Clerical Positions in the Civil and Public Service

RoadhouseBlues · 11-07-2014 06:17PM

Mayo Miss wrote: »

Done and dusted. I think some of the scenarios were the same ones I got in the TCO questionnaire.

Did it in about 20/25 mins with no rushing. No idea how anyone could spend 90 mins on it.

Aye 90 mins would be a bit mad. Best of luck with it:-)

aisinikins2121 · 11-07-2014 08:25PM

First time entering any of the publicjobs competitions. They make it fairly awkward with these scenarios. Don't know what i'm at filling it out.

MommySquish · 11-07-2014 08:36PM

Wow. Just finished, if it even took 20 it would be alot. That last section was brutal though. Some of the questions were very..... ambiguous!

davydoc · 11-07-2014 08:44PM

MommySquish wrote: »

Wow. Just finished, if it even took 20 it would be alot. That last section was brutal though. Some of the questions were very..... ambiguous!

That exactly.....I put the feedback through at the end that I thought the same thing, there were a few examples where 'closed' questions would have been better.....it's one thing getting a question wrong cause you don't know the answer, its another when you're not EXACTLY sure what you're being asked....

darragh o meara · 11-07-2014 09:27PM

Anybody had problems with accessing the sample aptitude tests on the link in the handbook?

corny · 11-07-2014 10:01PM

I'm of the opinion that these tests are hogwash anyway. I wonder has there been any research done as to establish a link to actual job performance?

They'd be better served rolling some dice.:pac:

KERSPLAT! · 11-07-2014 10:02PM

Haven't done mine yet, thinking I'll do it tomorrow afternoon

bijou · 11-07-2014 10:04PM

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Haven't done mine yet, thinking I'll do it tomorrow afternoon

Same here, gonna leave it till tomorrow as well, just started on an 8 week TCO contract this week so my head is wrecked lol

yenom · 12-07-2014 11:51AM

What time was yer window lads? Mind is for Monday-Thursday next week.

KERSPLAT! · 12-07-2014 11:52AM

yenom wrote: »

What time was yer window lads? Mind is for Monday-Thursday next week.

Friday to Monday, doing it sometime today after work today

FloatingVoter · 12-07-2014 02:03PM

Done and dusted. Probably 30 minutes...I made sure to actually read the scenarios and think about them this time.

Milly33 · 12-07-2014 03:24PM

What kind of questions do they ask you. In the boat where I signed up and just got an email saying your window is next week,but sure I have no idea..any tips would be appreciated thanks

butterly.john · 12-07-2014 03:58PM

Hi all,
I have applied for the civil service positions. I was wondering does any one know if you are successful in the next stages and are offered a particular department and you refuse it what happens. Are you gone or do you go back on a list and get another offering in your selected area if one comes up.
Thanks

butterly.john · 12-07-2014 04:15PM

Milly33 wrote: »

What kind of questions do they ask you. In the boat where I signed up and just got an email saying your window is next week,but sure I have no idea..any tips would be appreciated thanks

I did the questions last night, its hard to explain what they are like, as far as I could see in some of them there was no correct answer. It does not seem to be somthing that you can study for at this stage, I may be wrong but I think anyone who has worked in an office environment should have no problem with them.

FloatingVoter · 12-07-2014 04:24PM

butterly.john wrote: »

I did the questions last night, its hard to explain what they are like, as far as I could see in some of them there was no correct answer. It does not seem to be somthing that you can study for at this stage, I may be wrong but I think anyone who has worked in an office environment should have no problem with them.

^ This. Basically, you're given a bunch of scenarios and four possible reactions to each. You have to rate the reactions from 1 to 4 in order of good, adequate, inadequate, incompetent. Some are obvious, some less so.

RobbingBandit · 12-07-2014 06:31PM

Done in less than 20, read them this time just to be sure.

WhiteWalls · 12-07-2014 07:24PM

are you supposed to do it as quick as you can?

yenom · 12-07-2014 07:26PM

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Friday to Monday, doing it sometime today after work today

Thanks, was worried there may of been an error on mine.

FloatingVoter · 12-07-2014 07:31PM

WhiteWalls wrote: »

are you supposed to do it as quick as you can?

Nope, just as well as you can.

Milly33 · 12-07-2014 07:31PM

Great thank you both.. So just common sense questions really. Perfect should be flying have worked in admin for way too long.. thanks and best of luck to all doing the test

K4t · 12-07-2014 11:18PM

Completed the questionnaire, any ideas on when the aptitude test link will be available?

Silver 1234 · 12-07-2014 11:44PM

Hi, Where can I view the permanent clerical officer handbook?

dawn8585 · 13-07-2014 11:32AM

did anybody else get a window between tues and fri?! iv only seen people mention fri-mon and mon-thurs! also im abroad next week so im presuming it will be ok to complete as its online it shouldnt matter?!

butterly.john · 13-07-2014 11:42AM

dawn8585 wrote: »

did anybody else get a window between tues and fri?! iv only seen people mention fri-mon and mon-thurs! also im abroad next week so im presuming it will be ok to complete as its online it shouldnt matter?!

I think we are all getting the same questions, I'd say everyone just has different days because if we all logged on together the server might crash. If that is the case it shows there are big numbers applying for these jobs.
You should be ok to complete it from anywhere in the world

Tarzana · 13-07-2014 03:18PM

Done and dusted. Pretty much exactly the same as the TCO one. I changed up my answers a bit but still reckon it's reserves for me, if that's even a thing in the CO competition.

I'd love to get to the aptitude test stage as I always seem to do pretty well in them.

The one section I have a problem with is the "Do you do this better/worse than others?" section. What exactly are they getting at with that section? How should I know if I do something better than everyone else in the world? :pac:

Diddlina · 13-07-2014 05:50PM

butterly.john wrote: »

Hi all,
I have applied for the civil service positions. I was wondering does any one know if you are successful in the next stages and are offered a particular department and you refuse it what happens. Are you gone or do you go back on a list and get another offering in your selected area if one comes up.
Thanks

Does anyone know the answer to this? I'd like to know this as well

The_Conductor · 13-07-2014 06:05PM

Normally- if you refuse a post- thats it, you're gone.
You do not normally get added back into the list.
You do not normally get to choose which department you'd like to work for.
You do not normally get to choose which type of work you might be involved in- e.g. if you have a degree in accountancy- there is nothing to say you'll be offered a post where you can use these skills- though inevitably some aspects of it will be of use to you. Ditto- if you have a technical qualification- nothing to say you'll be offered a technical post.

If you are offered a Department and turn it down- normally, thats it- you've turned it down, and you're off the panel.

Posts when offered- would be subject to medicals and garda vetting- and offered on the basis of these being satisfactory (it could be months later before both are fully put to bed).

It is fair- and it applies equally to everyone- there aren't exceptions made- and representations of any nature will automatically disqualify a candidate.

The_Conductor · 13-07-2014 07:10PM

I'd just add- you may manage to get to your Department of choice and your location of choice- via job moves and transfers- once you're established. It may take a while- it took me 10 years and transfer via both internal and external competitions- to get close to home (and save me at least 3 hours a day in the car, often more).

You will presumably have ticked the boxes as to locations you're interested in? You're not offered positions in locations you haven't ticked. Someone who puts Dublin down- won't be offered a post in Clonakilty.........

lauramarie13 · 13-07-2014 07:15PM

Hi, did anyone get a text today telling you that you were moving on to the aptitude test stage, giving you a date for it, and asking you to reply something like "C23" to confirm? I thought it was a bit funny that they sent the text so soon and that they sent it at the weekend. I had been thinking that we wouldn't hear about that until everyone had done the first stage? Just wondering

butterly.john · 13-07-2014 07:34PM

lauramarie13 wrote: »

Hi, did anyone get a text today telling you that you were moving on to the aptitude test stage, giving you a date for it, and asking you to reply something like "C23" to confirm? I thought it was a bit funny that they sent the text so soon and that they sent it at the weekend. I had been thinking that we wouldn't hear about that until everyone had done the first stage? Just wondering

I didn't get a text but I had until tomorrow to complete so maybe mine won't be looked at until after that, should I be worried did many others get a text ?

Clerical Positions in the Civil and Public Service

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