Written test and competency-based interview

1The written test

Many organisations set a test before the interview: drafting a note, analysing a data table, building a small budget or a logframe, answering a case study, sometimes within a time limit.

• Read all the questions before you start and allocate your time.
• Answer the question asked, in a structured way (headings, lists), in the language requested.
• Never copy text from the internet or from a tool without reworking it: plagiarism is checked and leads to elimination.
• Practise with the tools of the post (Excel for a MEAL or finance post, report writing for a programme post).

2The competency-based interview and the STAR method

NGOs and the UN mainly ask behavioural questions: “Tell me about a time when…”. They assume that your past behaviour predicts your future behaviour.

Answer using the STAR method:

• Situation: the context, in one or two sentences;
• Task: what was expected of you;
• Action: what you did (say “I”, not just “we”);
• Result: what changed, quantified if possible, and what you learned from it.

Prepare 6 to 8 real stories covering the usual competencies: teamwork, handling a conflict, pressure and deadlines, mistakes and learning, accountability, respect for diversity, leadership.

3During and after the interview

• Test your connection, sound and camera for an online interview; dress professionally; arrive five minutes early.
• Know the organisation, its work in the country and the current humanitarian context.
• Prepare two or three questions to ask (priorities of the post, the team, challenges in the first months).
• Stay honest: references are checked.
• After an offer: check the salary, duration, insurance, leave and any housing or security arrangements depending on the post. You can negotiate politely, especially the start date or the grade.
• Rejection is normal: ask for feedback when possible and keep applying.

4Written tests: types, marking grids and time management

The written test has become an almost systematic step for officer and manager positions, in NGOs as well as in UN agencies. It is used to check three things the CV does not prove: real technical mastery, the ability to analyse a situation and make decisions, and the quality of professional writing under time pressure. It is generally marked anonymously or semi-anonymously, against a grid prepared in advance, and only candidates who reach a threshold (often 60 to 70% of the points) go through to interview.

The most common formats

The time management method

For a 2-hour test, the following breakdown has proven its worth; adjust it proportionally:

1. Full reading and decoding (15 to 20 minutes): read all the instructions, then the documents provided. Underline the instruction verbs ("analyse", "propose", "justify", "budget") and the formal constraints (number of pages, language, file format).
2. Detailed outline (15 minutes): headings, main ideas, figures to use. Allocate the remaining time to each question in proportion to the points announced.
3. Drafting (60 to 70 minutes): start with the question worth the most points or the one you master best; never leave a question unanswered, even briefly.
4. Proofreading and checking (15 minutes): budget totals, consistency of figures between text and tables, compliance with length, spelling, file name.

How the marker scores

Marking grids are similar from one organisation to another. A typical grid for a priorities memo out of 100 points:

The marker does not score elegance of style but quality of reasoning. A sentence such as "Priority 1: WASH, because 41% of the displaced people in Ndolo have less than 7.5 litres of water per person per day, while cases of acute diarrhoea have doubled in three weeks" is worth more than a page of general considerations.

Integrity rules

• Plagiarism, including copying and pasting automatically generated text without making it your own, is checked and leads to elimination. Some organisations explicitly prohibit the use of text generation tools during the test; follow the instructions.
• Do not have someone else take the test for you: the interview that follows almost always goes back over the content of the test.
• Submit on time: a test submitted late is often not marked, whatever its quality.

5Full example: a two-hour written test, from instructions to model answer

Fictitious context: an agency is recruiting an emergency programme officer for Lower Tamira province, in the fictitious Republic of Ostrélie. At 9 a.m. the candidate receives a four-page situation report and the following instructions: "In no more than two pages, propose three intervention priorities for the next three months, justify them on the basis of the data, and present an indicative budget of 250,000 dollars. Submission by 11 a.m."

The key data in the situation report

The expected reasoning (reading and outline, 35 minutes)

• Severity: in Ndolo, the water available (6 litres) is far below the Sphere key indicator of 15 litres per person per day and below the minimum survival threshold of 7.5 litres often used in the acute phase; the latrine ratio (1 per 96) is very far from the Sphere target of one latrine per 20 people, and the increase in diarrhoea signals an immediate epidemic risk. This is the top priority.
• Coverage gap: no WASH actor present in Ndolo; health is partially covered. In town, a partner plans transfers for host families.
• Protection: assaults near water points are directly linked to the design of the WASH response (location, lighting, opening hours); unaccompanied children require referral to specialised actors.
• Feasibility: markets are functioning, which makes a cash-based response possible for shelter and non-food items, provided prices are monitored.

The written proposal (extracts from the model answer)

Priority 1: emergency water supply and sanitation in Ndolo (18,400 people). Objective: reach 15 litres per person per day within 6 weeks (interim milestone of 7.5 litres within 10 days through water trucking) and one latrine per 50 people in the acute phase, then one per 20. Location of water points and latrines decided with groups of women and adolescent girls; lighting and doors lockable from the inside, sex-segregated latrines. Hygiene promotion and distribution of kits.

Priority 2: shelter and essential items through cash and in-kind assistance in Ndolo. Emergency shelter kits for the 60% of households under makeshift tarpaulins, then cash transfers for non-food items after checking market functionality. Coordination with the partner in town to harmonise amounts with the minimum expenditure basket.

Priority 3: protection mainstreaming and referral. Safety audit of water points and latrines with protection actors; referral of the 380 unaccompanied or separated children to the child protection service; establishment of an accessible feedback and complaints mechanism (hotline and in-person help desks).

Justification for what is not included: curative health care remains covered by the mobile clinic; the agency advocates with the cluster for stronger epidemiological surveillance rather than intervening outside its area of expertise.

The indicative budget

The marker checks that the total does not exceed the envelope, that unit costs are plausible and that each priority in the text has a budget line. The exact unit amounts matter less than the logic: a candidate who forgets staff or indirect costs loses points, as does one who proposes an unbudgeted priority.

What distinguishes a paper scoring 85 out of 100 from one scoring 55

6The competency-based interview from the panel's side: design, scoring and follow-up questions

To answer a competency-based interview well, you need to know how it is designed. In most organisations, before the interview the panel prepares a list of questions linked to the competencies in the advertisement, each with positive and negative indicators and a rating scale. Each member scores separately, then the panel harmonises its scores and writes a report justifying its recommendation.

Panel composition

• In the UN Secretariat, the selection rules provide for an assessment panel of at least three members, including at least one woman and at least one member from outside the hiring unit; funds and programmes apply comparable rules.
• In NGOs, the panel generally brings together the future line manager, a human resources representative and a technical expert (for example the MEAL coordinator for a MEAL position), sometimes a representative of a partner or of national staff.
• For senior management positions, a second interview with regional management or headquarters is common, as is a presentation exercise.

The typical rating scale

A candidate is often recommended if they score at least 3 on each competency assessed and an average of at least 3.5; a score of 1 on a key competency, such as integrity or accountability, may be enough to eliminate them.

Example of a panel preparation sheet

Follow-up questions: where the score is decided

The panel asks follow-up questions to check that the story is real and to distinguish your role from that of the team. Typical follow-ups: "What exactly did your supervisor tell you?", "How many people were affected?", "If you had to do it again, what would you change?", "How do you know it worked?". A made-up or borrowed story falls apart after two follow-ups. A real story, on the contrary, becomes more convincing with every detail.

A useful variant: the STAR method with a second R (STARR), for "reflection". After the result, add in one or two sentences what you learned from it and how you applied it afterwards. This is often what moves an answer from 3 to 4 on the rating scale.

Other types of questions

• Technical questions: "How do you calculate the transfer value of multipurpose cash assistance?", "Which indicators would you use to monitor the quality of a nutrition programme?". They check mastery of the standards and tools of the trade.
• Situational questions: "You learn that a distribution officer is asking beneficiaries for money. What do you do?". They assess judgement and knowledge of policies; answer with a sequence of concrete actions, citing the procedures (confidential reporting, protection of the whistleblower and of the affected people, not investigating on your own).
• Motivation and context questions: knowledge of the organisation, the country, the humanitarian principles and the current challenges facing the sector.
• Presentation exercise: 10 to 15 minutes on a topic given in advance or one hour before, followed by questions. Structure, ability to synthesise and handling of objections are assessed.

7Building your story bank and a level-5 STAR answer

An experienced candidate does not prepare answers to questions; they prepare a portfolio of stories that they know how to adapt to different questions. Eight to ten well-chosen stories cover almost all the competencies assessed in the sector.

The story bank matrix

Check that each column has at least two stories. Choose recent stories (less than five years old) in which your personal role is clear, and vary the contexts.

An answer dissected

Question: "Tell me about a professional mistake and what you did about it."

Target length of a STAR answer: 2 to 3 minutes. Roughly 10% on the situation, 10% on the task, 60% on the actions, 20% on the result and the reflection. Most candidates do the opposite: three minutes of context and thirty seconds of action.

Preparing for technical questions

List the ten most likely technical questions based on the core of the position, and prepare a three-part structured answer for each: the principle or standard, the practical method, a personal example. For a cash transfer position, for example: feasibility and market analysis, calculation of the minimum expenditure basket, choice of delivery mechanism, management of fraud risks, price monitoring, post-distribution monitoring, protection of beneficiaries' data.

Preparing questions to ask the panel

• "What are the main challenges the person recruited will have to deal with in the first three months?"
• "How are responsibilities divided between this position and the technical coordinator?"
• "What is the organisation's strategy for working with local partners in this area?"
• "How does the organisation support the well-being and security of the team at this base?"

At the first interview, avoid questions focused solely on salary and leave; they will come at the offer stage.

8Variations: assessment centres, emergencies, UN rosters, remote interviews and final checks

Assessment centres

The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and several large emergency NGOs use assessment centres lasting one to three days, in person or remotely, for first deployments. They combine: an individual interview, a group exercise (for example, a team of five candidates must plan a response in 60 minutes with incomplete information), role plays (negotiation at a checkpoint, delivering difficult news to a team member), a language test and sometimes a stress resilience test. Observers score behaviours: listening, ability to move the group forward without dominating it, handling uncertainty, respect for principles.

• In the group exercise, speak early, propose a method (time allocation, note-taker role), incorporate other people's ideas and help the group reach a conclusion. Monopolising the discussion is scored negatively.
• In role plays, stay in role, apply the principles (humanity, neutrality, impartiality, independence) and think about the team's security.

Emergency recruitment

After a sudden-onset disaster, the process may be reduced to a 30-minute phone interview, a quick reference check and departure within 72 hours. Organisations rely on internal rosters and standby partners. To be selectable, you must have prepared in advance: a passport valid for more than six months, up-to-date vaccinations, mandatory security training completed (for example the online security courses required by the United Nations system and, for certain contexts, hostile environment awareness training in the field), reachable referees and, if necessary, your current employer's agreement.

UN rosters and reserve lists

In the Secretariat and in several agencies, a candidate found suitable but not selected for a position may be placed on a roster for similar positions at the same level. They can then be selected for an equivalent position without going through the entire competitive process again. A successful interview is therefore never wasted, even without an immediate offer. Young professional programmes work through competitive examinations: a written exam, then an interview, with lists of successful candidates.

Remote interviews

• Check the platform, the exact time including the time zone and the names of the participants. Plan a back-up solution (phone, mobile data connection) and give your number to the recruiter.
• In areas with poor connectivity, ask in advance whether the camera can be switched off if there is a problem: this is generally accepted.
• Keep a short note in front of you (keywords for your stories), never a text to read out: the panel will notice.
• If the question is unclear because of the connection, ask for it to be repeated rather than giving an off-target answer.

National recruitment in the field

For national positions in field bases, the test is often done on paper, on the organisation's premises, followed by an interview in the local language. For candidates, this means knowing the sector's acronyms and tools in French or English, but also being able to explain the concepts in the language of the communities. For organisations, transparency is essential: published criteria, a diverse panel, retention of scoring grids, management of local pressure on recruitment.

After the interview: references and checks

1. Thank-you: a short email within 24 hours to the HR contact, without pressing for the decision.
2. References: immediately let your referees know they will be contacted, and which competencies the panel focused on.
3. Checks: degrees, criminal record, misconduct disclosure scheme and, at the UN, declarations and a medical clearance.
4. Follow-up: if the announced timeframe has been exceeded by more than a week, a courteous follow-up is acceptable.
5. Rejection: ask for feedback, in particular the weaknesses noted on the scoring grid; some organisations provide it, especially after a test or interview. Update your tracking spreadsheet and your story bank.

9Common mistakes, difficult interview questions and references

The mistakes that cost the most points

Difficult interview questions, with the elements of a strong answer

1. "Describe a decision you made without having all the necessary information."

A strong answer describes the emergency situation, the information available and missing, the options considered, the decision criterion (often the safety of people or the continuity of life-saving assistance), the people consulted despite the time pressure, the decision taken and its follow-up. It shows that uncertainty was managed in a reasoned way, not ignored.

2. "A member of your team tells you that a colleague allegedly asked for sexual favours in exchange for being put on a distribution list. What do you do?"

The candidate cites the IASC principles: sexual exploitation and abuse constitute acts of gross misconduct; every staff member has an obligation to report. They describe the actions: listen, do not investigate yourself, report immediately through the organisation's confidential channel (PSEA focal point or investigation unit), ensure the alleged victim is referred to assistance following a survivor-centred approach, protect confidentiality and the person reporting. Any answer that considers mediation or an informal settlement is eliminatory.

3. "Tell me about a time when you disagreed with your supervisor."

The candidate shows that they expressed their disagreement with reasoned arguments and at the right time, listened to the other person's reasons, then applied the final decision (or changed it thanks to data). They distinguish between a professional disagreement and an ethical issue, for which they know the channels of recourse.

4. "How do you apply the humanitarian principles in a context where the authorities want to choose the beneficiaries?"

A strong answer recalls impartiality (assistance on the basis of need alone) and describes a negotiation approach: dialogue with the authorities, explanation of the criteria, involvement of communities in validating the lists, independent verification, coordination with other actors for a common position, and identification of the red lines beyond which the organisation suspends the activity.

5. "What is your main weakness for this position?"

The candidate cites a real gap in relation to the advertisement (for example, limited knowledge of a donor or a tool), explains what they are already doing to close it (training, support from a mentor, reading the donor's guidelines) and shows that this gap does not compromise the core of the position.

6. "Why should we choose you rather than another candidate?"

A three-point summary directly linked to the core of the position, each point supported by an achievement already mentioned, plus a distinctive element (language, context, rare skill). No comparison with other candidates.

Key references

• United Nations Values and Behaviours Framework and competency-based interview guides published by the agencies.
• Core Humanitarian Competency Framework: CHS Alliance.
• The Sphere Handbook (2018): key indicators, particularly in WASH, shelter and food security (useful for written tests).
• Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS).
• Six core principles relating to sexual exploitation and abuse and the protocol on the provision of assistance to victims: IASC.
• Humanitarian principles: United Nations General Assembly resolution 46/182 (1991) and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
• Minimum Standard for Market Analysis (MISMA) and CALP Network resources (for cash transfer positions).