regions. Very frustrating!! Lack of consistency in standard is worrying.

I've requested a formal review.

Congrats to all who made it through shortlisting though and good luck going forward.

Chieftain

Beebeebug wrote: »

Dee, I'm more less the same as you except I was sat at no.1 on my regional panel in the 2016 comp waiting for 8 months for a post to come up. Unfortunately it didn't and the panel expired. Didn't make the cut on shortlisting on basis of project management/ operations. I moved to a new CS dept so had also broaden my experience in the meantime. Kicker for me is if I had put down Dublin as a location choice last time I'd be 18 months an AP now. Unfortunately Dublin isn't a possibility for me personally however I'm fairly flexible on other locations but PAS limit us to 2 counties. Not even regions. Very frustrating!! Lack of consistency in standard is worrying.

I've requested a formal review.

Congrats to all who made it through shortlisting though and good luck going forward.

You are dead right to request a formal review. Was thinking of doing the same. How do you go about it?

Beebeebug

Chieftain wrote: »

You are dead right to request a formal review. Was thinking of doing the same. How do you go about it?

https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/review-process e-mail to CEO of PAS

Max Mustermann

Beebeebug wrote: »

Dee, I'm more less the same as you except I was sat at no.1 on my regional panel in the 2016 comp waiting for 8 months for a post to come up. Unfortunately it didn't and the panel expired. Didn't make the cut on shortlisting on basis of project management/ operations. I moved to a new CS dept so had also broaden my experience in the meantime. Kicker for me is if I had put down Dublin as a location choice last time I'd be 18 months an AP now. Unfortunately Dublin isn't a possibility for me personally however I'm fairly flexible on other locations but PAS limit us to 2 counties. Not even regions. Very frustrating!! Lack of consistency in standard is worrying.

I've requested a formal review.

Congrats to all who made it through shortlisting though and good luck going forward.

I don't see why panels need to have an expiry date. It seems very unfair for anyone left on it. Surely they could just stop adding to it based on projected demand and the panel will expire naturally.

Addle

They don't seem to project anything unfortunately.

ammg

Beebeebug wrote: »

https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/review-process e-mail to CEO of PAS

I'm going informal first

PhoenixParker

Seems to be open for booking already.
8 days of tests.

SFC1895

PhoenixParker wrote: »

Seems to be open for booking already.
8 days of tests.

Yep. Booked in for Tuesday afternoon- the 19th

PhoenixParker

Does anyone have a recommendation for practice test sets/training materials to buy? I'm mostly interested in the job situation and etray.

(especially from anyone who did well in the November tests!)

gmisk

Anyone have any website with half decent likely interview questions for AP?
Have mine next week...honestly no idea what to do bar going over form and the headings in it.

Riskymove

FlexBrowne wrote: »

Thanks. From an initial application of what....5/6k?

No idea of how many did online tests

I think around 650 to 700 were sent to shortlisting so around 50% through to assessment

PhoenixParker

Riskymove wrote: »

No idea of how many did online tests

I think around 650 to 700 were sent to shortlisting so around 50% through to assessment

In terms of total numbers who passed, the minimum qualifying score was 80. Whatever the order of merit score was for people at 80 would tell us roughly how many passed.

How many applied (and completed the form and tests properly) we can't really know unless they publish it.

gmisk

PhoenixParker wrote: »

Does anyone have a recommendation for practice test sets/training materials to buy? I'm mostly interested in the job situation and etray.

(especially from anyone who did well in the November tests!)

I just did the practice tests on the links they sent (I did them a couple of times), I found it helpful more for numerical practice, which was tough.

My job simulation score wasnt great but the etray was decent.

The practice etray was pretty simple compared to the real one.
Your total score is determined by your scores for the Job Simulation and E tray exercise only....I didnt read that before going in...helpfully!

It is a long day, bring water and a banana or something.

Good luck!

tea and coffee

For the etray I just did the practise test a few times the day before to get into the mindset

For interview, have 2 examples for each competency. Be comfortable with the examples and how they display the traits of the competency. Try and get a more senior colleague to do a practise interview with you- it's very helpful imo.

[Deleted User]

Riskymove wrote: »

JDoherty1560 wrote: »

Hi, would there many AP appointments in Limerick and Clare? I can only think of the Dept of Transport in Shannon and the Regional Revenue office in Limerick...

Irish Aid (part of DFA) also in Limerick

There is a small OGP office in the same building as Revenue in Limerick

gmisk

Maybe this is a silly question but would i be ok to bring in my application form to the interview?

I just want a quick reminder if needed what examples I gave for what competence.

minky123

gmisk wrote: »

Maybe this is a silly question but would i be ok to bring in my application form to the interview?

I just want a quick reminder if needed what examples I gave for what competence.

Yes I took mine in and a little sheet with just the summaries of which examples I would use for which competency. you dont have a chance to look at it really.

One of my interviewers timed the question so dont be surprised if that happens.

minky123

PhoenixParker wrote: »

Does anyone have a recommendation for practice test sets/training materials to buy? I'm mostly interested in the job situation and etray.

(especially from anyone who did well in the November tests!)

I used these: https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk/irish-civil-service-assistant-principal-prep

40 pounds for a month.

I think they are fine and they include some practice for the other tests.

HannahR31

minky123 wrote: »

Yes I took mine in and a little sheet with just the summaries of which examples I would use for which competency. you dont have a chance to look at it really.

One of my interviewers timed the question so dont be surprised if that happens.

As someone who passed the interview, have you any advice for those upcoming? I have my examples for the competencies and I've compiled (what I think is) a comprehensive list of possible questions that I'm mulling over.

Did you get any curve-ball/unexpected questions?

CBCB

gmisk wrote: »

Maybe this is a silly question but would i be ok to bring in my application form to the interview?

I just want a quick reminder if needed what examples I gave for what competence.

Yes, ok to bring in the form. Although I find it more of a distraction

batista

I’ve been shortlisted for what I read on here is called batch 2. To be honest I’m shocked, I came about 1,500 after the online tests and when batch one was called I put this to the back of my mind and moved on. I’m booked in for the supervised test. My question is how many apo appointments are there in the civil service. I would have thought that there would be relatively few vacancies and with the 1.1.1 selection that only a minimal amount from the open competition would be appointed.

The_Conductor

I had a score of 113- aka I was 1 point below the cut-off for Batch 1.0
This equated with a placeholder of 961 in the order of merit (no idea how many people were on the same order of merit!)

I found the numeracy rather harsh last time round (obviously I passed it- but I got seriously caught up on time). I'm not sure whether its even possible to practice for these- even the PAS examples are more geared at giving you an idea of the format- than the level of difficulty you're going to encounter (to say nothing of the startling time constraints you're working under).

If there is 2 hours allocated for the e-tray- I guess we're looking at a little over 4 hours all told- I'm guessing the e-tray is going to nuke a hell of a lot of candidates!

54 candidates, times 2, times 8 = 864 brought through to stage 2- possibly as far as 1,825 in the order of merit?

BobCat123

Would anyone know what oom they’ve went through on the interdepartmental panel?

tea and coffee

BobCat123 wrote: »

Would anyone know what oom they’ve went through on the interdepartmental panel?

They are mid 20s going by this thread.

Handy11

tea and coffee wrote: »

They are mid 20s going by this thread.

In the 30s now

Veledan22

Does anyone know how big the panel from batch 1 is?

minky123

HannahR31 wrote: »

As someone who passed the interview, have you any advice for those upcoming? I have my examples for the competencies and I've compiled (what I think is) a comprehensive list of possible questions that I'm mulling over.

Did you get any curve-ball/unexpected questions?

Its all a bit of a blank sorry! they lead you throuigh copmpetency by competency - and you give your examples, the follow ups are related to your examples. i think if you really thoroughly prepare your examples then you'll have answers. Use the STAR methodology as much as possible in each answer but it wont work for all follow up questions