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

eroc79 · 10-01-2021 8:28pm

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 · 10-01-2021 9:10pm

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 · 10-01-2021 10:28pm

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 · 10-01-2021 11:14pm

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 · 10-01-2021 11:18pm

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

V1llachamp89 · 10-01-2021 11:26pm

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 · 10-01-2021 11:54pm

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 · 11-01-2021 5:09pm

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 · 11-01-2021 5:27pm

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 · 11-01-2021 5:45pm

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

Breezer25 · 11-01-2021 5:49pm

applejunkie wrote: »

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

I had the same issue. You need to save it and then open it.
Just save it to your desktop and open it form there.

It only opens with Adobe so you will need to have that installed or if not download a free copy of Adobe PDF reader.

caarp · 11-01-2021 5:51pm

Breezer25 wrote: »

I had the same issue. You need to save it and then open it.
Just save it to your desktop and open it form there.

It only opens with Adobe so you will need to have that installed or if not download a free copy of Adobe PDF reader.

Yes, I had the same issue a while back but it can be worked around by doing what Breezer25 suggests.

caarp · 11-01-2021 5:53pm

I would absolutely go for it. I can't read the booklet just now but if it doesn't say anything about academic achievements and you have all the other requirements, I would go for it. You can also send an email to HR to make sure that you qualify for the application/position. I'm only in the door 2.5 years so maybe there is a Circular about this but I would seriously consider it. And sorry about the whole school thing - I totally understand that. You have nothing to lose, so go for it?

applejunkie · 11-01-2021 5:54pm

Breezer25 wrote: »

I had the same issue. You need to save it and then open it.
Just save it to your desktop and open it form there.

It only opens with Adobe so you will need to have that installed or if not download a free copy of Adobe PDF reader.

Perfect thanks. I was panicking in case I uploaded it to PAS and they wouldn't be able to open it

Claregirl · 11-01-2021 7:53pm

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

Hi Annie, I'm in the same boat as yourself educationally speaking - but i have a very strong form with good examples and experience - my form got through the shortlisting last time out so I wouldn't worry about the education side of things. Go for it and best of luck

eimaj18 · 11-01-2021 9:00pm

Ok, is it me or is the Employment Record all over the gaff! Is Emp. No.: 1 meant to be your current/most recent or your very first role? From the instructions it should be your current, but when I put in my next one, it moves down, so Emp. No.: 2 is above Emp. No.: 1. Anyone else having the same problems? Should I just type these in from first role to current? I've done these forms a million times but never came across this. :eek:

carnie · 11-01-2021 9:51pm

eimaj18 wrote: »

Ok, is it me or is the Employment Record all over the gaff! Is Emp. No.: 1 meant to be your current/most recent or your very first role? From the instructions it should be your current, but when I put in my next one, it moves down, so Emp. No.: 2 is above Emp. No.: 1. Anyone else having the same problems? Should I just type these in from first role to current? I've done these forms a million times but never came across this. :eek:

You're grand. That's just the way the form is. Consider it as No1 is your first job since leaving school/college and so on. So the higher number will be your most recent

carnie · 11-01-2021 9:56pm

Anniearenyouok wrote: »

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

Absolutely go for it. I dont think there's any academic restrictions on applying for a HEO position. It's not a graduate role like an AO.

Just emphasis that you are developing yourself. Also maybe add that you are planning on doing a degree in Public Management in the Institution of Public Administration (check out their site). Panals love candidates who develop themselves.

eimaj18 · 11-01-2021 10:16pm

carnie wrote: »

You're grand. That's just the way the form is. Consider it as No1 is your first job since leaving school/college and so on. So the higher number will be your most recent

Thanks a mil. It worked itself out (or made a bit more sense to me!)

pew · 11-01-2021 10:17pm

Anniearenyouok wrote: »

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

Go for it!! Absolutely nothing to lose by doing so

Anniearenyouok · 12-01-2021 1:21am

Thanks all I decided to throw my name in the (very big) hat!

I sent my application and received the confirmation email from PAS.

When I went to check my PDF form was correct I cant seem to open it! it say's need to download adobe (which I have) does that mean I will have to redo it and contact PAS?

Got sorted, apparently I dont have the most up-to-date adobe reader. PAS very helpful.

Not a great start

eroc79 · 12-01-2021 9:14am

Anniearenyouok wrote: »

Thanks all I decided to throw my name in the (very big) hat!

I sent my application and received the confirmation email from PAS.

When I went to check my PDF form was correct I cant seem to open it! it say's need to download adobe (which I have) does that mean I will have to redo it and contact PAS?

Not a great start

When I open my pdf, I need to right click and specify open with Adobe otherwise it tries to open with the wrong version.

12-01-2021 2:14pm

carnie wrote: »

The 300 word count is a pain in the botty

Definitely. I have them all in and around 300 words, with maybe 1 or 2 that have a few extra words here and there. Nothing too drastic, I think the longest one is 305 words. They'd hardly disqualify you over an extra couple of words, would they?

It's bizarre that the employment section is limited but the competency boxes aren't.

caarp · 12-01-2021 2:58pm

Just got my application in. Such a process to get to here alone. Best of luck to everyone. So next will be the online tests. something to look forward to

eroc79 · 12-01-2021 3:38pm

caarp wrote: »

Just got my application in. Such a process to get to here alone. Best of luck to everyone. So next will be the online tests. something to look forward to

Can't wait

Purpletoes · 12-01-2021 7:02pm

What are the online exams like for this? Is it the same set up as the EO ones?

Purpletoes · 12-01-2021 7:07pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Definitely. I have them all in and around 300 words, with maybe 1 or 2 that have a few extra words here and there. Nothing too drastic, I think the longest one is 305 words. They'd hardly disqualify you over an extra couple of words, would they?

It's bizarre that the employment section is limited but the competency boxes aren't.

What do you mean by limited? I had 7 employments and extensive descriptions in each of mine. Maybe it just wasn't loading fully for you? Have you gone back in to check?

Hopefully you will get an opportunity to fill them in adequately at an interview.

carnie · 12-01-2021 7:53pm

Purpletoes wrote: »

What are the online exams like for this? Is it the same set up as the EO ones?

Yeah I think it's the Cut-E style.

Dublintigger · 12-01-2021 8:34pm

carnie wrote: »

Yeah I think it's the Cut-E style.

The Cut-E style?
Eh.. Can you please explain?

Dublintigger · 12-01-2021 8:40pm

Delighted that's over and done with and submitted.
To be honest, it was one of toughest application I've ever had the pleasure of completing.
Please God I've done enough.
Good luck everyone.

eroc79 · 12-01-2021 9:25pm

Dublintigger wrote: »

The Cut-E style?
Eh.. Can you please explain?

I've seen examples before where there are a number of tabs with various information. Answers to the questions are found under the various tabs. It can be time consuming finding the right tab with the answer in theses tabs.
In the EO tests, there's a paragraph on the same page with all answers to a number of questions are found in said paragraph.
Happy for someone to correct me or explain better.

12-01-2021 10:51pm

Purpletoes wrote: »

What do you mean by limited? I had 7 employments and extensive descriptions in each of mine. Maybe it just wasn't loading fully for you? Have you gone back in to check?

Hopefully you will get an opportunity to fill them in adequately at an interview.

I ran out of space with the word limit in every one of my employment sections

Dublintigger · 12-01-2021 10:59pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I ran out of space with the word limit in every one of my employment sections

So did I - I spent more time editing my form then anything else.

Purpletoes · 13-01-2021 12:50am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I ran out of space with the word limit in every one of my employment sections

Well that's very disappointing.

keepkeyyellow · 13-01-2021 11:39am

I’ve been Googling practice exams and I’m just wondering if there’s any point? Does anyone have any experience or recommendations of them?

I’ve done the last three EO exams (twice as applicant once as practice) and always get top 100 in Dublin and 30 in Cork but I’m conscious that it’s a big jump up between the two.

whampiri · 13-01-2021 11:56am

keepkeyyellow wrote: »

I’ve been Googling practice exams and I’m just wondering if there’s any point? Does anyone have any experience or recommendations of them?

I’ve done the last three EO exams (twice as applicant once as practice) and always get top 100 in Dublin and 30 in Cork but I’m conscious that it’s a big jump up between the two.

It's always worth practicing. I recommend that people pull out paper 1 of a pass maths leaving cert paper and run through that for things like ratios, %, fractions etc.

In addition to this, have someone run through some unusual topics in magazines where you have no idea what it is that they're talking about and have them set questions.

Finally, do the same with the Irish times.

All practice is worthwhile and while the questions in the actual exam may be more difficult, the practice will provide you with a methodology of thinking and processing information quickly and accurately.

Take the brief test below based on my reply above. True/False/cannot say

Q1. The Irish times is a useful resource when doing any exam.

Q2. Cramming before an exam is a useful way to remember facts.

Q3. The HEO exam is more difficult than a pass leaving cert paper.

Q4. Reading other newspapers is not worthwhile.

Q5. Going through articles where you don't understand the topic is a useful tool in providing you with a methodology of doing these tests.

Breezer25 · 13-01-2021 12:56pm

Purpletoes wrote: »

What do you mean by limited? I had 7 employments and extensive descriptions in each of mine. Maybe it just wasn't loading fully for you? Have you gone back in to check?

Hopefully you will get an opportunity to fill them in adequately at an interview.

There was a note at the top of Section B stating that each competency responses should not exceed 300 words.

Anniearenyouok · 13-01-2021 1:31pm

Breezer25 wrote: »

There was a note at the top of Section B stating that each competency responses should not exceed 300 words.

I had another look at my application form. Seems I doubled up on a paragraph on one of the sections, was an oversight on my behalf.

I am hoping it won't go against me as it brings me over the 300 words. I found the form itself poor in its layout and structure.

Breezer25 · 13-01-2021 1:47pm

Anniearenyouok wrote: »

I had another look at my application form. Seems I doubled up on a paragraph on one of the sections, was an oversight on my behalf.

I am hoping it won't go against me as it brings me over the 300 words. I found the form itself poor in its layout and structure.

The layout is very bad. I typed everything up in word to ensure the word count and edit the layout and copied it across to the pdf form once I was happy.

Anniearenyouok · 13-01-2021 3:46pm

Breezer25 wrote: »

The layout is very bad. I typed everything up in word to ensure the word count and edit the layout and copied it across to the pdf form once I was happy.

Ditto. Just when i went back in to view, seems i doubled up on one paragraph, done now hopefully that's overlooked lol

Purpletoes · 13-01-2021 5:30pm

Breezer25 wrote: »

There was a note at the top of Section B stating that each competency responses should not exceed 300 words.

I know, thanks. This post was in relation to some people running out of space for their job descriptions.

13-01-2021 6:44pm

Anniearenyouok wrote: »

I had another look at my application form. Seems I doubled up on a paragraph on one of the sections, was an oversight on my behalf.

I am hoping it won't go against me as it brings me over the 300 words. I found the form itself poor in its layout and structure.

Yes, the forms are desperate and have been since the moratorium was lifted. The EO 2014 form was identically abysmal, that's almost 7 years ago at this stage. The 300 word limit is the first time I've seen it so low. The employment sections are limited to about 150 words. I thought the competency spaces would be limited to exactly 300 as well, but discovered that wasn't the case.

Me being super paranoid, I went back and whittled the responses down to less then 300. The last thing I need is to be disqualified for having 6 extra words in one box.

Purpletoes wrote: »

I know, thanks. This post was in relation to some people running out of space for their job descriptions.

As above, the job sections are limited to about 150 words. I could easily have doubled that on my current placement alone. I maxed out on all of mine.

Dublintigger · 14-01-2021 12:56pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yes, the forms are desperate and have been since the moratorium was lifted. The EO 2014 form was identically abysmal, that's almost 7 years ago at this stage. The 300 word limit is the first time I've seen it so low. The employment sections are limited to about 150 words. I thought the competency spaces would be limited to exactly 300 as well, but discovered that wasn't the case.

Me being super paranoid, I went back and whittled the responses down to less then 300. The last thing I need is to be disqualified for having 6 extra words in one box.

As above, the job sections are limited to about 150 words. I could easily have doubled that on my current placement alone. I maxed out on all of mine.

I'm getting paranoid now.... I had the option of 160 words..... which did limit what I could say. I'm wondering if that was a test in itself??

Also, I just noticed going back over my application, apart from a few minor spelling errors, I forgot to sign my application. No sure if that will go against me and if my application will be disallowed. Any views?

Connected99 · 14-01-2021 6:31pm

Dublintigger wrote: »

I'm getting paranoid now.... I had the option of 160 words..... which did limit what I could say. I'm wondering if that was a test in itself??

Also, I just noticed going back over my application, apart from a few minor spelling errors, I forgot to sign my application. No sure if that will go against me and if my application will be disallowed. Any views?

IS the closing date next week? as i recall...
if so, Then you have time to log into PAS website and Amend those details and re- submit

jules86 · 14-01-2021 6:39pm

Connected99 wrote: »

IS the closing date next week? as i recall...
if so, Then you have time to log into PAS website and Amend those details and re- submit

Closing date the 12th I thought?

eroc79 · 14-01-2021 6:42pm

jules86 wrote: »

Closing date the 12th I thought?[/quote

Yep

14-01-2021 6:43pm

Dublintigger wrote: »

I'm getting paranoid now.... I had the option of 160 words..... which did limit what I could say. I'm wondering if that was a test in itself??

Also, I just noticed going back over my application, apart from a few minor spelling errors, I forgot to sign my application. No sure if that will go against me and if my application will be disallowed. Any views?

I'd say you're fine on both counts. I had to remove plenty of duties and roles etc in each one as the word count is very restrictive. I ended up having to scrimp and save words from everywhere, it ended up reading more like a tweet in some parts I tried to fit that much in.

It would want to be a cold, heartless b****** who eliminated someone from a comp because they omitted a typed 'signature', so don't sweat it is my advice. Best of luck

MrsBean · 14-01-2021 8:34pm

Dublintigger wrote: »

Also, I just noticed going back over my application, apart from a few minor spelling errors, I forgot to sign my application. No sure if that will go against me and if my application will be disallowed. Any views?

I would get on to PAS and tell them you noticed you forgot to sign it. Spelling errors won't matter.

Dublintigger · 14-01-2021 10:58pm

jules86 wrote: »

Closing date the 12th I thought?

The closing date was 12 January at 3pm

Connected99 · 15-01-2021 10:11am

MrsBean wrote: »

I would get on to PAS and tell them you noticed you forgot to sign it. Spelling errors won't matter.

Yes I agree

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

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