Principal Officer competition 2019

Belfry2018 · 24-05-2021 11:35am

Morning, does anyone have an update yet on what number they maybe at? Last account was no.14?!?
Thanks

karlitob · 25-05-2021 3:25pm

Any idea when we’ll hear about the stage 4 presentation?

Noprobs · 25-05-2021 3:40pm

Hopefully soon, they must be finished by now.

Regularreggie · 25-05-2021 4:29pm

Though it would be yesterday or today. Presentations for Stage 4 was scheduled to finish Monday and there has usually been a 6 or 7 day turnaround for results. Wondering if maybe ICT or other issues extending the timelines.

Nautilus support · 25-05-2021 5:00pm

karlitob wrote: »

Any idea when we’ll hear about the stage 4 presentation?

Heya, Is this the last stage for people in Batch 3 or do you still have to do your final interview?

karlitob · 25-05-2021 5:26pm

Nautilus support wrote: »

Heya, Is this the last stage for people in Batch 3 or do you still have to do your final interview?

Christ I hope it’s the last. Stage 3 was interview. Stage 4 presentation.

Nautilus support · 25-05-2021 5:30pm

karlitob wrote: »

Christ I hope it’s the last. Stage 3 was interview. Stage 4 presentation.

yes definitely the last then!

terminatorX1 · 26-05-2021 3:03pm

Results are out for stage 4 - I passed (just about). Scores were very high on one competency the other two borderline.

Thanks to all here for the information and guidance

ShellyMCD · 26-05-2021 3:08pm

terminatorX1 wrote: »

Results are out for stage 4 - I passed (just about). Scores were very high on one competency the other two borderline.

Thanks to all here for the information and guidance

Congrats! Heard PAS have contacted people further down the original list to see if they are still interested in the competition. Might mean more batches will be called for video interview. A good sign for all who have made the panel today.

froggiegirls · 26-05-2021 4:12pm

So I’ve just heard that pas have been in contact with people to say they may be calling a fourth batch from this comp forward to the next stages

bobbyss · 26-05-2021 6:18pm

I gather there are exam competitions for jobs in the C Service eg Ex and Adm Officer. I wouldn't mind having a look at them to see what they are about. Are sample papers on line. Where could i see them?

Tangtastic · 26-05-2021 7:51pm

ShellyMCD wrote: »

Congrats! Heard PAS have contacted people further down the original list to see if they are still interested in the competition. Might mean more batches will be called for video interview. A good sign for all who have made the panel today.

That is interesting indeed! I’m happy after today’s results.

Nautilus support · 27-05-2021 10:17am

Does anyone know already how many are on the panel for the last batch?

part time punk · 27-05-2021 12:08pm

ShellyMCD wrote: »

Congrats! Heard PAS have contacted people further down the original list to see if they are still interested in the competition. Might mean more batches will be called for video interview. A good sign for all who have made the panel today.

Yeah I got the message yesterday. Any idea roughly what numbers on the original order of merit from the first online assessment that they have been going through up to now. Think they'd need to work through a lot before they get to where I am. Thanks

Nautilus support · 27-05-2021 12:52pm

part time punk wrote: »

Yeah I got the message yesterday. Any idea roughly what numbers on the original order of merit from the first online assessment that they have been going through up to now. Think they'd need to work through a lot before they get to where I am. Thanks

754

Tangtastic · 27-05-2021 1:33pm

I contacted PAS today and there are 9 candidates remaining on the panel for Dublin from the batches prior to the panel announced yesterday.

part time punk · 27-05-2021 4:04pm

Nautilus support wrote: »

754

Thanks, am in the 800s so they could get to me conceivably.

karlitob · 27-05-2021 6:39pm

Tangtastic wrote: »

I contacted PAS today and there are 9 candidates remaining on the panel for Dublin from the batches prior to the panel announced yesterday.

Thanks for this. Any idea at what pace they’re getting through the panel? I presume they must feel that not only will batch 2 be taken but also batch 3 or they wouldn’t have progressed to batch 4?

Uriel. · 27-05-2021 7:52pm

Tr1ckieD1ckie wrote: »

It's a great question. I came from an organisation in a similar (but not public) sector so the culture change has not been too dramatic.

On the positive note, pretty much everyone I've met has been very welcoming and you get a genuine sense that people wish you well and want to see you succeed in the role.

Against that, it's been very pressurised and you're expected to get up to speed and start making an informed and meaningful contribution immediately. Given the scale of operations/budgets, there are deficiencies in the information systems to support decision making and as far as I can see there is limited availability of procedure documentation so you just have to roll up your sleeves, use your situational analysis skills and make the best of it.

I was fortunate to have access to the person who was in my role for a long time previously and while I was keen not to be a nuisance to them, on a couple of occasions it was very useful to be able to bounce things off them.

I have a good team who've been a huge support however teams seem to be in a constant stage of change with mobility moves and promotions which can be a risk in losing organisational knowledge.

Working from home during the pandemic introduces a further challenge which increases the level of social distance- I've 11 in my Unit and I've only met one of them in person. But it's amazing how quickly you get to build a relationship with colleagues when you talk to them every day via video conferencing

Finally, I would say work/life balance is a problem with a very significant volume of work coming at you at pace and the need to provide a detailed and reasoned response much faster than you would in other organisations.

All in all it's been a positive and rewarding experience albeit pressurised and challenging (assuming I get through my probation ok) with lots of opportunities to make a difference... and you get a lot of latitude to develop and implement plans in your allocated area of responsibility... and if what you propose isn't sensible the powers that be won't be reticent to call this out.

This is a normal enough experience and goes with the territory. There's a high level of expectation from day 1 and you sink or swim. Departments could and should do better at supporting staff and new appointees (at all grades). The move to a more professional HR function in theory should have started to address some of these issues but progress has been patchy.

Like any open competition it is pure luck where you end up. Depending on whether you have sights set for A/Sec and Sec Gen level, you're better off being in a high profile busy and complex area. Work life balance is a huge concern but the job pays up to €110k per annum so a lot is expected in return.

Tangtastic · 27-05-2021 9:48pm

karlitob wrote: »

Thanks for this. Any idea at what pace they’re getting through the panel? I presume they must feel that not only will batch 2 be taken but also batch 3 or they wouldn’t have progressed to batch 4?

Seems to be in fits and starts from what I can make out. Not much movement in recent weeks. Calling a 4th batch might indicate that they envisage there will be a lot of movement in the 2nd half of this year or they intend to extend the life of the panel for this competition well into 2022.

karlitob · 28-05-2021 6:18pm

Uriel. wrote: »

This is a normal enough experience and goes with the territory. There's a high level of expectation from day 1 and you sink or swim. Departments could and should do better at supporting staff and new appointees (at all grades). The move to a more professional HR function in theory should have started to address some of these issues but progress has been patchy.

Like any open competition it is pure luck where you end up. Depending on whether you have sights set for A/Sec and Sec Gen level, you're better off being in a high profile busy and complex area. Work life balance is a huge concern but the job pays up to €110k per annum so a lot is expected in return.

Thanks for this. Are there any standard perks - own office, own car parking space? I read that the APs weren’t too happy not to get their own office in Health when they moved to Miesian.

Tr1ckieD1ckie · 28-05-2021 6:54pm

karlitob wrote: »

Thanks for this. Are there any standard perks - own office, own car parking space? I read that the APs weren’t too happy not to get their own office in Health when they moved to Miesian.

I hear both are challenges at PO grade in Miesian too (not just AP!)

karlitob · 28-05-2021 6:59pm

Tr1ckieD1ckie wrote: »

I hear both are challenges at PO grade in Miesian too (not just AP!)

That must be fun!!

What’s it like in your place?

Uriel. · 29-05-2021 9:54am

karlitob wrote: »

Thanks for this. Are there any standard perks - own office, own car parking space? I read that the APs weren’t too happy not to get their own office in Health when they moved to Miesian.

Yes usually own office but some departments are now struggling with office space and some cases POs share offices or POs are out on the main floor with the rest of the teams. My expectation is that this is and will continue to be a growing trend. I have my own office for now. I don't see it as a perk to be honest. It's a necessity for a variety of reasons. I have a lot of sensitive calls, meetings and discussions and having them out in an open plan area would be very problematic.

Plus the ability to close the door and spend time working on documents or reading reports without being disturbed is an invaluable benefit. Or again, a necessity.

Car park spaces are becoming more difficult, especially in city centre locations. Outside of management boards their allocation these days seem to be either "need" or first come first served. But each organisation is different

Riskymove · 02-06-2021 2:35pm

Uriel. wrote: »

Yes usually own office but some departments are now struggling with office space and some cases POs share offices or POs are out on the main floor with the rest of the teams.

It will also be more a general policy for new office fit outs, especially as any formal blended/remote working programme becomes widespread after covid return

Regularreggie · 03-06-2021 12:28pm

Anyone any idea how many made it to the third panel?

terminatorX1 · 03-06-2021 4:14pm

I'm in the late teens on the third batch

everycloud · 15-06-2021 3:47am

Tangtastic wrote: »

I contacted PAS today and there are 9 candidates remaining on the panel for Dublin from the batches prior to the panel announced yesterday.

Movement on the panel has definitely slowed down over the last month... it was still at about #16 when I contacted PAS last week. Presume there will be few offers over the summer. Can anyone who recently received an offer from Batch 2 indicate how long it took from receiving the offer to starting in the new role? Hope all going well so far.

Regularreggie · 15-06-2021 10:52am

Heard from pas that Dublin panel has 5 left from batch 2.

everycloud · 15-06-2021 11:11am

Regularreggie wrote: »

Heard from pas that Dublin panel has 5 left from batch 2.

Thanks, that would imply that it's at #20 - I always seem to get a very different response whenever I contact PAS!

Principal Officer competition 2019

Comments