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Principal Officer competition 2019

tea and coffee

https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/index.php?option=com_jobsearch&view=jobdetails&Itemid=263&cid=108181&campaignId=19208306

Closing date 3rd October.

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badday

Did them earlier today - dreadful experience. Invigilator seemed distracted and unsure how to work the application, then they asked me to pause just after I had started the exam because they were having issues with another candidate. I had to explain that I didn't have the option to pause then I heard some other voices then the invigilator failed or 'forgot' to come back to me, eventually I just carried on myself. Background noise was dreadful not sure what was going on in the test centre but it sure was distracting. Overall not a pleasant experience and the problems the invigilator was having with the other candidate(s) sure didn't help me. I've done these type of remote invigilator tests before and with no such problems. Overall a very poor experience.

[Deleted User]

Bobby04 wrote: »

Yeah to me that's mind boggling that anyone could find the first part easy!! Fair play to you.

Each to their own...

If we could combine our mental talents we'd make a great PO applicant

Bobby04

Yeah to me that's mind boggling that anyone could find the first part easy!! Fair play to you.

Each to their own...

[Deleted User]

Bobby04 wrote: »

Did it this morning, found first part ok but still very unsure if I'm right or completely off the mark on those questions - never my strong point. The second part I finished with 15 minutes to spare! I assumed all along there were more questions until it said I had done the last one!! I'm worried now I rushed them seeing as others hadn't much time to spare. I did review them all but didn't end up changing much if anything. Glad it's over. Good luck to everyone who did it.

People are wired differently. I did the first section in practically half the time allotted. To me (whether I'm right or wrong) they seemed obvious. Although one or two I had to read a few times.

Whereas, I found the next section more difficult, and I struggled with the relevant info on the math type questions, and very unsure I understood what was being asked fully. And I'm a chartered accountant :pac: I did finish it and had about 5 minutes left over and went back to the maths questions and I was mentally drained at that stage and didn't make any changes.

Anyway, I'd say we'll find out around the 22nd of Nov or early the week after.

I think all the tests have been taken by now.

Bobby04

Did it this morning, found first part ok but still very unsure if I'm right or completely off the mark on those questions - never my strong point. The second part I finished with 15 minutes to spare! I assumed all along there were more questions until it said I had done the last one!! I'm worried now I rushed them seeing as others hadn't much time to spare. I did review them all but didn't end up changing much if anything. Glad it's over. Good luck to everyone who did it.

Summer2019

hardybuck wrote: »

You should probably complain about that.

I did, I sent an email to PAS as I didnt find it professional at all, taking into account the grade that candidates are going for.

I don't think anything will come out of it, but they should be aware of these issues for future contracts with providers they choose.

dixiefly

kingvagabond wrote: »

So let's say 75 time slots to do the exam multiply by let's say 15 guests per slot gives 1,125. If you say 160 to stage 2, that will give you about 14.22% of top applicants get a call. That's pretty tough..... trying desperately here to keep the self confidence level high. Took a battering this morning , should of asked to check the wrists after the exam I'd say.

How did people prepare for the tests?

I read the material and tried the sample tests linked. But other than that nothing more tangible then that. I would think like everything with practice and time you could improve your skills in this area. But you'd probably have to invest a lot of time which may not be practible for many. thoughts...

I just read the instructions & did the example.

dixiefly

I did them earlier also. Like some above I found the first part ok and was finished about 3 minutes to go.

The second part I struggled on the first question - not really understanding what they wanted. After that it was fairly ok but i ran out of time on the last question - probably dilly dallied early on.

Roscoe69

Deleted User wrote: »

Apparently not for IQ tests, possibly a little but nothing material. Once you're familiar with the expectation from doing the sample tests there's not much more you can do to improve. That's my excuse for not doing more CA tests :pac:

Ditto!

[Deleted User]

kingvagabond wrote: »

I would think like everything with practice and time you could improve your skills in this area. But you'd probably have to invest a lot of time which may not be practible for many. thoughts...

Apparently not for IQ tests, possibly a little but nothing material. Once you're familiar with the expectation from doing the sample tests there's not much more you can do to improve. That's my excuse for not doing more CA tests :pac:

kingvagabond

So let's say 75 time slots to do the exam multiply by let's say 15 guests per slot gives 1,125. If you say 160 to stage 2, that will give you about 14.22% of top applicants get a call. That's pretty tough..... trying desperately here to keep the self confidence level high. Took a battering this morning , should of asked to check the wrists after the exam I'd say.

How did people prepare for the tests?

I read the material and tried the sample tests linked. But other than that nothing more tangible then that. I would think like everything with practice and time you could improve your skills in this area. But you'd probably have to invest a lot of time which may not be practible for many. thoughts...

Roscoe69

kingvagabond wrote: »

Hi All,

I completed the two tests earlier today. The process was very user friendly.

I found the test ok at the start. I felt I scored well. But as I progressed, particularly latter parts of test 2, I found extremely difficult albeit impossible.

Is the general consensus the same?

With about 15 mins to go I felt I hit a wall my brain was fried and the case study language was like Double Dutch.

This was almost exactly my experience of it!

My invigilator was a woman with a strong French accent who was very sound. As I was scanning the room for her with my laptop, the app disappeared from my screen and I had to log in again. Luckily I got back straight to her quickly enough but it was a bit disconcerting.

I could hear a lot of call centre background noise at the start but it was muted as soon as the test started. Would not have been able to handle that.

I had a good five minutes to spare on the first test so went back and adjusted one or two answers... the second test I had five seconds to spare before being shut down.

[Deleted User]

ThumbTaxed wrote: »

I am doing mine naked as I want to feel comfortable to be honest.

It's okay, the supervisors are naked also.

Actually, that reminds me. I wasn't expecting to see myself in the bottom right of the screen. Any possibilities of compensating the fact I'm devilishly handsome and a distraction even to myself :pac:

ThumbTaxed

Aitor wrote: »

I presume dress code doesn’t matter?

I am doing mine naked as I want to feel comfortable to be honest.

Xofpod

Last time out they brought 160 to the next stage I think.

kingvagabond wrote: »

Hi All,

I completed the two tests earlier today. The process was very user friendly.

I found the test ok at the start. I felt I scored well. But as I progressed, particularly latter parts of test 2, I found extremely difficult albeit impossible.

Is the general consensus the same?

With about 15 mins to go I felt I hit a wall my brain was fried and the case study language was like Double Dutch.

Also any ideas on how many folks took the tests? What number would be called for intereview?

[Deleted User]

I did the test not long ago, and I found the first part of the test very okay - completed with more than 10 minutes to go (no idea of the weighting of that though), but we're likely to think we did okay in this element as we gave the answer we assumed was correct

:pac:

The second part was more of a crap shoot. I hit a blank on the maths part (which should have been my strong point) and was doubting my understanding of the information. I thought the last question(s) was simple enough... which definitely means I misunderstood!

:pac:

Summer2019 wrote: »

I had difficulty understanding my invigilator, was asking him to repeat everything twice! Also in the middle of one of the tests he started introducing himself again from the beginning, he was obviously talking to a new candidate but i could hear all the background noise from the call centre. So distracting!!

I had the same, it was very broken, electronic static, but thankfully we got to the start okay. But, I heard nothing once the test began. That would have been horribly distracting. They may review and compensate if you complain.

kingvagabond wrote: »

With about 15 mins to go I felt I hit a wall my brain was fried and the case study language was like Double Dutch.

I had that for the maths part - questions that if you didn't have time pressure would be no problem, but this is the IQ part of the test and they need to stream somehow, so cannot complain.

kingvagabond

Hi All,

I completed the two tests earlier today. The process was very user friendly.

I found the test ok at the start. I felt I scored well. But as I progressed, particularly latter parts of test 2, I found extremely difficult albeit impossible.

Is the general consensus the same?

With about 15 mins to go I felt I hit a wall my brain was fried and the case study language was like Double Dutch.

Also any ideas on how many folks took the tests? What number would be called for intereview?

hardybuck

Summer2019 wrote: »

I had difficulty understanding my invigilator, was asking him to repeat everything twice! Also in the middle of one of the tests he started introducing himself again from the beginning, he was obviously talking to a new candidate but i could hear all the background noise from the call centre. So distracting!!

You should probably complain about that.

Summer2019

Irishder wrote: »

That was a bit strange ok. Wonder how much each test costs

I had difficulty understanding my invigilator, was asking him to repeat everything twice! Also in the middle of one of the tests he started introducing himself again from the beginning, he was obviously talking to a new candidate but i could hear all the background noise from the call centre. So distracting!!

Irishder

Megidje wrote: »

No but no wearing any of them fancy smart watches! Thought he was checking for signs of self harm when he asked me to show him my wrists!!

That was a bit strange ok. Wonder how much each test costs

Megidje

Aitor wrote: »

I presume dress code doesn’t matter?

No but no wearing any of them fancy smart watches! Thought he was checking for signs of self harm when he asked me to show him my wrists!!

Aitor

I presume dress code doesn’t matter?

Augme

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Who were the invigilators? Were these PAS staff or the test company staff or what?

It's the test company.

[Deleted User]

VanHalen wrote: »

Yes - weird process - showing the invigilator the room, under the desk and even your ears! There must have been some suspicion for the previous competition that people were may have been getting others to do the exam for them hence the camera and "show me the room" this time.
the first part was too wishy washy for me whereas the second exam was grand.

Who were the invigilators? Were these PAS staff or the test company staff or what?

tea and coffee

Witco wrote: »

Did mine this afternoon. Situational judgement not too tricky but the critical analysis (logic and maths) was very difficult. The remote invigilation process was very weird - will be giving frank feedback to PAS on that! Good luck to everyone who is sitting the tests over the next few days.

I found the opposite! The situational judgement took me much longer than usual and I found I was having to think carefully.
The logic ones were a lot different than the previous AP and even HEO ones - and for some reason, I found them easier... which means I missed something in spectacular fashion or... I don't know. Usually I never get finished and find the maths tricky. This time neither was the case.

Hope the results come out quickly.

Witco

Irishder wrote: »

I had to show my drivers license. Anyone else asked that?

Yes, ID with a photo and signature, e.g. driver's licence or passport

Irishder

VanHalen wrote: »

Yes - weird process - showing the invigilator the room, under the desk and even your ears! There must have been some suspicion for the previous competition that people were may have been getting others to do the exam for them hence the camera and "show me the room" this time.
the first part was too wishy washy for me whereas the second exam was grand.

I had to show my drivers license. Anyone else asked that?

VanHalen

Yes - weird process - showing the invigilator the room, under the desk and even your ears! There must have been some suspicion for the previous competition that people were may have been getting others to do the exam for them hence the camera and "show me the room" this time.
the first part was too wishy washy for me whereas the second exam was grand.

[Deleted User]

Irishder wrote: »

Yeah the real one. Found it ok but rushed the last question due to time.

First part was easier then the second part

Pretty sure you'll never see the detail. You'll either be called for the next stage or get a polite PFO.

Irishder

Deleted User wrote: »

The real thing

Yeah the real one. Found it ok but rushed the last question due to time.

First part was easier then the second part