Techniques that work
Interview Skills
Everything for the competency interview, from STAR structure and worked examples to what boards actually reward on the marking sheet.
13 articles in this topic
Guides
How to Ace Your Civil Service Interview
The publicjobs interview is not a chat about your CV. It is a scored, structured competency interview. Here is how to walk in ready for it.
STAR Method Examples That Stand Out
Most STAR answers are structurally correct and completely forgettable. Here is what makes an example land, with two worked walkthroughs.
Top 10 Interview Tips from Hiring Boards
Boards are not looking for the smoothest talker. They are filling in a marking sheet. Here are ten things they consistently reward, and how to give them each one.
Interview questions and format
What Does Order of Merit Mean on a publicjobs Panel?
Order of merit is your rank on the panel, not a job offer. What your position means, when you get called, how long panels last, and what happens if you decline.
Is a Mock Interview Worth It for publicjobs?
When a mock interview genuinely improves your publicjobs result, and how to get useful feedback before the board.
The Seven Things a publicjobs Board Is Actually Assessing
The Capability Framework covers the whole person: skills, behaviours, values, motivation, strengths, knowledge and interests. STAR examples only evidence some of them.
How publicjobs Competency-Based Interviews Work
What to expect from a publicjobs competency-based interview: the board, the structure and how answers are scored.
The STAR Method for Irish Public Service Interviews
How to use the STAR method in a publicjobs interview and map each answer to the 2024 Capability Framework.
The Most Common publicjobs Interview Questions by Competency
The interview questions Irish public-service boards ask most often, grouped by the competency each one tests.
Why Strong Candidates Still Fail the Interview Stage
The reasons capable applicants fail the publicjobs interview, from generic answers to thin evidence, and the fixes.
How Many Examples Should You Prepare for a Competency Interview?
How big your bank of examples needs to be for a publicjobs competency interview and how to reuse them well.
Phone Screen vs Final Interview: What Changes
How a publicjobs phone or first-round interview differs from the final board, and how to prepare for each.
What to Expect on Interview Day at a publicjobs Competition
A walk-through of publicjobs interview day, from format and timing to virtual versus in-person boards.