Civil Service - EO exams

EF wrote: »

Just to note for those who didnt do the best in the recent EO exam, I was placed number 1598 in a previous competitive test for posts in Dublin. I didnt think I had a hope of getting anywhere but out of the blue recently I was invited for interview and got the job It takes patience, a lot of patience

Big time!
The attrition rate at interview can be startling- so even if you consider that you're way down the panel- its entirely possible that they may eventually come to you. When I first joined the civil service I was on the panel for 2 years, before I was called to interview. Regardless of where you are on the panel- do keep an eye on the website and keep applying for any competitions that come up- you may end up being very pleasantly surprised.......

applicant

applicant wrote: »

Hi
I recently did the EO assessment test and scored pretty low for Dublin but did much better for Wicklow and Kilkenny. I'm not sure now though what happens. Do I wait until decentralisation occurs to these areas and then wait until my number is reached on the panal? If so does anyone have any information on when decentralisation to these two counties might occur? I have looked at the website but it doesn't seem to say. Just trying to get a picture as to how long I will have to wait for possible interview (I scored in the 70's for Wicklow and Kilkenny).

I'm trying to get a rough idea of when I could expect an interview as currently I have a temporary contract position in the private sector. It is due to expire in September and the company will not be able to extend it. I am wondering should I start job hunting for another temporary job while I wait for a possible EO interview or is it totally unrealistic with my results to expect anything before September?

applicant wrote: »

I'm trying to get a rough idea of when I could expect an interview as currently I have a temporary contract position in the private sector. It is due to expire in September and the company will not be able to extend it. I am wondering should I start job hunting for another temporary job while I wait for a possible EO interview or is it totally unrealistic with my results to expect anything before September?

Should you go hunting for another job- definitely. When they do call the interviews (which may be over the summer- or may get postponed until after the summer as they still have people in place from the old panels), its for a place on the panel. Even if you do well at the interview- you do not automatically get a job- it depends on the individual departments telling the PAS that they need staff- which could be very quick, or could take a long time.

If you want to bump yourself up the queue at the interview- volunteer to do the Irish language interview as well, as Irish is still necessary in most Divisions to one extent or another (and the Official Languages Act has placed a lot of obligations on Departments to ensure that they are capable of providing all services through Irish- as well as publishing all documentation in both Irish and English).

Do not assume that even if you do well at the interview that you will be offered a position quickly- it could take months or even longer.

applicant

Thanks for your advice!

I received the application forms for inteview for both the ICT and the standard EO in the last couple of weeks.

The ICT one was straightforward enough, but the EO has me a bit concerned.

The cover letter says that you have to bring two written employer references with you to the interview.
This seems a bit odd to me - usually references are asked for when an employer wants to make an offer?

My other issue with it is the last company I worked for left the country..so no chance of a reference there, and the one before that was over 10 years ago and this time the company I worked for was taken over so have utterly no idea if they have any records of me there or indeed even if anyone there remembers me!
I'd rather not ask my present employer for written reference for obvious reasons at this stage!
This look like a bit of a knock out blow for me

IrishPhoenix

Supercell wrote: »

I received the application forms for inteview for both the ICT and the standard EO in the last couple of weeks.

What counties did you get called for? I haven't heard anything yet.

madrabui

What's the oral Irish test like? Is it like the leaving cert?

Supercell - I herar your concerns. Haven't received anything about EO but got the ICT EO (and had to send that back in by today). Would be concerned about providing written references as probably wouldn't be able to get them. a lot of company don't supply them nowadays anyhow or really just provide something to indicate you were an employee at the time. if the company that left the company was large - could you attempt to contact them to see if they can find some record of you and just confirm that you were an employee? Has anyone else come across this??

Also - same query re: irish - is it worth doing oral irish ? how much is it worth & what level? I said I'd do it but would need to really have nothing to say except that it's cold and that I like cake !!

IrishPhoenix wrote: »

What counties did you get called for? I haven't heard anything yet.

I wasn't called by any county, just got an email asking me to fill in a form for interview in both cases.

I wonder if character references would suffice?? say if you had an old one from a teacher or something ?? (

I've attached the EO cover letter, I guess its going to be the same for ICT and EO..

I'm a little concerned

thanks for that - hadn't received any cover letter - just an email that didn't even have a subject line for the ICT one .. luckily i didn't just bypass it.
I wonder if the following:
· Two references from previous and/or present employers (in the case of Civil Servants this will be in the form of assessment forms).
means the names of people to provide references rather than the actual
written reference itself. not sure if i would have that to be honest either fro
any employer and if I had old ones they would be over 10 years old.. can't
exactly get one from the current employer !!

I wonder how strict they are on this stuff?

dubdub123 wrote:

thanks for that - hadn't received any cover letter - just an email that didn't even have a subject line for the ICT one .. luckily i didn't just bypass it.
I wonder if the following:
· Two references from previous and/or present employers (in the case of Civil Servants this will be in the form of assessment forms).
means the names of people to provide references rather than the actual
written reference itself. not sure if i would have that to be honest either fro
any employer and if I had old ones they would be over 10 years old.. can't
exactly get one from the current employer !!

I wonder how strict they are on this stuff?

Previously all previous employers listed on the form were contacted for both a character reference and also to confirm the particulars of your leaving their employment. Absolutely everything under 5 years ago was chased, but only major items over 5 years, were chased. Its considered the exact same with serving civil servants- the performance forms must list any misdemeanors of any nature whatsoever- and these are all considered before an offer of a job will be made (after the interview).

So- yes, I imagine they will be quite strict.......

S.

I see we have to bring 'two references from previous and/or present employers'. Does anybody know if this means we have to actually physically go and get a written reference, or if we just have to bring names of referees?

It sounds like they want the actual references.
If in doubt though- ask.....
Sarah Diver is the lady who administers the competition.

AlexBM wrote: »

I see we have to bring 'two references from previous and/or present employers'. Does anybody know if this means we have to actually physically go and get a written reference, or if we just have to bring names of referees?

If they want written ones at this stage I'm going to have to bow out, no way am I asking my current employer for a written reference on the off chance that I get a civil service job.
I'm going to email them tomorrow and ask for clarification.

Supercell wrote: »

If they want written ones at this stage I'm going to have to bow out, no way am I asking my current employer for a written reference on the off chance that I get a civil service job.
I'm going to email them tomorrow and ask for clarification.

Thanks Supercell, can you post up the response you get? I hope it's not written, I'm pushed for time as it is without having to go track down previous employers. But you don't have to get one from your current employer, past ones will do. There's no way I could ask my boss for one, absolutely no way.

Hi AlexBM,

Sure I'll post up the response no problem. I'd appreciate if you emailed them also to express your concerns - I'm guessing they don't even realise what a headache this could be and the more people that highlight that this is a bit unreasonable to ask, the better I think.

Supercell wrote: »

Hi AlexBM,

Sure I'll post up the response no problem. I'd appreciate if you emailed them also to express your concerns - I'm guessing they don't even realise what a headache this could be and the more people that highlight that this is a bit unreasonable to ask, the better I think.

Thanks. And good idea re:email, never even thought of it. Will email now actually, to ask for clarification. And might follow up with a phone call tomorrow afternoon if I haven't heard anything back, just in case. I'll post any update here also. I didn't think the time scale in between the email and the submission date for forms etc would be so short.

Just got mail back re:the above. It's a written reference, dammit. I'll have to go chasing up all my past contacts now. It may take some time:

Hi Mrs X,

The references must be two written references. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards,
[Name Removed]
EO & Graduate Recruitment
Public Appointments Service,
[Number Removed]

So we'll all have to do some legwork. I'm in a new job so there's no way I can ask my current boss. I'm only here a few weeks. I'll have to talk nicely to my past employers.

this is going to be an issue alright - there's no problem providing names of people and getting references after a job off (assuming I want to take it), but at this stage it is a problem. it would immediately raise a very big red flag if I were to ask about this .. need to think what i can do on this !! I may be able to get one from a place I worked for a few months some time back.. no private recruitment drive works in this way and actually a lot of companies will not give a written reference these days.

Yeah, it's definitely not ideal at all. But, we only need those references for the day of the interview, as far as I understand it (in work now, can't really open attachments from Public Jobs!), so we don't actually need them for the 9th. I'm open to correction on this info (and any spelling/grammar mistakes - as said, i'm in work and it's taken me about an hour to type this much so far!).

tSubh Dearg

As far as I can see, the Interview Preparation Questionnaire is the only thing that needs to be back to them by the 9th.

The 2 references, your birth cert and your original of your degree or leaving cert or whatever are only needed when you are called for interview.

Thanks AlexBM, I got an out of office from my one.
Got an interesting letter in the post today detailing my results, pretty nice to get the feedback.
I scraped the "numerical reasoning" with 12/28 (the pass level was 8/28), did very well in the job simulation and verbal reasoning which brought my overall "standardized score" up to the "Top Group" which is pretty flattering

In two minds at this point because of the whole wrtitten reference thing though.