2019 AO Competition announced

SureYWouldntYa · 11-10-2019 5:52pm

Rothmans wrote: »

the browser window didn't actually fit into the screen properly if that makes sense? I had to do a bit of scrolling up and down.

Yep that was annoying to see

Advice for anyone else would be to zoom out on your browser to see it all

Other than that I found it straight forward enough and managed to get all done in time, it was a bit annoying have to click in and click out but I don't know how else you could change the interface to change this than add yet more scrolling

I'm probably not what they're looking for when I complete in 9 mins what they say will take 45 mins

I've done a few of these tests before, surprised they actually showed you which answer was right in the logical reasoning one, was deflating to see a wee red flash when I'd get one wrong

jw_sweetman · 11-10-2019 5:55pm

They were almost identical to the Revenue AO tests I did last year. Back then I completed the job simulation with around 35 mins left and got called for interview so i wouldn't worry about finishing it really early.

Rothmans · 11-10-2019 5:57pm

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

Other than that I found it straight forward enough and managed to get all done in time, it was a bit annoying have to click in and click out but I don't know how else you could change the interface to change this than add yet more scrolling

In in the practice materials, the information tabs didn't actually obstruct the questions when you clicked them like how the pop ups did.

Sbibii121 · 11-10-2019 6:50pm

Im unable to download the familariation tests on my mac. Its a word doc and it wont open at all. Ive probably missed office hours to get then to send it too me via pdf. Any suggestions anyone?

elWizard · 11-10-2019 6:56pm

Sbibii121 wrote: »

Im unable to download the familariation tests on my mac. Its a word doc and it wont open at all. Ive probably missed office hours to get then to send it too me via pdf. Any suggestions anyone?

LibreOffice Vanilla, free, open source word processor that works good on a Mac!

The_Conductor · 11-10-2019 7:01pm

Its funny that it was a word document.

Sbibii121 · 11-10-2019 7:54pm

elWizard wrote: »

Sbibii121 wrote: »

Im unable to download the familariation tests on my mac. Its a word doc and it wont open at all. Ive probably missed office hours to get then to send it too me via pdf. Any suggestions anyone?

LibreOffice Vanilla, free, open source word processor that works good on a Mac!

Thanks I use them, although it doesnt give an option to save as another format. Going to see what i can do on my phone/tablet.

The_Conductor · 11-10-2019 8:18pm

Sbibii121 wrote: »

Thanks I use them, although it doesnt give an option to save as another format. Going to see what i can do on my phone/tablet.

Here's a PDF of the familiarisation material.

Sbibii121 · 11-10-2019 8:31pm

You're a superstar thank you! I also managed to save on google docs on my phone. Pdf is easier though.

The_Conductor wrote: »

Sbibii121 wrote: »

Thanks I use them, although it doesnt give an option to save as another format. Going to see what i can do on my phone/tablet.

Here's a PDF of the familiarisation material.

vriesmays · 12-10-2019 11:01am

Rothmans wrote: »

Also, take your time with the deductive reasoning. There were actually an unlimited number of questions here, which would suggest an element of negative marking. So I think quality is more important than quantity in this respect.

The correct answer turns green, the wrong answer is red but you can't change.

dar100 · 12-10-2019 2:24pm

Cant seem to get passed the test run on the live chat question? I cant seem to answer the second question any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Madra Maith · 12-10-2019 2:27pm

dar100 wrote: »

Cant seem to get passed the test run on the live chat question? I cant seem to answer the second question any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Happened to me too. I had to keep clicking round until eventually the actual live chat test began. I submitted a complaint to about it in the feedback form.

Gus Ivey · 12-10-2019 3:04pm

How did everyone get on in the tests?

I found the deductive logic one the hardest. Done well in the Numerical and Verbal.

For the last test with the back and forth emails, what are they marking on? Obviously what replies you send back, but also are they looking out if you are answering more urgent emails first?

elWizard · 12-10-2019 4:02pm

I'm not ashamed to admit playing the odd game of sudoku so quite 'enjoyed' the deductive logic one.
Verbal was OK, found the Numerical tough though what with only being given twelve minutes. Hope that earlier poster is right about no negative marking because I spent the last 40 secs blindly clicking (just missed passing an older sample test because I didn't answer enough, didn't want to risk that this time).

I guess you could be charitable and say the tab covering the question is intentionally done, to make it that bit harder. Bit of a pain anyway.

Messi19 · 12-10-2019 7:47pm

Well that was an experience at the least

OutForTender · 12-10-2019 9:22pm

Sudoku, seriously?

Tell me someone who plays sudoku a lot doesn't have a massive advantage here?

Ernesto Guevara · 13-10-2019 10:06am

Well that went terribly ... deductive logic was particularly tough.

Aisling(",) · 13-10-2019 1:14pm

Mother fugging Evergreen Ltd again!!!

vriesmays · 13-10-2019 1:16pm

The replies to the email you send indicate how well you're doing. The first few words say OK or Excellent.

doc22 · 13-10-2019 1:53pm

Please note that you may receive responses from ‘characters’ with positive verbal affirmations. The script and questions are automatically set and are not to be interpreted as an indication of the quality or appropriateness of the answer options you have provided

Aisling(",) · 13-10-2019 3:37pm

Based on the Deductive Logic I'm scuppered ðŸ˜… sure gave it a go anyway

Sbibii121 · 13-10-2019 3:37pm

My last message wouldnt send for the Situational assesement and has any had same problem. Will flag it up to them. Its abit like an etray test without having to type everything.

As for other tests numerical was challenging especially as you cant see the question whilst working it out. Alot of clicking around. Fingers crossed. Always good experience to do these tests every so often!!

Jenor0050 · 13-10-2019 6:08pm

How many did people get answered for the deductive logical reasoning? I only got 7 done.... I'm assuming that is pretty poor

Daisies · 13-10-2019 9:34pm

All in all found it pretty straight forward. Finished the email one in about 17mins which I'm unsure whether thats good or bad. Liked the deductive reasoning one, very like sudoku.

Jenor0050 · 13-10-2019 9:48pm

Daisies wrote: »

All in all found it pretty straight forward. Finished the email one in about 17mins which I'm unsure whether thats good or bad. Liked the deductive reasoning one, very like sudoku.

How many did you get answered for the deductive reasoning?

Daisies · 13-10-2019 10:43pm

Jenor0050 wrote: »

How many did you get answered for the deductive reasoning?

Phew I have no idea, I didn't count. The grid kept getting bigger. I would hazard a guess and say 9 maybe

Cheeseplant · 14-10-2019 9:29am

Jenor0050 wrote: »

How many did people get answered for the deductive logical reasoning? I only got 7 done.... I'm assuming that is pretty poor

Would say I got much the same, and as far as I remember I got 2 wrong..

Does anyone know if the score will still be based on Verbal + Situational with just a pass required in numerical and deductive?

Cheeseplant · 14-10-2019 9:31am

Cheeseplant wrote: »

Would say I got much the same, and as far as I remember I got 2 wrong..

Does anyone know if the score will still be based on Verbal + Situational with just a pass required in numerical and deductive?

Also just to say, I did the HEO exams recently and although they were basically the same, I found these much harder. Mainly due to the tabs covering the questions.. which added a memory element to the exam.

The_Conductor · 14-10-2019 9:46am

Argghhhhhhhh......... need coffee after that mayhem. I thought the Soduku challenge was the hardest part- I quite liked the verbal and the numeracy- though it was more a memory game than a specific challenge- as for the situational- god only knows how it went. Its going to be interesting how they mark it.

BelleEnda · 14-10-2019 10:40am

Multi tabs covering questions and then Sudoku questions.

That has to rank as the oddest (and most annoying) job application I have done with publicjobs.

The_Conductor · 14-10-2019 10:58am

My soduko test examples failed- they just wouldn't load- but the test went fine anyway. I left feedback. I had to go to an old computer with old fashioned Flash on it to get the damn thing to work at all- Firefox and Chrome refused to play ball...……

Most annoying as a test.

Anyone any idea of that bloody Sudoko was negatively marked or not? It was a bit off-putting how it flashed red or green on your answers as you went along.

SureYWouldntYa · 14-10-2019 11:02am

The_Conductor wrote: »

Anyone any idea of that bloody Sudoko was negatively marked or not? It was a bit off-putting how it flashed red or green on your answers as you went along.

Im thinking they do now, i got through about 30 of them getting about 20 right, however my puzzle never increased in size like for the poster above

Daisies · 14-10-2019 11:17am

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

Im thinking they do now, i got through about 30 of them getting about 20 right, however my puzzle never increased in size like for the poster above

30 of them in 6 mins. Fair play!

Staph · 14-10-2019 11:35am

I know some of you are mentioning sudoko, were your test puzzles numbers? Mine were shapes. The practice tests were numbers and the practice tests before the actual test were shape based puzzles.

14-10-2019 11:39am

Thoroughly strange. I don't see how their sense of our verbal/numerical skills are enhanced by covering the question.

As many here have said, it adds a memory element to the test. That's fine, in and of itself. Like, fire away and test memory if that's of use. But I'm not sure what it tells them about my reading comprehension or ability to read a graph, other than to make things more difficult and eliminate a greater number applicants (the actual point, I suppose). With the time constraints you're looking to glean the required info out of the question and then very quickly find it (or not) in the tabs; given the tricky detail/wording of some questions, even those with the best memory would struggle.

As for the sudoko, having never played before it took too long for me to even understand the object of the exercise (I'm not sure I understand it now, tbh). I've done deductive reasoning tests for other programmes before and they are usually more straightforward/obvious in what they are trying to achieve.

Zwillinge · 14-10-2019 11:43am

Numerical was pretty tough with all the tab clicking and covering. Frustrating if anything.

Verbal was grand - didn't answer them all though.

I actually had to google how to do a sudoku puzzle after reading through this thread - thanks for the tip! My grid never got any bigger and I say I had more red then green.

The Q&A back and forth was just odd. I answered them as I would in my current role and was done in 15 minutes, so unless that means I'm a crazy person??

So, all in all;

The_Conductor · 14-10-2019 11:47am

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

Im thinking they do now, i got through about 30 of them getting about 20 right, however my puzzle never increased in size like for the poster above

Mine definitely got larger and then smaller again...…..
I'm guessing I did about the same- answered about 30- I know I got some of them right- how many- I haven't a clue.

Between the mad Sudoko and the verbal and numerical memory tests- its hard to perceive how or why this is anything other than an endurance test.

Heres hoping it went better than intended.

How long did people spend on the situational thingy? I had 18 minutes left when I submitted it with all tasks done. I didn't see any point in trying to double guess myself.

Kamu · 14-10-2019 11:50am

The_Conductor wrote: »

Argghhhhhhhh......... need coffee after that mayhem. I thought the Soduku challenge was the hardest part- I quite liked the verbal and the numeracy- though it was more a memory game than a specific challenge- as for the situational- god only knows how it went. Its going to be interesting how they mark it.

I'm in the same boat, first time doing tests like that. Nothing like the CO or EO tests I did, besides Situational Awareness.

The Pop-Ups were a pain, as was trying to find the right tab with the relevant information.

Must have spent the first minute going over all the tabs to have a fair idea.

Situational Awareness was fine, wish they shortened that by ten minutes and increases both verbal and numerical by 5 minutes a piece.

Daisies · 14-10-2019 2:06pm

Staph wrote: »

I know some of you are mentioning sudoko, were your test puzzles numbers? Mine were shapes. The practice tests were numbers and the practice tests before the actual test were shape based puzzles.

No mine were shapes but the theory behind it was like sudoku, the shape only appearing once in the row and column.

Staph · 14-10-2019 2:36pm

Thanks for clarifying. I was wondering if there were different presentations of the puzzle or if we got the same.

Cheeseplant · 14-10-2019 3:19pm

anyone have any idea of the numbers applying for this?

LordBasil · 14-10-2019 5:10pm

Cheeseplant wrote: »

anyone have any idea of the numbers applying for this?

Impossible to tell really. Last year I think around c1500 people passed the tests but that was a nationwide campaign where as this year is Dublin only and it also had an extra stream (Industrial Relations).

The_Conductor · 14-10-2019 5:32pm

LordBasil wrote: »

Impossible to tell really. Last year I think around c1500 people passed the tests but that was a nationwide campaign where as this year is Dublin only and it also had an extra stream (Industrial Relations).

There was an IR stream last year too- however, the big difference this year- was how they squished it all into such a short time frame!

milhous · 14-10-2019 5:45pm

Haven't done that type of test in about 15 years and I logged on around 1130 this morning, just did the example at the start of the exam and took it from there. I feel most parts went OK (not that I can tell ofc) except the deductive logical thinking. There is no way I completed as many as 30 as some here have. Possibly 15-20 with a good few errors.
I had the email queries answered in about 12 to 15 minutes so doubt that's positive 😂😂.

It was interesting anyway and I was glad to have the experience for any other comps coming up.

When do you reckon the invite is to the supervised tests if successful?

Ravelleman · 14-10-2019 5:52pm

milhous wrote: »

When do you reckon the invite is to the supervised tests if successful?

Booklet, p.2 (p.3 pdf):

Selection Process Key Dates

[...]

Stage 1 - Online tests - Mid October

Stage 2 - Online Video Interviews - Late October

Stage 3 - Assessment Centre - Mid November

LordBasil · 14-10-2019 5:53pm

The_Conductor wrote: »

There was an IR stream last year too- however, the big difference this year- was how they squished it all into such a short time frame!

That's what I meant there was an IR stream last year as compared to this year. Sorry if that was confusing. Yeah I'd say the tight window will also lessen the amount of applications....

milhous · 14-10-2019 6:10pm

Ravelleman wrote: »

Booklet, p.2 (p.3 pdf):

Selection Process Key Dates

[...]

Stage 1 - Online tests - Mid October

Stage 2 - Online Video Interviews - Late October

Stage 3 - Assessment Centre - Mid November

Thanks, couldn't find where I downloaded the booklet on my phone.
Seems to be a fast enough process, when is the proper application form due for then? I presume they'll need it for video interview.. (or have I missed a very important part of this process as I've only registered and done the online tests)

HydroTendonMan · 16-10-2019 8:15am

Would anyone be able to upload/link the information booklet?

The_Conductor · 16-10-2019 8:39am

HydroTendonMan wrote: »

Would anyone be able to upload/link the information booklet?

Its attached to the very first post in this thread.

Thinkingaboutit · 16-10-2019 2:44pm

The examples seemed glitchy for me, as to the test itself, it worked, but no idea if I did well enough. Before I got through an AO competition when I was a TCO, falling as there was an e-tray after interview.

2019 AO Competition announced

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