The RCMP interview process includes two important interview stages: the Attribute Evaluation (AE) Interview and the Suitability Interview. Each serves a different purpose in assessing whether an applicant has the competencies, judgement, integrity and overall suitability expected of an RCMP police officer.
The Attribute Evaluation Interview uses behavioural questions to assess five competencies: Problem Solving, Teamwork, Communication, Self-Control and Composure, and Courage of Convictions. Applicants who progress through the recruiting process later complete the RCMP Suitability Interview, where a recruiter reviews their suitability and information provided through the Regular Member Applicant Questionnaire (RMAQ).
In this guide, we explain the current RCMP interview process, the types of RCMP interview questions applicants may encounter, what is being assessed at each stage, and practical ways to prepare for both the Attribute Evaluation Interview and RCMP Suitability Interview.
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What Is the Regular Member Applicant Questionnaire (RMAQ)?
The Regular Member Applicant Questionnaire (RMAQ) is an important part of the RCMP recruiting process. It provides the RCMP with detailed information about an applicant’s background, experiences, conduct, decision-making and overall suitability for a career in policing.
Applicants are expected to provide complete and accurate information about areas of their personal history that may be relevant to their suitability as an RCMP police officer.
The purpose of the RMAQ is not to find applicants with a perfect history. Rather, the RCMP considers factors such as honesty, integrity, accountability, judgement and what an applicant has learned from past experiences.
Information disclosed in the RMAQ may then be discussed in greater detail during the RCMP Suitability Interview, where a recruiter can ask follow-up questions and assess the applicant’s overall suitability.
For this reason, applicants should approach the RMAQ with honesty, accuracy and attention to detail.
What Types of Questions Are Asked in the RCMP Suitability Interview?
The RCMP Suitability Interview includes a combination of questions designed to help the RCMP determine whether an applicant demonstrates the qualities, core values and traits expected of a police officer.
Applicants can expect behavioural-style questions that explore their existing knowledge, skills and abilities. These questions may ask applicants to describe past situations, the actions they took, the decisions they made and the results of those actions.
The interview also includes a detailed review of the Regular Member Applicant Questionnaire (RMAQ). The recruiter may ask follow-up questions about information disclosed in the questionnaire to better understand an applicant’s past actions and behaviours and whether they could affect their suitability for policing.
Honesty is a major focus. The RCMP states that past actions may be considered in terms of factors such as their severity, recency and repetitive nature, and applicants are expected to provide complete and truthful information throughout the process
Tips for Completing the RMAQ
Be Completely Honest.
Honesty is a major focus of the RMAQ and the broader RCMP suitability process. Applicants should provide complete, accurate and truthful information, including when discussing past mistakes, poor decisions or conduct they may regret.
Avoid concealing information, minimizing past behaviour or attempting to shift responsibility. The RCMP is not simply looking at whether an applicant has made mistakes; recruiters may also consider the circumstances, seriousness, recency, frequency and what the applicant has learned from the experience.
Take Your Time
The RMAQ is not a race. Read each question carefully and make sure your responses are complete, accurate and truthful before submitting.
Be Consistent
Information provided in the RMAQ should be consistent with information supplied elsewhere in your application and during later interviews and background checks.
Accept Responsibility
When discussing mistakes or poor decisions, explain what happened, what you learned and how you have taken responsibility for your actions.
Provide Clear Explanations
Where additional context is required, provide enough detail to help the recruiter understand the circumstances surrounding the event, behaviour or decision.
Review Before Submission
Carefully review your answers for accuracy, completeness and consistency before finalizing the questionnaire.
Common RMAQ Mistakes
Attempting to Hide Information
Applicants may worry that disclosing past mistakes will automatically disqualify them. However, withholding, minimizing or misrepresenting information can itself raise serious concerns about honesty and integrity during the suitability assessment.
Providing Incomplete Answers
Avoid vague or incomplete responses. Provide enough information for the recruiter to understand what occurred and the circumstances surrounding it.
Minimizing Personal Responsibility
Avoid blaming others, making excuses or downplaying your own role in an event. Where you made a poor decision, explain what you learned, what changed and how you took responsibility afterward.
Rushing Through the Questionnaire
The RMAQ requires careful thought and attention to detail. Rushing can lead to incomplete answers, errors or inconsistencies that may need to be clarified later in the recruiting process.
Be Prepared for Follow-Up Questions
Information provided in the RMAQ may be explored further during the RCMP Suitability Interview. A recruiter may ask follow-up questions to better understand the circumstances surrounding past actions, behaviours or decisions disclosed by the applicant.
Applicants should be prepared to explain what happened, their role in the situation, what they learned and whether their behaviour has changed since the event.
The RCMP may consider factors such as the seriousness, recency and frequency of past conduct when assessing suitability. Complete and honest disclosure remains important throughout the process.
Focus on Accountability and Growth
Past mistakes or poor decisions do not automatically tell the whole story about an applicant’s suitability. What matters is providing complete and accurate information and demonstrating accountability, sound judgement, maturity, and personal growth where relevant.
Applicants should be prepared to explain what happened, what they learned, what changed afterward and how they would approach a similar situation today.
What Is the RCMP Attribute Evaluation (AE) Interview?
The RCMP Attribute Evaluation (AE) Interview is a behavioural interview designed to assess the personal qualities and competencies considered important for success as an RCMP police officer.
The interview uses behavioural questions, which ask applicants to provide specific examples of how they have handled situations in the past. The questions are deliberately broad so applicants from different backgrounds can draw on relevant experiences from work, school, volunteering, sports or other areas of their lives.
The AE Interview currently assesses five competencies:
Problem Solving • Teamwork • Communication • Self-Control and Composure • Courage of Convictions
Applicants should be prepared to explain the situation, what they were responsible for, the actions they personally took and the result.
The RCMP specifically recommends using the STAR technique — Situation, Task, Action and Result — to structure behavioural responses.
RCMP Attribute Evaluation (AE) Interview Practice Questions
The examples below are representative behavioural practice questions created by anEDGE to help applicants prepare for the types of competencies assessed during the RCMP Attribute Evaluation (AE) Interview. They are not official, confidential, recalled or actual RCMP interview questions.
The current AE Interview assesses five competencies: Problem Solving, Teamwork, Communication, Self-Control and Composure, and Courage of Convictions.
Representative practice questions may include:
Problem Solving
- Tell us about a time you faced a difficult problem and had to determine the best course of action.
- Describe a situation where you had limited information but still needed to make a sound decision.
Teamwork
- Describe a time you worked with others to achieve a difficult goal.
- Tell us about a conflict within a team and what you did to help resolve it.
Communication
- Tell us about a time you had to explain difficult or sensitive information to another person.
- Describe a situation where you had to adjust your communication style to be understood.
Self-Control and Composure
- Tell us about a time you remained calm while dealing with a stressful or emotionally charged situation.
- Describe a situation where someone challenged or provoked you and how you responded.
Courage of Convictions
- Tell us about a time you spoke up when you believed something was wrong.
- Describe a situation where you maintained your position despite pressure from others.
Applicants can use the STAR method — Situation, Task, Action and Result — to organize their practice responses, while making sure the focus remains on their own actions, decisions and results.
How to Prepare for the RCMP Attribute Evaluation (AE) Interview
Effective preparation for the RCMP Attribute Evaluation (AE) Interview involves identifying strong behavioural examples that demonstrate the five competencies currently assessed.
Preparation strategies include:
- Identifying multiple examples for each competency, rather than relying on one story.
- Practising the STAR method — Situation, Task, Action and Result.
- Focusing on your individual actions and decisions, even when describing a team situation.
- Reviewing experiences from work, school, volunteering, sports, community involvement and other areas of your life.
- Preparing examples involving challenges, difficult decisions, conflict and situations that did not go as planned.
- Practising answers aloud so your responses are clear and natural rather than memorized.
- Being prepared for follow-up questions about your actions, reasoning and results.
Strong preparation should help you discuss your experiences honestly, clearly and in sufficient detail, while showing the interviewer exactly what you did and what you learned from the experience.
Common AE Interview Mistakes
Applicants can struggle during the RCMP Attribute Evaluation (AE) Interview when their examples lack sufficient detail or do not clearly explain their own actions, decisions and reasoning.
Common mistakes include:
- Providing hypothetical answers instead of specific examples from past experience.
- Giving examples with insufficient detail.
- Failing to explain personal actions and decisions.
- Speaking mainly about what the team did rather than clearly explaining their individual contribution.
- Avoiding responsibility for mistakes or poor decisions.
- Using examples that do not clearly demonstrate the competency being assessed.
- Sounding overly rehearsed or scripted.
- Failing to answer the specific question being asked.
Strong responses use authentic examples, clearly explain the applicant’s individual contribution and show enough detail for the interviewer to understand the situation, actions, reasoning and outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions About the RCMP Suitability Interview
What is the RCMP Suitability Interview?
The RCMP Suitability Interview is a later stage of the recruiting process used to assess whether an applicant demonstrates the qualities, core values and traits required of an RCMP police officer. It includes behavioural questions and a detailed review of the Regular Member Applicant Questionnaire (RMAQ).
Is the Attribute Evaluation Interview the same as the RCMP Suitability Interview?
No. The Attribute Evaluation (AE) Interview occurs earlier in the RCMP application process. Applicants who progress later complete the RCMP Suitability Interview, which includes behavioural questions and a detailed review of the RMAQ.
What competencies are assessed during the RCMP Attribute Evaluation Interview?
The current AE Interview assesses five competencies:
- Problem Solving
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Self-Control and Composure
- Courage of Convictions
These competencies are considered important for successful performance as an RCMP constable.
Are RCMP Attribute Evaluation Interview questions behavioural?
Yes. The AE Interview uses behavioural questions that ask applicants to provide specific examples of how they handled situations in the past. Applicants should focus on their own actions, decisions and results rather than answering only in general terms.
Should I use the STAR method during the RCMP interview?
Yes. The RCMP specifically recommends the STAR technique — Situation, Task, Action and Result — for answering behavioural questions during the Attribute Evaluation Interview. It provides a clear structure for explaining what happened, what you were responsible for, what you did and the outcome.
What happens during the RMAQ portion of the Suitability Interview?
The recruiter conducts a detailed review of the Regular Member Applicant Questionnaire and may ask follow-up questions about past actions or behaviours that could affect an applicant’s suitability for policing. Honesty is a major focus, and applicants are expected to provide complete and truthful information.
What happens after the RCMP Suitability Interview?
Applicants who continue through the process may proceed to psychological and medical suitability assessments followed by a field investigation and security assessment. Information provided during the recruiting process may also be checked for consistency and accuracy through employers, references and other background investigations.
Preparing for the RCMP Interview
If you are preparing for different stages of the RCMP recruiting process, these resources may also help:
Ready to Prepare for Your RCMP Interview?
Understanding the process is an important first step. Personalized coaching can help you turn that knowledge into clear, authentic and well-structured responses.
anEDGE’s one-on-one RCMP interview coaching can help you:
- Select and structure strong examples for the five AE Interview competencies
- Practise behavioural responses using the STAR method
- Prepare to discuss your RMAQ honestly, clearly and with accountability
- Practise through a realistic mock interview
- Receive direct, personalized feedback before your interview
anEDGE provides live, one-on-one RCMP interview coaching with former RCMP members and experienced law-enforcement recruiters. Each session is tailored to your experience, stage in the recruiting process and individual preparation needs.