Hi so panel were really nice ...like previous posters I didn't have the opportunity to go through the star example more straight into open questions on each competency. They didn't give much time and told me when they had enough for each point my internet dropped a couple of times which was really.offputting . Apart from that I felt.that I proved an answer to the questions asked, how strong they were and did I hit the mark remains to be seen.... My mind is completely blank now to remember any specifics. Best of luck remember to keep breathing
Thanks Tweets and Cheeseplant!
Rocks of sense.
I’d ignore him. He claims to be earning 300k in a legal firm while also doing comps for AP tax specialists which he didn’t get an offer from and a PO comp that he didn’t get through the video interview stage on. He seems to like posting comments on random threads to spark an argument.
I agree in relation to the interviewees. The interview prep is a good amount of the work. My board were also lovely, very helpful and really put me at ease from the first minute. If you’ve put in the work you’ll be grand!
Wow.
So only the only good APs get the job through internal competition... I know of plenty internal candidates that would debunk that theory 🤣 I would argue that the internal candidates are more likely to have mock interviews or have gone for similar competitions previously and therefore be well versed in the competency based interview language or have particular department focused specialised knowledge that would be of benefit to a senior management grade. In an Open/InterD you have to prove that you can hit the ground running in ANY department without ANY specialised/ background knowledge.
@ interviewees
Your interviews will be fine because you have prepped for them. The panel (certainly mine) was very nice and not at all scary. You will be confident and enthusiastic. You already have a role that made you think that you have developed the skills necessary to be an AP. We will all be starting at the same point; with no experience of being an actual AP and we will all have areas that need development. We can discuss those with our PO at PMDS. No one is perfect in every area. Best of luck!
Cheers not long now ! Will swing by later and update you on how it went! The very best of luck to everyone at the interview stage!! We got this!
Best of luck to all on this week ☘️
Best of luck tomorrow, i’m not on till next week but i’m sure i’ll be panicking then too. You got this far so you have the required knowledge, skills and relevant experience so go knock ‘em dead. Make sure to check-in and let us know how you get on. Focus on the competencies, that’s what you’ll be marked on and don’t be worrying about the curve balls, you can wing them.
Lol! Something more useful than a two-point rating system of "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory" would be a start? 😁
Great spin thanks - I've definitely got speculative Qs in the past, particularly on management. 'How would you change the PMDS if you could invent a new one' immediately jumps to mind.
You shouldn't really be getting speculative/"what if" questions like this - they should be asking you about your example, maybe a second example, with possibly a couple of probing questions.
That said, in an AP competition a few years ago a colleague got "What would you do if you were made Taoiseach for a day?" (My reaction to that would be "I'm sorry, what competency is this coming under?!" )
But for anything really left-field like that, I think the best approach would be, where possible, to extrapolate from experience you do have. E.g., in the example you give, "I have X direct reports now, 3 COs and an EO; if I am an AP with 50 customer service staff, then I'd still have roughly the same number of direct reports, 4 or 5 HEOs looking after their teams; I'd trust the HEOs to manage their staff, and would be looking at KPIs to check they were doing so..." In other words: "This is nothing new; this is what I already do, and do it well," if that makes sense.
I don't think it matters that you have managed a small number of staff once you can demonstrate that you have and that you can - then it's just a question of volume for the 50 staff - (remember at AP level you will have HEO's reporting to you that will manage day to day output of staff) ultimately it is setting clear goals on an individual and team basis.
Having trouble with a positive spin prepping for this sort of question and would appreciate tips - 'how would your experience in that area [managing v small/ no staff] prepare you for an AP for 50 customer service staff'?
And it's not like they will ask you to hold it up to the screen 🤪
Thanks a mill...last minute panicking for tomorrow.....
Nope, and in the "olden days" of face-to-face interviews you'd be reminded to bring a copy of the form with you, with the caveat that you weren't to have any notes on it.
Jesus - two different examples for interpers and Comms? Could you not use the same example but show how you hit both skills within that?
Thanks for all of that - it appears it's different for everyone.
Not necessarily, some departments don't have internal comps often. My department hasn't had one in 8 years and back then the old rule of at least 2 years at HEO applied. They've owed too many AP liabilities since to external panels
Wow
I don't agree with Thumb Taxed above just because someone may not have aced the verbal reasoning/situational tests over a year ago doesn't mean they won't be great at interview.
Also you are up against non civil servants who are often seen as more skilled.
A few departments haven't had an internal AP promotion in over 2 years.
I take it that there would be no issue to having the application form with you? I probably wont get to refer to it so it would be more like a comforter!
Be positive. Remember you are probably competing against a weaker set of people than you normally would be for such competitions. So be confident.
Anyone with real ability would be at that level already through internal competitions so you have a great chance.
That's really interesting - especially interpersonal & communication skills a separate example for each makes much more sense to me! Thanks for that and well done for getting through!
Class advise, congratulations on passing thanks a mill!
Living the dream ! Hopefully it will be worth the sacrifice! Cheers!
Here’s my interview experience but I think it’s different for everyone and depends on the panel. Mine were all external. Very nice. Specialist knowledge was dealt with at the very beginning by the Chair. Went through my application, training courses, key skills I learned in each role and course etc. Leadership next. Interviewer didn’t look too impressed so I quickly threw in a second example. So 2 examples needed but not great detail for the second one. Interpersonal and communication skills next. Got asked for an example of each. Managing and delivery of results including drive and commitment next. Quick fire questions. Faltered here. What I was asked didn’t match the example I had prepared. Ended up digging something up from 25 years ago off the top of my head for one question. Judgement analysis etc one example. Didn’t really get a chance to do STAR. Was really all action and result. Look at the competency framework and have little examples for all the requirements you could dig out. Not star but just so you don’t draw a blank. Bring passion and enthusiasm. Hope that helps. I passed.
What a lovely way to spend your holidays!! Best of luck on Monday!
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!
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.
So simple - walk in the park really!!!!!😳
Thanks for that, very true what you say. Best of luck to you!
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!
