Interview tips
If your job application is successful, the next step in the recruitment process is usually an interview.
Interviews are a two-way process. They are an opportunity for the selection panel members to meet you and hear about your skills and experience and an opportunity for you to find out more about the role, ask questions and decide if you want to work for the agency and the team.
During an interview, the panel will normally explain the interview process, recap the role and then ask you a series of questions relevant to the job. You will be asked to provide examples of your previous experience that demonstrate your ability to meet the selection criteria for the role.
Sometimes an interview may also include an assessment task that will assess the skills required for the role.
Preparing for an interview
Being prepared for your interview will help you to feel more confident and perform at your best on the day.
It is important to confirm the interview format with the Contact Officer when you are offered an interview so that you can prepare appropriately.
Research
Before your interview, take some time to learn as much as you can about the agency.
You can read about the agency’s vision, purpose, structure and recent projects on their website. This will help you to understand the agency’s goals and values, how the agency operates, the size of the agency and where your role fits within it.
Learning as much as you can about the agency and role will show that you are really interested in the job.
Visit our Working for the Tasmanian State Service page for a full list of our agencies and their websites.
Practice
Carefully read the Statement of Duties for the position a few times to make sure you understand the role and what is expected. Reading the major duties of the job and the selection criteria will help you to predict what some of the interview questions may be about.
It is also helpful to prepare and practice responses to commonly asked interview questions, as well as real life examples of situations that demonstrate you have the required skills and experience for the job.
The Australian Network on Disability provide some examples of common interview questions (Word, 2.4MB).
When preparing and practicing for interview questions, some people find it helpful to structure their responses using the STAR method.
STAR stands for:
- Situation – Describe the situation and provide context
- Task – Identify the task you had to complete, what was your role?
- Action – What did you do and how did you do it?
- Result – What did you achieve? What were the outcomes from your actions?
Ask a family member or friend to practice interview questions with you. This will give you a chance to answer questions out loud and build your confidence for the actual interview.
Planning
In-person interviews
If you are attending an interview in person, confirm the location of the interview with the Contact Officer in writing. If you have requirements regarding physical accessibility (for example, access to ramps or lifts if you are a wheelchair user), you should confirm that the location is accessible.
Consider these tips:
- Plan your travel arrangements well in advance.
- Look up the location and allow extra time for possible traffic and transport delays.
- Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early. This allows you to gather your thoughts before the interview and shows you have good time management skills.
Online interviews
If you have an online video interview, consider the following:
- Familiarise yourself with the program or platform being used for the interview. If you need to, download it onto your device before the interview and do a practice run if you can.
- Check the interview invitation link works in advance.
- Check that your device and camera are working, that it’s fully charged or plugged into power for the interview and that your internet connection is strong.
- Set up in a quiet space – free of distractions. Check your background is appropriate and that there is good lighting.
- Allow at least 30 minutes before the interview starts to do a final check of your technology.
Getting help and asking for adjustments
Before your interview, think about whether your disability could affect how you perform. This will allow you to consider what adjustments you might need for the interview and/or in the workplace if you are hired.
If you decide to discuss your disability with the Contact Officer before your interview, this could help to:
- eliminate any surprises or awkwardness when you get to the interview
- have an honest conversation with the employer about any barriers in relation to doing the advertised job
- sell your skills and abilities to the employer before the interview
- talk about whether any work-related changes and/or support services are needed
- ask about the agency’s support structures for employees with disability
- allow the employer to organise any required adjustments for your interview
Once you know when, where and how your interview will be conducted, consider whether you require any reasonable adjustments to allow you to participate to the best of your abilities.
Reasonable adjustments for an interview may include:
- being provided with interview questions before the interview
- having the option of responding to interview questions in writing
- extra time to complete an assessment task or interview
- being provided with a scribe for a written task
- being met by a staff member to take you to your interview room
- live captioning if the interview is online
- an AUSLAN interpreter
- being able to use your own laptop or assistive technology
- being offered different interview times or dates
- the presence of a support person
If you require any adjustments or assistance to attend and/or participate in an interview, let the Contact Officer or Human Resources representative know before your interview.
See our Workplace support and adjustments page for more information.
If your disability has no effect on your ability to perform at interview or to do the job and to work safely, you do not have to mention it.
Performing well in interviews
Being prepared will help you perform well on the day. It is okay to be nervous at an interview – most people are. Interview skills are learned and you will get better and more confident with practice.
For Tasmanian Government jobs, there are usually three interviewers who make up the selection panel. These are often the manager or supervisor of the role, someone else in the team and a person from outside the work team.
Here are some interview tips:
- Dress to impress – choose an outfit that is professional
- Arrive 15 minutes early
- When you arrive, introduce yourself
- An interview starts from the moment you first enter the building. Be aware of what you say during ‘small talk’ (such as to the receptionist, in the foyer or in the lift)
- Listen carefully to the interview questions
- When responding to a question, take a moment to think through your answer and answer clearly. If possible, it can also be helpful to make a note of the question, particularly if it has multiple parts
- If you are not sure how to answer a question after thinking about it, ask the interviewer to explain or clarify it (this shows that you’re not afraid to ask questions to get things right)
- Be confident in your responses. Avoid saying ‘I might…’ or ’I guess…’
- Sell yourself by explaining how you will be an asset to the team and let your personality shine through
- Ask any questions you might have at the end of the interview to show your interest and enthusiasm
- When the interview is over, thank the interviewers for their time
Each interview you attend builds confidence and gives you a chance to improve. Make some notes about what happened. Think about things you could do better next time. If you don't get the job, ask for feedback. This will help you prepare for future interviews.
Other helpful resources
Need more help?
If you have any questions, feedback or experience issues with this website, please contact us by emailing jobs@dpac.tas.gov.au.