If you’re applying for an entry-level position in the Border Patrol,
or in the Office of Field Operations,
you’ll be asked to sit for a Structured Interview.
A Structured Interview is similar to other interviews you may have experienced –
a small panel of current CBP employees will ask you questions in a formal setting
to understand whether you have the competencies needed to do this work.
We won’t ask about the technical skills and specific procedures someone already in the job would know.
Instead, our questions are designed to understand your competencies –
personal qualities and behaviors that indicate you’re someone who would do this work well.
For Border Patrol Agent positions,
we’re looking for you to demonstrate sound judgment & decision making,
emotional maturity,
good interpersonal skills,
and cooperativeness & sensitivity to the needs of others.
For CBP Officer positions,
we’re looking for you to demonstrate the competencies we look for in Border Patrol positions –
plus teamwork,
flexibility,
and strong oral communication.
And for Agricultural Specialist positions,
we’re looking for you to demonstrate judgement & decision making,
emotional maturity,
teamwork & interpersonal skills,
and strong oral communication.
For all three positions, here’s how the Structured Interview works.
When you apply for a position, you’ll select whether you’d like to interview in person or online via video call.
If you receive a Conditional Offer, you’ll receive an email soon after asking you to schedule your interview.
If you select “in person”, your interview will take place at a CBP office, a hotel, or a conference center, depending on availability.
Either way, your interview will last around an hour, but we recommend you allow three to four, in case there are delays.
Depending on the position you apply for, you’ll be interviewed by two or three current CBP employees.
Our interviewers have been trained to provide a fair, consistent assessment,
and the interview questions have been designed to measure the competencies we’re looking for.
The questions pose hypothetical scenarios that someone in the job you’ve applied for might face…
and ask you to describe how you would respond.
Remember – we’re looking for you to show us the competencies that will make you good at this job –
not that you already have specific technical skills or an understanding of the job’s duties and procedures.
After your Structured Interview, the panel will score your responses against the competencies we’re looking for,
and you’ll receive an email from the Hiring Center letting you know whether you passed.
If we find that you didn’t meet our requirements – don’t worry. You can reapply in six months.
Most applicants will also need to complete a Pre-Screening Interview, which will happen separately from your Structured Interview.
You’ll also select whether you want to complete your PSI online or in person after you receive your conditional offer.
The Pre-Screening Interview is a series of 10 brief “yes or no” questions that’ll help determine whether you’d face difficulty passing a background investigation.
The questions ask about any use of illegal substances, past criminal activity, misconduct in past jobs, and violations of immigration law.
Be honest in your answers to the Pre-Screening Interview.
Any attempt to deceive or withhold information will negatively impact your application and your ability to seek employment with CBP and other Federal agencies in the future.
So, how can you prepare for your Structured Interview?
Just get a good night's sleep,
make sure to arrive or sign in on time,
budget 4 hours in case things run long,
ensure you’re dressed professionally,
and bring a valid ID.
You may also want to think about times you’ve demonstrated the competencies we’re looking for in past jobs or during your education.
Recalling times you’ve successfully used those skills may help you apply them to the hypothetical scenarios we’ll present in your interview.
For more information about the Structured Interview and the Pre-Screening Interview, visit our website
at cbp.gov/agspecialist-application-process,
cbp.gov/cbpo-interview,
or cbp.gov/bpa-interview
If you haven’t already, join our Talent Network to learn more about positions at CBP,
or head to cbp.gov/careers/apply-now to start your application.
CBP.gov/Careers/Apply-Now CBPApplicantContactCenter@CBP.DHS.gov (855) 500-3722