In addition to the sharing session conducted by Mr Raymond Wong in October 2018, contributed by MPUP students and alumni, we would like to share some sample questions of AO/EO interview below. They are not meant to serve for any formal training purpose. The best preparation for a career in the civil service is an integration of theory and practice to combine knowledge and experience, which is exactly what MPUP is about. But they should serve as a vehicle for enhancing the understanding of the format and nature of the interview process. You are still encouraged to visit the website of the Civil Service Bureau of the HKSAR Government for latest updates on recruitment and selection, if any.

Executive Officer (EO) Interview

The interview will be conducted in both English and Cantonese for 20 to 30 minutes. In general, there are three types of questions, including (A) Questions on your experience and duties of an EO, (B) Situational Questions and (C) News and Current Affairs.

(A) Questions on your experience and duties of an EO

Purpose: to assess candidates’ understanding of the duties of an EO and their suitability

Sample Questions

1. What are the duties or functions of an EO?

2. Why do you choose a government job instead of working in the commercial sector?

3. Have you ever taken any leadership roles in the University? Mention one occasion in which you motivate your

teammates to achieve a goal.

4. How many subordinates do you have? How do your subordinates perform and how do you work with them?

5. Have you also applied for AO? Which position appeals more to you? Why?

6. If we don’t offer you an EO position, what are you going to do?

7. What makes one a competent EO?

(B) Situational Questions

Purpose: to assess candidates’ skills and ability in fulfilling the main job functions of an EO, including administrative support, human resources management, staff supervision, etc.

Sample Questions

1. Suppose you are assigned to plan for a fire drill for the whole department. What steps will you take?

2. The clerical officers under your supervision are almost all older and more experienced than you in the department. How are you going to lead them?

3. A clerical officer I, who is going to retire in 2 years and has already reached the top salary level, has been demonstrating deteriorating performance lately. As a direct supervisor, what are you going to do?

4. Suppose you are the supervisor of ten foremen. What will you do if all of them apply leave together?

5. If your boss ask you to work overtime on a day which clashes with a very important family gathering of yours, what

will you do?

6. Assuming your serving department receives public demand to extend business hours as the department accepts application form but people can come only before or after normal office hour from 9am – 5pm. How would you assess the feasibility of responding to this public demand? If you are to extend the office hour, how would you plan and execute?

7. If you were informed by the security guard of the building that the office was flooded before the office hour, what will you do? Also, would you inform your boss of that, given that was only 4 or 5 am in the early morning?

(C) News and Current Affairs

Purpose: to see if candidates keep themselves abreast of current affairs and examine their ability in analyzing how the operation of HKSAR Government and the EO job functions could be affected by current affairs

Please read the news and good commentaries of current affairs regularly and critically.

Administrative Officer (AO) Final Interview

The Final Interview consists of (I) a three-hour group discussion and (II) a twenty-minute individual interview.

(I) Group Discussion

Candidates will be divided into groups of six members. Each group will be assigned three discussion projects with two tasks each. Each candidate will take turn to chair the group or play a designated role to work on one task. The language for discussion (i.e., English or Chinese) will be explicitly indicated.

Chairperson would be expected to gather and sum up opinions from members and make policy recommendations. Other roles such as representatives of bureaus would be expected to discuss from respective perspectives while general members would work with chairperson and contribute.

Sample Questions

Project Theme: Transport

Task 1:
The budget airlines in Hong Kong are taking up around 20% of market share. It is proposed to build a new terminal to facilitate their expansion. Should the Government support the proposal?

Task 2:
One of the ferry routes running between Hung Hom and North Point is owned by a private company, which would like to cancel the service. They would continue the service only if the government provides subsidy. Should the Government support with subsidy or cancel the service?

Project Theme: Natural Environment

Task 1:

It is proposed to pass a tree law in Hong Kong to protect the large diversity of trees. Should the Government pass the law?

Task 2:

Some of the firemen sacrificed their lives when fighting a hill fire. It is proposed to set a firebreak on hills every 50m in order to reduce the risk of large scale fire. Should the Government set a firebreak on hills?

Project Theme:Gender Issue

Task 1:

It is proposed to introduce women-only compartments on train (MTR). Should the Government support it?

Task 2:

There are different laws on anti-discrimination. Also, there is a women’s association but none for men. But men are also being discriminated in different aspects like work and study by the dominated values in the patriarchic society. It is proposed to set up a men’s association to voice for men. Should the Government support it?

(II) Individual Interview

Questions like viewpoints on current affairs in Hong Kong or the world, self-evaluation of performance in the group discussion (the morning session), etc. could be asked.