Prep pack
Interview prep: Public sector
Government bodies, agencies and publicly funded organisations that serve the public.
These packs describe general patterns for a type of organisation. They are not about any specific employer, and processes vary a lot. Always follow the instructions you are given for your own interview.
What interviews can look like
- Formal, structured interviews with set questions, sometimes scored against published criteria.
- Application forms or written statements that match the interview questions.
- Emphasis on public service, fairness, accountability and working within rules.
What to show
- Specific examples that match the stated criteria.
- Fairness, integrity and clear record-keeping.
- Working with the public or with many stakeholders.
- Delivering within limits on budget and time.
How to prepare
- Read the role description and any listed criteria carefully, and prepare one STAR example per criterion.
- Check the instructions for the application; follow them exactly.
- Learn the purpose of the body and who it serves from its public information.
- Practise giving complete answers without assuming the panel knows your background.
Questions you could ask
- How does this team contribute to the organisation's wider goals?
- What training and development is available?
- What are the main pressures on the team at the moment?
- What are the next steps and timeline?
Watch out for
- Skipping examples because the work seems obvious. Panels often can only credit what you say.