Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Administrative Officer Competition 2024

13468911

Comments

  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,632 Mod ✭✭✭✭dory


    For those asking how to improve situational judgement - I found it useful to do the practice tests on jobtestprep. They give you the correct answer, and then explain it to you. I learned a lot from them, like how the worst answer is often the 'wait and see' answer. That was for one test provider, I'm not sure if they do it for all of them.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 rosyemily1


    I placed 870s, is there any chance I will get called for an interview? I've seen people say no but I just want to be sure, thanks :)



  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,632 Mod ✭✭✭✭dory


    It's impossible to know. No way of knowing how many jobs there will be, how many won't show up for interview, how many will get offered a job but won't take it. It's a waiting game unfortunately.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19 AlpineAdventurer


    I think last year capped out around 600



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 Allycats36


    I only got 997. I did crap at the verbal normally I do great at that one. Sped through situational one tho.



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16 emptyfishtank


    Placed in the 190s oom, very happy! Have interviews for different civil service jobs over the next few weeks though so worried about potentially accepting something only to move if I get an AO role in the coming months. Would this reflect poorly on me with the CS? Assuming each batch has roughly 79 candidates I should be in the 3rd round of calls for interview so hoping to potentially hear word in a few months time



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6 shellyc123__


    no, I don’t think it would reflect badly on you at all especially since you’re staying within the CS most are sound and understand it’s a promotion or job more suited to you. Also depending where you are you can always make a case to be kept as an AO in the current department you’re in



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 NTMB


    Does anyone know what became of the other specialist streams there used to be in this such as HR, Finance etc? The last time I entered it there was also an option to enter these. That was 2 or 3 yrs ago maybe, but this time I seem to be only in the general stream. Have these other streams been abolished or did I overlook them in my application? Many tks.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35 dylanyahoo


    It would not reflect badly on you at all. It's almost assumed that people in the Civil Service will be going for multiple competitions at a time.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35 dylanyahoo


    They still do these, just separate from the main competition.



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 NTMB


    Thanks for that, Dylan. I will keep an eye out so.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11 Sark2024


    These were included in the AO Specialist competition back in January along with Health and Climate. Might be another one of these competitions in the New Year



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 sfdublindev


    Hi, everyone, and thanks for all the posts in this thread. I've been lurking this and other Civil Service threads here on boards.ie — thought I'd finally come out of the shadows.

    I applied for the AO stream this year and was lucky enough to be called for an interview in early December. Not the best timing, as I just started a new job this week. A bit torn as to what to do. I'm going to sleep on it.

    In terms of the three assessments, I prepped for them using the sample tests on the public jobs website. I also drilled some basic maths — decimals, percentages, fractions, reading charts, etc., as I wouldn't be the most naturally skilled at this sort of thing. The situational was the oddest of the three for me — genuinely had no idea how I'd done after the test. Some of the answers seemed obviously wrong, but most of them had some kernel of decency in them, and I found it tricky to envision what the CS wanted, exactly.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37 M1ntyPyth0n


    Congratulations to those who passed the first stage tests, and to those progressing to interview in December. Short time to prepare!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73 ✭✭is that a button


    Congrats on your new job & also on getting called for interview! Hope everything works out for you! 😊 ... Just my thoughts on your post.. I would advise you to do the interview. It's probably an online one anyway so might be convenient. Also you don't know how your new job will go so it might be good to have a back-up plan. Even if you pass everything & get offered a position, you don't have to take it. If you do pass you may be on a waiting list for a good while depending on your order of merit & preferred location. By the time you do get called up, things might have changed for you & this position could be a good option. I would just keep it spinning in the background as it's a handy option to have! 👍



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2 sfdublindev


    Thanks, @is that a button! I think you're probably right — it makes sense to go for the interview. And it is remote, which is handy! Looks like I need to start preparing for my presentation… :)



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30 batkitten


    I'm about the same numbers wise, someone said there last year it capped out at about 600. But again, it really depends on what people are applying for, if they pass interview, turn down the role for reasons of locations etc. I'd say like many people here we are applying for multiple positions at same time. I'm keeping an eye out for particular roles and location is a major factor for me, so even though it might be perfect job, the days of commuting would rule me out!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30 batkitten


    Also, does anyone have good level of Gaeilge? The EO open competition has been extended until end of the month.
    You have have a very good command of written Gaeilge (or vice versa for speaking it).
    Might be a way in for others here?
    CS runs courses with Gaelchultúr to improve your oral and written Irish so you could get in this way and be paid to improve yourself as well.
    More Irish language jobs will be coming on stream in the future with 20% of new posts for it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 206 ✭✭bleaks


    I don't see why they would have passed 2182 candidates only to offer 600ish an interview. Seems like all the major political parties are looking to increase numbers the public service with new depts and the likes, so maybe PAS are looking ahead and expect higher demands next year. Is the panel only running for a year though?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 48 JobTalkBoards


    They would have agreed what score is a pass in advance so they don't have full control on how many hit that really.

    i'd imagine it will be a one year panel. Most are. There will be more competitions in that one year as well.



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11 drummoli


    For those wondering numbers; I did last year's AO comp and got OOM about 560 and got called for interview only last month. So I'd say around 600 probably is where it generally caps out (think I've seen similar numbers in threads for previous years, but as others have said it can depend on a many factors where on the OOM they get up to). But just keep in mind when you see next's years comp starting its stage one tests, there is a good chance a final batch of people from this year's one will probably still be being called. (Think the panel for a given year only officially ends once they start placing people post the first round of interviews for the next years.)

    Oct 2023 - Stage1 tests.

    Nov 2024 - Stage 2 interview/presentation.

    Jan 2025 - Officially starting placement as an AO.

    CS really is a waiting game.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 100 ✭✭Abbotsford5


    Hi there anyone been called for interview yet? Just curious to know how many?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 maool


    Yeah there seem to be 79(ish) interviews scheduled next week, I'm on Monday. The first 79 on OOM have been invited to interview, though possibly some won't actually do the interview for various reasons. That's the first batch, and more batches will probably be scheduled in the new year some time



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15 apat7


    sorry for the late reply - I think they advertise those as separate recruitment rounds later in the year..



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 100 ✭✭Abbotsford5


    Brilliant the very best of luck to you.. I hope it goes well..



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 maool


    Does anyone know if you're allowed to have notes with you during the presentation/interview? I'd assumed we would be, but just did an interview for an executive officer job yesterday and was explicitly told at the start that I couldn't use notes. I just sent an email to PAS about it there but I don't know if they'll come back to me before Monday



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10 okaydo


    Hello, I was just wondering if anyone knows when a nationwide AO competition will start?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7 maool


    In case anyone is wondering, notes seem to be allowed :) but I would try not to depend on them too much as the booklet says it can count against your communication skills



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,190 ✭✭✭mrsdewinter


    I did AO interview earlier this year (for 2023 competition). I had notes for the presentation, not the interview. No issues at all.



  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37 M1ntyPyth0n


    Anyone have an idea of when the first batch Stage 2 results will issue? I imagine it will be January 2025.



Advertisement