Principal Officer 2025

also made the cut delighted with it. Between 150 and 200 as well, much better than expected.

Honestly yes, I did do a load of prep. That said I also feel like there is a lot of luck at play, I feel like the same group of people could take those tests again tomorrow and I could come 500 places lower and there wouldn't be any real differentiator I could point to in my performance.

I didn't do any prep and generally do very good at these sorts of tests so I do think some of it is natural aptitude but I would wonder if the prep sites do give a leg up if you don't have the aptitude. I think my biggest advantage is being a very quick reader so never pressed for time and can go over them a few times. And perhaps it's obvious but for the verbal reasoning I always read the statements first so I know what I'm looking out for as I read the press release or whatever it is.

I finished in top third, I did no prep other than one or two previous PAS tests in the past few years. I think these tests are generally designed to test natural aptitude, I don’t think there’s a whole lot of preparation you can do really other than getting familiar with how the tests work and practicing reading fast.

For the job situation tests, I think it helps to be already working in a management field or something similar to the civil service, as you get a feel for what the best approach might be just by having real experience, although this doesn’t always translate into the test examples.

thanks. I just got an OOM but I can’t see anything showing the total number and therefore what the top third is

Not to be a downer but… Considering very few actually ended up in roles out of the 2022 campaign (15 in one year for example), and considering it dragged on at a snails pace in the last year or so - is there any expectation that this panel will be any different? If 1800+ are on a panel, how many realistically might even be interviewed over the period before it expires, let alone get placed on a panel, etc?

thanks so much!!

in no way an expert but did well this time around (and previously). 710 out of 800 in the SJT using the following ‘rules’

1. Mainly ignore the ratings other than the most positive, most negative and the very odd middle rate-only had 1 of these in this competition
2. If it’s your section, call a meeting and include your team, If it’s based on something outside your section ask your manager for advice
3. Never delegate work upwards
4. Take responsibility for errors

it may help that I am a civil servant but I have never bought prep exercises or gone for coaching. My issue is I am in a non Dublin based location so unless at the end of the process you’re in the top 2 forget it. Hoping this will be different as it’s a pilot and they haven’t asked for location preferences (yet)

Don’t let this put you off. The hardest path I had was to get out of Clerical Officer Grade which took me numerous attempts and many years

If the thread from the 2022 competition is accurate, it sounds like they got to between 500 and 600 OOM before that panel expired but it’s hard to tell exactly.

Anybody know how long the panel is for in this competition?

Are there rigid core hours throughout CS or some flex for parents in work hours if you need to drop/ pick up kids?

Core hours don't apply to POs.

Unless there's a business need, it's likely you'll have some flexibility. At PO level you'll likely be doing regular out of hours work too and that generally buys some flexibility during work hours.

I wouldn't expect it to be easy to regularly drop & pick up kids as a PO. It's a high level, demanding job. You can't say no to the Minister because its school pick up time.