Open First Secretary DFA 2021

toryumon · 27-01-2022 12:52pm

looks like results are out.

my score was 183 - qualifying standard but not enough to be called to the next round this time.

Anyone got any insight on numbers or the chances of further callups?

bangorbrix · 27-01-2022 6:33pm

Is the final interview likely to mirror the same sorts of questions in the video interview do you think? Trying to work out how duplicative it will be and whether I’ll need additional examples for the competencies already covered at video interview - to avoid giving them the same examples twice.

My message said I’d be invited to final interview but no indication of when and I’ve a holiday coming up, so hoping they don’t conflict 😫

hippo24 · 31-01-2022 9:15am

I'm at a real loss of my score of 156, is there any way to appeal or request feedback?

marley83 · 31-01-2022 10:06am

You can request feedback in other Civil Service competitions, so I presume the same goes for this competition. And while it's great to get that feedback (speaking from experience), the feedback will not be very detailed.

Wing Back · 31-01-2022 2:35pm

It was my first time doing a DFA competition, as I'm very much finance based. I have started to work with EU material over the past few years however and said I'd try my hand at this as I'm very interested in Diplomacy and International affairs in General. Was happy to have hit the pass mark for each Question/Competency but overall only scored 179......So a bit off the 225. I'm guessing that it might be the end of the line unless they only called a very small batch initially.

Saying that I said I'd throw it out here first before emailing PAS. Does anyone reading this thread know anything about the following:

-Total no. of applicants for competition?

-Total no. called for video interview?

-No. of candidates who reached qualifying standard?

-No. of candidates who scored over 225?

-What is the next stage of the process?

-What other stages are after this in the process?

-No. of forecast available posts?

PAS don't seem to have any phone lines for general enquiries because of Covid which seems a bit daft. I work in Public Service, and for the past 2 years all my work calls just come through my laptop. I know I can send an email too, but just want to talk to a human being I guess.

Thanks for any information

Avenger2020 · 31-01-2022 8:36pm

If its any consolation to anyone I am at a real loss of my score as well. Especially as I opened with the fact that I have been assigned an AP role since last year… The standard must be unreal. ‘I’d love to hear from those that got through - if its luck, how you present yourself or career experience. Id say there’s little hope for anyone who didn’t make the cut as I hear vacancies r very limited this time as they also ran an internal competition last year. Personally I think the selection panel should be made of PAS officials and maybe an external examiner rather than staff from a small department like DFA. It was mentioned on the Tonight Show recently given the Champagne scandal that there’s a lot of family and connections in there. I think Shane Ross mentioned that but I must check.

Avenger2020 · 31-01-2022 8:45pm

I don’t think PAS release information of competitions ongoing. Not very transparent, I know, and by the time it is released we will have forgotten about it or not bother contesting! Most other countries even publish the names of the successful candidates at this stage! It would make it easier to call out anything that may be going on if so.

LegallyAbroad · 31-01-2022 11:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118561757#Comment_118561757

In what way is DFA a small department?

It has more employees (over 1,300) than the Departments of Health and Transport put together.

misswrite347 · 24-02-2022 6:18pm

I heard there were interviews last week and this week. Anyone here get called to them?

kj2022 · 28-02-2022 11:39am

Yes I interviewed last week. Anyone else? Not holding out much hope - wasn’t a disaster but was definitely a challenging interview. Panel were all extremely nice though.

Ladda · 08-03-2022 5:24pm

Results are out! I’m almost at 20 on the panel. How did others get on?

DBB2022 · 08-03-2022 5:43pm

Yes, I’ve placed too. I wonder how many are on the panel and how many appointments will be made right away?

kj2022 · 08-03-2022 5:46pm

well done! I have also placed- also interested in likelihood/ pace of appointments as I have another job offer on the table and am wondering what to do!

Ladda · 08-03-2022 5:51pm

I see there is also an interdepartmental panel created. I wonder which panel will be prioritised?

LegallyAbroad · 08-03-2022 7:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118752335#Comment_118752335

It is 1:1:1 ratio between internal/interdepartmental/open so neither will be prioritised.

bangorbrix · 08-03-2022 8:31pm

I’ve placed too! I’m so delighted as I had Covid during the interview so was not my finest performance 😅😅 I heard rumours they appointed in lots last time eg 5 off internal, then 5 off open etc, but not sure if there’s any merit in that. But like everyone else, really curious to know how likely it is to actually secure an appointment off this merit list!

bangorbrix · 08-03-2022 8:32pm

Interested to know what backgrounds others on the Open have come from? I’m from the civil service myself, but not in Ireland

Xofpod · 09-03-2022 1:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118752794#Comment_118752794

Not necessarily the case - for example, if a lot of candidates have been placed recently from an internal DFA competition, there may be a debt owed to the "external" two compenents, so all the next appointments will take place from these sources. Previous experience would suggest that they may take a batch of people from the external panel at the start. Congrats to all who got through.

bangorbrix · 10-03-2022 10:57am

Not to be the bearer of bad news but just in case anyone was wondering about future interview rounds, when I tried to reschedule my interview due to covid they told me that they couldn’t reschedule and they could only add me to the list if they did another round of interviews later, however, “it is not envisaged at present that we will be calling further batches to interview for this competition.”

Ladda · 22-03-2022 7:15pm

Hi all, did anyone get on the panel get called? I haven’t heard anything.

HopingforNewZ · 03-05-2022 4:00pm

Hi all, I also placed on this panel, though I don't expect to hear anything soon. Does anyone know if people have been called yet?

bangorbrix · 22-05-2022 2:43pm

First 10 have now been called for vetting I think

bangorbrix · 19-08-2022 7:40pm

Has anyone started in DFA from this competition yet?

countyireland12345 · 21-07-2023 12:37pm

Would love to hear any updates on this competition. I think the panel expires in November 2023. Perhaps they might announce a new competition by the end of the year. Anyone who how many they hired, how far down the OOM it went?

Open First Secretary DFA 2021

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