PSNI police staff interviews and how they are scored

PSNI police staff interviews are structured. A panel of normally three people, one of them a subject matter expert, asks every candidate the same set of questions and rates the answers from 1 to 5 against the Competency and Values Framework (CVF). The PSNI publishes the scale and what each score means. It does not publish a pass mark on the Join PSNI police staff pages, so you cannot work out a target score in advance.

What the interview looks like

The PSNI says the most common method is the competency-based structured interview, sometimes called a behavioural or criterion interview. Questions are based on your knowledge and experience in relation to the activities and responsibilities of the post. Everyone gets the same questions, but follow-up questions can differ depending on what you say. The PSNI suggests the STAR model (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for structuring answers: what was needed, what you did and how, what happened and what the outcome was. For general technique see competency-based interviews and panel interviews.

Some vacancies, especially senior ones, add a presentation. It can be seen, where you receive the topic and instructions in advance, or unseen, where you are given the topic shortly before the interview and have set time to prepare. The interview follows the presentation straight away.

The framework behind the questions

The PSNI says it now uses only the 2024 version of the CVF. Each job advert and its assessment materials state the version, and the person specification confirms the values and competency levels for that job. The framework has six competencies in three clusters, each supported by core values, and the competencies are set at three levels, each building on the one before. Someone assessed at a higher level is expected to show the behaviours of the lower levels too. The College of Policing publishes the CVF, and the PSNI links candidates to the 2024 document for preparation.

The five-point scale

The PSNI describes each score on its police staff recruitment pages.

Score	Label	What it means in short
5	Consistently high demonstration	Consistently strong evidence throughout, a well-structured answer addressing every part of the question, no material gaps
4	Good demonstration	Clear, convincing evidence, relevant examples, minor gaps that do not detract from the answer
3	Acceptable demonstration	Some positive evidence, most of the question met, depth or consistency uneven
2	Limited demonstration	Partly meets the question, understanding basic or incomplete, often superficial
1	Insufficient demonstration	Little or no positive evidence, a very limited response or one that misses key elements

From score to offer

Candidates who succeed at assessment go on a merit list in order of merit. The competition sets how long a list stays open, and it is used to fill vacancies that arise in that period. The PSNI says the number of successful candidates can exceed the number of vacancies, so passing does not always lead to an offer. Everyone is told the outcome at each stage.

If you are in the band the PSNI intends to recruit from, you receive a provisional offer. It depends on vetting, a health assessment, a substance misuse test and an online learning course. The PSNI asks candidates not to resign until a confirmed offer arrives. The application form before all this is scored too. Shortlisting looks at each criterion on its own and does not cross-reference other sections of the form, so each answer needs its own evidence. PSNI police staff jobs outlines the whole police staff route.

What to check before the interview

• Which version of the CVF the advert names, and the competency levels in the person specification.
• Whether the invitation mentions a presentation, and if so whether it is seen or unseen.
• Whether you have a specific example for each competency, laid out in STAR order.
• If you have a reasonable adjustment need, the guidance on the Join PSNI site for requesting one. See also asking for reasonable adjustments in recruitment.
• How your application will look if you used AI tools. The PSNI expects the content to be your own.

For the separate police officer route, which uses a test and assessment centre rather than panel interviews, see the PSNI recruitment process step by step.