Interview tips

Before your interview

As the interview is often the first face-to-face opportunity to discuss your knowledge and abilities with the Panel, there are a few things you can do to ensure you are putting your best foot-forward and giving yourself the best opportunity to win the job.

Research

You may have already looked into the Agency as a whole when you applied for the role. Now is your chance for some more focussed research on the specific business-area or team in which the position sits. The more knowledge you have, the better prepared you will be.

Prepare

Take some time to think through some general responses on your strengths, weaknesses and goals. You may wish to practice general responses to questions, and it is a good idea to re-familiarise yourself with the information already provided in your application and the position’s Statement of Duties.

Examples of questions that may be asked in the interview

Why do you want to work in this Agency/Team/service?
How will our Agency/Team values influence/inform the way you work?
Tell us what you know about our Agency/Team and our work?

Examples of questions you can ask in the interview

What might an average day in this job look like?
I understand I will be working as part of a Team. Who makes up the Team and how is it structured? What will be my role in the Team?
What induction processes do you have in place to support me starting in this job?

Interview practice

Make up some questions that you think might be asked in the interview to practice your interview techniques and responses.

Every interview will have questions around why you want the job and what you know about the service or Agency. Have the answers to these questions prepared.
It is usual for several interview questions to relate to the selection criteria. Prepare appropriately.
If you are applying for an ‘identified’ or ‘tagged’ position, you will be asked about your knowledge of Aboriginal people and culture and about any work or volunteer experiences with Aboriginal Communities, people and/or services that could inform the job you are applying for.

You will also be asked if you have any questions. It is a good idea to have a couple of questions prepared.

This is your opportunity to ask the panel about the job and what it would be like – for example, “what would an average day in this job look like”, and “how is the team structured?”.
This may help you work out if the job suits you, should you be offered it.

Practice what you would say with a colleague, friend, family member or support person.

The interview

Whilst everyone behaves differently in an interview, here are some key tips that you may find useful to ensure a successful interview.

Be on time – it is good practice to allow yourself some additional time to prepare and calm yourself before your interview is scheduled to start. Arriving a few minutes before your interview time allows you to avoid being stressed or flustered and time to find the right location. Make sure to have a contact phone number with you in case you get lost or can’t find where you are supposed to be.
Dress appropriately - Spend some time ensuring that you present well and professional. If you are not sure of what to wear, play it safe – corporate casual (dark pants/skirt or dress, dress shirt/blouse and jacket) will work for most interviews. No denim. If you need help with dressing for an interview speak, seek advice from people you trust.
Listen carefully – ensure you take the time to really listen to the question being asked of you prior to answering and do not be afraid to ask the interviewer to repeat the question in necessary. Taking notes can help even if they are just key words or dot points to jot your memory when responding. If you don’t listen, it is likely that you may miss key points in your response.
Answers – your answers should be as succinct as possible, you ideally want to cover off the key points of the situation; however you don’t want to go into unnecessary detail about people or events that are not relevant. Don’t name drop.
Ask – don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer some questions about the responsibilities of the role and/or the focus of their roles. This demonstrates that you are enthusiastic about the organisation and position.

Phone interviews

Use a landline

If possible, use a landline for your phone interview. Mobiles can drop out.

Eliminate distractions

Ensure you have a quiet space without distractions. Turn off the TV, sit down and have all your phone interview information and a copy your application in front of you.

Speak clearly

Make sure the panel can hear you.

Check any equipment before the interview, including the video and microphone function.
Let the interviewer finish speaking before responding to his/her questions. If you don’t, it is likely that you will only hear part of the question and not cover all key points.

Video interviews

Check your surroundings

Set up in a quiet, distraction free place. Make sure the background is free from clutter and embarrassing items like laundry piles or personal images.
Try to avoid too much background noise like car noise, barking dogs, TVs or music.
Ensure your space it is well lit (it can be helpful to place a light behind your computer to illuminate your face and avoid shadows).

Equipment check

Get familiar with your equipment.
Check that the camera is set at eye level.
Have a practice run with a friend or family member to make sure everything works.
Make sure everything is fully charged and ready to go.

Appearance

Wear clothes that you would to a face-to-face interview! Avoid checked patterns.

Rehearse some video interview questions

Your video camera may have a recording function.
Before the interview, practice interview questions and answers direct to the camera. Playing the recording back will give you some great insights into how you can improve your techniques, and be ready for the real thing!

In the interview

Keep it professional. Be sure that if you are using Skype or another video platform your user name is professional just as you would with your email address and social media accounts.