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IGEES AP Economist/Policy Analyst

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  • 27-02-2021 7:58am
    #1
    sandmancan91
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭


    I recently applied for this (nothing back yet, closing date early Feb). I was wondering if anyone had any idea how many applicants or positions usually go with this call? Think its every 2 years as far as I can see. Also, speaking to a few people I know in various departments there seems to be a lot of internal applicants. I am external without a PhD (have masters in econ from 2013) so am likely under qualified.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    floorpie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭floorpie


    Have you heard that PhDs are common for specialised roles in the civil service? I'm curious about this


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    #3
    NapoleonInRags
    Registered Users Posts: 1,264 ✭✭✭NapoleonInRags


    floorpie wrote: »
    Have you heard that PhDs are common for specialised roles in the civil service? I'm curious about this

    For this particular unit they would be common.


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    #4
    floorpie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,476 ✭✭✭floorpie


    Interesting, thanks. Do you know if it's good/bad/irrelevant to have a PhD in the civil service outside of units such as this, in terms of promotion and so on? Sry to OP for asking an unrelated question


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    #5
    sandmancan91
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭sandmancan91


    floorpie wrote: »
    Have you heard that PhDs are common for specialised roles in the civil service? I'm curious about this

    I was kind of just going off the top spec e.g. research, managing projects, knowledge of econometrics etc. and the fact that the albeit few people I know in IGEES have PhDs. Also, I am also concerned that the AP route was primary for promotion of AO. Not sure how much scope for outside candidates like myself.


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    #6
    sandmancan91
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭sandmancan91


    floorpie wrote: »
    Have you heard that PhDs are common for specialised roles in the civil service? I'm curious about this

    Would be interested too - have Gov departments started hiring more PHDs over last few years?


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    #7
    Ravelleman
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 3,635 CMod ✭✭✭✭Ravelleman


    sandmancan91 wrote: »
    Would be interested too - have Gov departments started hiring more PHDs over last few years?

    On an anecdotal basis, I have observed there to be a lot of people with PhDs joining the Civil Service, particularly at AO grade, and now those people are pushing on to AP.

    I don't believe that this is a conscious decision by the Civil Service, nor that it is occurring only in specialist streams. Rather, quite a lot of people who graduated from undergraduate courses during the recession and might otherwise have joined the Civil Service earlier ended up going into postgraduate study as an alternative. Upon completing that postgraduate study, they found the path to entry into the Civil Service open to them, something that goes in tandem with the fact that the academic/research job market cannot absorb all the PhD-holders that are being produced each year.

    It is still very much possible to get AO and AP jobs in the Civil Service without a PhD though. There are many other factors which determine who is successful in competitions.


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    #8
    sandmancan91
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭sandmancan91


    Ravelleman wrote: »
    On an anecdotal basis, I have observed there to be a lot of people with PhDs joining the Civil Service, particularly at AO grade, and now those people are pushing on to AP.

    I don't believe that this is a conscious decision by the Civil Service, nor that it is occurring only in specialist streams. Rather, quite a lot of people who graduated from undergraduate courses during the recession and might otherwise have joined the Civil Service earlier ended up going into postgraduate study as an alternative. Upon completing that postgraduate study, they found the path to entry into the Civil Service open to them, something that goes in tandem with the fact that the academic/research job market cannot absorb all the PhD-holders that are being produced each year.

    It is still very much possible to get AO and AP jobs in the Civil Service without a PhD though. There are many other factors which determine who is successful in competitions.

    Thanks for this. Very helpful. When I was completing the application form (which was tough going itself) it struck me that not having one would be a disadvantage for the AP positions. Hopefully not though. Expecting response in next week or two given eh closing date was the 4th Feb.


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    #9
    sandmancan91
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭sandmancan91


    Anyone hear anything from this call yet?


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    #10
    lucat
    Registered Users Posts: 337 ✭✭lucat


    sandmancan91 wrote: »
    Anyone hear anything from this call yet?

    On Monday I got an email from them saying it could be another month, believe it or not. Just for shortlisting!


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    #11
    smurac86
    Registered Users Posts: 26 ✭smurac86


    lucat wrote: »
    On Monday I got an email from them saying it could be another month, believe it or not. Just for shortlisting!

    Thanks for that, good to know. By the way, did you email them first as I haven’t heard anything since I applied back in early Feb (external application)


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    #12
    lucat
    Registered Users Posts: 337 ✭✭lucat


    smurac86 wrote: »
    Thanks for that, good to know. By the way, did you email them first as I haven’t heard anything since I applied back in early Feb (external application)

    Yes, I emailed them on Friday because by then it was over a month since the closing date. I got the reply on Monday or Tuesday.


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    #13
    smurac86
    Registered Users Posts: 26 ✭smurac86


    lucat wrote: »
    Yes, I emailed them on Friday because by then it was over a month since the closing date. I got the reply on Monday or Tuesday.

    Yeh - seems a bit longer than usual alright. I applied to the same call years ago and they were back within 4 weeks. Probably expected given the current circumstances though.


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    #14
    lucat
    Registered Users Posts: 337 ✭✭lucat


    smurac86 wrote: »
    Yeh - seems a bit longer than usual alright. I applied to the same call years ago and they were back within 4 weeks. Probably expected given the current circumstances though.

    No even in Covid times 8-9 weeks is excessive, especially when it's not even to get to stage 1.


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    #15
    sandmancan91
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭sandmancan91


    lucat wrote: »
    No even in Covid times 8-9 weeks is excessive, especially when it's not even to get to stage 1.

    Still no word for me anyway. I know there was a delay in 2019 when a few I know applied but they send an email saying shortlisting would be in a few weeks etc. Maybe we will hear something next week


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    #16
    sandmancan91
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭sandmancan91


    Has anyone heard from this call yet? 2 months+ since closing so was kind of expecting a reply by now?


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    #17
    FrankJames22
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭FrankJames22


    Anyone heard back from the shortlisting of this comp yet?


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    #18
    sandmancan91
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭sandmancan91


    FrankJames22 wrote: »
    Anyone heard back from the shortlisting of this comp yet?

    I received an email (you probably did too) weeks ago saying shortlisting was April 20th so emailed and asked any update on Friday and was told we would be informed w/c 26th but still nothing so far this week. Seems to be moving very very slowly!


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    #19
    crinkley
    Registered Users Posts: 809 ✭✭✭crinkley


    Just got the email, through to the next round, that was the longest short listing ever


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    #20
    crinkley
    Registered Users Posts: 809 ✭✭✭crinkley


    Has anyone heard anything about interviews? Nearly a month now and not a word, was hoping things would pick up after the initial delay with the shortlisting


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    #21
    sandmancan91
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭sandmancan91


    crinkley wrote: »
    Has anyone heard anything about interviews? Nearly a month now and not a word, was hoping things would pick up after the initial delay with the shortlisting

    Nothing for me either. I was thinking they might be waiting for the AO call to finish before they organise the interviews maybe? Will surely hear something before end of May


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    #22
    a04bf589
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭a04bf589


    Received a message that preliminary interviews will begin in the week starting June 14th. Anyone have any insight on how the preliminary and final interviews will differ?


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    #23
    crinkley
    Registered Users Posts: 809 ✭✭✭crinkley


    I assume the preliminary interviews will be competency based and they may throw in a presentation for the final interview


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    #24
    argonaut
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭argonaut


    Anyone have the booklet by any chance?


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    #25
    a04bf589
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭a04bf589


    I have it, but am new to boards and don't know how to attach it for you...?


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    #26
    argonaut
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭argonaut


    a04bf589 wrote: »
    I have it, but am new to boards and don't know how to attach it for you...?

    Thank you! I think if you just quote this rather than quick reply this there should be a Attach Files option in 'additional options', not sure if it's limited for new users though!


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    #27
    crinkley
    Registered Users Posts: 809 ✭✭✭crinkley


    Has anyone got any further contact yet? Seems a bit late in the week if interviews are commencing Monday, just wondering if they are sending out notifications in batches


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    #28
    a04bf589
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭a04bf589


    argonaut wrote: »
    Thank you! I think if you just quote this rather than quick reply this there should be a Attach Files option in 'additional options', not sure if it's limited for new users though!

    No, I'm sorry, I don't have the option!


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    #29
    a04bf589
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭a04bf589


    crinkley wrote: »
    Has anyone got any further contact yet? Seems a bit late in the week if interviews are commencing Monday, just wondering if they are sending out notifications in batches

    I got a message with my date and time yesterday.


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    #30
    crinkley
    Registered Users Posts: 809 ✭✭✭crinkley


    yeah I got it too, must go hunt out my passport!


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    #31
    argonaut
    Registered Users Posts: 133 ✭✭argonaut


    a04bf589 wrote: »
    No, I'm sorry, I don't have the option!

    No worries, cheers anyway! If anyone else has the form lying around it'd be much appreciated if they could share.


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