Interview application form for the

position of Garda Reserve

This application form will form part of your interview

so please complete this form as accurately and as

comprehensively as possible

Name in full (Block Letters): ______

Candidate Number: ______

Date of Interview :______(For Office use)

Time of Interview :______(For Office use)

Location :______

Address to which you wish correspondence to be sent:

(The onus is on candidates to ensure that their details are up to date for all correspondence. Please notify the Public Appointments Service at once, in writing, of any change of address/telephone number/e-mail address)

______

Contact details ______

Home phone: ______

Mobile: ______

E-mail address: ______

Date of Birth: ______

Have you attended for an interview in the Garda Reserve in the last 6 months?

______

If yes, please give approximate date and location: ______

Candidate Name: ______Date of Birth:______

1.  Educational Qualifications*

Educational requirements for selection as a Garda Reserve are set out in the “Notes for Applicants and Conditions of Service” paragraph 2(6)

(Please include all educational details including courses commenced and completed in Ireland or overseas)

(a) List of all subjects
(Leaving Certificate ) / Level
Foundation/
Pass/Honours / Grade / Year / Examination
Number / School Attended
Eligibility Criteria Subjects
1. Irish
2. English
3. Other language (please
2.  specify) ______
4. Maths
Other subjects
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
(b) Applied Leaving
Certificate / Merit / Distinction / Year / Examination
Number / School Attended

(Please attach the original Dept. of Education/College certificate(s). Photocopies / School copies will NOT suffice. If not readily available please bring with you to interview).

*If applying for exemption from Leaving Certificate or equivalent qualification please indicate here. ______

2. Details of Third Level Education :

Full title of
Qualification(s) e.g.
Diploma, Degree, etc. / Results
(Type and
Grade of
Honours) / Subject(s)
in
Final exam / College, University
or Examining
Authority / Year in which
Qualification
was obtained
Details of any other training/courses undertaken / Date / Duration


Candidate Name: ______Date of Birth:______

3. Employment Record:

Give below, in date order from the top, full particulars of all employment (including any periods of unemployment) between the date of leaving school or college and the present date. No period between these dates should be unaccounted for. If it is necessary to continue on a separate sheet, please set the information out in the same manner as below (exact dates to be given). You may add additional sheets if necessary.

*Full addresses must be given for any periods spent living in rented accommodation.

Dates / Title of post held, / Name and Address / *Address at which you
Period in
Months / From / To / description of duties,
salary etc. / of Employer / resided during all periods of employment, self-employment
or unemployment
Reason for leaving:
Period in
Months / From / To
Reason for leaving:
Period in
Months / From / To
Reason for leaving:
Period in
Months / From / To
Reason for leaving:

Candidate Name: ______Date of Birth:______

4. Please identify why you feel your experience and skills would be relevant and of benefit to the Garda Reserve role:

______

______

______

5. Before you return this form to the Public Appointments Service please ensure that you have completed all sections of it and that you have signed the declaration below. The onus is on candidates to establish eligibility in this application form.

6. MISSTATEMENTS OR CANVASSING WILL RENDER AN APPLICANT LIABLE TO DISQUALIFICATION.

7. THE PERSONAL DATA SUPPLIED BY YOU ON THIS APPLICATION FORM WILL BE STORED ON COMPUTER AND WILL BE USED ONLY FOR THE PURPOSES REGISTERED UNDER THE DATA PROTECTION ACT, 1988.

I hereby declare that I fulfil all the requirements set out in the Conditions for Entry, that the information given in this form is correct and give my permission for enquiries to be made to establish such matters as age, qualifications, experience and character and for the release by other people or organisations of such information as may be necessary to the Public Appointments Service for that purpose.

Signature of Applicant: ______Date:______

Please read the following notes on the interview and written exercise to help you prepare for the selection process.

Top of Form

Garda Reserve - The Interview

Bottom of Form

Congratulations on being invited to the first stage of the selection process for Garda Reserve. We hope that you will find the following information helpful as you prepare for your interview. You are encouraged to read this information carefully and to think about the areas that will be covered during the interview.

The interview will take approximately 20 minutes. There will be two people on the interview board – A representative of An Garda Siochana and a representative of the Public Appointments Service. At the start of the interview you will be introduced to both members of the Interview board and the format of the interview will be explained to you.

The interview will begin with an overview of your education/training/ general interests. The interview board will then go on to talk to you about your experiences at work. For the most part the board will be interested in hearing about why you made particular choices, how you enjoyed the different experiences and the benefit you feel you gained from these - think about how these experiences might help you in the role of Garda Reserve.

The interview board will be particularly interested in hearing about your experiences in the following areas:

(a) Working as part of a team

(b) Solving a difficult problem

(c) Being involved in your local area

The interview board will also be interested in hearing about your reasons for wanting to join the Garda Reserve.

During the interview it is essential that you listen extremely carefully to the questions that the Board Members ask. There is a limited time available for each interview so it is best to spend the time focusing on what you did in the situations that you describe.

In order to prepare for the interview, you should think of several situations where you have demonstrated the skills listed at (a), (b) and (c) above. You may include experiences from any kind of setting – for example, education, leisure activities, paid employment, voluntary work, etc. Think carefully about these skill areas in relation to your experiences to date as you may find it difficult to come up with suitable examples on the spur of the moment at the interview.

Throughout the interview, one Board Member will be taking notes. This is to provide the Board with a fair and accurate account of the interview you give, and it will be used during the assessment which follows directly after the interview.

At the end of the interview you will be given an opportunity to add any additional comments in support of your application. At this time, if you wish, you may clarify or expand on the details of any of the experiences that you described during the interview.

Remember:

·  Do not rely on the Board Members to assume that you behaved in a certain way or for certain reasons

·  Do not generalise (e.g. I tend to be very organised)

·  Do use specific examples/ achievements to demonstrate your skills in a particular area

·  Do give sufficient detail to ensure that the Board Members know exactly what steps you took and why

·  Do listen carefully and ask for clarification if you are unsure of the question being asked

·  Do try and relax during the interview.

Further information on preparing for interviews is available on www.publicjobs.ie

Garda Reserve -The Written Exercise

As part of your duties in the role of Garda Reserve you may be required to write descriptions of incidents which you encounter. It is important that these descriptions are accurate and of the highest standard.

In order to assess your ability to write such reports you will be required to complete a written exercise on the same day of the interview. This exercise is being used so that we can get a measure of your ability to produce a concise and accurate description of a situation.

In this exercise you will be required to write a report on information supplied. You will have 30 minutes to complete this report. Before you begin this exercise a Facilitator will read out the instructions and explain what is required. You will then have the opportunity to ask any questions if you are not clear about what is expected.