EO interview questions

redmgar

Hi, is there a standard list of questions / examples asked in an EO interview?
If so any examples or tips?

Explosive_Cornflake

What on earth is EO?

The public sector competitions are all usually 'competency based' interviews, i.e. they ask you to give an example of a time when you exhibited each of the competencies they are looking for in an EO.


They can be found here: https://www.publicjobs.ie/documents/Executive_Officer_Competencies.pdf


The trick is to try to hit as many of the keywords in each competency. So, for people management, they are looking for you to prove that you can

1. consult & encourage...
2. get the best out of...
3. value & support...
4. deal with tensions...
5. encourage, listen & act....
6. actively share information...

I've found that how you structure your answer is more important than the example you're giving. Try to use as many of these as possible when showing off your skills. Also, use the STAR method:

• Situation (what was the background of your example)
• Task (what you hoped to achieve / thought was the best way to resolve the issue)
• Action (what you did)
• Result (what the final outcome was)

Try to have one really good example for each of the competencies, then have at least one back-up because they will ask you for another example on some of them (I had a guy ask for 4 examples in my interview!). The only outlier is the "Drive and commitment to PS Values", where they ask you what you think they are, in your view. The most common ones are:

• honesty and integrity
• impartiality
• respect for the law
• respect for persons
• diligence
• economy and effectiveness
• responsiveness
• accountability and
• transparency

Don't just list these off, put a bit of a spiel around them...."well, people can get frustrated if they're unsure of where their case stands, so transparency would be very high on the list...as well as honesty, as nobody likes to be lied to etc."


Best of luck.

redmgar

That's a great help, cheers.
From my experience they don't really run through your cv rather go through the examples of each?

They may well use it as a basis for the questions on the competencies......"I see you worked in the Playboy mansion, can you give me an example of when you made good use of your interpersonal skills?".....kinda thing.


Type out your examples, one page for each, with the competency in big, bold type at the heading and keywords highlighted/underlined. This alone will let them know you mean business and have done some groundwork. Have your back-ups outlined at the bottom in concise bullet point format (Difficult customer / goal was to calm the situation / liaised with relevant section / listed options / sympathized with customer / explained the reasoning / helped them to choose / customer left happy).


Don't be afraid to refer to your notes before you start answering, but let the interviewers know what you're doing...."is it ok if I refer to my notes?"


I did all of the above and came 7th in my last EO comp.


Good luck.

redmgar

Deleted User wrote: »

Don't be afraid to refer to your notes before you start answering, but let the interviewers know what you're doing...."is it ok if I refer to my notes?"
Good luck.

So you brought your own notes in?

Yep. I had a folder with my CV and application forms printed out x 4 copies each (one for me and each of the interviewers should they need one) and one copy of my examples for my eyes only, but with the headings big enough that they could be read upside down easily.

redmgar

Deleted User wrote: »

Yep. I had a folder with my CV and application forms printed out x 4 copies each (one for me and each of the interviewers should they need one) and one copy of my examples for my eyes only, but with the headings big enough that they could be read upside down easily.

Good idea, is this a common thing?

doc22

redmgar wrote: »

So you brought your own notes in?

your not allowed to do that your only allowed a clean application form(no notes on it for reference)

Wheety

Expect questions like:

Why do you want to be an EO?
What do you think of PMDS?
What do you know about the Civil Service renewal plan?

Also, try and make your examples relevant to the role of EO. People often have examples of things they've done but the board want to hear how these would help you in the role you're applying for not the role you're currently doing.

Make sure your examples have a clear outcome and you may be asked how it would help you as an EO so be prepared for that.

Also talk about yourself and your role in the example. They don't want to hear about your team, they want to hear about your role, so use 'we' sparingly and 'I' a lot more.

doc22

doc22 wrote: »

your not allowed to do that your only allowed a clean application form(no notes on it for reference)

I 100% did this in my interview in the 2016 EO comp and received my one year establishment notice last week. I had a folder with maybe 7 or 8 documents total in it, after I'd given another 4 or 5 to the receptionist in PAS.

doc22

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I 100% did this in my interview in the 2016 EO comp and received my one year establishment notice last week. I had a folder with maybe 7 or 8 documents total in it, after I'd given another 4 or 5 to the receptionist in PAS.

Things have changed for co eo and ao told no notes and clean application (not that they checked ) to ensure fairness

Samuel T. Cogley

Explosive_Cornflake wrote: »

What on earth is EO?

Executive Officer in the Civil Service a junior/trainee management role.