CS Clerical Officer flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Public Appointments Service (PAS)

The body that runs most Irish civil service recruitment competitions, including advertising, testing, interviewing and forming panels, operating under the oversight of the Commission for Public Service Appointments.

CPSA codes of practice

Published standards binding how recruitment competitions must be conducted, covering advertising, selection methods, record-keeping and complaints. Candidates may complain to the CPSA about alleged breaches after raising the issue with the recruiter.

Panel

An ordered list of successful candidates held for a set period. Vacancies are offered in order of merit, and a place on a panel does not guarantee appointment.

Shortlisting

The stage that reduces applicants before interview, by random selection, test ranking or assessment of the application form. The advertised method determines how it is done.

Closing date rule

Applications must be submitted by the stated deadline, usually an Irish time on a given date. Late applications are not accepted and the applicant must keep proof of submission.

Reasonable accommodation request

A request for adjusted assessment conditions, such as extra time or accessible materials, made to the recruiter before the test or interview date, supported by relevant information where requested.

Confined competition

A recruitment competition restricted to a defined group of existing staff, such as civil servants in particular grades or departments, rather than open to all external applicants.

Capability Framework

The structure describing the skills and behaviours expected in the civil service, organised into core capabilities for all staff, professional capabilities for specific roles, and leadership capabilities.

STAR method

A structure for behavioural answers: Situation, Task, Action, Result. The action and result carry most marks, and evidence should be personal and specific.

Competency indicators

The defined behaviours used to score each competency at interview or on the application form. Answers are rated against these indicators, often on a numerical scale.

Minimum per competency

The rule that a candidate must reach a required rating on each assessed competency, not only an overall average, so one weak area can end the competition.

Verbal reasoning test

An aptitude test measuring comprehension and logical inference from short written passages. It is timed, scored, and often used to shortlist candidates for interview.

Numerical reasoning test

An aptitude test requiring interpretation of tables, charts and percentages under time pressure. Accuracy and speed both matter, and calculators are allowed only if stated.

Personal vs team evidence

Interview scoring rewards statements about what the candidate personally did. Answers using only 'we did' without clarifying individual contribution score poorly on ownership.

General service grades

The main civil service ladder: Clerical Officer, Executive Officer, Higher Executive Officer, Assistant Principal, Principal Officer, Assistant Secretary and Secretary General, with promotion by competition.

Clerical Officer duties

Operational and administrative work such as processing applications and payments, maintaining records, drafting correspondence, handling public queries and supporting senior colleagues in a department or office.

Executive Officer role

The grade above Clerical Officer, typically involving casework, drafting, small-team supervision and greater decision-making discretion, often serving as a first management step.

PMDS

The Performance Management and Development System used across the civil service to set objectives, review performance and identify training needs, feeding into progression and promotion readiness.

Internal mobility

Schemes allowing staff to transfer between departments or offices at the same grade. Assignment to a particular location is decided by management, not freely chosen.

Specialist streams

Recruitment routes for professional roles such as IT, accountancy, engineering, veterinary or statistics, with their own qualification requirements and pay scales separate from general service grades.

Nine equality grounds

Gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and Traveller community membership, protected under Irish employment and equal status law.

Positive action

Lawful measures to encourage applications from under-represented groups, such as targeted campaigns or training, without excluding other eligible candidates from open competition.

Public Sector Equality Duty

The obligation on public bodies to assess policies for equality impacts, promote equality of opportunity and protect human rights in carrying out their functions.

Dignity at work policy

The framework prohibiting bullying, harassment and sexual harassment in the civil service, with formal procedures for raising, investigating and resolving complaints.

Unconscious bias safeguards

Practices such as structured marking schemes, defined indicators and multiple interviewers that reduce the influence of irrelevant personal characteristics on selection decisions.

Equality monitoring data

Information collected from applicants to track diversity and fairness. It is separated from selection decisions and used for reporting, not scoring.

Civil Service Code

The standards of behaviour for civil servants, covering integrity, impartiality, accountability, confidentiality and political neutrality, with breaches potentially leading to disciplinary action.

Political impartiality

The duty to serve the government of the day loyally regardless of party, without political bias in advice or decisions. Permitted political activity varies by grade.

Accountability for public money

The obligation to spend public funds with regularity, propriety and value for money, and to answer to the Oireachtas, the Comptroller and Auditor General and freedom of information rules.

Conflict of interest

A situation where personal interests could affect official judgement. It must be declared and managed, and gifts or hospitality that could compromise judgement must not be accepted.

Protected disclosure

A report of wrongdoing made through proper channels that attracts legal protection for the person making it, provided the disclosure meets the statutory conditions.

Customer service standards

The expectation that public services are delivered accessibly, promptly, fairly and courteously, treating every member of the public with dignity and respect.