How publicjobs capability-based interviews work for AO, HEO and other Civil Service grades: the four areas, what boards ask, four worked STAR answers and the pitfalls to avoid.

publicjobs Interview Questions 2026: Capability Framework + STAR

The 2026 DFA Third Secretary competition from the publicjobs booklet: who could apply, online assessments, the written exercise, interview, 2026 salary scale and panel.

Third Secretary Competition 2026 (DFA): Stages, Salary, Interview

The 2026 AO Specialist competition: online tests provisionally 5 to 10 November, interview and exercise in January 2027, pay from €41,176 to €70,547, and how the panel is filled.

Administrative Officer Competition 2026: Tests, Interview, Salary, Panel

Verbal, numerical, situational judgement and assessment questionnaires: what each publicjobs online test measures, how long it runs, how proctoring and Order of Merit work, and where to practise.

publicjobs Online Tests 2026: Every Test Type, Timings, Free Practice

publicjobs (the Public Appointments Service) is the central recruiter for the Irish Civil and Public Service. It runs competitions for Administrative Officer (AO), Higher Executive Officer (HEO) and, for the Department of Foreign Affairs, Third Secretary (the graduate entry diplomatic grade). In the AO 2024, HEO 2026 and Third Secretary 2020 competitions, Stage 1 was a set of online assessments. For Graduate Opportunities Administrative Officer (General) 2024, publicjobs described three remotely proctored assessments: Verbal Reasoning (40 statements in 30 minutes, each judged True, False or Cannot say on a passage), Numerical Reasoning (24 questions on charts and tables in 35 minutes, five options each) and a Situational Judgement Test (40 minutes; text, video and chat scenarios, each with three options, choosing the best response). There was no negative marking, candidates had to reach the qualifying standard in all three, and the combined Verbal Reasoning and Situational Judgement scores set the Order of Merit. Each competition sets out its own tests in its candidate information and familiarisation material. Later stages differ by grade: the Third Secretary competition has used an online video interview, a precis (written) exercise and an interview, and the HEO 2024 final stage combined a written report, a 5-minute oral briefing and an interview. The Higher Executive Officer in the Civil Service 2026 competition scheduled its online assessments for October 2026, shortlisting for December 2026 and interviews for January 2027.

Irish Civil Service Graduate Grades (AO, HEO, Third Secretary)

Graduate grades practice: verbal, numerical and situational judgement

Irish Civil Service Graduate Grades Practice Test (AO, HEO, Third Secretary)

Capability interview, written exercise and application form practice

Graduate Grades Interview, Written Exercise and Application Form Practice (Independent)

Online-test, interview, written-exercise and application-form practice in one kit

Irish Civil Service graduate grades (AO, HEO, Third Secretary) practice in one purchase: online test practice plus 40 capability interview questions (12 with full model answers, 28 with STAR frames), 2 Third Secretary written exercises and application form examples.

Practice for the Irish Civil Service graduate grades (AO, HEO, Third Secretary) in one purchase: the full online-test practice kit (our own timed practice sets with verbal, numerical and situational judgement questions, and a full mock) plus the interview pack: 40 capability interview questions on the 2024 Capability Framework (12 with full model answers, 28 with STAR frames), Third Secretary written-exercise practice and AO/HEO application-form examples. Independent practice, not affiliated with publicjobs.ie.

Graduate Grades Complete: Tests + Interview Pack

Practice in the AO 2024 Stage 1 format for AO, HEO and Third Secretary candidates: verbal, numerical and text-only situational judgement, 10 timed sets + full mock. 4 questions free.

Practice for the publicjobs Stage 1 online assessments in the format publicjobs described for Graduate Opportunities Administrative Officer 2024: Verbal Reasoning (True, False or Cannot say), Numerical Reasoning (charts and tables, five options) and the Situational Judgement Test (choose the best of three responses; AO 2024 used text, video and chat scenarios, and this practice gives text versions of all three types, with no video). 10 timed sets, a full mock at the AO 2024 lengths and times, every answer explained. Not affiliated with publicjobs or the Public Appointments Service; not the official test.

US, UK & international professional

Executive Officer practice: verbal, numerical and situational judgement

Executive Officer Practice Test (Independent)

Irish Civil Service Graduate Grades (AO, HEO, Third Secretary) — Practice tests

Practice test

Complete kit

Practice test

Verbal, numerical and situational judgement, in the Stage 1 format publicjobs described for AO 2024