A publicjobs.ie interview is a structured interview in which a board asks every candidate about the same competencies or capabilities and scores your answers against them. You answer with real examples from work, study or volunteering, and the board probes each one; since a new Civil Service Capability Framework was designed in 2024, some interviews also ask about your strengths, values and motivation.
publicjobs is the trading name of the Public Appointments Service, which recruits for the Civil Service and many other public bodies, including health service roles. This guide explains the process as publicjobs publishes it (checked October 2026), how scoring and ranking work, and how to prepare. For the wider picture, see our job interview tips for Ireland.
How does a publicjobs.ie interview work?
publicjobs describes up to five stages, and not every competition uses all of them. The Competition Information Booklet for your role lists the ones that apply (publicjobs: our recruitment process).
| Stage | What happens | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Application | A structured application form; a CV for some senior roles; eligibility check and shortlisting against set criteria | Write evidence for each competency or capability in the booklet |
| 2. Testing | Online tests, which can be unsupervised or supervised: assessment questionnaire, verbal, numerical and logical reasoning, situational judgement | Your score sets your order of merit and your batch |
| 3. Skills assessment | Presentation, e-tray, group exercise, role play, media exercise or work sample, for some roles | Can be combined with the final interview |
| 4. Interview | Preliminary interview (automated video, live video or in person) and/or final interview (live video or in person) | Scored on each area; those meeting the standard are ranked |
| 5. Clearance | Eligibility and pre-employment checks, references, and police disclosure for any six-month residence outside the island of Ireland since age 16 | Gather documents early to avoid delays |
Take the assessment yourself and follow the employer's rules — use CoPilot Interview to practise beforehand. publicjobs sends familiarisation material for some assessments, which is the best guide to the format.
The three interview formats
- Automated video interview. No board on screen. Questions appear and you record your answers. You get sample questions first, and board members review your recordings later.
- Live video interview. You join a waiting room and the board admits you when ready. publicjobs says you need about 1 Mbps for a clear HD connection and can test your device days before.
- In-person interview. A panel asks a range of questions. Bring photo identification.
publicjobs says boards assess what you say, not how comfortable you are on camera. If you have not done a recorded interview before, read what a one-way video interview is.
Competency Model or Capability Framework: which will I get?
publicjobs says some roles use the Civil Service Competency Model and others the new Capability Framework, and you are told in advance which applies (publicjobs interview advice).
- Competency-based interviews ask for evidence of a time you showed a particular skill, then probe it. publicjobs lists competencies such as problem solving, teamwork, decision making and team leadership, and suggests structuring answers with STAR.
- Capability-based interviews also ask for examples, but explore three areas: experience, examples and behaviours; skills, strengths and knowledge; and values, motivation and interests. The board builds a profile of you across the relevant capability dimensions and sub-dimensions.
What the Capability Framework covers
Each key Civil Service grade, from Clerical Officer to Principal Officer, has its own framework on publicjobs. The Executive Officer framework, for example, is organised into four dimensions (as of October 2026):
| Dimension | Includes (EO framework) | Example question we wrote |
|---|---|---|
| Building Future Readiness | Digital focus, openness to change, innovation and creative solutions, upskilling for the future | "Tell me about a time you used technology to make a process faster or more accurate." |
| Evidence Informed Delivery | Delivering excellence; managing information, problems and decisions | "Describe a decision you made using data. What did you check first?" |
| Leading and Empowering | Leading, supporting and developing others; leading with specialist insight | "Give an example of helping a colleague build a new skill." |
| Communicating and Collaborating | Teamwork and building relationships, effective communication, listening, consulting and engaging | "Tell me about a time you explained something complex to a customer or colleague." |
Read the framework for your exact grade on the publicjobs Capability Framework page, because the expected scope grows with each grade.
How are publicjobs interviews scored?
publicjobs publishes the principle rather than a single marking scheme:
- Same areas for everyone. All candidates are assessed on the same areas to keep the process fair.
- Scored by area. At a preliminary interview, candidates are scored on their competence or capability in each area, and those meeting the standard are ranked in order of merit.
- Batches. In large competitions, candidates who scored highest at earlier stages are usually invited to interview first, and further batches follow as demand arises.
- The panel. Successful candidates are placed on a panel in order of merit. publicjobs says panels are typically active for about 18 to 24 months and that a place on a panel does not guarantee an offer.
Check the Competition Information Booklet for your competition: it sets out the stages and the areas assessed, and any further detail on how they are marked. Senior and professional roles are also assessed on your ability to meet the key strategic challenges of the role.
Example answers we wrote for a publicjobs interview
These are examples we wrote for illustration, not official model answers.
Question (capability, Building Future Readiness): "Give your best example of using technology or a digital solution to address a challenge." (publicjobs lists a question in this form.)
- Situation: "I worked on the front desk of a county council motor tax office, where we handled about 40 phone queries a day asking whether postal applications had arrived."
- Task: "My manager asked me to cut the time those calls took without adding staff."
- Action: "I set up a shared tracker for incoming post, logged each application on arrival and wrote a short script so colleagues could answer from the tracker in one step. I trained the four others on the team over two lunchtimes."
- Result: "Average call time dropped from about four minutes to under two, and the tracker became our standard process."
Follow-up you can expect in a capability interview: "What motivates you to work this way?" A short answer we wrote: "I like work where a small change saves time for the public. Seeing callers get an answer straight away is what kept me improving the tracker."
Notice what the example does: it is specific, it uses "I", it measures the result, and the motivation answer ties back to public service. For more examples, see our STAR method examples.
How to prepare for a publicjobs interview
- Read the booklet and framework. List each competency or capability for your grade and note what "good" looks like at that level.
- Build your bank of examples. publicjobs suggests listing about ten achievements from different areas of your life, then picking about five strengths most relevant to the job. Aim for two examples per area assessed.
- Add the "whole person" layer. For capability interviews, prepare a sentence on the skills, strengths, values and motivation behind each example, and on any knowledge gaps and how you are closing them.
- Rehearse out loud. publicjobs recommends practising with someone and recording yourself. CoPilot Interview's Mock Interview does both: it builds questions from your CV and the job description, reads them aloud, scores each spoken answer out of 10 with what to fix and a model answer, then gives a report card. It is free for 15 minutes a day with no account, and you can also use the browser mock interview or the STAR story builder.
- Prepare for the panel. Expect more than one board member to ask questions and probe your examples. Our guide to panel interviews covers how to handle several interviewers.
What if I am unhappy with the outcome?
Most publicjobs campaigns are run under the Code of Practice of the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). For competitions advertised from 12 November 2021, publicjobs says you can:
- ask the recruitment unit for an informal review within 5 working days of the decision;
- request a formal review under Section 7 of the Code within 5 working days of the original decision or the informal outcome;
- make a complaint under Section 8 if you believe the Code was breached, and appeal to the CPSA within 10 working days of the outcome if you remain dissatisfied.
You can also ask the recruitment unit for feedback, which is the most useful input for your next competition (publicjobs review process).
Rehearse your publicjobs examples out loud
Paste your CV and the job description, answer each question out loud and get a score out of 10 with what to fix and a model answer. 15 free minutes every day, no account needed.
Try a free AI mock interviewFAQ
What kind of interview does publicjobs.ie use?
A structured interview in which every candidate is asked about the same competencies or capabilities. Depending on the role it can be an automated video interview, a live video interview with a board, or an in-person interview.
What is the difference between a competency and a capability interview?
Both ask for examples of past behaviour. A capability-based interview also explores your skills, strengths, knowledge, values, motivation and interests, and publicjobs describes it as a two-way dialogue about the whole person. You are told in advance which approach applies.
How are publicjobs interviews scored?
publicjobs says candidates are scored on their competence or capability in each area assessed, and those who meet the standard are ranked in order of merit. Check the Competition Information Booklet for the stages and the areas assessed.
What happens after a successful publicjobs interview?
Successful candidates are usually placed on a panel in order of merit. Offers are made from the top of the panel as vacancies arise, after clearance checks. publicjobs says panels are typically active for about 18 to 24 months and a place does not guarantee an offer.
Can I ask for a review of a publicjobs decision?
Yes. You can ask the recruitment unit for an informal review within 5 working days of the decision, request a formal review under Section 7 of the CPSA Code of Practice, or complain under Section 8 if you believe the Code was breached.
Should I use the STAR method in a publicjobs interview?
Yes. publicjobs suggests STAR for competency-based interviews. For capability-based interviews, keep the STAR examples and add a sentence on the strengths, values or motivation behind what you did.