Expert Coaching & Practical Supports for Public Service Interviews

I’m Tina Kinirons, an interview coach specialising in Civil and Public Service roles in Ireland.

I support individual candidates and also train interviewers and staff, giving me insight from both sides of the interview table.

I’ve chaired thousands of interviews and trained thousands of interviewers, so I understand exactly what interview boards look for and how they assess performance.

I work with candidates across the Civil Service, Local Authorities and a wide range of Public Service organisations, providing clear advice and focused preparation designed to help you move forward in your career.

Do These Interview Challenges Sound Familiar?

Preparing for a Civil or Public Service interview can feel overwhelming.

You might be:

Confused by the competency model or capability framework
Uncertain about how Civil and Public Service interviews are structured
Uneasy that your application form answers aren't strong enough
Doubtful that your CV sells your experience
Unsure how to best structure your STAR answers
Worried about the types of questions that are typically asked
Battling interview nerves and wanting to feel more confident on the day.

These are all common concerns and they are exactly what I help with.

My approach is practical and supportive, giving you clarity and confidence to perform at your best.

Tina Kinirons - Interview Preparation Supports

Interview Preparation: Coaching, Workbooks, e-Course

I offer practical supports to help individual candidates prepare for Civil and Public Service interviews, namely coaching, workbooks and an e-course.

Choose the support that best fits your preparation style:

Coaching
We can coach you to feel more confident and well prepared. You decide if the focus of the coaching session is to:

strengthen your application form,
improve your CV (and Cover Letter),
shape clear, well-structured answers that reflect your experience or
prepare and practice in a mock interview.

My colleague and I support candidates at all levels and support preparation for competency-based interviews or capability-based interviews (based on the Civil Service Capability Framework). All of our meetings are online.

book interview coaching

Learn more

Workbooks
My interview preparation workbooks are full of templates, tips and examples to guide you through your application and interview answers. Choose either a competency-based or capability-based workbook.

view interview workbooks

e-Course
My interview preparation e-course includes video content, worksheets and practical advice to help you understand what interviewers are looking for and help you stand out for the right reasons. The e-course supports both competency-based and capability-based interviews.

VIEW e-Course

Which Support is Right For You?

A workbook is best if your main focus is preparing strong, well-structured answers working independently, using templates and worksheets.

The e-Course is best if you also want broader interview preparation support, video explanations and guidance on preparation, nerves, confidence and insights into what interviewers are looking for.

One-to-one coaching is best if you want feedback on your answers, tailored practice and support to strengthen your answers and delivery.

Trusted by Public Sector Candidates and Organisations across Ireland

I've supported candidates and organisations across a wide range of Public Service bodies, including those shown below.

You can read more about my clients and their experience of working with me here and in the testimonial emails featured on this page.

Public Service Interview Clients: HIQA, NCCA, UCD, NDA, Solas, AIB, Safefood, CSSO, OPW, SDCC, SFPA, Tailte Éireann, Brothers of Charity Service, House of the Oireachtas, publicjobs, The Pension Authority, Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Protection

Public Service Interview Clients: Citizens Information Board, PAI, Office of the Attorney General, City of Dublin ETB, State Laboratory, Fingal County Council, Director of Public Prosecutions, An Garda Síochána, Dublin City Council, Courts Service, Arts Council, Central Bank, CSO, Revenue, Civil Service Departments

Free Articles & Insider Tips for Civil & Public Service Interviews

Here are some free articles and resources to help you prepare with confidence:

Articles:
Ten Tips for Candidates at Civil or Public Service Interviews

Advice for Completing a Public Sector Application Form

Advice for Public Sector Interviewers - From One Interviewer to Another

Ongoing Tips and Updates:
Weekly interview tips on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Job interview advice on my blog

Quarterly newsletter with exclusive interview tips and updates. Subscribe here.

Interview Supports for Organisations

I also provide interview preparation and training supports for Civil and Public Service organisations.

These sessions are practical, clear and grounded in real interview experience, helping candidates and interviewers prepare confidently for interviews.

Choose the option that best suits your organisation's needs:

Supports for Candidates in Organisations

Interview preparation coaching, providing one-to-one coaching for staff preparing for upcoming interviews.

Interviewee skills training, offering practical small group sessions to help staff understand interview expectations and prepare strong, structured answers.

Application form completion training, offering practical small group sessions on form completion and preparing clear, well-structured application form answers.

Candidate information sessions, delivering large-group webinars to support staff preparing for internal competitions.

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Supports for Interviewers

Interviewer training, supporting interviewers with best practice, interview preparation and board responsibilities. Also provided one-to-one if required.

Workbook for interviewers, providing a step-by-step guide to capability-based interviewing for Civil and Public Service interviewers.

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Subscribe for Exclusive Interview Tips and Updates

Stay in touch with my quarterly newsletter, featuring an exclusive job interview tip.

Subscribe here.

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Client Comments

The person I recommend over the rest is Tina Kinirons. We use her extensively and the feedback is excellent.

Hi Tina, Just to let you know that I got the job!! Thanks for all your help.

Hi Tina, I bought your e-course and found it so useful. I have had two interviews since where I placed 1 or 2 on the panels and I must credit your webinar.

I feel like I've had a 'light bulb moment' in how to answer these interview questions.

I just wanted to let you know that I got promoted from CO to HEO. I really feel like the preparation session with you helped me a great deal so I just wanted to say thank you so much.

Hi Tina, I purchased your workbook on the capability framework. It was a fantastic help to me. I have now found out that I am high on the Order of Merit! I am so delighted with the results and the scores I achieved.

Hi Tina, I wanted to let you know that following our coaching session I was successful at interview. The session really brought my focus to where it needed to be and my marks improved across the board.

Thank you so much Tina. I never knew there was such a workbook. I wish I had known about it sooner!

Hi Tina, just heard that I passed the interview and scored high. Major thank you for the work you did with me, the tools you imparted to me did the trick! Your lovely voice was playing in my head prompting me during the interview.

I have attended a number of training courses on this topic. This was the best / most useful one I attended. Tina has great knowledge of the interview process and gave a lot of good / common sense advice.

Hi Tina, I wanted to let you know that I have been offered the role and I have accepted it. I put the success down, in large part, to fantastic interview coaching, so thank you so much for that. I have already recommended your services to a number of other people Thank you again for your help and support.

Excellent days training, would highly recommend it. Excellent insight into both sides of the interview table.

Hi Tina, I had my interview and I got No. 1 on the panel and almost doubled my overall score from the last public service competency based interview. I found our session and your workbook and video resources incredibly helpful.

Hi Tina, just to let you know that I placed first on the panel, thanks for all your help!