Coaching for civil service and local authority competitions, competency interviews, and public speaking. One-to-one with Sarah Keane, former civil servant.
Most of the people Sarah coaches are preparing for one of three things: a competency-based interview, a senior civil service competition, or a talk or presentation that matters. The coaching is one-to-one, with written feedback, real mock interviews, and the level of preparation you'd want from someone who has come through these competitions herself and knows what the marking scheme rewards.
She has prepared candidates for Assistant Principal, Principal Officer, Third Secretary, Higher Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, and Director-level competitions, along with local authority, HSE, semi-state, university, and regulator roles. She has also coached executives, academics, and non-native English speakers through keynotes, board presentations, and high-stakes media moments.
Four areas of coaching
- Interview readiness, preparation for competency-based and panel interviews. Mock interviews, written feedback, structured example bank.
- Civil service applications, application form reviews, online test preparation, and interview coaching for Irish civil service competitions.
- Local authority competitions, application and interview coaching for county and city council competitions, mapped to the local authority competency model.
- Public speaking and communication, voice, structure, and presence coaching for keynotes, board presentations, and conversations that decide things.
Free checklists and a career values audit are on the Resources page, to use on your own. There is no sign-up.
What clients say
Sarah was an invaluable sounding board and interview coach for my senior civil service leadership competition. Her mix of experience in the civil service and the private sector was of great benefit, helping me make sure my interview style was incisive, pitched at the right level, and jargon free. I've worked with three different coaches over recent years and Sarah was by far the most helpful.
Sarah's guidance was invaluable throughout the Third Secretary recruitment process. She provided incredibly helpful feedback, helping me to hone my private sector experience into meaningful examples for my application form. Completing multiple competency-based mock interviews with Sarah allowed me to feel confident and prepared when the time came for the real thing.
Sarah has been immensely helpful to me, not only for career progression but also for boosting my confidence and helping me translate my experiences into meaningful interview examples. Her feedback is clear and kind, and she uniquely recognises the importance of bringing personal authenticity into your career.
Sarah took the time to identify my strengths and areas for improvement, and provided tailored exercises to enhance my communication skills. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a dedicated coach.
How sessions work
Sessions are run remotely by default, in person in Dublin by arrangement. A typical engagement is between three and six sessions over four to six weeks, sized to the deadline you're working to. You get written feedback after every session, and an example bank or written plan that's yours to keep.
Fee is per session or per package, agreed at the first call. There are no subscriptions, no upsells, and no obligation to commit to a long block before you've had a first session.
What it costs
Each service is priced on its own, and all prices include VAT.
- Finding and building your examples, from €175 per session, with a written example bank you keep.
- Application form review, from €150, a line-by-line written review with a 1-hour session to talk the feedback through.
- Interview preparation, from €175 for 1.5 hours, including a written guidance note and tailored resources for your competition or role.
Multi-session packages are available and agreed at the first call, sized to your deadline and the stages of the competition you're at.
If you have a tight deadline or a smaller budget, say so on the first call. We'll tell you honestly whether shorter or targeted prep is the right move.
Frequently asked questions
Who do you coach?
Candidates for Irish civil service and local authority competitions at every grade, along with the HSE, semi-states, universities, and regulators. The exceptions are An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, which run their own distinct processes. Many clients come from the private sector; translating that experience into what the marking scheme rewards is a large part of the work.
Which service should I start with?
It depends where you are in the competition. Drawing a blank on the capability questions means example building; a drafted form and a deadline means form review; through to the assessment stages means interview preparation. If you're not sure, email sarah@dedico.ie and we'll point you to the right one.
Do I have to buy a package?
No. Sessions are booked one at a time. Packages exist because some people want support across the whole competition, but most clients start with a single session and decide from there.
Next step
If you've a competition or a talk coming up, the right move is a 15-minute call so we can scope what you actually need.