Essential Work Samples for Hiring an AI Policy Advisor: Practical Exercises to Evaluate Policy Expertise

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, AI Policy Advisors serve as critical navigators at the intersection of innovation, ethics, and regulation. These professionals must possess a unique blend of technical understanding, policy expertise, and communication skills to guide organizations through complex regulatory environments while ensuring ethical AI deployment.

Traditional interviews often fail to reveal a candidate's true capabilities in analyzing policy implications, crafting frameworks, and communicating complex concepts to diverse stakeholders. Work samples provide a window into how candidates approach real-world challenges they'll face in the role, demonstrating their analytical thinking, ethical judgment, and ability to translate complex regulations into actionable guidance.

For organizations developing or implementing AI technologies, hiring the right policy advisor can mean the difference between regulatory compliance and costly missteps, between ethical implementation and reputational damage. The stakes are particularly high as AI regulation continues to evolve globally, with frameworks like the EU AI Act, GDPR, and emerging US regulations creating a complex compliance landscape.

The following work samples are designed to evaluate candidates' abilities to research, analyze, communicate, and develop practical policy solutions—core competencies for any effective AI Policy Advisor. By incorporating these exercises into your hiring process, you'll gain deeper insights into candidates' capabilities than traditional interviews alone can provide, helping you identify individuals who can truly navigate the challenges of responsible AI governance.

Activity #1: Regulatory Impact Analysis

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to analyze emerging regulations, identify implications for business operations, and develop practical compliance recommendations. Policy advisors must regularly translate complex regulatory language into actionable guidance for technical and business teams.

Directions for the Company:

• Select a recent or proposed AI regulation (e.g., a section of the EU AI Act, state-level AI legislation, or industry-specific guidelines).
• Provide the candidate with the regulatory text and a brief description of a fictional AI product or system your company is developing.
• Allow candidates 48 hours to prepare their analysis.
• Schedule a 30-minute session for the candidate to present their findings and recommendations, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A.
• Prepare questions that probe the candidate's understanding of implementation challenges, potential conflicts with other regulations, and how they would prioritize compliance efforts.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided regulation and product description.
• Prepare a 3-5 page analysis that includes:

1. A summary of key regulatory requirements relevant to the product
2. Potential compliance challenges or areas requiring interpretation
3. Specific recommendations for technical and operational changes needed
4. A proposed implementation timeline with prioritized actions

• Be prepared to present your analysis in a 30-minute presentation, focusing on key findings and recommendations.
• Consider how you would explain these requirements to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, provide specific feedback on one strength of the analysis (e.g., thoroughness of regulatory interpretation) and one area for improvement (e.g., practicality of implementation recommendations).
• Ask the candidate to verbally revise one of their recommendations based on your feedback, evaluating their ability to adapt their thinking and incorporate new perspectives.
• Note how receptive the candidate is to feedback and how effectively they can adjust their approach on the spot.

Activity #2: Ethical Framework Development

This exercise assesses a candidate's ability to develop practical governance frameworks that balance innovation with ethical considerations—a core responsibility for AI Policy Advisors who must create internal policies and guidelines.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a brief case study about a new AI application your organization is considering (e.g., an automated decision system, facial recognition technology, or generative AI tool).
• Include details about the intended use case, potential benefits, and possible ethical concerns.
• Provide relevant company values or existing ethical principles if applicable.
• Allow candidates 3-4 days to prepare their framework.
• Schedule a 45-minute session for presentation and discussion.
• Prepare challenging questions about edge cases or competing priorities.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Develop an ethical assessment framework for evaluating the described AI application.
• Your framework should include:

1. Key ethical principles and considerations relevant to this technology
2. Specific questions or criteria for assessing compliance with these principles
3. A governance process for ongoing ethical review
4. Recommendations for mitigating identified ethical risks
5. Metrics for measuring ethical performance

• Create a visual representation of your framework (e.g., flowchart, matrix, or rubric)
• Prepare to explain how this framework would be implemented in practice and how it addresses potential tensions between business objectives and ethical considerations.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on the framework's comprehensiveness and practicality.
• Present a challenging ethical scenario not covered in the original case study and ask the candidate to apply their framework to this new situation.
• Evaluate how well they adapt their thinking and whether they maintain consistency in their ethical reasoning.
• Note whether they recognize limitations in their framework and how they propose addressing them.

Activity #3: Stakeholder Communication Exercise

This role play evaluates a candidate's ability to effectively communicate complex policy concepts to different audiences—a critical skill for AI Policy Advisors who must translate technical and regulatory information for various stakeholders.

Directions for the Company:

• Develop a scenario involving a new AI policy issue (e.g., new data protection requirements, algorithmic transparency mandates, or upcoming regulatory changes).
• Create profiles for three different stakeholders: a technical team lead, a C-suite executive, and an external regulator or advocacy group representative.
• Provide the candidate with the policy issue and stakeholder profiles 24 hours in advance.
• Assign three interviewers to role-play these stakeholders, each with different concerns and questions.
• Prepare specific questions each stakeholder would likely ask, reflecting their different perspectives and knowledge levels.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the policy issue and stakeholder profiles provided.
• Prepare to explain the policy implications to each stakeholder in a way that addresses their specific concerns and uses appropriate language and framing.
• For each 10-minute role play:

1. Begin with a brief (2-3 minute) explanation of the policy issue tailored to that stakeholder
2. Answer questions from the stakeholder
3. Provide clear recommendations relevant to their role and responsibilities

• Focus on translating complex concepts into actionable insights for each audience without oversimplifying or losing important nuance.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After each role play, the interviewer should provide feedback on communication effectiveness, including clarity, appropriate level of detail, and responsiveness to questions.
• For one stakeholder interaction, ask the candidate to revise their approach based on feedback.
• Evaluate how well they adjust their communication style and whether they maintain accuracy while improving accessibility.
• Note their ability to read the stakeholder's level of understanding and adapt accordingly.

Activity #4: Policy Brief on Emerging AI Issue

This exercise evaluates a candidate's research abilities, analytical thinking, and written communication skills—essential for an AI Policy Advisor who must stay current with emerging trends and provide clear guidance to the organization.

Directions for the Company:

• Select an emerging AI policy issue that's relevant to your organization but not yet widely covered in mainstream policy discussions (e.g., AI and intellectual property rights, cross-border data flows for AI training, or sector-specific AI regulations).
• Provide minimal background information to test the candidate's research abilities.
• Give candidates 3-5 days to prepare their policy brief.
• Review the brief before the interview and prepare questions about their analysis and recommendations.
• Schedule a 30-minute discussion of their brief.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Research the provided AI policy issue, focusing on:

1. Current regulatory landscape and proposed changes
2. Different stakeholder perspectives
3. Potential business implications
4. International considerations

• Prepare a 3-4 page policy brief that includes:

1. Executive summary (1 paragraph)
2. Background and context
3. Analysis of key issues and stakeholder positions
4. Potential scenarios for how the issue might evolve
5. Specific recommendations for organizational positioning and preparation

• Use clear, concise language and appropriate citations for your research.
• Be prepared to discuss your methodology, sources, and how you prioritized information.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on the brief's thoroughness, clarity, and practical value.
• Challenge one of the candidate's assumptions or recommendations and ask them to defend or reconsider their position.
• Ask them to verbally outline how they would revise a specific section based on new information you provide.
• Evaluate their ability to incorporate feedback while maintaining a coherent policy position.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time should we allocate for these work samples in our hiring process?

These exercises require significant preparation time for both candidates and your team. We recommend spreading them across different interview stages rather than attempting all in one day. The Regulatory Impact Analysis or Policy Brief could be assigned after an initial screening, with the Stakeholder Communication Exercise or Ethical Framework Development reserved for final-round candidates.

Won't these exercises require too much time from candidates?

While these exercises do require investment from candidates, top talent in the AI policy space will appreciate a thorough process that values their expertise. Be transparent about time expectations and consider offering compensation for extensive exercises, particularly for senior roles. The quality of candidates who complete thoughtful work samples typically justifies the extended timeline.

How should we evaluate candidates who have different policy perspectives than our organization?

Focus on the quality of reasoning, research methodology, and communication rather than alignment with your current positions. Strong candidates should demonstrate nuanced thinking and awareness of different perspectives, even if their conclusions differ from your organization's stance. This diversity of thought can be valuable for anticipating regulatory challenges and stakeholder concerns.

Can these exercises be adapted for candidates with different levels of experience?

Yes, these exercises can be scaled according to seniority. For junior candidates, provide more context and narrow the scope of analysis. For senior candidates, present more complex scenarios with competing priorities and cross-jurisdictional considerations. Adjust your evaluation criteria accordingly, focusing on potential and learning ability for junior roles versus demonstrated expertise for senior positions.

How do we ensure these exercises don't disadvantage candidates from non-traditional backgrounds?

Provide clear instructions and evaluation criteria to all candidates. Consider offering examples or templates for candidates unfamiliar with policy brief formats or ethical frameworks. Evaluate candidates on substance rather than adherence to specific formats, and be mindful of different communication styles that may reflect diverse professional backgrounds.

Should we share these exercises with candidates before they accept an interview?

Providing a general overview of your assessment process demonstrates transparency and helps candidates prepare appropriately. You don't need to share specific details, but indicating that the process includes written analysis, presentation, and role-playing exercises sets expectations and allows candidates to determine if they want to invest time in your process.

In today's complex AI governance landscape, finding the right AI Policy Advisor requires going beyond traditional interviews to evaluate how candidates approach real-world policy challenges. These work samples provide valuable insights into a candidate's analytical abilities, communication skills, and practical approach to navigating the intersection of technology, ethics, and regulation.

By implementing these exercises, you'll identify candidates who can not only understand regulatory requirements but also translate them into practical guidance for your organization. The right AI Policy Advisor will help your company navigate the evolving regulatory landscape while maintaining your commitment to responsible innovation.

For more resources to support your hiring process, check out our AI Job Description Generator, AI Interview Question Generator, and AI Interview Guide Generator. You can also find a comprehensive example job description for an AI Policy Advisor here.

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