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Interview guidance

Important information:

  • ensure you arrive at least 10 minutes early to your interview
  • the panel will have a copy your CV outlining your career history, skills and experience. They will not be aware of any personal information that may have been provided as part of the application process
  • the interviewing panel will consist of at least two Gambling Commission staff members
  • interviews are equally conversational and competency based
  • interviews typically last around 45 to 60 minutes and there will opportunity for you to ask questions at the end
  • interviews may last longer if you have been asked to give a presentation or do a test

As the regulator of the National Lottery there are some roles within the Commission that are prohibited from playing the National Lottery. This does not affect your family playing. We will inform you at interview if the role you have applied for is on the Prohibited List.

What type of questions will I be asked?

The interviewers will begin with some questions about yourself and your background. These will be followed up with competency questions to gain information about key behaviours in relation to the role. They often begin with phrases such as:

  • “Tell me about a time when ...”
  • “Describe an occasion when ...”
  • “Can you give an example of when you…”

When answering the questions it is important to focus on your particular role, discussing your contribution in as much detail as possible. The panel interviewing you want you to succeed so they will ask questions that allow you to demonstrate your strengths.

Can I bring notes into the interview?

Yes. Feel free to bring notes to refer to during the interview; this will not affect your scoring. However, it is important you do not simply read from these notes but instead use them to prompt you during your interview.

Am I able to prepare answers to questions in advance?

The questions asked will be consistent with those asked of all candidates applying for the same position to ensure fairness and consistency. They will be unique to the role type so you will not be able to prepare a response prior to the interview.

STAR Method

A good way of ensuring you answer the questions well is to follow the STAR method below. This will ensure that the answers you give are easy for the interviewers to understand both in terms of the situation but also the part that you played.

  • Situation - set the scene
  • Task - describe the purpose
  • Action - explain what you did
  • Result - share the outcome.
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How the application process works

Last updated: 5 November 2021

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