Interview

nazerlazer · 14-01-2022 3:06pm #1

Hey there probably not the right place but does anyone have any information regarding interview tips with sdcc clerical officer ? Or any tips for a council interview. Have it next week and it's a 3 panel interview so a bit nerve wrecking

Diceicle · 17-01-2022 8:46am

I presume its a competency based interview.

Have an example-based response ready for questions like:

Tell me about yourself / current role...(not so much an example here but structure your answer in line with what the role requires. Highlight your computer skills or something)

How do you plan organise your workload...

Tell me about a time you dealt with conflict....

Look over the job spec and have a response sorted for each category of competency they're interviewing you on.

B.A._Baracus · 17-01-2022 8:58am

Good advice from @Diceicle

I've known a few people who went for interviews with the council over the years - from the office jobs to street workers - and it's always the same three panel interviewers. Just how they always do the things. Don't fret it tho. It's the same as any other interview. Just one will ask some questions then another will ask.

You just get asked the same things. Ie, where do you see yourself in 5 years etc. Just be prepared.

nazerlazer · 17-01-2022 11:06am

Great thanks a lot for your help.. I do have my competency answers from application form but I'm gonna have extra one for each, will they just ask one question on each competency? Also would you know any questions ill get asked in relation to local government?

Diceicle · 17-01-2022 3:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118488435#Comment_118488435

Most likely it will be 2 (maybe 3) questions per competency.

I'd look over the spec and have 2 responses prepped for the 'professional knowledge and experience' section. 2 for 'team work' section etc. 'Communications' if it appears in your job spec is not questioned, just observed.

So you should have 2 responses per section plus your 'tell me about yourself' reponse ready.

I presume you're already familiar with the STAR method. So strucutre them like that if at all possible.

nazerlazer · 17-01-2022 3:31pm

Great thanks! My competencies are Customer Focus, Teamwork, planning and organising, and personal effectiveness. Just afraid of being throwing off on a question and going blank!

Conqueror · 17-01-2022 3:51pm

A few years ago, I was asked (for a different council) to name the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, and how many councillors there were in each municipal district.

nazerlazer · 17-01-2022 4:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118490105#Comment_118490105

Thanks! was it just simple questions like that? they won't ask to go into detail for anything would they? i know someone got asked what the annual budget was that year.. so im hoping its as simple as that

Conqueror · 17-01-2022 5:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118490263#Comment_118490263

They won't go too deep into the work of the Council, but they may ask you if you know what the Council does (or doesn't do), or what the major issues the Council is working on / looking at. Have a look at the Council's website and development plan for details on what each section does, and some of the local papers will give you an insight into the current major issues.

Don't get too bogged down on the inner workings of the Council, though. While it's good to know general things about any organisation you want to work for, the interview is about you and the skills you can bring to the Council. As a Clerical Officer, no-one will expect you to run the place or develop some wide-reaching project that takes years and huge sums of money to operate, and the interview panel know that. They're interested in knowing about your experiences and abilities, and whether you will fit in. Focus on the competencies and, once you're showing how you meet them, you'll be fine. Good luck!

nazerlazer · 17-01-2022 6:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118490786#Comment_118490786

Thanks so much! It's tomorrow morning so here's to hoping everything goes smoothly 🙏 ☺

nazerlazer · 28-02-2022 4:04pm

Hi

Just an update I got placed 3rd on the panel and have been contacted with a start date ! 😊

However when asked for references I gave my previous employer as I was there for a few years and they knew me well however the Council have just emailed me saying they haven't heard back from them and do I have any other references and maybe one from current employer, I got onto my old employer and they said they were busy but doing it right now and would send it as soon as possible today I then told the council this, just wondering will they actually want My current Employer ? I just didn't want to give them as I'm not there that long and the managers are never really there so not known to them

BattleCorp1 · 03-03-2022 11:28am

I got a job 6 months ago with the HSE and they insisted on getting a reference from my current employer. Not sure if the Council has the same rule. It's common to ask for a reference from your current employer.

I assume you've been told a start date and not been given a contract with the start date on it?

Congrats by the way.

Saint_Mel · 09-03-2022 9:35am

I also had to get a reference from my (at the time) current job for a role in the Public Sector.

Extremely awkward thing to have to do. All my previous work was Private Sector and had never been asked or expected to provide reference from the place I was trying to leave!

09-03-2022 11:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118755539#Comment_118755539

I was in one public sector organisation for a few years. I went for an internal promotion and was asked for references. I explained that I'd been in this place so long, that my references were pretty much obsolete as they'd all moved on. They insisted anyway.

Three months later I applied for a different civil service job in a different department, who also insisted on references, including my current public service job. When I went to HR, they said "we don't provide references". I pointed out the hypocrisy of how they insisted on candidates providing them when applying for a position, but have a policy of not providing them to current employees looking to leave. They said yes, that's correct.

Ireland inc.

Interview

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