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NEW 2020 Assistant Principal Officer Competition

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 332 ✭✭Cheeseplant


    excellent thanks- heard my own HR has the forms for refs and my line manager knows they are coming so hopefully won't be too long!



  • Registered Users Posts: 119 ✭✭Kenrach


    Yikes on hols at the moment and have interview date for 09/08. I'm going to keep the date though. Really will be looking at the ops2030 and ops2030 along with drilling my examples given for the online interviews and getting them word perfect. Along with sketching out potential questions that they may have...... Simple really 😂😂

    .



  • Registered Users Posts: 13 Carmona83


    Question to anybody who has done the interview - when they ask you for an example under a competency, do you get the chance to tell the story or are you interrupted quite early on in it? Just wondering how to get the points accross.



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,012 ✭✭✭TaurenDruid


    While each panel/panel member will be different, their objective is to score you based on your response to each competency, so they will generally let you go uninterrupted, at least long enough to get your STAR-based example across. They may interrupt to probe further on a detail or to get clarification on something. Bear in mind, though, some interviewers will want a second example and so may move to a "finishing" question on your first example before asking for the second one. That's not too common, though, at least in my experience.



  • Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭Rainbowstar


    I'm the week after you, great craic altogether isn't it? 😕

    What is ops2030?



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  • Registered Users Posts: 119 ✭✭Kenrach


    Hi loads of fun...that should read ops2020 which is our public service 2020. There was also a new civil service renewal launched in the last few months called civil service renewal 2030 something to definitely consider when pulling material together



  • Registered Users Posts: 332 ✭✭Cheeseplant


    I honestly wasn't asked anything to work in the OPS stuff.. I mentioned a few pillars in relation to my examples but they didn't pick me up on it.



  • Registered Users Posts: 13 Carmona83




  • Registered Users Posts: 43 Tweets


    Same with me. They touched on it at the very end around my input to a Dept overall but it was just a short question.

    The boards have a lot of non Civil Servants on them and I’d imagine that could be why.

    I found they wanted to moved on quickly especially where you are hitting points. The interview is 45 minutes and the stick to it rigidly so there’s only around 6 mins per competency if even - they won’t let you get through your whole example unless it’s super short and if that’s the case it’s unlikely to touch on key points.

    Get to the action point quickly - for me they started asking from there. They’ll also look for outcomes at the end so you have the chance then to evaluate successes and failures.



  • Registered Users Posts: 164 ✭✭Malee


    Use the STAR format to formulate your examples, and only give them a brief outline and not elaborate too much on details (but just enough for them to understand the situation) and my experience is that they don’t interrupt. I got a probing question or two, or was asked for another example (either more fitting or more recent). Basically your example itself shows that you master the competency, but bear in mind that many examples hit off multiple competencies. Just pick the most fitting one.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 119 ✭✭Kenrach


    Me again - to those who have completed the interview stage, can I clarify the PAS competencies that we will be questioned on i.e. Leadership, Judgement Analysis and Decision making, Management and Delivery of results are contained on the application form and what we provided a response to in the video round. So am I right in thinking that Interpersonal and Communication Skills? 'Drive and committment to public sector values' and 'specialist knowledge and skills' will be assessed throughout the interview and that a specific example is needed for those? I will have examples prepped anyway but wanted to check so I can prioritise my time as I am up on Monday eeeeek!



  • Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭taato


    I am at the same stage as you but my take on it is that communication is one of the 4 competencies questioned on the day while the other two are globally assessed with maybe a couple of ad hoc question at beginning or end about specialist knowledge if something on form prompts them. Or have i got that completely wrong?



  • Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭starringme


    I can't remember if my final interview was recorded by PAS- anyone know?



  • Registered Users Posts: 82 ✭✭derailed


    Definitely not. That was the very first thing the PAS representative said to me at interview. I was informed this was not a recorded interview ahead of then being introduced to the board members.



  • Registered Users Posts: 119 ✭✭Kenrach


    That makes complete sense to me so I'll focus on those and just make sure I have a back-up for the other 2 or at the very least be ready to answer questions under those headings!



  • Registered Users Posts: 164 ✭✭Malee


    The first four will be specifically asked about. Drive and Commitment and Specialist Knowledge they kind of do inbetween and take it from your history, what you did.

    I would suggest having some examples ready to throw in when the chance arises.



  • Registered Users Posts: 35 Furby2020


    Is it just me or is it hard to come up with an example of Interpersonal & Communication skills that touches on the sub-competencies?



  • Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭Rainbowstar


    Yes I think so. It's interpersonal too not just communications so it's not as clear cut.

    Havng to come up with a second is even more painful!!!



  • Registered Users Posts: 332 ✭✭Cheeseplant


    Got my assignment notice from PAS so finished clearance and waiting for the local HR to contact me (hopefully the relevant person isn't away for August!). Any ideas how long this will take? Am dying to know what the actual role is, particularly as I know v little about my new Dept!



  • Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭Rainbowstar


    Can I ask the people who are on the panel - did you get asked for a second example?

    I'm prepping one and obviously some are interchangeable but just wondering. Would you need them as in-depth as the first example?


    Can I also ask re Management and Delivery of results - did you just go straight into the example or talk about your management experience too? Afraid to have too much in it but also afraid to leave out key points. The similar question in the video interview wanted more detail and I think that's what's putting me off just giving the STAR sample here.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,012 ✭✭✭TaurenDruid


    Congrats!

    Your assignment will be dealt with by someone between CO and HEO level, and there's usually a HR team, so you don't have to worry about them being gone for the whole month. I mean - you're going to be an AP with 30 days leave, but I presume you won't be taking 20 of them off together in August 2022? 😄

    If you've finished clearance then it really won't take long after that - they should be in touch in the next few days and you should be starting in the next couple of weeks, unless you need to finish a notice period where you are.



  • Registered Users Posts: 332 ✭✭Cheeseplant


    Thanks for the info! It's an interD move for me. I'm on leave for two weeks in 2 weeks so I'm hoping to start in new Dept after the hols. I presume the notice period is a min of 2 weeks and a max of 4....

    Nope I tend to use all my leave on random i-don't-feel-like-work days throughout the year so I sincerely doubt I'll have 20 left by next August! 😂



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,012 ✭✭✭TaurenDruid


    See earlier replies in the last couple of pages (or possibly it's the 2021 AP thread I'm thinking of?) Yes, you may well be asked for a second example - it's not uncommon at all. It would be unusual to be asked for a second example on all of them, unless the examples you've used are really short.

    The board will ask you a question for each competency, so depending on how they phrase the question on Management & Delivery of Results you may not get to kick off with talking about your general management experience. This should be evident from your CV, in any case. I'd be more inclined to prepare your answer based on your example(s), and possibly use the "Anything else you'd like to add?" bit at the end to emphasise experience.



  • Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭Rainbowstar


    Thanks a mil. That makes lots of sense.

    Will have a look at the 2021 thread - didn't realise there was one yet!!



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,012 ✭✭✭TaurenDruid


    I was in the same position recently. New place got in touch, I agreed a finishing date of three weeks with my boss (could have been shorter but they were going on leave themselves), let the new place know; all good!



  • Registered Users Posts: 43 Tweets


    I didn’t but I know others who did. I think it depends on whether the example you give has hit on what they want. Have all heard of others being asked for examples from most recent role also.



  • Registered Users Posts: 119 ✭✭Kenrach


    Important to remember too that it is only 45 mins and that will fly by for them and they will be super conscious of time spent on any one competency. They may ask you probing questions, if you respond well and good, if you don't I would imagine they will move on! If you have provided enough in the response they won't spend too much time either....... so either you hit the mark and onto the next or you don't and onto the next.... this is really simple isn't it!!! Best of luck everyone for the interviews!



  • Registered Users Posts: 98 ✭✭Rainbowstar


    So simple - walk in the park really!!!!!😳

    Thanks for that, very true what you say. Best of luck to you!



  • Registered Users Posts: 43 Tweets


    If you don’t hit the mark on something they’ll try to steer you, if that doesn’t work then they’ll move on.

    If you can, do a mock interview in advance. Helps you figure out how you want to answer and when they don’t think you’re hitting the mark.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 119 ✭✭Kenrach


    I'm on leave at the moment and up on Monday so no opp for mock. I'm just sketching out potential questions that they may have and will be ready to respond .... I hope!



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