Garda Interview Preparation

The Stage 2 Competency Interview and Role Play

Stage 2 of Garda Trainee recruitment involves a competency-based interview and in recent campaigns has also involved a role-play exercise, conducted remotely over Zoom by publicjobs. Candidates are assessed against predefined competencies set by the interview board. Candidates are required to provide clear, relevant examples demonstrating these competencies, drawn from their own experience. The top group of candidates from Stage 1 is invited to interview first, with further groups invited as required.

Preparation plays a key role in interview performance. Understanding what assessors are looking for, how to structure responses and how to present examples clearly can significantly improve confidence and performance.

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What does the Garda interview involve?

A competency-based interview conducted online via Zoom, run by publicjobs.
A role-play (scenario) exercise as part of the interview: in recent campaigns candidates were given a short brief describing a realistic situation, a few minutes to prepare with notes, and then played the role of a Garda in the scenario with a board member playing the other person.
An interview panel – in recent campaigns the board comprised two members an independent chairperson and a nominee of An Garda Síochána supported by a publicjobs representative, with the full session lasting around an hour.
Assessing the Stage 1 written exercise – in recent campaigns, the written exercise completed at Stage 1 was also discussed and assessed as part of the interview for Using Information and Problem Solving.
Candidates are scored against each competency and must reach the qualifying standard in every one; a shortfall in any single competency area means not passing the interview. Successful candidates are placed on a panel, and placement on a panel is not a guarantee of an offer.

Where the interview sits in the Garda campaign

The interview follows Stage 1 which involves the the online assessments in verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, the assessment questionnaire and the written exercise. After Stage 1 concludes candidates await their stage 1 results and then those that are successful are invited to the Garda interview stage. The gap between receiving an invitation and sitting your interview can be short, so preparation should start once Stage 1 is behind you, not when the invitation lands.

The five Garda Interview competencies

The interview and role play are built around the five competencies published for the Garda Trainee role: Interpersonal Skills and Service Ethos; Exercising Authority; Conscientiousness; Resilience; and Using Information & Problem Solving. Every question is an invitation to show one of these through a real example from your own life. We explain each competency in plain English, with practice questions for all five and guidance on the role-play, in our comprehensive Garda interview course.

How to prepare

Understand what each competency means in practice, not the label, but what the board is listening for and assessing.
Build an example bank: two strong examples per competency from work, study, volunteering, sport, community or family life.
Structure answers; situation, task, action, result – so the board can follow and score your evidence.
Practice aloud: staying calm and delivering your answers in a concise and clear way in a short window is a skill that improves quickly with realistic practice.

How Career Services can help

Our Garda Interview Online Course covers all five competencies with worked example answers, a method for building your own example bank, and preparation for the role-play element. We have prepared Garda candidates since 1987 and were proud to place the top scoring candidate at interview in the country in recent campaigns. No course can guarantee success, but focused preparation can help you present your strongest evidence clearly and give yourself the best possible chance of success.

Career Services is an independent private training provider. We are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, An Garda Síochána or publicjobs, who do not endorse any preparation courses.