National Audit Office Interview Questions

The National Audit Office (NAO) is a government organisation that audits the financial statements of all government departments and agencies, and many other public bodies.

The National Audit Office interview and application process are as follows:

• Online application (With a requirement to take an online numerical test right after you submit the standard online application)
• First interview
• Assessment centre (called Group Selection)

If you are invited to attend an interview or assessment centre, reasonable travel expenses and overnight expenses – if required – will be reimbursed.

The interviews and assessments are held in London, so if you know that you’ll require overnight accommodation, the NAO suggests that you check with them first to make certain that your expenses will be covered.

They also request that you inform them in writing in advance if you need to arrange special accommodations to attend an interview or sit any tests. The NAO will make reasonable effort to ensure that the interviews and tests are accessible to all qualified applicants.

Online Application

Part of the National Audit Office online application is a series of questions regarding your previous experience. Your responses to these questions will play a large part in determining if you will be invited for an interview and assessment centre.

You will be asked to provide examples of experience that you have had to show that you have the skills and competencies that the NAO is looking for. Your application will be seen more favourably if you are able to give a wide range of experiences rather than drawing all of your examples from one single period of work experience.

When you’re presenting examples in your NAO audit recruitment application, you should use clear, understandable language rather than technical jargon. Explain your examples concisely and simply. The first level of NAO application reviewers will reject any applications that they cannot clearly understand.

Once you’ve applied, you’ll hear back from the NAO, but be patient. It may take a bit of time, but the Office says that they do eventually respond to everyone who applies. If you are not invited for an Interview or to the assessment centre, you are welcome to re-apply during the next recruitment campaign.

First Interview

The National Audit Office first interview is fairly straightforward. This consists of:

• Telephone Interview

Those who successfully complete the on-line application form and numerical reasoning test and have met our initial criteria will be invited to a Stage 2 assessment which involves a 30-45 minute telephone interview and an opportunity to ask questions about the scheme.

Candidates should expect competency-based questions involving key competencies such as motivation, persuasion and communication.

Assessment Centre

The National Audit Office refer to their assessment centre as Group Selection.

This consists of:

• Individual case study
• Group exercise
• Company presentation
• Lunch + meet current graduate trainees
• Presentation (pre-prepared)
• Interview (with company director or senior manager)

Candidates will usually be offered a graduate job within seven days of group selection.

Immediately unsuccessful candidates may be put on the organisation's reserve list, which means they may still be offered a position if the National Audit Office does not find any more suitable candidates.