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Administrative Officer Specialist 2026 · Vacancy 9005
Your AO assessment.
A clear next step.
Start with six-point judgement practice. Rate five actions independently, then try a 10-scenario, 50-minute AO mock with saved answers and worked feedback. Numerical and verbal practice are included.
Try free AO practiceNo account or card. Original AO demonstrations with worked explanations.
550 items across the AO catalogue: 270 rating and reasoning items, plus 280 items in secondary sample-format papers. The mock format and timer are PSP practice settings; your invitation confirms the official assessment.
Four specialist streams
- Energy, Environment & Climate
- Finance Policy
- Health Policy Analyst
- Human Resources
Make your next session useful
First the instructions.
Then the practice.
Try the AO questions and explanations
Rate each of five actions from 1 to 6. You can use the same rating more than once. Review the explanation for each action, then practise reading evidence and interpreting numerical data.
AO six-point judgement sample →AO verbal sample →AO numerical sample →
The vacancy 9005 booklet identifies an online assessment but does not specify these test formats. Follow your invitation and familiarisation material for the actual subjects, timing and response method.
Review one mistake before doing more
Read the explanation, identify what you missed and write down the method you will use next time. Finish with a short checklist for your assessment day.
After Stage 1
Keep your specialist evidence ready.
The next provisional stage combines a capability-based interview and an exercise. Keep examples of your own research, analysis, decisions and specialist contribution. Use the AO framework in your booklet to organise them.
Already a member? Open your experience workspace or your interview tools. Use the access you already have.
Your preparation plan
Your AO practice.
€39 a month or €89 for 90 days.
Try the AO demonstrations free. Premium adds the full bank, worked feedback, saved practice and interview tools.
Build your method with focused practice, then tackle multi-step calculations, competing priorities and evidence-based decisions. Worked explanations help you understand mistakes before your next timed session.
Full Premium access
Premium
€39 / month
Full access to the existing practice banks and worked explanations, your evidence workspace, application tools and interview preparation.
Lead practice: 60 six-point AO judgement scenarios. Choose coached practice or a 10-scenario, 50-minute mock. Each scenario has five actions to rate independently, with repeated ratings allowed. Six numbered SJT papers are in the catalogue; prior practice affects fresh availability. Saved mocks retain their answers and original clock, with feedback after you finish.
270 rating and reasoning items: those 60 scenarios, 90 verbal questions and 120 numerical questions. The 300 action ratings belong to the 60 scenarios and are not extra items.
280 secondary practice items: three numerical papers of 36 questions, two verbal papers of 59 statements and three single-choice job-simulation papers of 18 scenarios. These eight papers use a 30-minute practice timer or an untimed option and remain available for alternative-format practice.
Together: 550 original items, not 550 items in eight papers. The secondary papers follow the publicly linked AO self-assessment, which does not establish the vacancy 9005 assessment format. Each secondary paper starts once and resumes its saved answers and settings. All PSP timers, scores and difficulty labels are independent learning aids.
Choose Premium · €39/monthRenews monthly until cancelled. Manage cancellation in billing. Read the refund policy.
90-Day Competition Pass
€89 once
The same full Premium access for 90 days, covering Stage 1 practice and Stage 2 interview preparation. One payment, no renewal.
Choose the 90-day pass · €89Open the 10-scenario, 50-minute AO mock →
Already a Premium member?
AO practice is included in your current Premium access. Choose AO rating and reasoning practice, open secondary sample-format papers or continue interview preparation.
Make each session count
Your AO preparation guides.
Work through an example, try it yourself, then use the feedback to plan your next session.
Plan your AO test preparation
A practical study plan, an error log and an assessment-day checklist.
Work through AO numerical examples
Percentage change, weighted averages and constrained decisions, explained step by step.
Sharpen your reading and judgement
Separate evidence from assumptions and assess the consequences of each action.
Know where the information comes from.
Checked 2 November 2026 against the official vacancy 9005 listing and Candidate Information Booklet. Applications closed on 13 October. This is a preparation resource for existing applicants.
PublicServicePathway is independent and is not affiliated with publicjobs or the Public Appointments Service. PSP practice questions are original, AI-authored and reviewed, not official or recalled exam questions. Practice scores and difficulty labels are learning aids, not official scores or pass predictions.
Read the wider AO career guide →