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Interdepartmental Higher Executive Officer 2020 - (Serving Civil Servants ONLY)

carnie

Closing date is 12 January 2021

https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/?option=com_jobsearch&view=jobdetails&cid=127370&campaignId=20267403

Information booklet https://www.gov.ie/en/circular/b1a1d-192020-interdepartmental-competition-for-promotion-to-higher-executive-officer-heo-in-the-civil-service/

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tgdaly

gordongekko wrote: »

As far as I know that's public service not civil service so doesn't count. But I hope you get a reply as I'm not 100% sure

Yeah I'm fairly sure you're right but would be good to find out for definite so I don't miss out. But I'm quite confident I'll have to wait for the next one, might be a small chance of a comp in my department this year so will keep my fingers crossed for that

whampiri

GooglePlus wrote: »

Anyone have previous experience in this kind of competition? How much of a step up is it from the EO tests etc?

HEO is a huge step up. You go from managing a small team to potentially managing an entire office and more than that, being responsible for everything that happens in the office. In addition to that, you move from "doing" to compliance and reporting. You'll have input into decisions which may affect the entire organisation. You need to consider the big picture and not just you and your team when making plans, risk registers etc.

Everyone always thinks that the next grade up is easy and worth it. With HEO, if you're not willing to go the extra bit or think that it's a job you can swan about in, save yourself a lot of angst and hassle, and give it a skip.

If on the other hand you like being challenged, managing projects and teams, dealing with stakeholders and are happy to work hard, then go for it! Its massively rewarding, both from a self development and financial point of view.

I suggest looking at the HEOs in another Dept and see what it is that they do. The reason I suggest another Dept is so that you don't make assumptions.

In relation to the tests, they're similar but definitely more difficult.

Hippo

whampiri wrote: »

HEO is a huge step up. You go from managing a small team to potentially managing an entire office and more than that, being responsible for everything that happens in the office. In addition to that, you move from "doing" to compliance and reporting. You'll have input into decisions which may affect the entire organisation. You need to consider the big picture and not just you and your team when making plans, risk registers etc.

I wish even half of this was true of my dept :pac:

Connected99

Hippo wrote: »

I wish even half of this was true of my dept :pac:

I agree Hippo
Same here...

hellr

Hi does anybody know what the tests we have to do on the 5th feb are?

rostalof

hellr wrote: »

Hi does anybody know what the tests we have to do on the 5th feb are?

What tests? The closing date for applications hasn't passed yet?

Edit - I looked at the info booklet again. It says that applicants should receive a link to the online assessment tests by the 5th of February. Normally you have a week or so to do the assessment tests, most likely the standard numerical, verbal and situational assessments for these competitions.

caarp

Would any one have any experience doing the situational tests before? I did the all of the tests for EO open in 2017 and while I did well on the Maths and English, I also passed the situational assessment but not by much. When answering these situations, are you supposed to answer like you are already a HEO? I have no idea what they are looking for it seems...

Moghead

Just filling in the application form for this, there are only 4 competencies to be completed? I thought it would be 6?

Edit: sorry just read the circular, there are only 4

rostalof

Moghead wrote: »

Just filling in the application form for this, there are only 4 competencies to be completed? I thought it would be 6?

Edit: sorry just read the circular, there are only 4

I thought the same, there used to be 6. Did they always ask for 'high level examples' for them?

Breezer25

Moghead wrote: »

Just filling in the application form for this, there are only 4 competencies to be completed? I thought it would be 6?

Edit: sorry just read the circular, there are only 4

Even though there are only 4, it's still taken me days to complete the form and ensure I am happy with my examples.

carnie

The 300 word count is a pain in the botty

pew

carnie wrote: »

The 300 word count is a pain in the botty

I'm trying to cut down my word count and it's an utter pain. Have 2 of them done but delivery of results is giving me a migraine so badly

mj90

Has anyone filled in the Supplementary Information section? If so, what type of information have you included?

the explorer

I see the Annual leave for this is 29 days to start off. was it always this, I thought I saw somewhere before that it was 25 days, similar to AO.

Dublintigger

rostalof wrote: »

Not at all, post away! There's just been a little confusion between open and interdepartmental competitions.

For clarity, what is the difference between Interdepartmental and departmental competition?
I think I'm missing something here.

Dublintigger

pew wrote: »

I'm trying to cut down my word count and it's an utter pain. Have 2 of them done but delivery of results is giving me a migraine so badly

I had the same problem - I was given the advice of using the Star format.
Try breaking it down to
S - the situation
T - the task
A - the action
R - the result.
It's still difficult but this helps.

Dublintigger

caarp wrote: »

Would any one have any experience doing the situational tests before? I did the all of the tests for EO open in 2017 and while I did well on the Maths and English, I also passed the situational assessment but not by much. When answering these situations, are you supposed to answer like you are already a HEO? I have no idea what they are looking for it seems...

Are there any any example tests we can practice on?

Rcfp

Agreed. Absolutely the worst part of the stage!!!

pew

Dublintigger wrote: »

I had the same problem - I was given the advice of using the Star format.
Try breaking it down to
S - the situation
T - the task
A - the action
R - the result.
It's still difficult but this helps.

I'm already doing this technique I applied for an internal one not so long ago and the word count was 400 so trying to cut down the word count on those ones because they are great examples!

Thanks though!!!

caarp

Dublintigger wrote: »

Are there any any example tests we can practice on?

In previous competitions, they usually provide a link to do a practice but sometimes, the practice is a once off, so once it's done, you can't go back and do them again. Plus, often they won't explain why your answer is wrong.

eroc79

Dublintigger wrote: »

For clarity, what is the difference between Interdepartmental and departmental competition?
I think I'm missing something here.

A departmental competition is only open to those within your own organisation. Interdepartmental is for anyone already in the public service who has enough time done and open is for anyone with the relevant qualifications to apply for. I don't think there's been an open for a few years now.

Dublintigger

eroc79 wrote: »

A departmental competition is only open to those within your own organisation. Interdepartmental is for anyone already in the public service who has enough time done and open is for anyone with the relevant qualifications to apply for. I don't think there's been an open for a few years now.

Cool - thank you.

Pudsy33

There's no such this as an open HEO comp, you cannot become a HEO from outside of the CS. It's a promotion grade only AFAIK.

V1llachamp89

Pudsy33 wrote: »

There's no such this as an open HEO comp, you cannot become a HEO from outside of the CS. It's a promotion grade only AFAIK.

Incorrect, I along with others are on a panel for a HEO competition. Most of us are currently in the private sector.

Pudsy33

My apologies, I thought it was only HEO ICTs and other specialised streams that were completely open.

V1llachamp89

Pudsy33 wrote: »

My apologies, I thought it was only HEO ICTs and other specialised streams that were completely open.

No you could be right in that case. On another thread a few of us applied to an open HEO ICT competition. That I could be the only open would external in that case.

rostalof

V1llachamp89 wrote: »

No you could be right in that case. On another thread a few of us applied to an open HEO ICT competition. That I could be the only open would external in that case.

Currently, the specialist HEO competitions are the only open HEO competitions. Apparently there were open HEO competitions a number of years back but for the last good few years it is a promotional grade.

Anniearenyouok

Hi, I was considering applying for this role. I met the qualifying criteria (over 2 years in service) and have on occasions managed a team/office when required, I am a CO.

I would like peoples advice, I left school at a young age and had a terrible experience. It put me off education. I now find myself looking at the application form and I have nothing (apart from Junior Cert) into the qualifications section. I am currently enrolled in a level 5 course and will hope to complete it by March.

I have completed numerous courses, but mostly in-house related to my current role. I believe I have the skills and can give very good examples using the STAR analogy.

My lack of qualifications has put me off applying in the past, I cant see anything on the information booklet that states I NEED to have a level 7, level 8 etc..

What I am asking really is, would you apply in the same circumstances or will my application be disregarded straight away?

Thanks in advance.

Annie

rockmongrel

Anniearenyouok wrote: »

What I am asking really is, would you apply in the same circumstances or will my application be disregarded straight away?

Thanks in advance.

Annie

You lose absolutely nothing by applying, so I say go for it. If you want to move up the ranks in the Civil Service, you have to start at some point; it may as well be now.

applejunkie

Is anyone having trouble with the formatting of the application form ? I have sent mine around to a few people in my Department to take a look at but they are all getting a message when opening saying that they need to update Adobe. Its in pdf format