Clerical officer in the civil service 2026 campaign

I'm in Dublin. My scenario score increased by 1 point and my OOM improved by 9 places. I put the exact same answers for the temp clerical position back in November and scored well so expected that I wouldn't get a lower OOM with the changes. But I still am about less than 100 places behind my temp application OOM which I suppose is to be expected because I presume more people go for the permanent position.

@Whimsicalcat what was your scenario score

mine 536

Deleted

I dropped about 400 places and while disappointed I don't understand why people feel its unfair? This is our real score, we need to face up to that and accept it.

Yes mistakes are made but once discovered should they have left it? That would be totally unfair to people who actually scored higher. Some people here have risen over 1000 places to where they should have been.

It sucks but people make mistakes and the right results are out now and that is the only fair way to deal with this once the scoring mistake was discovered.

I haveI have a question but I don't know if anybody can answer it. But if people start appealing this and the executive results appear to be delayed. And they will probably also be appealed, could all these delays force them to go to the tco panels?

It'll cost the tax payer, i.e everyone. It could delay everything. Best to move on, what good is it. Ireland is small, depending how you type such an email subjectively it could negatively impact you.

Desperately disappointed for my wife, she dropped from just over 2000 to 2400. Chances of interview were slim, but now it's over.

Just makes no sense to me at all. She has tonnes of highly relevant work experience and put huge effort into this application. I honestly expected a large swing in other direction.

This whole thing has been a sh!tshow.

I'm sure "lessons will be learnt ", yeah right.

That situational judgement test is a damned nuisance. Many of the people who saw big drops probably scored well for skills, but did much poorer in the hypothetical scenarios. Literally none of the scenarios I've seen in these things is anything I've ever had to deal with in a real office (every office scenario they describe seems to be totally dysfunctional with bad employees slacking off or not up to the job etc).

2 people can have the same OOM, have seen it before

@GippyGup I'm really glad the timed online tests that they do for other civil service positions are not used in this competition. Those tests are really stressful/unfair and they are marked by an outside English recruitment company who probably uses AI software. Well the one I took before for the grad entry position was and it was ridiculous. I think this is a much fairer competition. Some people really struggle with those timed online tests but still have the qualifications/experience/education needed. Those tests are not a good reflection of whether someone is fit for the job. I feel like they probably hire a lot of people who are great at scoring high in IQ type tests but are not great in real life scenarios and probably explains why they are so slow and make mess ups like this.

Agree. Those online tests are very stressful, well I find them stressful anyway. People complaining and there skills and scenario scores saying they are subjective etc well yeah they are but there is also a right and wrong answer. If you haven’t followed the capability framework for skills you’ll drop points and if you answer the scenarios wrong you drop points, people are struggling with the fact they were giving a false score and now they can’t accept they haven’t reached a high enough score which has affected there OOM. Whether we like it or not yesterdays OOM are the correct ones I’ve took time to think it over and what’s complaining to PAS going to achieve they’ve corrected it.

Agree @GippyGup

@GippyGup It's not a shrug. Obviously it's devastating for people who have been interviewed or were just about to get an offer or were in with a chance but now they aren't.

I just really don't think those stupid timed online tests are the solution. I really don't think a stressful online test is a reflection of a real life stressful situation at work where you can take action and find practical solutions to solve the problem. The questions I was asked foe the grad competition were maths I haven't done since secondary school and I would have been able for it if there wasn't this clock counting down in the corner and you're trying to answer as fast as humanly possible and if they actually gave you supports that helped you prepare for the kind of questions that would come up. There's no real life scenarios where you have to work out the mean, the mode and the median in 30 seconds or you die, which is what those tests feel like.

I do think they shouldn't put such weight on those scenario questions and focus more on the skills side. I think this competition, although not ideal, gives people a better opportunity to highlight their skills, experience and educational background. Rather than show they can do really well in a test but have the communication/real life skills of a potato. I know someone who works in the CS and they hired 2 new EOs in his division, one of which was shockingly bad, and they had to let him go. But again the scenario questions do hold more weight than they should.

When it comes to the SJT there is a right and wrong answer not sure why you can’t accept that bit, if you’ve worked in the CS the applications are easier.. maybe you should review your application and see where you can improve in the future.

A live numerical exam is not needed for a CO role, as someone stated none of those questions we did in an EO assessment would rarely be needed in the CS, yeah sure maybe a live timed SJT assessment, but ultimately it’s a fair application process and it’s the same for everyone.

We are all frustrated I’m not based in Dublin I’m in Offaly and I’m now outside the Top 10 after the new results. My original point stands you weren’t giving the correct OOM to began with your new OOM is correct you need to accept it and move on. You should not have been expecting a job just based on your OOM you’ve got your own hopes up, I’ve been in Top 3 for an internal panel since January and there’s been no movement, you’re not guaranteed anything in the CS believe me I’ve been in those positions where panels end and you’re next up.