10 Common Assistant Psychologist Interview Questions (And How to Answer Them)
If you’re preparing for an assistant psychologist interview, you’re probably feeling a mix of excitement and nerves.
I worked in two AP roles before training, and now I coach dozens of aspiring psychologists through the application process. The one thing I hear consistently is that interview prep feels overwhelming because you don’t know what to expect or how to structure your answers effectively.
The good news is that AP interviews tend to follow predictable patterns. While the specific questions vary between services, the themes remain consistent: clinical thinking, professional development, risk management, and reflection.
In this post, I’m sharing 10 of the most common AP interview questions I see, along with practical frameworks to help you prepare strong answers. For each question, I suggest either the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or a 3-point structure. As a rule of thumb, if you have a concrete example from your experience that fits the question well, use STAR. If you're explaining a concept or approach more generally, the 3-point structure works better.
Question 1: Tell us about your relevant experience
Why they’re asking this: This is often the opening question - they want to hear how you present yourself, what you prioritize, and whether you can articulate your experience clearly and confidently. Crucially, they’re assessing whether you meet the person specification.
Framework to use: 3-point structure
How to structure your answer:
Overview: Brief summary of your background - degree, key roles/settings you’ve worked in (2-3 sentences max - think of this as your professional headline)
Depth: Choose 2-3 most relevant experiences that directly address the essential criteria in the person specification - if they want experience with specific populations, therapeutic approaches, or settings, mention those explicitly. Explain what you actually did and learned
Development: What have these experiences taught you about yourself as a practitioner? What are you hoping to develop further in this role? (Again, link back to desirable criteria if you can)
Common mistakes to avoid:
Just listing your CV chronologically - boring and doesn’t show judgment about what’s relevant
Not reading the person specification before the interview - you need to know what they’re looking for and address it directly
Being too modest or too boastful - just be factual about your contributions
Not tailoring to the specific role - generic experience overview doesn’t show you understand what they need
Going on too long - aim for 2-3 minutes maximum, they can ask follow-ups if they want more detail
Question 2: Tell us about a challenging case you worked with
Why they’re asking this: They want to see how you think through clinical complexity, manage difficulty appropriately for your level, and reflect on your practice.
Framework to use: STAR method
How to structure your answer:
Situation: Briefly describe the client and what made the case challenging (complexity of presentation, stuck progress, difficult emotions, systemic barriers - NOT just “difficult personality”)
Task: What was your role/responsibility? What were you trying to achieve?
Action: What did you actually do? Be specific about your clinical thinking - consultations you had, adaptations you made, how you used supervision
Result: What happened? Include your reflection - what did you learn? (It’s OK if it wasn’t a perfect outcome - show insight)
Common mistakes to avoid:
Choosing a case that was too complex for your level (makes you look unaware of scope of practice)
Focusing on how difficult the client was rather than the clinical challenge
Not showing you used supervision - they need to see you know when to ask for help
Forgetting to reflect - just describing what happened without showing what you learned
Question 3: What would you do if a client disclosed suicidal thoughts?
Why they’re asking this: They need to know you can manage risk appropriately, follow procedures, and won’t panic or minimise serious disclosures.
Framework to use: 3-point structure
How to structure your answer:
Assess: Explain how you’d explore the disclosure - ask about intent, plan, means, protective factors, previous attempts. Use a structured approach (e.g., risk assessment framework your service uses)
Act: Describe the steps you’d take based on risk level - immediate supervisor consultation, safety planning, involving crisis services if needed, following organizational protocol
Support: How you’d maintain therapeutic relationship while managing risk - validating their feelings, collaborative safety planning, clear follow-up plans
Common mistakes to avoid:
Jumping straight to “call crisis team” without showing clinical thinking
Not mentioning supervision/consultation - you shouldn’t be making these decisions alone at AP level
Forgetting ongoing support - it’s not just crisis management, it’s therapeutic too
Being vague about what risk assessment actually involves
Question 4: What is your understanding of supervision?
Why they’re asking this: They want to know you’ll use supervision effectively, understand its purpose, and are coachable.
Framework to use: 3-point structure
How to structure your answer:
Purpose: Supervision ensures safe, ethical, effective practice. It’s for your development, client safety, and reflective practice - not just case management
Process: Describe what good supervision looks like - regular protected time, collaborative agenda-setting, space for both case discussion and your professional development, feedback in both directions
Practice: Give an example of how you’ve used supervision well - bringing dilemmas not just updates, being open to feedback, implementing suggestions, tracking your development goals
Common mistakes to avoid:
Making it sound one-directional (supervisor tells you what to do)
Only focusing on “difficult cases” - supervision is for all your work
Not showing you’re reflective or receptive to feedback
Forgetting the developmental aspect - it’s not just about checking your work
Question 5: What is your understanding of outcome measures and why are they important?
Why they’re asking this: They want to see you understand evidence-based practice, can work with data, and think about effectiveness beyond gut feeling.
Framework to use: 3-point structure
How to structure your answer:
What: Outcome measures track client progress systematically (e.g., PHQ-9, GAD-7, CORE-OM, session-by-session measures). They provide standardized, comparable data
Why: They inform clinical decisions (is this intervention working?), ensure accountability, demonstrate effectiveness to commissioners, empower clients to see their own progress, flag deterioration early
How: Describe how you’ve used them - introducing them collaboratively with clients, reviewing scores together, adjusting treatment based on results, not just collecting data mechanically
Common mistakes to avoid:
Only talking about them as bureaucratic requirement
Not mentioning specific measures you’ve used
Forgetting the client perspective - they’re not just for services, they help clients track their own progress
Ignoring limitations - measures don’t capture everything, clinical judgment still matters
Question 6: Tell us about how you’ve utilised formulation in your work
Why they’re asking this: Formulation is core to psychological practice - they need to see you understand it as a collaborative, evolving process, not just a theoretical exercise.
Framework to use: STAR method
How to structure your answer:
Situation: Describe a specific client (brief context of their difficulties)
Task: What were you trying to understand through formulation? What questions were you holding?
Action: Explain your formulation process - model used (e.g., CBT 5Ps, systemic, psychodynamic), how you developed it collaboratively with the client, how it evolved through therapy, how it guided intervention
Result: What difference did the formulation make? How did it help the client understand themselves differently or guide treatment decisions? Did it shift through therapy?
Common mistakes to avoid:
Making it sound like a static diagram you completed in session 1
Focusing on theoretical accuracy rather than clinical utility - “was it helpful?” matters more than “was it perfect?”
Not mentioning the collaborative element - formulation is done with clients, not to them
Choosing an overly complex formulation that sounds like you’re showing off rather than demonstrating practical application
Question 7: Why do you want to work for this service/in this setting?
Why they’re asking this: They want to know you’ve researched them, understand what they do, and have genuine motivation beyond “I need any AP job.”
Framework to use: 3-point structure
How to structure your answer:
Service: Show you understand what they specifically do - their model, client group, approach. Reference something specific from their website/CQC report/recent initiatives
Skills: Connect your experience/interests to their work - “I’ve really valued my experience with [similar population/approach] and want to deepen that”
Step: How does this role fit your professional development? Be honest but strategic - it’s OK to want training/experience, just connect it to serving their clients well
Common mistakes to avoid:
Generic answers that could apply to any service
Making it all about what you’ll get (training, experience) without mentioning what you’ll contribute
Not having researched them at all
Question 8: Tell us about a time you received difficult feedback and how you responded
Why they’re asking this: They need to know you’re reflective, non-defensive, and can grow from feedback - crucial for supervision and professional development.
Framework to use: STAR method
How to structure your answer:
Situation: Briefly describe the context and feedback you received (be honest - show vulnerability)
Task: What did you need to do with that feedback?
Action: How did you respond in the moment (managing emotion, asking for clarification) and afterward (reflection, specific changes you made, following up with supervisor)
Result: What changed in your practice? What did you learn about yourself? How do you think about feedback differently now?
Common mistakes to avoid:
Choosing feedback that wasn’t actually difficult (“you’re great but could be even better!”)
Being defensive or blame-shifting (“they didn’t explain it well”)
Not showing concrete change - reflection without action isn’t enough
Making it sound like you’re perfect now - ongoing development is the point
Question 9: How would you manage professional boundaries with a client?
Why they’re asking this: Boundaries are essential for safe, ethical practice. They want to see you understand both the principles and the practical challenges.
Framework to use: 3-point structure
How to structure your answer:
Principles: Explain why boundaries matter - client safety, therapeutic relationship, ethical practice. They’re not rigid rules but frameworks that protect both parties
Practice: Give examples of boundaries you maintain - time, self-disclosure, dual relationships, gift-giving, social media, contact between sessions. Explain your thinking
Problems: Acknowledge boundary challenges (client requests, small communities, unclear situations) and how you’d handle them - supervision, organisational policy, transparent discussion with client when appropriate
Common mistakes to avoid:
Being too rigid (“I never disclose anything”) or too loose (“I adapt to each client”)
Not mentioning supervision for boundary dilemmas
Forgetting that boundaries are therapeutic, not just protective
Not giving concrete examples from your actual practice
Question 10: What’s your understanding of evidence-based practice?
Why they’re asking this: They want to know you value research, can integrate evidence with clinical judgment, and think critically about what “evidence” means.
Framework to use: 3-point structure
How to structure your answer:
Evidence: EBP combines best research evidence, clinical expertise, and client values/context. It’s not just “use NICE guidelines”, it’s also thoughtful integration
Integration: Describe how you stay current with evidence (reading, training, supervision), but also how you adapt interventions to individual clients and contexts
Implementation: Give an example of using evidence to inform your work - choosing an intervention, explaining rationale to a client, adapting when something wasn’t working
Common mistakes to avoid:
Making it sound like rigid protocol following
Ignoring client preferences and context
Not mentioning any actual evidence or guidelines you’ve used
Forgetting your clinical judgment matters too - evidence informs, it doesn’t dictate
Final Thoughts
As you prepare, practice structuring your answers using these frameworks, but make sure the content is authentically yours. Interviewers want to see how you think, what you’ve learned, and why you’re the right fit for their service.
Need more support with your AP interview prep? I offer one-to-one interview coaching sessions where we’ll practice these questions together, refine your answers, and build your confidence. You can also check out my comprehensive Interview Prep Guide for more detailed strategies and example answers.
Good luck!
