Third secretary recruitment stages

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Cian1989

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I'm looking into going for the Third Secretary position when I get my degree (hopefully they'll be hiring again by then)


I'm reading The Accidental Diplomat by Eamon Delaney, I'm just wondering if the recruitment process he describes has changed a lot (seeing as he did them 22 years ago)
 
Like most civil service jobs this is normally a 2 stage process. first is some type of examination - this has been different at different times ie sometimes written where you have to do a job simulation exercise and other times it has been mulptime choice. usually when it is this type there are 3 papers - Numerical Reasoning, Logical reasoning and then job based questions/

Second stage consists of a presentation and a competency based interview.
However, hope you won't be leaving college in the next couple of years as there wil be little or no staff recruitment.
 
No, the second stage for Foreign Affairs is a group exercise and believe me, the group can make or break you..first time I did it the group spent most of the time sitting looking blankly and when I suggested anything I was shot down but nobody else spoke up. None of us got through. Next time I had a great group and most of us got through.

On the third stage - the presentation task is both tough and easy at the same time. All about detail. The competency based interview is another kettle of fish. The toughest thing I've ever done and I felt like all the life had been sucked out of me when I got out! Needless to say I stumbled at that particular hurdle even though I got high marks on the presentation.

After the competency based interview there is still another interview but can't help on what that's like as I didn't make it to that final stage.

Bear in mind that thousands apply for a handful of positions. Until you reach interview you are just a number, regardless of qualifications and experience, it's all about ticking the boxes. Even at interview stage its about examples of what they're looking for, and not about the other things you can bring to the job.

I had set my heart on it but after that interview I decided I wouldn't be applying next time, their loss not mine :D
 
I won't be finished college for a couple more years, with any luck they'll be hiring again, although I imagine the competition to be horrendous.
 
Well, I certainly wouldn't base your career plans around it. Apart from anything else, a lot of existing civil servants will probably be applying and may have greater experience eg attending meetings in Brussels, working on EU affairs, drafting legislation etc. What are you studying?
 
I'm studying history and legal science.

I've done a bit of research so realise I'd have to have another career plan, given how many stories are around of people who failed to get in.

I've lived abroad for a fair bit (educated by the EU in the European Schools) and have a few languages but evidently they don't for much.
 
Cian1989 said:
I'm looking into going for the Third Secretary position when I get my degree (hopefully they'll be hiring again by then)
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Like others have said, I would not count on you getting a job as Third Secretary.

I applied for an Administrative Officer position twice (recruitment process is identical) and was unsuccessful at both attempts. First time, I was placed in the top 250 in the exam, but didn't get invited to the next stage. At my second attempt, I placed in the top 100 in the exam for one position and was invited to the next stage. Needless to say, I ended up with a horrible, pushy group who were all talking over each other and bickering. My presentation went ok, and I actually had quite a decent competency interview (this is the only chance you get to show off your actual skills).
 
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