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2020 Executive Officer Civil Service

12467…220

Comments

  • #92
    Samuel T. Cogley
    Registered Users Posts: 10,684 ✭✭✭✭Samuel T. Cogley


    dfx- wrote: »
    It's my experience for research, industry and state jobs with a PhD with multi-stage interviews and tests is that for any Civil Service position everything before the interview is easy enough and then the interview itself is absurdly difficult.

    Not my experience when I went for EO. I placed very low on the tests and then ended up top 15 in my batch after the 2nd stage tests. The interview turned out to be the easiest part as everything to that point was prepping you for the competencies.


  • #93
    enfant terrible
    Registered Users Posts: 4,550 ✭✭✭enfant terrible


    Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »
    Not my experience when I went for EO. I placed very low on the tests and then ended up top 15 in my batch after the 2nd stage tests. The interview turned out to be the easiest part as everything to that point was prepping you for the competencies.

    Can you use a calculator for all the tests?


  • #94
    ThePears1
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭ThePears1


    What is the recruitment process like for EO's generally as opposed to CO's?

    Read the recruitment information booklet but couldn't find much


  • #95
    TheDavester
    Registered Users Posts: 3,200 ✭✭✭TheDavester


    https://www.publicjobs.ie/en/information-hub/our-recruitment-process/test-advice

    Sample tests here down the bottom if anyone wants to practice


  • #96
    Rikand
    Registered Users Posts: 20,336 ✭✭✭✭Rikand


    mayo londoner wrote: »
    Would the likes of a fire marshal course or a Safe Pass count as an academic/professional/technical qualification on the form?

    Everything counts. I would give it all. I'm writing down everything myself


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  • #97
    Rikand
    Registered Users Posts: 20,336 ✭✭✭✭Rikand


    enfant terrible wrote: »
    Can you use a calculator for all the tests?

    As long as I'm not mixing up the panels, they provide you with one


  • #98
    Kamu
    Registered Users Posts: 497 ✭✭Kamu


    Rikand wrote: »
    As long as I'm not mixing up the panels, they provide you with one

    In person tests you are supplied with a calculator.


  • #99
    Turtyturd
    Registered Users Posts: 28,393 ✭✭✭✭Turtyturd


    Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »
    Not my experience when I went for EO. I placed very low on the tests and then ended up top 15 in my batch after the 2nd stage tests. The interview turned out to be the easiest part as everything to that point was prepping you for the competencies.

    In my experience the first interview you do in the Civil Service can be a bit daunting, although no more so than any other interview. Once you have experience of the format you are pretty much reciting your application form and it’s straightforward.


  • #100
    anplaya27
    Registered Users Posts: 280 ✭✭anplaya27


    Most boring job ever. I used to be one. Totally soul destroying desk job. Takes a certain kind of person imo to do it , didnt suit me tbh.


  • #101
    Jay328
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭Jay328


    Hi just noticed this competition now. Had quick look at the application form what do you put in section B "relevant information" or can you leave this empty?

    Also it says you shouldn't leave any gaps in employment like unemployment. Do you have to mention anytime you have been unemployed between jobs?


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  • #102
    TheDavester
    Registered Users Posts: 3,200 ✭✭✭TheDavester


    Jay328 wrote: »
    Hi just noticed this competition now. Had quick look at the application form what do you put in section B "relevant information" or can you leave this empty?

    Also it says you shouldn't leave any gaps in employment like unemployment. Do you have to mention anytime you have been unemployed between jobs?

    is that the blue background relating to your personal details or the one with your education/job background

    edit Just noticed the education part it goes from section a to c no b......

    And is it just me or does anyone else have to open with adobe to look at your application, as if i check it on my applications on the publicjobs site i get the "Please wait - you may not be able to view"


  • #103
    Jay328
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭Jay328


    TheDavester wrote: »
    is that the blue background relating to your personal details or the one with your education/job background

    Sorry got the wording wrong its section C supplementary information?


  • #104
    Jay328
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭Jay328


    TheDavester wrote: »
    is that the blue background relating to your personal details or the one with your education/job background

    edit Just noticed the education part it goes from section a to c no b......

    And is it just me or does anyone else have to open with adobe to look at your application, as if i check it on my applications on the publicjobs site i get the "Please wait - you may not be able to view"

    Yeah I have to open with Adobe applications


  • #105
    TheDavester
    Registered Users Posts: 3,200 ✭✭✭TheDavester


    Jay328 wrote: »
    Sorry got the wording wrong its section C supplementary information?

    i left that empty, didnt think we needed anything...maybe if you're a c/o and did courses .... its odd that it skips from section a to c...i might fire them off a email on monday morning


  • #106
    enfant terrible
    Registered Users Posts: 4,550 ✭✭✭enfant terrible


    anplaya27 wrote: »
    Most boring job ever. I used to be one. Totally soul destroying desk job. Takes a certain kind of person imo to do it , didnt suit me tbh.

    What would you be doing exactly?


  • #107
    Jay328
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭Jay328


    TheDavester wrote: »
    i left that empty, didnt think we needed anything...maybe if you're a c/o and did courses .... its odd that it skips from section a to c...i might fire them off a email on monday morning

    Yeah probably should it seems like it was put together in a rush.


  • #108
    Jay328
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭Jay328


    enfant terrible wrote: »
    What would you be doing exactly?
    It completely depends on what section and what department your in.

    You could be put in place that does good work or another section that does nothing and you become unmotivated.

    But mostly it's a very straightforward job that you need to use your own judgement and common sense in my experience.


  • #109
    Kamu
    Registered Users Posts: 497 ✭✭Kamu


    Jay328 wrote: »
    It completely depends on what section and what department your in.

    You could be put in place that does good work or another section that does nothing and you become unmotivated.

    But mostly it's a very straightforward job that you need to use your own judgement and common sense in my experience.

    Also meant to be a Junior Management position, however I am currently an EO and I've no CO's reporting to me. The CO's and EO's report to HEO's.

    My role is purely processing paper documents and recording them on our electronic database which, for whatever reason, was decided that CO's wouldn't have the authority to do.

    It's mindless. Boring and completely stress free; though each EO does have a certain amount of applications to process each week and if we don't have a valid reason for not reaching that target, we get a telling off.

    All in all, it's not awful work, but it's not engaging in the slightest.

    But that is just one (albeit the main) section of one department of over 35+ departments.


  • #110
    job seeker
    Registered Users Posts: 5,115 ✭✭✭job seeker


    Kamu wrote: »
    Also meant to be a Junior Management position, however I am currently an EO and I've no CO's reporting to me. The CO's and EO's report to HEO's.

    My role is purely processing paper documents and recording them on our electronic database which, for whatever reason, was decided that CO's wouldn't have the authority to do.

    It's mindless. Boring and completely stress free; though each EO does have a certain amount of applications to process each week and if we don't have a valid reason for not reaching that target, we get a telling off.

    All in all, it's not awful work, but it's not engaging in the slightest.

    But that is just one (albeit the main) section of one department of over 35+ departments.

    You have litrally just described my dream job! :D


  • #111
    Jay328
    Registered Users Posts: 52 ✭✭Jay328


    Kamu wrote: »
    Also meant to be a Junior Management position, however I am currently an EO and I've no CO's reporting to me. The CO's and EO's report to HEO's.

    My role is purely processing paper documents and recording them on our electronic database which, for whatever reason, was decided that CO's wouldn't have the authority to do.

    It's mindless. Boring and completely stress free; though each EO does have a certain amount of applications to process each week and if we don't have a valid reason for not reaching that target, we get a telling off.

    All in all, it's not awful work, but it's not engaging in the slightest.

    But that is just one (albeit the main) section of one department of over 35+ departments.
    I do a agree it seems strange as to where they draw the line for what a CO cant do and what has to do done by an EO.

    You also see some CO that have been there for years doing the job of an EO.

    So it can be a very mindless job and sometimes not dissimilar to a CO especially if you dont have people reporting to you.


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  • #112
    TheDavester
    Registered Users Posts: 3,200 ✭✭✭TheDavester


    Jay328 wrote: »
    I do a agree it seems strange as to where they draw the line for what a CO cant do and what has to do done by an EO.

    You also see some CO that have been there for years doing the job of an EO.

    So it can be a very mindless job and sometimes not dissimilar to a CO especially if you dont have people reporting to you.

    agreed, im a c/o and we were apparently told we were doing the work of E/O (on volume of work and sensitivity of our job) - no pay increase thanks...there's not much really difference i hear...but in the area i work, E/O's can be the head of the office or a number of them work in HR or Finance departments and work for a HEO or two (Which would be my preferred job


  • #113
    Timicin
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭Timicin


    Does anyone have any experience about applying for EO as a candidate with disabilities? I emailed PAS during the last competition about it but they never got back to me.


  • #114
    anplaya27
    Registered Users Posts: 280 ✭✭anplaya27


    enfant terrible wrote: »
    What would you be doing exactly?

    Processing paperwork. Mostly onto excel spreadsheets. Rinse and repeat. That's it really most days to be honest. Odd trip outside office. Its mind numbing. As I said, takes a certain person. It was handy money to be fair just felt my brain cells dying slowly each day stuck at same desk in same office doing same things over and over again.


  • #115
    tgdaly
    Registered Users Posts: 932 ✭✭✭tgdaly


    Just to give my experience as an EO, of course there's the usual desk monkey Excel and Word stuff, but I've got to do a few other interesting things as well, for example I'm involved in 2 committees as a chair and another interdepartmental committe as a member. Also have organised awareness material and have had to go to plenty of meetings and got to travel out of County to conferences and things. So it very much depends where you get placed


  • #116
    Catalan69
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭Catalan69


    Does 2 years service for interdepartmental competition have to be be consecutive?


  • #117
    keanocar
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭keanocar


    SusieBlue wrote: »
    Mine was the same, I clicked submit because I didn’t know what else to do.

    Do they ask for proof of leaving cert/other qualifications at the interview, does anyone know?

    Yes I had to bring all my original certs to the interview last year where they were then photocopied.


  • #118
    UpBack1234
    Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭UpBack1234


    Catalan69 wrote: »
    Does 2 years service for interdepartmental competition have to be be consecutive?

    No. It just has to be cumulative and that includes TCO contracts. I had blagged one year as a temp in the Courts Service years ago and had gone back to the private sector - but it still counted towards overall service - this also applies to your payscale btw


  • #119
    Dublintigger
    Registered Users Posts: 569 ✭✭✭Dublintigger


    Hi Folks

    Take note that this competition is specifically for D/PER - Depart of Public Expenditure and Reform. This is how it was advertised in the P/Job email alert : -

    Executive Officer in the Civil Service 2020
    Employer: DPER
    View Job

    Re D/PER - great place to work in at the moment because of what is going, the dynamics in Government and the possibility of good opportunities as well if you put the work in.

    I suspect that it is a totally different panel to the current EO panel.


  • #120
    Dublintigger
    Registered Users Posts: 569 ✭✭✭Dublintigger


    Strazdas wrote: »
    It's odd that they don't reference Level 6. A person who has successfully completed Level 6 would be ahead of anyone who has completed the first year of a Level 7 course.

    I thought that too.... can anyone confirm that for sure?


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  • #121
    Blueskies2019
    Registered Users Posts: 34 ✭Blueskies2019


    Dublintigger wrote: »
    Hi Folks

    Take note that this competition is specifically for D/PER - Depart of Public Expenditure and Reform. This is how it was advertised in the P/Job email alert : -

    Executive Officer in the Civil Service 2020
    Employer: DPER
    View Job

    Re D/PER - great place to work in at the moment because of what is going, the dynamics in Government and the possibility of good opportunities as well if you put the work in.

    I suspect that it is a totally different panel to the current EO panel.

    Are you sure? I think it is an open Competition for any Department. Civil Service HR Division falls under DPER.


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