by APS Interview Coach | Aug 3, 2026 | NDIS, NDIS 0102 - Interview Coaching, NDIS Employment Coaching
Updated: August 2026
Estimated read time: 12 minutes
Quick Answer:
Yes, NDIS funding can cover job interview coaching. If your NDIS plan includes an employment goal and Capacity Building funding under
“Finding and Keeping a Job” (support item 10_016_0102_5_3, Employment Assistance), one-on-one interview practice and job readiness coaching are claimable supports. Self-managed and plan-managed participants can engage providers and services like
PS Interview Coach directly.
NDIS Interview Coaching: How to Use Your “Finding and Keeping a Job” Funding for Interview Practice
Your NDIS Plan May Already Fund the One Thing Most Job Programs Skip: Real Interview Practice
If you are an NDIS participant with an employment goal in your plan, or a parent supporting a young person moving from school into work, there is a good chance your plan includes funding you are not fully using.
Capacity Building funding under the Finding and Keeping a Job category exists for exactly one purpose: building the skills, confidence, and independence you need to get a job and keep it. Interview performance sits right at the centre of that. It is the single stage of the job process where most opportunities are won or lost, and it is the stage where generic employment programs provide the least individual help.
This guide explains what your NDIS funding can cover, who can use it, what specialised interview coaching involves, and how to get started, whether you are aiming for retail, hospitality, trades, community services, or an Australian Public Service role.
Can NDIS Funding Cover Interview Coaching?
Yes, where it aligns with an employment goal in your plan. The relevant support item is:
- Support item: 10_016_0102_5_3 Employment Assistance
- Support category: Capacity Building, Category 10: Finding and Keeping a Job
- Registration group: 0102 Assistance to Access and Maintain Employment or Higher Education
- Pricing: Price-limited support, charged hourly under the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits
Under the NDIA’s own provider guidance, Employment Assistance can include building essential skills for work, learning to communicate with others in a workplace, understanding employer expectations, identifying and managing barriers to finding and keeping a job, and connecting with an employer to find the right role. Structured interview preparation, mock interviews, and job application coaching sit squarely within that scope.
Two conditions matter:
- Your plan needs an employment goal. Something like “I want to find paid work” or “I want to build my skills to get a job” is sufficient. If employment is not currently a goal in your plan, raise it at your next plan reassessment or check-in with your Local Area Coordinator.
- You need funding in the Finding and Keeping a Job category (or flexible Capacity Building funding that can be directed there). Your plan manager or support coordinator can confirm what is available in your current plan.
Who Can Use Their NDIS Funding This Way
How your plan is managed determines which providers you can engage. This is the detail most articles skip, and it matters.
- Self-managed participants: You can engage any provider you choose, including specialised coaching services like PS Interview Coach. You pay the invoice and claim reimbursement through the NDIS portal.
- Plan-managed participants: You can also use non-registered providers. Your plan manager pays our invoice directly from your funding, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to you.
- Agency-managed (NDIA-managed) participants: You can only use registered NDIS providers. If your Finding and Keeping a Job funding is agency-managed, talk to your support coordinator or LAC about your options, including whether plan management would suit you at your next reassessment.
For most of the participants we work with, plan management is the simplest pathway: you choose the coach, we invoice your plan manager against support item 10_016_0102_5_3, and your service agreement documents how the coaching connects to your employment goal.
What NDIS Interview Coaching Involves
Specialised interview coaching is not a workshop, a worksheet, or a generic tips video. It is one-on-one, tailored to you, your goals, and the way you communicate best. Depending on your needs, coaching can include:
- Career discovery and mapping. Working out what roles genuinely fit your strengths, interests, and circumstances before you start applying. We use a structured Career Mapping and Advancement Plan (C-MAP) process to turn “I want a job” into a specific, achievable target.
- Job application and resume support. Building a resume and applications that present your capability clearly, including for structured processes like Australian Public Service roles. See our resume and application services.
- Mock interview practice. Realistic practice interviews for the actual roles you are applying for, with immediate, constructive feedback. We practise the questions you will genuinely face, from “tell me about yourself” through to structured behavioural questions using the STAR method.
- Communication and confidence building. Pacing, structure, managing nerves, handling unexpected questions, and knowing when an answer is finished. These are learnable skills, and they improve fast with guided practice.
- Workplace adjustment conversations. Preparing you to discuss any adjustments you may need in a way that is confident, practical, and framed around how you do your best work.
- Video and phone interview preparation. Many employers now screen by recorded video or phone before a face-to-face interview. We prepare you for these formats specifically.
All coaching can be delivered online across Australia or in person in Canberra.
The Gap DES Doesn’t Fill
Disability Employment Services (DES) providers do valuable work at scale: job matching, employer engagement, and post-placement support. But scale is exactly the limitation. DES consultants typically manage large caseloads, and intensive one-on-one interview rehearsal for a specific role is rarely something they have the capacity to deliver.
That is the gap NDIS Employment Assistance funding is designed to fill. NDIS capacity building supports are individualised by definition. Where a mainstream program gives you general job readiness, your NDIS funding can buy you a coach who spends an entire session rehearsing the exact interview you have next Tuesday, for the exact role, with the exact questions that role type attracts.
The two systems are complementary, not competing. Many of our participants use DES for job leads and NDIS-funded coaching for the preparation that gets them across the line.
Have an Interview Coming Up?
One or two focused sessions can transform how you present in an interview. If you have funding in your Finding and Keeping a Job category, you may be able to start this week at no out-of-pocket cost.
See Session Packages and Fast Track Your Preparation
SLES and School Leavers: A Guide for Parents
If you are the parent of a teenager with an NDIS plan who is in their final years of school or has recently finished, you have probably heard of School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES), funded under support item 10_021_0102_5_3 in the same Finding and Keeping a Job category.
SLES funding supports the transition from school into work: work experience, travel training, workplace skills, and job readiness over the first year or two after school. It is one of the most valuable and most underused parts of a young person’s plan.
Where interview coaching fits: for many young people with disabilities, the interview is the most confronting part of the entire employment journey. It is unfamiliar, high-pressure, and socially demanding. Structured, repeated practice in a safe environment, with someone who is not a parent or teacher, builds genuine interview capability rather than rehearsed answers.
Practical guidance for parents:
- Check whether your child’s plan includes SLES or Finding and Keeping a Job funding, and how it is managed.
- Make sure an employment or work-readiness goal is written into the plan. If it is not, raise it with your LAC before the next reassessment.
- Start interview practice before the first real interview, not after the first knock-back. Confidence is much easier to build than to rebuild.
- Look for coaching that adapts to how your child communicates, including extra processing time, visual supports, or shorter sessions where needed.
Talking About Disability and Adjustments in an Interview
One of the most common questions participants bring to us: “Do I have to tell them about my disability, and if I do, how?”
You are generally not required to disclose a disability in an interview unless it affects your ability to perform the inherent requirements of the role or relates to workplace safety. Whether and how to raise it is your choice, and it is a strategic one.
What we coach is the how. If you choose to discuss adjustments, the strongest approach is practical and forward-looking: what you need, why it works, and the evidence that you perform well with it in place. “With screen reader software and written instructions for complex tasks, I consistently met my processing targets in my last role”, tells an employer everything they need to hear, in the language of capability rather than limitation.
For participants managing complex clinical or behavioural information, we work through exactly what to share, what not to, and how to present your circumstances in a clear, confident, data-driven way that keeps the focus on what you bring to the role. This is one of the most valuable things a coaching session can give you, because it is almost impossible to prepare well on your own.
Real Results: Participant Success Stories
We have supported NDIS participants into roles across the private sector and the Australian Public Service. Two recent examples, shared with details changed to protect privacy:
APS 4 Service Delivery role. A participant with strong administrative experience but severe interview anxiety used their Employment Assistance funding for a block of coaching sessions. We built an example bank from their real work history, rehearsed structured STAR responses, and ran full mock interviews, including a recorded video round. They were offered the role and placed in a merit pool for future vacancies.
APS 6 program role. A participant returning to work after an extended period away used coaching to rebuild confidence, update their application approach for current APS expectations, and prepare adjustment conversations for the interview. They secured the position at their target level rather than dropping a classification “to be safe”, which is the compromise many returning candidates make unnecessarily.
Public service roles are a genuine option for many NDIS participants: structured recruitment, legislated workplace adjustment obligations, and affirmative measures pathways for people with disabilities under the Australian Public Service Commission’s disability employment strategy. If the APS is your goal, our APS interview questions guide shows you what those interviews look like.
How to Get Started
- Check your plan. Look for Capacity Building funding under Finding and Keeping a Job, or ask your plan manager or support coordinator what is available.
- Confirm your management type. Self-managed and plan-managed participants can engage us directly.
- Book a free strategy call. We will talk through your goals, your timeline, and how many sessions make sense. No obligation, and it costs you nothing.
- Sign a simple service agreement. This documents how the coaching supports your employment goal, the agreed sessions, and the pricing, which aligns with NDIS price limits for Employment Assistance.
- Start preparing. Sessions are delivered online Australia-wide or in person in Canberra, scheduled around you.
Turn Your NDIS Funding Into Your Next Job Offer
Your plan funds capacity building for a reason. Interview capability is the skill that converts every other support, every course, and every application into an actual job. PS Interview Coach delivers one-on-one, disability-confident interview coaching for NDIS participants across Australia.
View Pricing and Fast Track Your Success
Book a Free 15-Minute Strategy Call
Frequently Asked Questions About NDIS Interview Coaching
Can I use my NDIS funding for interview coaching?
Yes, if your plan includes an employment goal and Capacity Building funding under Finding and Keeping a Job. Interview coaching, mock interviews, and job application support fall under support item 10_016_0102_5_3 (Employment Assistance), which covers building skills to obtain and retain employment.
What is NDIS support item 10_016_0102_5_3?
It is the Employment Assistance support item within Capacity Building Category 10, Finding and Keeping a Job. It funds specialised workplace assistance to help participants obtain or retain employment, including career planning, building work skills, job application support, interview preparation, and connecting with employers. It is a price-limited hourly support under the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.
Do I need to use a registered NDIS provider for interview coaching?
Only if your Finding and Keeping a Job funding is agency-managed (NDIA-managed). Self-managed and plan-managed participants can use non-registered providers, which includes most specialised coaching services. Plan-managed participants have no out-of-pocket cost, as invoices are paid directly by the plan manager from plan funding.
What is SLES in the NDIS?
School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES), funded under support item 10_021_0102_5_3, help young people with disabilities transition from school into employment. SLES typically covers work experience, job readiness training, travel training, and workplace skill building in the first years after leaving school.
How is NDIS employment support different from DES?
Disability Employment Services (DES) is a mainstream government program focused on job matching and placement at scale. NDIS Employment Assistance is individualised capacity building funded through your plan. NDIS funding can pay for intensive one-on-one supports, like tailored interview coaching for a specific role, that DES providers rarely have capacity to deliver. Many participants use both together.
Do I have to tell an employer about my disability in a job interview?
Generally, no, unless it affects your ability to meet the inherent requirements of the role or relates to safety. Disclosure is your choice. If you choose to discuss adjustments, coaching can help you present them practically and confidently, focused on how you do your best work.
Can NDIS participants get jobs in the Australian Public Service?
Yes. The APS actively recruits people with disabilities, including through affirmative measures provisions that allow certain vacancies to be restricted to candidates with disabilities. APS employers also have structured workplace adjustment processes. Interview coaching can prepare participants for the APS’s structured behavioural interview format, including STAR-based responses.
How many coaching sessions will I need?
It depends on your starting point and timeline. Some participants need one or two sessions to prepare for a specific upcoming interview. Others build skills over a block of sessions covering career mapping, applications, and repeated mock interview practice. We recommend a realistic plan in your free strategy call, and everything is documented in your service agreement.
About PS Interview Coach
PS Interview Coach provides specialised interview coaching, application writing, and career mapping support across Australia, including for NDIS participants using Finding and Keeping a Job funding. Our coaching team brings more than 40 years of combined recruitment, panel, application, and interview experience, with particular depth in Australian Public Service and government recruitment. Sessions are delivered online Australia-wide and in person in Canberra.
Learn more about PS Interview Coach.
by APS Interview Coach | Aug 3, 2026 | Defence APS
Updated: August 2026
Estimated read time: 16 minutes
Quick Answer:
To perform well in a Defence APS interview, prepare clear STAR or STAR-L examples that show the capability expected at your classification. Keep the background brief, spend most of your response explaining your personal actions and judgment, and finish with a measurable result. Strong Defence answers also demonstrate integrity, stakeholder awareness, risk management, security awareness and an understanding of how the role supports broader Defence outcomes.
Preparing for a Department of Defence APS interview requires more than memorising generic
APS interview questions.
You need to demonstrate the capabilities expected at your classification, provide clear evidence of your personal contribution and show that you understand the distinctive Defence operating environment.
Defence APS interview panels commonly explore how you achieve results, exercise judgement, manage risk, work with stakeholders, handle sensitive information and contribute to an integrated workforce that may include APS employees, ADF personnel and external contractors.
This guide provides realistic Defence APS interview practice questions and strategic answer approaches for Human Resources, Finance, Data, Project Management, Procurement, Policy, ICT, Security, Logistics and administrative roles from APS 4 through to Executive Level.
Important:
These are realistic preparation questions, not leaked or guaranteed Defence interview questions. Use them to develop authentic examples from your own career. Do not memorise model answers word for word. Panels need evidence of what you personally analysed, decided, communicated and delivered.
How to Answer Defence APS Interview Questions
The most effective approach is to provide a concise STAR or STAR-L example that directly addresses the capability being assessed. Briefly establish the situation and your responsibility, spend most of your answer explaining your personal actions and judgement, and finish with a measurable result and relevant learning.
What a Strong Defence APS Answer Should Demonstrate
- Classification-level behaviour: Your example must show the complexity, autonomy and accountability expected at the advertised level.
- Personal contribution: Explain what you did rather than repeatedly saying “we”.
- Defence relevance: Connect your decisions to capability, service delivery, security, stewardship, governance or support to Defence outcomes.
- Sound judgement: Explain why you chose your approach, not simply the steps you completed.
- Stakeholder awareness: Show how you adapted your communication to different audiences.
- Risk and governance: Demonstrate that you considered relevant policies, controls, evidence and escalation pathways.
- Results: Quantify improvements wherever possible and explain why the result mattered.
A Practical STAR-L Answer Formula
- Situation: Briefly explain the relevant context.
- Task: State your responsibility, challenge or required outcome.
- Action: Explain your analysis, decisions, communication and implementation steps.
- Result: Describe the outcome, including measurable evidence where available.
- Learning: Explain what you learned or would apply to the Defence role.
Interview Tip:
As a practical guide, spend approximately 60–70% of your response describing your actions. The panel cannot award strong marks if it cannot identify your personal decisions, judgement and contribution.
For more examples, see our guide to
common APS interview questions and behavioural answers.
What Changes Between APS 4, APS 5, APS 6 and EL Interviews?
The same interview topic can be assessed very differently at each classification. Broadly, the emphasis moves from reliably completing work, to independently managing complex work, to leading people and owning strategic outcomes.
| Level |
Likely Panel Focus |
What Your Answers Should Demonstrate |
| APS 4 |
Reliable delivery, accuracy, teamwork and judgement within established procedures. |
How you organised your work, followed requirements, identified issues and supported team outcomes. |
| APS 5 |
More complex work, initiative, technical contribution and stakeholder engagement. |
How you applied judgement, resolved non-routine problems and improved the quality of work. |
| APS 6 |
Independence, influence, risk management, project leadership and complex advice. |
How you led work, influenced stakeholders, navigated ambiguity and delivered through others. |
| EL1 |
Strategic alignment, people leadership, resource accountability and risk ownership. |
How you set direction, built capability, advised executives and accepted accountability for outcomes. |
| EL2 |
Enterprise influence, organisational leadership and high-impact strategic decisions. |
How you shaped direction, influenced senior decision-makers and delivered outcomes beyond your immediate area. |
Review our classification-specific interview coaching pages:
Common Defence APS Interview Questions
1. Why Do You Want to Work for the Department of Defence?
What the panel may be assessing: Motivation, organisational awareness, commitment to public service and understanding of Defence’s purpose.
Strategic answer: Give a genuine reason that extends beyond job security or career progression. Connect your professional strengths to Defence outcomes, the national interest, support to the ADF or the scale and complexity of Defence work. Mention one or two aspects of the role that specifically interest you.
“I am attracted to the role because it combines meaningful public service with complex work that supports Defence capability. My background in stakeholder coordination and governance would allow me to contribute to reliable outcomes while continuing to develop in a strategically important environment.”
2. Tell Us About a Time You Delivered an Outcome Under Changing Priorities
What the panel may be assessing: Adaptability, prioritisation, resilience, communication and delivery under pressure.
Strategic answer: Do not simply say you worked harder. Explain how you reassessed priorities, identified critical dependencies, communicated the change, managed risks and decided what work could be delayed, delegated or stopped.
Strong evidence: A revised delivery plan, clearer responsibilities, early escalation of risks, maintained quality and a measurable outcome achieved within the changed timeframe.
3. Describe a Time You Worked with Stakeholders Who Had Different Priorities
What the panel may be assessing: Collaboration, influence, adaptability and ability to work across an integrated workforce.
Strategic answer: Explain how you identified each stakeholder’s operational drivers, adjusted your communication approach and established a shared outcome. A strong answer demonstrates that you did not avoid disagreement; you worked through it constructively.
4. Tell Us About a Time You Protected Sensitive or Confidential Information
What the panel may be assessing: Integrity, security awareness, judgement and compliance with information-handling requirements.
Strategic answer: Explain the nature of the sensitivity without revealing confidential information. Describe how you controlled access, verified recipients, used approved systems, documented decisions and escalated uncertainty through the appropriate channel.
Avoid claiming that you personally determined a security classification unless that responsibility genuinely sat within your authority.
Defence Human Resources Interview Questions
Defence HR roles may involve workforce planning, recruitment, employee relations, organisational change, learning and development, performance, wellbeing and support to an integrated APS, ADF and contractor workforce.
APS 4–5 HR Question: Tell Us About a Time You Managed a Sensitive Employee Matter
What the panel may be assessing: Confidentiality, empathy, professionalism, recordkeeping and procedural discipline.
Strategic answer: Explain how you listened carefully, clarified your role, protected confidentiality and provided accurate information without giving advice outside your authority. Describe how you documented the matter, sought senior guidance where necessary and ensured the employee understood the next step.
Strong result: The person received timely support, the matter followed the correct process and sensitive information remained appropriately controlled.
APS 6 HR Question: Describe a Time You Provided Advice a Manager Did Not Initially Accept
What the panel may be assessing: Influence, technical judgement, professional courage and stakeholder management.
Strategic answer: Show that you first understood the manager’s operational concern. Explain how you checked the relevant policy or evidence, outlined the risks of the proposed approach and presented practical alternatives rather than acting as a procedural roadblock.
Finish with how your advice supported a lawful, fair and workable outcome while preserving a productive relationship.
EL1 HR Question: How Have You Addressed a Critical Workforce Capability Gap?
What the panel may be assessing: Strategic workforce planning, leadership, prioritisation and resource management.
Strategic answer: Describe how you analysed current and future capability needs, identified the highest-risk gaps and developed a combination of recruitment, mobility, mentoring, cross-skilling or succession actions.
At EL1 level, explain how you gained executive support, managed budget or resource constraints, allocated responsibility and monitored whether the intervention improved capability.
Defence Finance Interview Questions
Finance interview questions may assess accuracy, financial analysis, budget management, compliance, stewardship of public resources and the ability to provide clear advice to non-financial stakeholders.
APS 4–5 Finance Question: Tell Us About a Time You Identified a Financial Discrepancy
What the panel may be assessing: Attention to detail, analytical thinking, accountability and escalation.
Strategic answer: Explain how you detected the discrepancy, validated the information against an authoritative source and determined whether it was an isolated error or a wider control issue. Describe how you corrected or escalated it and improved the process to reduce recurrence.
A stronger answer goes beyond “I fixed the spreadsheet” and explains the financial, reporting or audit risk avoided.
APS 6 Finance Question: Describe a Time You Challenged a Business Area’s Budget Assumptions
What the panel may be assessing: Financial judgement, communication, influence and evidence-based advice.
Strategic answer: Explain how you analysed expenditure, forecasts, commitments and delivery assumptions. Show how you translated the financial issue into operational consequences and provided realistic options to the decision-maker.
The strongest examples demonstrate impartial advice, constructive challenge and a solution that maintained financial control without unnecessarily obstructing delivery.
EL1 Finance Question: How Have You Reallocated Resources Following a Change in Strategic Priorities?
What the panel may be assessing: Strategic alignment, resource ownership, risk management and executive advice.
Strategic answer: Describe how you identified the newly critical outcomes, assessed existing commitments and recommended what should continue, reduce, pause or stop. Explain the trade-offs and risks you presented to the delegate or executive.
Include how you communicated the decision, monitored expenditure and maintained accountability after resources were redirected.
Defence Data and Analytics Interview Questions
Data roles may include reporting, business intelligence, workforce analytics, performance analysis, data governance, information management and decision-support functions.
APS 4–5 Data Question: Tell Us About a Time You Found an Error in a Dataset or Report
What the panel may be assessing: Data quality, attention to detail, validation and communication.
Strategic answer: Explain how you detected the anomaly, checked it against another reliable source and traced the root cause. Describe how you corrected the immediate output, informed relevant users and introduced a validation control.
Quantify the impact where possible, such as fewer reporting errors, improved processing time or prevention of an inaccurate decision.
APS 6 Data Question: Describe an Analysis That Changed a Stakeholder’s Decision
What the panel may be assessing: Analytical depth, communication, influence and translation of data into insight.
Strategic answer: Begin with the decision that needs to be made. Explain how you selected relevant data, tested its quality, analysed competing explanations and presented the findings in language appropriate to the audience.
A strong answer distinguishes between correlation and evidence, explains limitations and shows how the analysis led to a better operational or strategic choice.
EL1 Data Question: How Have You Improved Data Governance Across Multiple Work Areas?
What the panel may be assessing: Enterprise thinking, governance, leadership and sustainable implementation.
Strategic answer: Explain how you identified inconsistent definitions, unclear ownership, poor controls or duplicated reporting. Describe how you established governance roles, agreed standards, improved assurance and gained support from business owners.
At EL1 level, demonstrate how you balanced immediate delivery requirements against longer-term data maturity and organisational risk.
Defence Project Management Interview Questions
Defence project roles frequently involve complex dependencies, changing requirements, multidisciplinary stakeholders, governance gates, risks and delivery constraints.
APS 4–5 Project Question: Tell Us About a Time You Managed Competing Project Priorities
What the panel may be assessing: Organisation, communication, reliability and risk awareness.
Strategic answer: Explain how you assessed urgency, impact and dependencies rather than simply completing tasks in the order received. Describe how you maintained a schedule, raised emerging risks and kept stakeholders informed.
Finish with the quality and timeliness of the deliverables rather than only saying you “met the deadline”.
APS 6 Project Question: Describe a Time a Key Stakeholder Disagreed with Your Project Approach
What the panel may be assessing: Influence, negotiation, project judgement and relationship management.
Strategic answer: Explain how you separated the stakeholder’s stated position from their underlying concern. Show how you assessed operational, schedule, cost and risk implications and used evidence to develop an agreed way forward.
A strong APS 6 answer demonstrates that you influenced the outcome while maintaining governance and productive relationships.
EL1 Project Question: Tell Us About a Time You Recovered a Project That Was Off Track
What the panel may be assessing: Leadership, accountability, risk ownership, resource management and executive communication.
Strategic answer: Be open about the seriousness of the problem. Explain how you established the true project status, identified root causes, stabilised critical risks and reset scope, governance, resources or timelines.
At EL1 level, discuss how you briefed senior stakeholders, made difficult trade-offs, rebuilt team confidence and introduced controls that prevented the same failure from recurring.
Other Popular Defence APS Interview Questions by Role
Procurement and Contract Management
Question 1: Tell Us About a Time a Procurement Request Did Not Meet the Required Standard
Strategic answer: Explain how you identified the issue, checked the relevant requirements and engaged the business area early. Demonstrate that you protected compliance and value for money while helping the stakeholder find a workable path forward.
Question 2: Describe a Time You Addressed Poor Supplier or Contractor Performance
Strategic answer: Show how you reviewed the agreed deliverables, documented the performance gap, engaged the supplier and established a measurable remediation plan. Explain when and why you escalated the issue and how you protected the Commonwealth’s interests.
Question 3: How Have You Balanced Compliance with an Urgent Delivery Requirement?
Strategic answer: Explain how you clarified the genuine urgency, identified approved pathways, obtained specialist advice and presented a defensible recommendation that protected both timeliness and governance.
Policy and Strategy
Question 1: Tell Us About a Time You Developed Advice from Conflicting Evidence
Strategic answer: Explain how you assessed the reliability of each source, separated fact from assumption and identified evidence gaps. Show how you developed balanced options and clearly communicated uncertainty, risks and implications.
Question 2: Describe a Time You Provided Advice That Challenged a Preferred Position
Strategic answer: Demonstrate professional courage without presenting yourself as combative. Explain how you verified the evidence, framed the issue objectively and offered practical alternatives that supported the broader policy intent.
Question 3: How Did You Translate Strategic Direction into Practical Action?
Strategic answer: Show how you interpreted the intent, identified affected work, converted it into priorities and measures, and helped stakeholders understand what needed to change.
ICT and Cyber
Question 1: Tell Us About a Technology Change That Users Resisted
Strategic answer: Explain how you translated technical requirements into practical business impacts, consulted users and identified genuine workflow concerns. Describe the training, communication or implementation changes introduced without compromising essential controls.
Question 2: Describe a Time You Identified and Managed a Technology Risk
Strategic answer: Show how you assessed likelihood, impact and exposure, involved the appropriate specialists and recommended proportionate controls. Explain how residual risk was documented and communicated to the accountable decision-maker.
Question 3: How Have You Explained a Complex Technical Issue to a Non-Technical Executive?
Strategic answer: Focus on how you removed unnecessary jargon, explained operational consequences, presented realistic options and enabled an informed decision.
Security and Assurance
Question 1: What Would You Do If You Observed a Possible Security Breach?
Strategic answer: State that you would act promptly to limit further exposure, preserve relevant information and follow the authorised reporting process. Avoid inventing technical steps outside your role or conducting an unauthorised investigation.
Question 2: Tell Us About a Time You Improved Compliance Without Damaging Stakeholder Relationships
Strategic answer: Explain how you clarified the purpose behind the requirement, listened to operational concerns and developed an approach that improved compliance while remaining practical.
Question 3: Describe a Time You Escalated a Risk Others Had Underestimated
Strategic answer: Show how you validated the risk, documented evidence, communicated consequences proportionately and escalated through the correct authority while maintaining professionalism.
Logistics and Capability Support
Question 1: Describe a Time a Supply or Resource Constraint Threatened Delivery
Strategic answer: Explain how you identified the constraint, assessed operational consequences and prioritised the most critical requirements. Describe how you coordinated alternatives, communicated limitations and monitored the recovery plan.
Question 2: Tell Us About a Process Improvement You Introduced
Strategic answer: Establish the original problem using evidence such as delays, errors, duplication or stakeholder complaints. Explain how you consulted users, tested the improvement and measured whether it produced a sustainable benefit.
Question 3: How Have You Balanced Immediate Operational Needs with Longer-Term Planning?
Strategic answer: Explain how you protected the immediate requirement while considering future demand, dependencies, stock, maintenance, workforce or budget implications.
Administration and Executive Support
Question 1: Tell Us About a Time You Managed Multiple Urgent Requests from Senior Stakeholders
Strategic answer: Explain how you clarified the true deadline, assessed consequences and managed expectations. Demonstrate discretion, calm communication and the ability to anticipate information or scheduling requirements.
Question 2: Describe a Time You Prevented an Administrative Error from Affecting a Senior Decision
Strategic answer: Show how you checked the information, identified the issue and acted before the decision or meeting occurred. Explain how you corrected the record and introduced a quality-assurance step to reduce future risk.
Question 3: How Have You Handled Sensitive Priorities for More Than One Executive?
Strategic answer: Explain how you maintained confidentiality, clarified competing priorities, coordinated diaries or briefs and escalated conflicts when an authorised decision was required.
How to Answer Defence Scenario Interview Questions
Scenario questions ask what you would do rather than what you have already done. They may begin with phrases such as:
- “What would you do if…”
- “Imagine that a stakeholder…”
- “You have two competing deadlines…”
- “A senior officer asks you to…”
- “How would you approach…”
A strong scenario response should generally cover:
- Clarification: Confirm the objective, urgency, authority and known facts.
- Immediate priorities: Address safety, security, legal, operational or reputational risks first.
- Analysis: Consider relevant evidence, stakeholders, policies and dependencies.
- Options: Identify realistic approaches and their risks.
- Decision or recommendation: Explain what you would do and why.
- Communication: Keep affected stakeholders and decision-makers informed.
- Follow-through: Document actions, monitor results and capture lessons.
Scenario: A Senior Stakeholder Asks You to Bypass a Process to Meet an Urgent Deadline
Strategic answer: First, clarify the operational need and determine whether an approved accelerated pathway exists. Explain the relevant risks and requirements to the stakeholder, seek specialist advice where necessary and propose the fastest compliant alternative. If the request remains inappropriate, respectfully escalate it through the correct channel and document the advice and decision.
Scenario: Two Senior Stakeholders Both Say Their Work Is the Highest Priority
Strategic answer: Clarify deadlines, dependencies and consequences, then assess the requests against agreed organisational priorities. Present a recommended sequence or resource solution, explain the trade-offs and seek a decision from the appropriate authority if the conflict cannot be resolved within your delegation.
Defence Values and Behaviours in Interview Answers
Do not force a values statement into every response. Instead, demonstrate the behaviour naturally through your actions.
Relevant Defence personnel behaviours include:
- Acting with purpose for Defence and the nation.
- Being adaptable, innovative and agile.
- Collaborating and being team-focused.
- Being accountable and trustworthy.
- Reflecting, learning and improving.
- Being inclusive and valuing others.
For example, correcting an error can demonstrate accountability and trustworthiness. Adjusting a delivery plan can demonstrate adaptability. An integrated workforce example may demonstrate collaboration and inclusion.
Official resources:
Defence Values and Behaviours,
APS Integrated Leadership System
and
APS Work Level Standards.
Can You Use a Non-Defence Example?
Yes. You can use examples from another APS agency, state government, local government, the private sector, the ADF, contracting, study, volunteering or community roles.
The example must still demonstrate the capability and complexity required by the Defence position. At the end of your answer, briefly explain how the skills would transfer to the Defence environment.
“Although this example occurred in the private sector, the same approach would help me operate effectively in Defence because it required careful information handling, evidence-based advice, clear governance and coordination between technical and operational stakeholders.”
How Long Should a Defence APS Interview Answer Be?
A useful target for many behavioural questions is approximately three to five minutes, although the appropriate length depends on the interview format, number of questions and instructions provided by the panel.
Do not stretch a weak example to fill time. A concise answer with clear personal actions will usually be stronger than a long chronological story containing unnecessary background.
Signs Your Answer Is Too Long
- You spend more than a minute explaining the background.
- You list every meeting or email in chronological order.
- You repeatedly describe what the team did.
- The result is mentioned only briefly at the end.
- The link to the advertised capability is unclear.
Common Defence APS Interview Mistakes
Mistake 1: Providing Generic Claims
Saying you are organised, adaptable or collaborative without providing evidence gives the panel very little to assess.
Mistake 2: Using Examples Below the Required Level
An EL1 answer that only describes completing an assigned task may demonstrate competence, but not leadership, broader judgement or accountability.
Mistake 3: Talking Entirely in “We” Language
It is fine to acknowledge the team context, but the panel must be able to identify your personal decisions, actions and contribution.
Mistake 4: Spending Too Long on the Situation
Too much background leaves insufficient time to explain the actions and judgement that usually earn the strongest marks.
Mistake 5: Listing Steps Without Explaining Judgement
Do not simply describe what happened. Explain why you chose your approach, what risks you considered and what alternatives you rejected.
Mistake 6: Forgetting the Result
The result should explain what improved, what risk was reduced, what decision was enabled or why the outcome mattered.
Mistake 7: Forcing Defence Terminology
Using acronyms or strategic language that you cannot explain naturally may weaken credibility rather than strengthen it.
Mistake 8: Memorising Full Scripts
Over-rehearsed answers can sound inflexible and may fail to address the exact wording of the panel’s question.
Good Questions to Ask a Defence APS Interview Panel
When invited to ask questions, choose one or two that demonstrate genuine interest in the role. Avoid asking questions that were already clearly answered in the candidate information pack.
- What would successful performance in this role look like during the first six months?
- What are the most important priorities the successful candidate will initially support?
- What are the main stakeholder groups this position works with?
- How does the team contribute to broader Defence capability or organisational outcomes?
- What are the most significant challenges currently facing the work area?
- How would you describe the leadership and working culture of the team?
- What professional development or capability-building opportunities are available?
Frequently Asked Questions About Defence APS Interviews
What questions are asked in a Defence APS interview?
Defence APS panels may ask behavioural, technical, motivational and scenario-based questions. Common topics include achieving results, stakeholder management, changing priorities, judgement, risk, integrity, security awareness, teamwork and role-specific technical capabilities.
Does Defence use the STAR interview method?
STAR is a useful structure for answering behavioural questions because it separates the situation, task, personal actions and result. Candidates can add a learning component to create a STAR-L response, particularly where reflection or continuous improvement is relevant.
How do I prepare for a Defence APS 4 or APS 5 interview?
Prepare examples demonstrating reliable delivery, accuracy, teamwork, initiative, customer service, procedural judgement and the ability to manage competing tasks. APS 5 examples should generally show greater complexity, independence and technical contribution than APS 4 examples.
How do I prepare for a Defence APS 6 interview?
Prepare examples involving independent project or work management, complex analysis, risk management, stakeholder influence and the delivery of outcomes through other people. Explain your judgement and how your work supported broader organisational objectives.
What does a Defence EL1 panel look for?
An EL1 panel will generally expect strategic awareness, people leadership, resource management, risk ownership, sound executive advice and accountability for section-level outcomes. Examples should demonstrate how you set direction and delivered through others rather than only completing individual tasks.
Can I take notes into a Defence APS interview?
Interview arrangements vary. Follow the instructions provided by the recruitment contact or panel. Where notes are permitted, use concise prompts rather than full scripts so you can answer the exact question naturally.
Can I use the same STAR example for more than one question?
You can prepare versatile examples, but each answer must directly address the question being asked. Avoid forcing the same story into every capability.
How many examples should I prepare?
Most candidates benefit from preparing six to eight strong examples that can be adapted across several capability areas. Senior candidates may need additional examples covering people leadership, strategic advice, resource decisions, underperformance and organisational change.
Should I mention Defence values in every answer?
No. Demonstrate the relevant behaviour through your decisions and actions. A brief link to Defence or APS values may strengthen an answer, but repeatedly naming values without evidence can sound rehearsed.
What if I have never worked in Defence?
You can still be competitive. Use examples from other sectors that demonstrate transferable capabilities, research the role and Defence environment, and clearly explain how your experience would support the advertised outcomes.
About PS Interview Coach
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by APS Interview Coach | Aug 3, 2026 | Uncategorized
Updated: August 2026
Estimated read time: 13 minutes
Quick Answer:
ATO interviews are structured and behavioural. Most APS 4 to APS 6 processes begin with a one-way video interview or online assessment, followed by a panel interview using capability-based questions aligned to the Integrated Leadership System. EL1 and EL2 interviews focus heavily on leadership, judgement, and strategic thinking. The strongest answers use STAR structure and focus on your individual contribution, not your team’s.
The ATO Is One of the Largest APS Employers. Its Interviews Are Also Among the Most Structured.
The Australian Taxation Office employs around 20,000 people across audit, compliance, finance, law, data, debt, service delivery, and digital functions. It runs high-volume recruitment rounds, bulk campaigns, and merit pools across every classification from APS 3 through to SES.
That scale has a consequence: the ATO’s recruitment processes are highly standardised. Panels work from pre-set behavioural questions, one-way video interviews are common at the screening stage, and every candidate is assessed against the same capability criteria. Your reputation, your network inside the office, and even your technical brilliance will not carry you through on their own. What matters is the evidence you present in the room, on the recording, or on the page.
This guide gives you realistic example questions for the ATO’s most common role types, explains what the panel is actually listening for, and shows you how to structure answers that land at the right classification level.
How ATO Interviews Actually Work
Most ATO recruitment processes follow a version of this sequence:
- Written application. Usually a one-page pitch or short statement of claims against the role requirements, plus a tailored resume.
- Online assessment or one-way video interview. At APS 3 to APS 6 levels, the ATO frequently uses recorded video interviews where you respond to on-screen questions within a time limit, with no interviewer present. Some rounds also include cognitive, situational judgement, or written assessments.
- Panel interview. Typically two or three panel members, conducted online or in person, using structured behavioural questions. Everyone in the round gets the same questions.
- Reference checks and merit pooling. Successful candidates are often placed in a merit pool that the ATO and other agencies can draw from for up to 18 months.
The one-way video stage catches many candidates off guard. There is no rapport to build and no follow-up prompt to rescue a vague answer. You get one chance to deliver a complete, structured STAR example against the clock. Practising aloud to a timer before the real thing is not optional preparation. It is the preparation.
What ATO Panels Are Assessing
ATO interview questions map to the APS capability frameworks used across the service. For APS 4 to APS 6 roles, expect questions targeting the Integrated Leadership System (ILS) clusters most relevant to delivery-level work:
- Achieves Results: managing workload, meeting deadlines, quality of decision making
- Supports Productive Working Relationships: teamwork, difficult clients, internal stakeholders
- Communicates with Influence: explaining complex tax or finance concepts to non-experts
- Displays Personal Drive and Integrity: handling sensitive information, probity, the APS Values and Code of Conduct
At EL1 and EL2, the emphasis shifts to Shapes Strategic Thinking, Cultivates Productive Working Relationships at the SES and external stakeholder level, and Steers and Implements Change. Your examples need to demonstrate leadership of people and outcomes, not just excellent individual delivery.
Integrity questions deserve special mention. The ATO holds some of the most sensitive personal and financial data in the country. Nearly every ATO interview includes at least one question about handling confidential information, managing a conflict of interest, or responding to inappropriate access or behaviour. Prepare a genuine example. A generic “I would follow the policy” answer scores poorly.
Audit and Compliance Interview Questions (APS 4 to APS 6)
Audit, compliance, and client engagement casework roles make up a large share of ATO recruitment. Questions at these levels test how you gather evidence, apply legislation or guidance, manage difficult taxpayer interactions, and exercise judgement within defined boundaries.
Example questions
- “Tell us about a time you had to analyse a large amount of information to identify a discrepancy or risk. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?”
The panel is assessing your analytical method, not just the result. Walk through how you prioritised, what tools or frameworks you used, how you validated your findings, and what your analysis changed.
- “Describe a situation where you had to deliver an unwelcome decision or outcome to a client or customer. How did you manage the conversation?”
This is a de-escalation and integrity question. The panel wants to hear empathy, clear explanation of the reasons for the decision, adherence to process, and how you kept the relationship professional under pressure.
- “Give an example of a time you noticed something wasn’t right, such as a process gap, an error, or a potential integrity issue. What did you do?”
Escalation judgement is the capability being tested. Show that you acted early, followed the right channels, documented appropriately, and understood why the issue mattered beyond your own workload.
For audit roles specifically, be ready to talk about applying legislation, rulings, or procedural guidance to ambiguous facts. You do not need to recite tax law in a behavioural interview, but you do need to show you can operate confidently inside a legislative framework.
Finance and Accounting Interview Questions (APS 5 to APS 6)
Finance roles at the ATO span management accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, and assurance. Questions blend technical delivery with communication, because ATO finance teams constantly translate numbers for non-finance decision makers.
Example questions
- “Tell us about a time you identified an error or anomaly in financial data or reporting. How did you handle it?”
The panel is listening for accuracy under pressure, transparency about the error, how quickly you escalated, and what you changed so it would not recur. Owning a mistake and fixing the system behind it scores far better than a flawless-hero narrative.
- “Describe a time you had to explain complex financial information to a stakeholder without a finance background. How did you make sure they understood?”
This is Communicates with Influence. Talk about how you adapted format and language, checked understanding, and what decision your explanation enabled.
- “Give an example of managing competing deadlines during a peak period, such as end of financial year or a reporting cycle. How did you prioritise?”
Show a deliberate prioritisation method, early communication with stakeholders about trade-offs, and delivery of the critical items on time.
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EL1 Interview Questions at the ATO
EL1 roles at the ATO include team leadership positions across audit, risk, finance, and operations, as well as technical specialist roles without direct reports. Either way, the interview assesses whether you operate above delivery level: setting direction for others, managing upward, and exercising judgement in ambiguity.
Example questions
- “Tell us about a time you led a team through a period of change or increased pressure. How did you keep the team performing and engaged?”
The panel wants leadership behaviours: how you communicated the why, how you monitored wellbeing and workload, how you handled resistance, and what results the team delivered. If you have led without formal authority, that counts. Frame it as influence-based leadership.
- “Describe a situation where you had to make a decision or recommendation without complete information. How did you approach it?”
This is a judgement question. Show your risk assessment, the assumptions you made explicit, who you consulted, how you documented the basis for the decision, and how you would defend it if scrutinised.
- “Give an example of managing a difficult stakeholder relationship, internal or external, where interests were not aligned. What did you do?”
Strong answers surface the underlying conflict early, broker a workable position, and protect the outcome. “I kept them informed” is an APS 5 answer. “I identified that their real concern was X, restructured the approach to address it, and secured their support before it became a delivery risk” is an EL1 answer.
EL2 Interview Questions at the ATO
EL2 (Director) interviews at the ATO focus on strategic leadership: shaping direction across multiple teams or functions, engaging with SES and external stakeholders, driving change, and building capability. Delivery examples alone, however impressive, will not land at this level.
Example questions
- “Tell us about a time you set or reshaped the strategic direction for a program, function, or business area. How did you bring people with you?”
The panel is assessing whether you think beyond your own area: alignment with organisational priorities, engagement of senior stakeholders, sequencing of change, and measurable results over time.
- “Describe a time you managed a significant risk or issue that had the potential to affect the organisation’s reputation or outcomes. What was your role?”
Show early identification, honest escalation, decisive containment, and system-level fixes. At EL2, the panel also wants to hear how you supported the SES and, where relevant, ministerial or public accountability considerations.
- “How have you built capability or lifted performance across a team or business line, not just within it?”
This question separates managers from leaders. Talk about workforce planning, developing your EL1s, creating systems that outlast you, and results you can quantify.
Interview Questions for Other Popular ATO Roles
The ATO recruits heavily across several other business lines. The behavioural structure stays the same, but the emphasis shifts. Here are the questions candidates most commonly face, categorised by role type.
Client Engagement and Contact Centre (APS 3 to APS 4)
- “Tell us about a time you dealt with an upset or frustrated customer. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?”
- “Describe a time you had to follow a process or script while still meeting the customer’s actual needs.”
- “Give an example of handling sensitive personal information appropriately.”
These roles often use one-way video interviews and situational judgement tests. Panels are assessing empathy, resilience, accuracy under volume, and integrity. Many taxpayers calling the ATO are in genuine financial distress, and the ATO explicitly looks for candidates who can hold both compassion and process at the same time.
Debt and Lodgment (APS 4 to APS 6)
- “Tell us about a time you negotiated an outcome with someone who was resistant or under financial pressure.”
- “Describe how you balance firmness on obligations with fairness to the individual’s circumstances.”
Data, Analytics and Risk (APS 5 to EL1)
- “Walk us through a piece of analysis you produced that changed a decision. How did you ensure the data was reliable, and how did you present the findings?”
- “Tell us about a time your analysis was challenged. How did you respond?”
- “Describe a time you had to explain a data limitation or caveat to stakeholders who wanted a definitive answer.”
ICT and Digital (APS 5 to EL2)
- “Tell us about a time you delivered a technical solution under a tight deadline or with shifting requirements.”
- “Describe a time you had to translate technical constraints for business stakeholders and negotiate scope.”
- “Give an example of identifying and managing a security, privacy, or data risk in your work.”
Law, Tax Counsel and Legal Services (APS 6 to EL2)
- “Tell us about a time you provided advice on a complex or contested matter. How did you form your position, and how was it received?”
- “Describe a situation where your advice was not what the client or business area wanted to hear.”
Fraud, Integrity and Criminal Law (APS 6 to EL1)
- “Give an example of managing a sensitive matter where confidentiality and procedural fairness were critical.”
- “Tell us about a time you had to make an objective assessment despite pressure or strong opinions around you.”
ATO Graduate Program
- “Tell us about a time you worked in a team to achieve a goal. What was your specific contribution?”
- “Describe a time you received difficult feedback. What did you do with it?”
- “Why the ATO, and why the public service?”
Graduate processes typically include online testing, a video interview, and an assessment centre with group exercises. Panels know graduates have limited work history. University projects, part-time work, and volunteering are all legitimate evidence, as long as you focus on what you personally did.
For a broader bank of behavioural prompts used across APS agencies, see our APS interview questions guide.
How to Structure Your Answers: STAR and STAR-L
Every question above should be answered using STAR structure:
- Situation: one or two sentences of context. Keep it tight.
- Task: what you specifically were responsible for.
- Action: the bulk of your answer. What you did, how you did it, and why you made the choices you made. Use “I”, not “we”.
- Result: the measurable or observable outcome. Numbers, timeframes, and stakeholder feedback all strengthen this.
For EL1 and EL2 interviews, add the L: Learning. Senior panels want reflective practitioners. Close your answer with what the experience taught you and how it changed the way you operate.
Aim for two to three minutes per answer. In a one-way video interview, the time limit is enforced for you, which is exactly why rehearsing against a timer matters.
If your written application also needs work before the interview stage, our APS resume and application writing services cover tailored resumes, pitch statements, and statements of claims aligned to ATO role requirements.
Common Mistakes in ATO Interviews
- Answering in “we”. The panel cannot score your team. Every answer must make your individual contribution unmistakable.
- Treating the one-way video as a formality. It is a scored assessment stage. Candidates who ramble, run out of time, or give unstructured answers are cut before a human panel ever sees them.
- Pitching at the wrong level. An APS 6 answer in an EL1 interview reads as not ready. Study the Work Level Standards for your target classification and choose examples that demonstrate that level of judgement and independence.
- Skipping the integrity preparation. Assume you will be asked about handling sensitive information or a values-based scenario. Have a real example ready.
- Over-relying on technical expertise. The ATO already screened your technical background at application stage. The interview is about capability: how you think, communicate, and work with others.
- No questions and no close. When invited to ask questions or add anything, use it. A brief, confident summary of why you fit the role is a scoring opportunity most candidates waste.
Don’t Leave Your ATO Interview to Chance
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Frequently Asked Questions About ATO Interviews
What types of interviews does the ATO use?
The ATO commonly uses one-way (recorded) video interviews as a screening stage for APS 3 to APS 6 roles, followed by structured panel interviews with two or three panel members. Some processes also include online cognitive testing, situational judgement assessments, written exercises, or assessment centres for graduate and bulk rounds.
What questions are asked in an ATO interview?
ATO interview questions are behavioural and capability-based. Expect questions about analysing information, handling difficult clients or stakeholders, managing competing priorities, dealing with sensitive information, and demonstrating integrity. At EL1 and EL2 levels, questions shift toward leading teams, managing change, exercising judgement in ambiguity, and strategic stakeholder engagement.
How long are ATO interview answers supposed to be?
Aim for two to three minutes per answer using STAR structure. One-way video interviews enforce a time limit, often between one and three minutes per question, so practising complete answers against a timer is essential preparation.
Does the ATO use the STAR method?
Yes. ATO panels assess behavioural evidence, and STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is the structure they are trained to score. For EL1 and EL2 interviews, adding a Learning component (STAR-L) demonstrates the reflective practice expected at senior levels.
How hard is it to get a job at the ATO?
ATO processes are competitive but high-volume. Bulk recruitment rounds and merit pools mean strong candidates are often placed even when they miss the specific advertised role. The candidates who succeed are rarely the most technically qualified. They are the ones who present structured, individual, level-appropriate evidence at every assessment stage.
What should I wear to an ATO interview?
Business or smart business attire, including for video interviews. For one-way and online interviews, also check your lighting, camera angle, and background, and treat the recording with the same formality as an in-person panel.
How long does the ATO take to make an offer after an interview?
Timeframes vary by process. Bulk rounds can take several weeks to a few months from interview to outcome, particularly where merit pools are being established. Panels usually indicate a timeframe at the end of the interview, and successful candidates may be contacted for referee checks before a formal outcome.
Can I prepare for a one-way video interview?
Yes, and you should. Prepare a bank of six to eight STAR examples covering results, relationships, communication, and integrity, then practise delivering them aloud within a two-minute limit. Because there is no interviewer to prompt or redirect you, your first take needs to be complete and structured on its own.
About PS Interview Coach
PS Interview Coach provides APS, State Government, and public sector interview coaching across Australia. Our coaching team brings more than 40 years of combined public sector recruitment, panel, application, and interview experience. We help candidates prepare structured applications, selection criteria, pitch responses, STAR interview examples, and level-appropriate APS capability evidence for agencies including the ATO, Defence, Services Australia, and Home Affairs.
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by APS Interview Coach | Jun 18, 2026 | Uncategorized
Updated: June 2026
Estimated read time: 11 minutes
Quick Answer:
Transport for NSW staff affected by the 2025-2026 operating model restructure are not automatically placed into new roles. Many are required to compete for positions through a formal Internal Gated Process assessed against the NSW Capability Framework. Preparation for that process — application writing, interview coaching, and capability evidence — is the difference between securing a role and entering the voluntary redundancy pool.
The TfNSW Operating Model Restructure Is Still Unfolding — and the Competition for Roles Is Fierce
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is in the final and most consequential phase of its largest organisational restructure in a generation. What began as an announced reduction of 950 corporate roles in mid-2025 has expanded significantly. By May 2026, approximately 1,600 TfNSW employees had entered the agency’s mobility pool — with the Public Service Association (PSA) warning that figure was expected to exceed 2,000 as further branch determinations finalised.
For the staff affected, the experience has been disorienting and, in many cases, deeply stressful. Roles abolished. New structures announced. Competitive processes opening with little notice. Case managers stretched thin. Voluntary redundancy timelines unclear. And throughout all of it, the clock running.
If you are a TfNSW employee in the mobility pool, designated into a competitive selection process, or navigating the internal placement system, this guide explains what you are actually facing — and what targeted preparation will give you the best chance of securing the role you want.
What Is Happening at Transport for NSW
The TfNSW operating model restructure is a cost-reduction and structural reform program that the NSW Minns Government initiated to eliminate post-pandemic agency duplication and reduce expenditure by an estimated $600 million. The restructure targets back-office and corporate functions — not frontline service delivery — and covers two broad employee groups:
- Corporate, administrative, and award-covered roles (approximately 950 originally announced, now exceeded): spanning human resources, finance, communications, procurement, technology, and project management divisions.
- Senior executive roles (Transport Senior Service Executive — TSSE): targeting a reduction of 300 senior positions, with more than 200 of those roles eliminated or redesignated by late 2025.
Frontline operational roles — train drivers, bus operators, road response crews — are explicitly protected from the cuts. The restructure is entirely focused on corporate, professional, and managerial functions.
The timeline has stretched considerably from the original plan. Consultation and branch-level restructures commenced in August 2025, with staff placement outcomes originally expected to conclude by late 2025. By mid-2026, many placements and competitive processes are still finalising at branch level, with the broader corporate planning targets running to June 2026 and beyond.
For affected staff, this extended timeline has created sustained employment uncertainty — a reality that unions including the PSA and Professionals Australia have raised formally with TfNSW and the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.
Who This Guide Is For
This article is written specifically for:
- TfNSW employees currently in the mobility pool who need to apply for and compete for roles within TfNSW or across the broader NSW public sector before a voluntary redundancy decision is required.
- TfNSW staff entering or preparing for a competitive selection process for a role in the new operating model structure, assessed against the NSW Capability Framework.
- Transport Senior Service Executives (TSSE) whose senior roles have been abolished and who are navigating placement, redeployment, or seeking roles in other NSW government agencies or outside the sector.
- TfNSW staff who have received a placement decision they want to challenge, or who are preparing to apply for a different role before their review window closes.
- TfNSW employees who recognise they have strong experience but have never had to write a formal government application or sit a structured capability-based interview before — and who are now required to do exactly that under significant time pressure.
If you are in any of these situations and your placement or role outcome is not yet finalised, the preparation work you do right now is the single most controllable factor in your outcome.
Understanding the Mobility Pool and the Internal Gated Process
The NSW Government’s mobility framework is designed to redeploy displaced public sector employees before any involuntary redundancy occurs. In principle, mobility gives affected TfNSW staff priority access to vacant roles across the public sector. In practice, it has created significant complexity for the staff it is meant to protect.
Key features of the TfNSW mobility and placement process that every affected employee needs to understand:
The Internal Gated Process
Roles in TfNSW’s new structure are filled through a sequenced internal process before being opened to external applicants. Employees in the mobility pool are typically given priority access at each gate. However — and this is critical — priority access is not the same as automatic placement. Many roles at Grade 7 and above, and most professional and management positions, still require a merit-based competitive selection process in which mobility pool candidates compete against each other.
That means even within the gated process, you are being scored and ranked. Your application, your pitch, and your interview performance are all being assessed by a panel against the NSW Capability Framework. The strongest candidate progresses — regardless of how long they have worked at TfNSW or how well-regarded they are within their team.
Placement Decision Reviews
Following the PSA’s advocacy, TfNSW has confirmed that employees can request a formal review of a placement decision where they believe the outcome was not consistent with the published process, relevant legislation, or their employment contract. Review requests must generally be lodged within seven days of the placement decision being communicated. If you have recently received a placement outcome you believe is inconsistent with the process, this window is short and the grounds for your review need to be clearly articulated.
Voluntary Redundancy (VR) Timelines
The PSA has raised ongoing concerns about delays in employees receiving VR estimates, which affects their ability to make an informed decision about whether to continue pursuing placement or accept a redundancy offer. If you are waiting on a VR estimate, continue pursuing role applications in parallel — do not wait for the estimate before preparing.
For a broader perspective on what is driving public sector job reduction across Australia right now, see our post on APS and State Government job cuts in 2026.
Your Situation and What You Need to Do
| Your Current Situation |
What the Process Requires |
What You Need to Prepare |
| In the mobility pool, role not yet identified |
Actively apply for vacancies via the Internal Gated Process or I Work for NSW |
Updated resume, pitch statement tailored to each role, capability examples mapped to NSW framework |
| Competitive selection process open for a specific role |
Submit written application and attend structured panel interview |
Targeted pitch, STAR-based capability evidence, mock interview preparation |
| TSSE role abolished, seeking senior role in TfNSW or another agency |
Executive-level application and interview against NSW Capability Framework at Senior Officer or equivalent level |
Executive resume, strategic leadership examples, stakeholder and governance evidence |
| Received placement decision, considering review |
Submit grounds for review within seven days of decision |
Clear articulation of process inconsistency, documentation, union advice |
| Exploring roles outside TfNSW in NSW public sector |
Open competitive recruitment through I Work for NSW |
Resume aligned to new agency context, capability pitch, interview preparation |
The NSW Capability Framework: What You Will Be Assessed Against
Every competitive selection process within TfNSW and across the NSW public sector is assessed against the NSW Public Sector Capability Framework. This framework defines the behaviours, skills, and knowledge expected at each role level — from Foundational through to Highly Advanced. If you have been doing your job at TfNSW for years but have never had to formally demonstrate your capabilities against this framework, the selection process may feel unfamiliar and counterintuitive.
The NSW Capability Framework is organised across five capability groups:
- Personal Attributes: Display Resilience and Courage, Act with Integrity, Manage Self, Value Diversity and Inclusion
- Relationships: Communicate Effectively, Commit to Customer Service, Work Collaboratively, Influence and Negotiate
- Results: Deliver Results, Plan and Prioritise, Think and Solve Problems, Demonstrate Accountability
- Business Enablers: Finance, Technology, Procurement and Contract Management, Project Management
- People Management: Manage and Develop People, Inspire Direction and Purpose, Optimise Business Outcomes, Lead and Manage Change
Each role advertisement specifies which capabilities are being assessed and at what proficiency level. Your pitch statement, your resume, and your interview responses all need to reflect the capability language of the NSW framework — not generic professional language, and not APS Integrated Leadership System (ILS) language if you have worked in or alongside federal agencies.
Using the wrong framework’s language is one of the most common and most costly errors in NSW government applications. Panels are trained to identify capability evidence — or the absence of it. A response that describes what your team achieved, without demonstrating what you specifically did, decided, and delivered, will not score at a competitive level.
For a full breakdown of how the NSW Capability Framework differs from other Australian government frameworks, visit our NSW Government interview coaching page.
Writing a Competitive Application Under Pressure
TfNSW’s internal competitive processes move quickly. In many cases, affected staff are notified of an opening with limited lead time and are expected to submit a pitch statement and updated resume within days. For staff who have not had to write a formal government application in years — or ever — this is where many strong candidates lose ground before the interview stage.
What Makes a TfNSW Pitch Statement Competitive
A pitch statement for a role in TfNSW’s new structure is not a cover letter and it is not a summary of your work history. It is a capability evidence document. It needs to:
- Open with a direct statement of your suitability for the specific role — not a generic introduction
- Draw on two or three specific examples from your TfNSW or prior experience that demonstrate the focus capabilities at the advertised proficiency level
- Use the exact capability language from the NSW Capability Framework, matched to the terminology in the role advertisement
- Be structured around what you specifically did, decided, and delivered — not what your team or project achieved
- Demonstrate your understanding of the new operating model context and how the role fits within it, where relevant
Many TfNSW staff have deep, genuinely impressive experience. The problem is not the experience — it is the translation. Panel members are not making inferences about your capability from your job title or your tenure. They are scoring the evidence you provide in writing and in person, against a rubric, compared to every other applicant in the pool.
Updating Your Resume for Internal TfNSW Processes
Your resume for an internal TfNSW competitive selection should be updated to reflect your most recent role responsibilities and achievements, framed in terms of outcomes and capability rather than tasks and duties. For roles at Grade 9 (Senior Officer) and above, a two-to-three page resume with an achievement-focused professional summary is standard. For executive roles, longer is appropriate — but every line should earn its place.
For guidance on structuring government application documents, see our post on APS resume keywords and selection criteria examples — the same structural principles apply across NSW public sector applications.
TfNSW Interview Preparation: What Panels Are Looking For
Competitive selection interviews for roles in TfNSW’s new operating model are structured, capability-based, and scored in real time. If you have not sat a formal government interview recently — or if your previous experience was an internal conversation with a known manager rather than a formal panel process — the format can be unexpectedly demanding.
What to expect in a TfNSW competitive selection interview:
- Two to three panel members, typically including the hiring manager, a HR or process representative, and often a subject matter expert from the relevant business area
- Pre-set, capability-mapped questions delivered formally, with limited follow-up beyond structured probing questions
- Behavioural questions framed as “Tell me about a time when…” — requiring specific, real examples from your experience structured using the STAR method
- Values-based questions assessing alignment with NSW Public Sector Values: integrity, trust, service, and accountability
- Possible scenario questions for senior and management-level roles, testing your judgement in role-relevant situations
The Most Common Interview Error TfNSW Staff Make
The most consistent error we see from TfNSW staff preparing for internal competitive processes is speaking about what “we” did rather than what “I” did. After years of collaborative, team-based work in a large agency, this instinct is understandable — but it is actively penalised in structured government interviews. Selection panels are assessing your individual capability. They cannot score what your team did. They need to know what you specifically identified, decided, and delivered.
Every answer in a competitive selection interview should use first-person language, describe your specific role and accountabilities, and close with a concrete outcome you can speak to directly. For detailed preparation on how government panels score behavioural responses, see our post on preparing for high-pressure government interviews.
Real Scenarios: How PS Interview Coach Helps Change-Affected TfNSW Staff
The following scenarios are representative of the situations TfNSW staff are navigating right now. PS Interview Coach has worked with public sector employees through multiple agency restructures and can provide targeted, rapid-turnaround support for each of these.
Scenario 1: The Long-Tenured Corporate Professional
A TfNSW procurement officer with 12 years of agency experience has been placed in the mobility pool. Her role was abolished in the branch restructure. A Grade 9 Procurement Manager role in the new structure has opened through the Internal Gated Process and she has eight days to submit her pitch and resume. She has not written a formal government application since she joined TfNSW over a decade ago and is not confident translating her experience into the NSW Capability Framework language the panel will be scoring against.
What she needs: A rapid-turnaround resume rewrite and a targeted pitch statement built around the role’s focus capabilities at the Adept proficiency level, with STAR-structured evidence drawn from her TfNSW procurement work.
Scenario 2: The Senior Executive Navigating Redeployment
A TfNSW Director (TSSE) whose role was eliminated in the executive restructure has been working with a mobility case manager for four months. He has identified a Senior Director role at another NSW cluster agency and is preparing for a competitive external panel interview. He is experienced and highly capable but has always been appointed through internal succession rather than open competitive processes and has never prepared a formal capability-based interview response.
What he needs: Executive-level interview coaching, mock panel sessions calibrated to a Highly Advanced proficiency level, and strategic reframing of his TfNSW leadership experience in NSW Capability Framework language.
Scenario 3: The Mid-Level Professional Facing Multiple Processes Simultaneously
A TfNSW communications advisor is in the mobility pool and has three role applications open simultaneously — two within TfNSW through the Internal Gated Process, one at a separate NSW agency through I Work for NSW. Each role requires a separate, tailored pitch statement and each is assessed against slightly different focus capabilities. She is managing this while continuing in her current role pending placement.
What she needs: A session to develop a master STAR example bank she can adapt efficiently across applications, and rapid feedback on each pitch before submission.
When You Don’t Need Interview Coaching
PS Interview Coach exists to help staff who need it — not to create a need where none exists. You probably do not need professional coaching if:
- You have sat multiple formal NSW government competitive selection interviews in the last two years and have a strong track record of progressing to offer stage
- You are confident writing capability-based pitch statements in NSW Capability Framework language and your most recent written applications have been shortlisted
- The role you are applying for is a straight lateral move at your current grade with no change in capability level, and you have a well-established application track record
- You have decided to accept a voluntary redundancy and are not pursuing placement in a new role
If you are unsure whether coaching will make a material difference to your outcome, book a free 15-minute consultation. We will tell you honestly whether the preparation gap is significant enough to warrant coaching — or whether you are already well-placed.
Affected by the TfNSW Restructure? Get Targeted Preparation Support.
PS Interview Coach provides specialist interview coaching and application writing support for NSW public sector staff at all levels — from Grade 5 through to Senior Executive. We work fast, we know the NSW Capability Framework, and we understand the pressure you are under right now.
See our NSW Government coaching services or book a free 15-minute strategy call before your next process opens.
Frequently Asked Questions: TfNSW Restructure and Interview Preparation
Do TfNSW staff in the mobility pool automatically get placed into new roles?
No. While mobility pool employees receive priority access through TfNSW’s Internal Gated Process, many roles — particularly at Grade 7 and above — still require a competitive merit-based selection process. Priority access means you are considered before external candidates. It does not mean you are appointed without competition. You will still be required to submit an application and attend a structured panel interview, and your performance in that process determines the outcome.
What is the Internal Gated Process at TfNSW?
The Internal Gated Process is TfNSW’s sequenced approach to filling roles in the new operating model structure. Roles are offered first to impacted internal employees in the mobility pool, before being opened to the broader NSW public sector and then to external applicants. The process is intended to give affected TfNSW staff the best opportunity to secure roles before voluntary redundancy becomes the outcome. However, competitive selection requirements still apply within the gates for most professional and management-level positions.
How long do TfNSW staff have to request a review of a placement decision?
Generally seven days from the date the placement decision is communicated. The review request must clearly state the decision being challenged, the grounds for the review, and the outcome being sought. If you are considering a review, seek advice from your union (PSA or relevant professional association) immediately — the window is short and the grounds need to be specific.
What is the NSW Capability Framework and how does it affect my TfNSW application?
The NSW Public Sector Capability Framework is the assessment standard used in all NSW government competitive selection processes. It organises capabilities into five groups — Personal Attributes, Relationships, Results, Business Enablers, and People Management — each with defined proficiency levels from Foundational to Highly Advanced. Every TfNSW role in the new structure will specify which capabilities are being assessed and at which level. Your written application and your interview responses must demonstrate capability evidence at that level, using the framework’s language. Generic professional language or language from other frameworks (such as the APS ILS) will not map correctly and will not score well.
Can PS Interview Coach help TfNSW staff prepare quickly when processes move fast?
Yes. We understand that TfNSW competitive processes are opening with short notice and tight submission windows. We offer rapid-turnaround resume and pitch writing support, and can typically turn around a reviewed and reframed application within 48 hours for clients with urgent timelines. Contact us through the NSW Government coaching page to discuss your timeframe.
I have worked at TfNSW for more than 10 years. Does that help me in a competitive selection?
Your tenure and agency knowledge are genuine advantages — particularly in demonstrating deep understanding of TfNSW’s operating context, stakeholder environment, and the challenges of the role. However, panels can only score the evidence you provide in your application and interview. Long service does not substitute for a well-structured pitch or a strong STAR-based interview response. Many experienced TfNSW staff are finding that the formal competitive process requires a different kind of preparation than they have previously needed — and that the transition is harder than expected.
What if I want to leave TfNSW and apply for roles at other NSW agencies?
Staff in the TfNSW mobility pool are typically eligible to apply for roles across the broader NSW public sector through I Work for NSW. The same NSW Capability Framework applies across all NSW agencies. PS Interview Coach works with candidates targeting roles across all NSW cluster agencies, departments, and authorities — not only TfNSW. Our NSW Government interview coaching services cover the full spectrum of NSW public sector employment.
How does PS Interview Coach prepare senior TfNSW executives for redeployment interviews?
Senior TfNSW executive coaching is tailored to the Highly Advanced proficiency level of the NSW Capability Framework and the specific demands of executive competitive selection panels. We work on strategic leadership example construction, executive communication and presence, stakeholder and governance evidence, and the framing of broad-scope TfNSW experience in terms that translate to a new agency’s context. All senior coaching includes live mock panel sessions with real-time feedback.
About PS Interview Coach
PS Interview Coach provides specialist interview coaching and application support for NSW State Government, APS, and public sector candidates across Australia. Our coaching team brings more than 40 years of combined public sector recruitment, panel, and executive hiring experience. We work with candidates at every level — from Grade 5 administrative roles through to Senior Executive appointments — across all NSW cluster agencies, TfNSW, and the broader public sector.
Learn more about our NSW Government interview coaching services or visit psinterviewcoach.com.au.
by APS Interview Coach | Jun 11, 2026 | APS Interviews, Pass an EL1 Interview
Updated: June 2026
Estimated read time: 11 minutes
Quick Answer:
To pass an EL1 interview, you need to show that you are no longer operating as a strong technical APS6. EL1 panels are assessing whether you can lead people, shape work, exercise judgment under broad direction, manage complex stakeholders, and connect day-to-day delivery to broader agency outcomes. The strongest EL1 candidates do not simply describe what they did — they explain why it mattered, how they made decisions, how they influenced others, and what strategic or operational impact followed.
Why EL1 Interviews Are Different
An EL1 interview is not just a harder APS6 interview. It is a different type of assessment.
At APS6 level, panels are often looking for strong technical capability, reliable judgement, subject matter expertise, the ability to work with limited direction, and ownership of complex pieces of work. Those qualities still matter at EL1 — but they are no longer enough on their own.
At EL1, the panel is assessing whether you can operate as a leader within the APS system. That means demonstrating that you can translate direction into action, lead people or work programs, manage risk, influence stakeholders, exercise sound judgement, and connect operational delivery to broader policy, program, agency or government priorities.
This is where many otherwise capable candidates fall short. They walk into an EL1 interview with strong examples, but they describe those examples like a high-performing technical officer. The panel hears competence, but not leadership. They hear delivery, but not strategy. They hear tasks, but not judgment. They hear effort, but not impact.
To be competitive at EL1, your interview responses need to show more than what you completed. They need to show how you thought, how you led, how you influenced, and why your actions mattered beyond the immediate task.
The Shift from Technical Expert to Strategic Leader
The most important mindset shift for an EL1 interview is this:
You are not being assessed only on whether you can do the work. You are being assessed on whether you can lead the work.
That distinction changes the way you choose examples, structure answers, and describe your contribution.
A technical answer focuses on the task itself:
- What you drafted
- What you analysed
- What process did you follow
- What document did you produce
- What deadline did you meet
An EL1-level answer focuses on the leadership behind the task:
- How you interpreted the broader problem
- How you clarified priorities under broad direction
- How you managed risk, sensitivity or ambiguity
- How you influenced stakeholders or brought people with you
- how you guided others, improved quality or lifted performance
- how the outcome supported the section, branch, agency or government objective
This does not mean you ignore the work you delivered. It means you frame the work at the right level.
For example, an APS6-style response might say:
I prepared the briefing, coordinated input from business areas, incorporated feedback, and delivered the final product by the deadline.
An EL1-style response would go further:
I recognised that the issue had broader implications for the branch because inconsistent input from business areas was creating risk for the decision-maker. I established a clearer coordination process, negotiated timeframes with key stakeholders, resolved conflicting positions, and reframed the advice so the senior executive could make a defensible decision. The final brief was delivered on time, but more importantly, it gave the branch a more consistent approach for future matters of the same type.
The second answer still shows delivery, but it also shows judgement, influence, risk awareness, stakeholder management and broader impact. That is the difference EL1 panels are listening for.
What EL1 Panels Are Really Assessing
Most EL1 interview questions are behavioural, but the panel is not simply checking whether you have a relevant example. They are listening for evidence that your example demonstrates EL1-level capability.
In practice, that usually means evidence across several areas.
1. Leadership and Accountability
At EL1, leadership is not limited to formal staff management. You may lead a team, a project, a function, a stakeholder process, a policy reform, a procurement activity, a compliance response, or a complex operational deliverable.
The panel wants to hear how you took accountability for shaping the work, not just completing your part of it. Strong EL1 responses show that you set direction, clarified expectations, improved quality, managed competing priorities, and made decisions that affected the work of others.
2. Judgement Under Broad Direction
EL1 officers are expected to work under broad direction, not constant instruction. This means the panel is looking for signs that you can interpret intent, make sensible decisions, and know when to escalate.
A strong EL1 answer explains how you assessed the situation, what risks or constraints you considered, what options you weighed, and why you chose a particular course of action.
3. Strategic and Operational Awareness
Strategic thinking at EL1 does not mean using abstract language or pretending every task was whole-of-government reform. It means showing that you understood the broader context of your work.
That might include:
- How your work supported agency priorities
- How a decision affected another team, program or stakeholder group
- How did you balance short-term delivery with longer-term consequences
- How you anticipated risk or future demand
- How you improved a process rather than simply completing it
4. Stakeholder Influence
At EL1, stakeholder management is not just about being polite, responsive or collaborative. Panels are looking for influence.
They want to hear how you managed competing views, handled resistance, negotiated an outcome, represented your area, built trust, or brought stakeholders toward a shared position.
5. People Leadership and Quality Assurance
If you have managed staff, you should be ready to discuss how you set expectations, supported development, managed performance, allocated work, and maintained quality.
If you have not formally managed staff, you can still demonstrate EL1 leadership through project leadership, mentoring, peer coordination, quality assurance, workflow management, stakeholder leadership or acting opportunities. The key is to show that your contribution extended beyond your own individual output.
What Strategic Thinking Sounds Like at EL1
Many candidates know they need to sound more strategic in an EL1 interview, but they misunderstand what that means.
Strategic thinking is not about using bigger words. It is not about saying “strategic” repeatedly. It is not about claiming credit for decisions made by senior executives.
At the EL1 level, strategic thinking usually sounds like:
- “I considered the broader implications for the branch…”
- “I identified that the immediate issue was part of a wider pattern…”
- “I balanced the operational deadline against the longer-term risk…”
- “I recognised that the decision-maker needed clearer options, not just more information…”
- “I reframed the problem so the team could focus on the outcome rather than the process…”
- “I anticipated the stakeholder concern before it escalated…”
- “I adjusted the approach because the original process was not fit for the level of sensitivity involved…”
Notice the pattern. Strategic thinking is demonstrated through the way you interpret the environment, identify risk, connect details to outcomes, and make decisions that improve the quality of the work.
It is not enough to say:
I had to think strategically.
You need to show the panel what you saw, what you weighed, what you changed, and why that mattered.
How to Show Leadership Without Overclaiming
A common concern for APS6 candidates applying for EL1 roles is that they do not want to overstate their experience. This is sensible. Panels can usually tell when a candidate is inflating their role.
But underclaiming is just as damaging.
Many candidates have EL1-relevant experience but describe it too narrowly. They say they “helped”, “supported”, “assisted”, “contributed to” or “was involved in” work where they actually exercised judgement, coordinated others, influenced stakeholders or improved an outcome.
To show leadership accurately, focus on your real sphere of influence.
You do not need to claim that you owned the entire agency outcome. You can say:
- You led the coordination of a complex input
- You shaped the advice before it went to the executive
- You identified a risk and recommended a mitigation
- You coached junior staff through a difficult process
- You resolved conflicting stakeholder views
- You improved the quality assurance process
- You translated broad direction into a practical work plan
Those are legitimate EL1 signals when they are explained clearly and supported by a real example.
The strongest candidates are precise. They do not overclaim, but they also do not hide their leadership behind passive language.
Stakeholder Management at EL1 Level
Stakeholder questions are common in EL1 interviews because EL1 officers are often the link between senior direction, team delivery and external or cross-agency interests.
A weak stakeholder answer describes communication:
I kept stakeholders informed and made sure everyone was updated.
A stronger EL1 answer describes influence:
I identified that two stakeholder groups had different expectations about the outcome. I met with each group separately to understand their concerns, clarified the non-negotiable requirements, and then brought them together around a revised approach that preserved the policy intent while addressing the operational constraint. This avoided escalation and allowed the project to proceed with agreed responsibilities.
That answer shows more than communication. It shows judgment, negotiation, conflict management, ownership and outcome focus.
For EL1 interviews, prepare stakeholder examples where there was genuine complexity. Ideally, your example should include one or more of the following:
- competing priorities
- conflicting views
- a sensitive issue
- senior stakeholders
- cross-agency or cross-branch coordination
- a risk of escalation
- a need to influence without direct authority
The more clearly you can explain how you navigated that complexity, the more EL1-level your answer will sound.
Common EL1 Interview Mistakes
Mistake 1: Giving APS6 Answers in an EL1 Interview
This is the most common issue. The candidate gives a solid answer about completing complex work, but the example does not show leadership, broader judgement or strategic impact.
The panel may think: “Good officer, but not yet operating at EL1.”
Mistake 2: Spending Too Long on Background
EL1 questions often involve complex examples, but that does not mean the panel needs a long history of the issue. Too much background reduces the time available to explain your judgement, actions and impact.
The panel needs enough context to understand the complexity — then they need to hear what you did with it.
Mistake 3: Describing the Team Instead of Yourself
Using “we” too often makes it difficult for the panel to assess your personal contribution.
It is fine to acknowledge the team context, but your response must clearly explain your role:
- What you decided
- What you led
- What you influenced
- What you changed
- What outcome followed from your actions
Mistake 4: Confusing Strategy with Seniority
You do not need to have been the SES decision-maker to demonstrate strategic thinking. You need to show that you understood the bigger picture, anticipated consequences, and shaped your work accordingly.
Mistake 5: Not Explaining the Result Properly
Many EL1 candidates end their answer with:
The work was delivered successfully.
That is too vague.
A stronger result explains what changed:
- Was a decision made?
- Was a risk reduced?
- Was a stakeholder issue resolved?
- Was the process improved?
- Was the executive better informed?
- Was the team able to deliver more effectively?
- Was the agency better positioned for a future issue?
Results matter because EL1 panels are assessing impact, not just activity.
Why Preparation Matters for EL1 Interviews
EL1 interviews are highly competitive because many candidates applying at this level are technically strong. The difference between being found suitable and missing out often comes down to how clearly you can translate your experience into EL1-level evidence.
You may already have strong examples. But if those examples are not framed around leadership, judgment, stakeholder influence and strategic impact, the panel may not score them at the level you expect.
The goal is not to memorise scripted answers. The goal is to understand what the panel is assessing and prepare examples that demonstrate the right level of capability.
That is why EL1 interview preparation should focus on three things:
- choosing examples that genuinely demonstrate EL1-level complexity
- framing those examples around leadership and judgement rather than task completion
- Practising your responses so you can communicate clearly under panel conditions
Preparing for an EL1 Interview?
Passing an EL1 interview requires more than strong examples. You need to know how to position those examples at the right classification level, demonstrate strategic thinking, and show the panel that you are ready to lead — not just deliver.
PS Interview Coach provides targeted EL1 interview coaching for APS and public sector candidates who need to convert technical experience into leadership-level interview evidence.
Learn more about our EL1 Interview Coaching
Frequently Asked Questions About Passing an EL1 Interview
How do I pass an EL1 interview?
To pass an EL1 interview, you need to demonstrate that you can operate under broad direction, exercise sound judgement, lead people or work programs, manage complex stakeholders, and connect your work to broader agency outcomes. Strong technical examples are useful, but they must be framed as leadership evidence, not just task completion.
What are EL1 interview panels looking for?
EL1 panels are looking for evidence of leadership, accountability, judgement, stakeholder influence, strategic awareness, risk management and the ability to deliver outcomes through others. They want to hear how you interpreted complexity, made decisions, influenced people and improved outcomes.
How do I show strategic thinking in an EL1 interview?
Show strategic thinking by explaining the broader context of your example. Describe what risks, priorities or future impacts you considered, how you connected the work to a branch or agency outcome, and how your decisions improved the quality or usefulness of the final result.
Can I pass an EL1 interview without managing staff?
Yes. Formal staff management is helpful, but it is not the only way to demonstrate EL1 leadership. You can show leadership through project leadership, stakeholder coordination, mentoring, workflow management, quality assurance, acting roles, or leading complex work across teams.
Why do strong APS6 candidates fail EL1 interviews?
Strong APS6 candidates often fail EL1 interviews because they describe their examples at the wrong level. They focus on technical delivery, effort and task completion instead of leadership, judgement, influence, risk and strategic impact. The panel may see them as capable, but not yet operating as an EL1.
Should I use STAR examples in an EL1 interview?
Yes, but your STAR response needs to be weighted correctly. Keep the Situation and Task brief, then spend most of your answer on Action and Result. At EL1, your Action should explain your judgement, leadership and influence. Your Result should explain the broader impact, not just that the task was completed.
What is the biggest mistake in EL1 interview preparation?
The biggest mistake is preparing examples without calibrating them to the EL1 level. A good example at APS6 may not be strong enough for EL1 unless it demonstrates broader accountability, stakeholder complexity, independent judgement and strategic or operational impact.
How much should I talk about technical skills in an EL1 interview?
Technical skills still matter, especially in specialist roles, but they should not dominate your response. Use technical capability as the foundation, then show how you used that expertise to advise, influence, manage risk, lead others or improve outcomes at a broader level.
How can I prepare for an EL1 interview?
Start by reviewing the role advertisement, identifying the key capabilities, and selecting examples that demonstrate leadership, judgement, stakeholder influence and strategic impact. Then practise turning those examples into clear, structured responses that sound like EL1 evidence rather than technical task summaries. For targeted support, see our EL1 Interview Coaching.
About PS Interview Coach
PS Interview Coach provides specialist APS, State Government, AFP, ADF, NDIA, and public sector interview coaching, resume writing, and selection criteria support across Australia. Our coaching team brings extensive public sector recruitment, panel, application and interview experience. We help candidates prepare structured STAR examples, classification-calibrated interview responses, and clear evidence of leadership, judgement and public sector capability.
Learn more about PS Interview Coach or book a free strategy call.