Principal Officer competition 2019

Well done to those called, but this seems like a fairly strange decision from PAS if the numbers on the remaining panel mentioned here are accurate.

I can't remember where I was, low 500s?

Anyone any idea what this means for the existing candidates on the panel ? Apologies if a silly question - I am a non CS

celticfan1 wrote: »

Anyone any idea what this means for the existing candidates on the panel ? Apologies if a silly question - I am a non CS

I think there is an understanding that everyone who got a position on the panel will be offered a role.

The feeling here was that there might be 30 odd people waiting for an offer, having placed about 40 odd people since the panel was formed in January.

It may be that they expect an avalanche of retirements next year. They might have looked at the 30 odd people who are left, and spotted that a number of them are scattered across the regions and they might turn down roles in Dublin.

It might be that PAS have a few bob in their budget left to spend this year and they're getting a few jobs done now rather than launching a new competition next year - hard to know really.

Would imagine it’s because they think they will place the remaining panel and may need additional people. This panel is for two years from January 2020 so the next competition will be in advertised in Nov/Dec 21, similar to previous years. It means any successful candidates in this new batch will have a year to be placed.

celticfan1 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. Hopefully all on the panel will be offered suitable posts
just seems to have slowed considerably in recent weeks.

Hi all, just to mention the current panel is moving again of this week. Up to c.42 now on the Dublin panel.

Grey AP wrote: »

And in very slowly breaking news - un petit oiseau has whispered that there may be another round of interviews in the autumn. If true, that would mean that they expect the panel to be done by then and that the panel is quite small, probably no more than seventy. I haven't heard of anyone beyond the sixties, but if anyone is higher than that, then it would be good to know. Also, it would tie in with AHCPS retirement stats, which would indicate about 70 placed this year.

(And just so no one is startled, this is a two year panel, so there wouldn't be new interviews until it is exhausted or the two years are up, whichever comes first - this would just show that PAS expects this panel to be finished this year.)

I am going to ask un petit oiseau for the lottery numbers tomorrow - they were spot on back in February. I will certainly be getting them a oiseau-sized pint or two when level five lifts.

@GreyAP you and votre petit oiseau are quite a team. I naively thought a second round of interviews meant a new comp. Didn’t know it could take place in the existing comp. I would assume these would be numbers 71,72 etc. Also if you got as far as the interview and presentation last time, ahem, that’s your chance already taken?

VillageIdiot71 wrote: »

That's my understanding - i.e. no-one gets a second interview.

It's that subtle difference between folk at Stage one being qualified for further assessment, but not high enough in the order of merit to be included in the first batch, vs folk who have now received that further assessment, but have been deemed unsuccessful on this occasion.

Thanks. Very good to know. Having missed out on just one presentation mark after strong interview marks I was willing the next chance to come, as the existing panel would never last two years. But I guess it’s like the GAA backdoor system - lose the semi or the final and you’re out yet it does feel like falling at the final hurdle of a race and being disqualified. Ah well, unlikely the new comp will feature in a post-vac job hunt after all. Good luck everyone on the panel and hopefully soon to be on it!

Is this a PO competition for those without any real specialist skills or qualifications?

This might be a stupid question and apologies if it has been answered already but is it against the rules to read off a pre prepared note of responses for your recorded interview? Obviously would not intend to make it really obvious. I would also not do it if it was against the rules.

Tooosey wrote: »

This might be a stupid question and apologies if it has been answered already but is it against the rules to read off a pre prepared note of responses for your recorded interview? Obviously would not intend to make it really obvious. I would also not do it if it was against the rules.

If it's the same as it was when we did the process then you should have the questions in advance. I wrote out my full answer and read it to camera, I had my screen halved between my answer and the camera. This may not work for everyone but I found it helpful.

Are the results out already, I only did mine yesterday morning, the video stage 2 interview that is.

ThumbTaxed wrote: »

Disappointed to fail the video interview. A partner in a legal firm but can't pass a simple test for an average position. Don't get it.

Perhaps you'd benefit from taking the position a bit more seriously and ditching that attitude if you decide to go again.

Your skills might be more suited to legal positions which are advertised from time to time.

ThumbTaxed wrote: »

Disappointed to fail the video interview. A partner in a legal firm but can't pass a simple test for an average position. Don't get it.

You may have talked a good game but what you were saying was not what they wanted to hear. Also, competition is fierce, the standard is very, very high. Don't take it lightly.

Or you could be the partner in some mickey mouse operation tbf. There are poor lawyers everywhere (joke)

On the results - no results here anyway.

MCQ71 wrote: »

Does anyone know if there are regional as well as Dublin panels for Principal Officer or how that works? With all the remote working now, is there any chance that in the future, positions in Dublin might be offered to candidates around the country as remote work options with occasional attendance in the office?

When you get through the process, a single panel is formed. You are asked at that stage which counties you would be interested in accepting an appointment in - and you can express an interest in more than one (I can't remember if there's any limit - I can't think of why there would be, as presumably some folk would be willing to move wherever there was a vacancy).

If you don't express an interest in a particular county, you won't be offered vacancies there.

As to remote working, there's an expectation that it will be a bigger part of the civil service post Covid - much as you say, with folk working a number of days in the office and possibly in regional hubs. What I would say, though, is the nature of the work of a Principal means that attending the office, direct contact with Ministers, Oireachtas Committees, etc etc means that you should expect to have significantly more demands that won't be compatable with working remotely. Pre Covid, Principals in already regional locations could find themselves needing to spend days in Dublin and even with commitments in Brussels and so forth.

In fact, one of the pressures you'll more likely have as a Principal will be managing and motivating a team that works remotely a lot of the time, and I think the manual on that isn't written yet.

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Just for clarity... I’m not talking about Maybenever here but ThumbTaxed.

:eek:

bg007 wrote: »

I'm waiting on stage 2 video result so might not even be relevant if I dont get next stage, but dont want to be getting my Hope's up if I do, if there are no PO jobs in galway region.

I'd hate to say anything that would put someone off competing - maybe you would be successful, and a suitable vacancy would emerge. At the same time, I do appreciate that you'd like some idea of the situation.

There are Principal jobs, and even Assistant Secretary jobs, in regional locations. But, indeed, as you go into more senior roles, the number of jobs declines. And if you are tied to one single location, then it will be a relatively small pool of opportunity - and dependent on whether one of a small number of people moves on from a Principal role in a particular year.

What I would say (and other can contradict if they feel otherwise) is that if you are participating in the competition, you'd likely need to be open to taking a vacancy over a broader area than Galway. Between Galway, Mayo, Limerick and Westmeath there might be a big enough pool for some vacancies to come through in the life of the panel, as you have sizeable parts of the Departments of Education, Agriculture, Revenue Commissioners and others across those areas.

But, even then, it will still be much harder to connect to a Principal vacancy that it would to a job in a more junior grade. I know that folk in regional locations have qualified for the panel in the past, and simply found that no suitable vacancy arose in the areas they were interested in.

Hope that's of some use.