Interview process
If you are invited to interview, you will receive confirmation of your interview date, further information about the interview panel, the format of the interview and the timing for the day. If you are unable to attend on the date allocated you should contact the Business Management Unit immediately. They will endeavour to find an alternative date however this cannot be guaranteed.
Interviews will normally take place at Thistle House in Edinburgh, although some competitions may be held at alternative locations. JABS will seek to accommodate reasonable adjustment requests and requirements where possible, although this may not always be feasible.
The interview stage provides an opportunity for you to to provide further evidence to demonstrate your suitability for appointment. The assessment will test the characteristics required for the role and the criteria for recommendation.
Depending on the role, the interview process may include:
- a legal case study exercise (for court or tribunal legal appointments),
- questions designed to assess your personal and judicial skills, knowledge and experience,
- a presentation (for certain roles),
- a critical case analysis (for certain roles),
- specialist questions relating to the relevant tribunal chamber (for non-legal Tribunal roles),
- follow up matters arising from your application,
- an opportunity for you to ask questions about the role or the process.
At the end of the interview you may be asked about any information arising from the character and conduct consultations undertaken, and you will be asked to confirm that you can comply with the judicial ethics requirements and that the declarations you made in your application are full and up-to-date.
Preparing for your Interview
There are a number of steps you can take to prepare for interview:
You may find it helpful to:
- reread your application form and familiarise yourself with the evidence you provided,
- review the role profile and assessment criteria,
- identify examples from your experience that demonstrate the skills, qualities and competencies required for the role,
- consider how your broader professional experience demonstrates your potential to perform effectively in judicial office,
- think about the types of questions you may be asked and how you would respond,
- practise explaining your experience clearly, concisely and with supporting examples,
- ensure you set aside sufficient time for the preparation of your case study, critical case analysis and/or any presentation you have been asked to provide, ensuring that you are able to make your delivery within the time limit indicated.
To help you perform at your best, you should remember that:
- you may be given additional material relevant to one of the case studies on the morning of the interview. You will be provided with time before the interview starts to consider this and its impact on your response to the case study,
- you are welcome to bring a copy of your application form to the interview,
- you will be provided with a pen and blank paper for note-taking,
- you may wish to take a brief note of each question before answering, particularly where multiple issues are raised. For longer scenarios/questions, you will be given a written copy during the interview,
- You can take a moment to consider your answer to questions to ensure your response is relevant
- when answering competency-based questions, focus on providing specific examples that demonstrate the skills, judgement and qualities being assessed
Remember that the panel's role is to assess the evidence you provide against the requirements of the role. The interview is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your experience, skills and suitability for judicial office.