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Hi all,
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Administrative Officer 2020 in the Civil Service

1235745

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 5,115 ✭✭✭job seeker


    I bought it too. Re deductive at least 3 of the answers in the samples are incorrect, I had a friend who is a math teacher also do them to make sure. Basically they plot the method to the answer in their answers but if you complete out the grid there are mistakes in a few. It's still great experience to try them though but they only seem to have 4x4 and I think the guidance note says it may go up to 5x5 and 6x6.

    Have not tried the verbal/ numeric yet.

    I didn't do the deductive yet.. That's quite disappointing.. :(

    The verbal reasoning is quite good as far as I'm concerned. The maths, seems quite easy in the lesson. However, I have not yet progressed far enough to make a fair judgement..


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭FenFlynn


    I bought it too. Re deductive at least 3 of the answers in the samples are incorrect, I had a friend who is a math teacher also do them to make sure. Basically they plot the method to the answer in their answers but if you complete out the grid there are mistakes in a few. It's still great experience to try them though but they only seem to have 4x4 and I think the guidance note says it may go up to 5x5 and 6x6.

    Have not tried the verbal/ numeric yet.

    Does it also have presentation and interview tips or not?
    Or is it just preparation for the 1st stage?


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,115 ✭✭✭job seeker


    FenFlynn wrote: »
    Does it also have presentation and interview tips or not?
    Or is it just preparation for the 1st stage?

    There are interview video tips. But I didn't watch them yet.


  • Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭Thrillhouse11


    MT0 wrote: »
    Hi can you tell me how you know the test provider is Aon and not Sova which was the EO test provider?

    The familiarisation doc they sent to your public jobs portal a few days ago contains this link:

    https://assessment.aon.com/en-us/online-assessment/practice-assessments


  • Registered Users Posts: 9 BellaCiao


    Hi guys,

    When I opened the email from PublicJobs on Friday the familiarization booklet attached had no hyperlink so I couldn't download it. I have emailed them but they have yet to get back to me, would anyone be able to post the Familiarization booklet up here in the meantime?

    Would really appreciate it.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭Ernesto Guevara


    BellaCiao wrote: »
    Hi guys,

    When I opened the email from PublicJobs on Friday the familiarization booklet attached had no hyperlink so I couldn't download it. I have emailed them but they have yet to get back to me, would anyone be able to post the Familiarization booklet up here in the meantime?

    Would really appreciate it.

    Copy and paste the link in your browser, that will open it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9 BellaCiao


    Ahh I was certain I had tried that already but obviously not!

    Thanks :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,115 ✭✭✭job seeker


    belgowho wrote: »
    Exactly it. Thanks

    Just a hesds up.. The numerical reasdoning is a similar layout of 6 tabs with a choice of True, False or Cannot say.


  • Registered Users Posts: 390 ✭✭Nekro Man


    Anyone gotten their link to the tests yet?


  • Registered Users Posts: 932 ✭✭✭tgdaly


    Nekro Man wrote: »
    Anyone gotten their link to the tests yet?

    Just got it moments ago


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  • Registered Users Posts: 238 ✭✭exitstageleft


    Nekro Man wrote: »
    Anyone gotten their link to the tests yet?
    Yup. Got them there. Probably do them this evening and get it out of the way.


  • Registered Users Posts: 269 ✭✭Aleece2020


    job seeker wrote: »
    Just a hesds up.. The numerical reasdoning is a similar layout of 6 tabs with a choice of True, False or Cannot say.

    If you did the EO, would you say they’re the same or very similar in difficultly or style?


  • Registered Users Posts: 390 ✭✭Nekro Man


    tgdaly wrote: »
    Just got it moments ago

    same!
    Yup. Got them there. Probably do them this evening and get it out of the way.

    I'm getting an AP application out of the way first tomorrow, could push these off until Thursday/Friday possibly...


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭FenFlynn


    Does anyone know if you click start, is it straight to the tests or do we get to practice some first? And if there are practices, could you just do the practice and leave the test for another time?
    I'm afraid to click start and going straight to the test


  • Registered Users Posts: 37 mulligja


    Aleece2020 wrote: »
    If you did the EO, would you say they’re the same or very similar in difficultly or style?

    I did EO. These tests are a different format, they actually seem a bit easier.


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭FenFlynn


    I bought it too. Re deductive at least 3 of the answers in the samples are incorrect, I had a friend who is a math teacher also do them to make sure. Basically they plot the method to the answer in their answers but if you complete out the grid there are mistakes in a few. It's still great experience to try them though but they only seem to have 4x4 and I think the guidance note says it may go up to 5x5 and 6x6.

    Have not tried the verbal/ numeric yet.

    I see what you mean about the deductive test being incorrect, I just encountered one, no matter which way I looked it didn't work out. It's a shame really, spent 120 to get something that is incorrect


  • Registered Users Posts: 64 ✭✭La Bamba


    Has anyone purchased the jobtestprep one by any chance?
    Its a lot cheaper than the other course shared so am curious on the quality of it


  • Registered Users Posts: 932 ✭✭✭tgdaly


    Just did all my tests there, was in a frame of mind and wanted to get them out of the way. While the actually questioning for the verbal and numerical was fine, I thought the time limit was tighter than ever. It always feels every time I do these tests that they are asking more and more questions but only giving you 12 minutes to answer.

    I was a bit thrown off by the deductive -logical thinking, not knowing how many questions I should be at least aiming to answer was difficult. Not sure if I answered enough. The chatAssess was fine I thought.

    Usually alway pass the first go of tests for these competitions but not feeling too confident this time. Won't be too disappointed if I don't progress, hoping for a shot at HEO next year if they run a comp


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭FenFlynn


    tgdaly wrote: »
    Just did all my tests there, was in a frame of mind and wanted to get them out of the way. While the actually questioning for the verbal and numerical was fine, I thought the time limit was tighter than ever. It always feels every time I do these tests that they are asking more and more questions but only giving you 12 minutes to answer.

    I was a bit thrown off by the deductive -logical thinking, not knowing how many questions I should be at least aiming to answer was difficult. Not sure if I answered enough. The chatAssess was fine I thought.

    Usually alway pass the first go of tests for these competitions but not feeling too confident this time. Won't be too disappointed if I don't progress, hoping for a shot at HEO next year if they run a comp

    Hi thanks for sharing that.
    Were you given a chance to do any practice beforehand? I remember vaguely last year there were a few practice questions before actually doing the test. I'm reluctant to click start now as I can't commit to finishing it now.


  • Registered Users Posts: 932 ✭✭✭tgdaly


    FenFlynn wrote: »
    Hi thanks for sharing that.
    Were you given a chance to do any practice beforehand? I remember vaguely last year there were a few practice questions before actually doing the test. I'm reluctant to click start now as I can't commit to finishing it now.

    Yeah there were a few practice questions beforehand to explain how it works. The format was slightly different to past one's I had done but nothing confusing about it


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  • Registered Users Posts: 28 PurpleRainx


    Hi there, just catching up on thread now and wodnering what CS stands for? When I google search "CS practice tests" no suitable options are appearing. Thinking of purchasing practice tests. Thanks for your help :-) !


  • Registered Users Posts: 330 ✭✭rostalof


    Hi there, just catching up on thread now and wodnering what CS stands for? When I google search "CS practice tests" no suitable options are appearing. Thinking of purchasing practice tests. Thanks for your help :-) !
    If you are hired by the CS, you'll soon realise that theres an abbreviation or an acronym for absolutely everything. CS is just Civil Service.


  • Registered Users Posts: 50 ✭✭KRedzer


    Hi there, just catching up on thread now and wodnering what CS stands for? When I google search "CS practice tests" no suitable options are appearing. Thinking of purchasing practice tests. Thanks for your help :-) !

    Probably the course given by CareerServices.ie that has been discussed previously. I purchased it, and have begun working away at it. It's helpful for the numerical anyway so far.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2 Artemisia87


    Hi all, good luck to everyone this week :)

    Does anyone know if points are deducted for incorrect answers (or is it worth doing a mad dash of guessing at the end!)?

    Also does anyone know how many correct answers we need to pass?

    Thanks so much everyone!


  • Registered Users Posts: 308 ✭✭FenFlynn


    Hi all, good luck to everyone this week :)

    Does anyone know if points are deducted for incorrect answers (or is it worth doing a mad dash of guessing at the end!)?

    Also does anyone know how many correct answers we need to pass?

    Thanks so much everyone!

    Don't think there is any negative marking, but not sure how many are needed to pass, I think depending on the amount of people attending a mark is set for each aptitude. We probably won't know now how many questions are needed to be correct to pass.


  • Registered Users Posts: 102 ✭✭Em2157


    La Bamba wrote: »
    Has anyone purchased the jobtestprep one by any chance?
    Its a lot cheaper than the other course shared so am curious on the quality of it

    I did. It's pretty good :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 102 ✭✭Em2157


    La Bamba wrote: »
    Has anyone purchased the jobtestprep one by any chance?
    Its a lot cheaper than the other course shared so am curious on the quality of it

    I should probably elaborate on this. Job Test Prep tailors their practices for each test by provider of the tests, and there are plenty of tips, lessons and enough practices to get you confident. I practiced the SOVA tests for EO recently on it, and extended my membership to practice AO in cut-e/AON format. It's simple, goes through what they are looking for with you, and explains what you did wrong if you get it wrong.


  • Registered Users Posts: 306 ✭✭Seesee


    I recently did the EO tests and found them difficult but doable and scored reasonably well. However, the format of these AO tests scares me a bit and the deductive logic really scares me from looking at the AON videos!! Anyway, I'll give them a shot tomorrow or Thursday.

    Is the chatAssess the same thing as an eTray test which people are talking about over on the EO thread? I'm a first-timer!

    Good luck to everyone doing the tests.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,115 ✭✭✭job seeker


    Aleece2020 wrote: »
    If you did the EO, would you say they’re the same or very similar in difficultly or style?

    I was referring to the career services material as opposed to the actual tests. I have not even attempted the practice tests on AON that we were sent yet..

    I did the EO and failed it miserably. So I can't really compare them to anything, due to leaving it all to chance.. :o


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  • Registered Users Posts: 102 ✭✭Em2157


    Seesee wrote: »
    I recently did the EO tests and found them difficult but doable and scored reasonably well. However, the format of these AO tests scares me a bit and the deductive logic really scares me from looking at the AON videos!! Anyway, I'll give them a shot tomorrow or Thursday.

    Is the chatAssess the same thing as an eTray test which people are talking about over on the EO thread? I'm a first-timer!

    Good luck to everyone doing the tests.

    The etray is different to chat assess. The chat assess is basically a situational judgement test where you pick an answer and submit from a list. Its formatted like an email inbox if it's the same as last year and is designed to see how you would react to different situations. You should study the AO competencies, as this is what they are looking to see. The ETray for the EO comp I am yet to complete, but as far as I know its completing different tasks whilst queries from different levels come in to you to reply to. It aims to test your skills and prioritisation. Hope this helps :)


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