by APS Interview Coach | Feb 21, 2026 | Public Service News
For the first time in a generation, a government job might actually pay better than its private sector equivalent — and the numbers are starting to show it.
Public sector wage growth in Australia is now outpacing that of the private sector. What was once an accepted trade-off — lower pay in exchange for stability and work-life balance — is quietly becoming an outdated idea. If you’ve been sitting on the fence about pursuing a career in the Australian Public Service, this shift in the landscape is worth paying attention to.
A Reversal of the Traditional Norm
Historically, private sector workers commanded a wage premium — particularly in industries like mining, finance, and professional services. The unspoken deal for public servants was simple: accept a little less pay and get security, flexibility, and a healthy super contribution in return.
That deal has changed. Recent enterprise agreements across federal and state public services have locked in strong, predictable pay rises, in part to address the wage stagnation that accumulated during the low-inflation years. Meanwhile, private sector wage growth — while recovering — remains uneven. Some industries are surging; many others are still catching up.
The result? In a growing number of roles and classifications, the APS is now the better-paying option.
It’s Not Just About the Salary
Wages are only one part of the picture. The total value of a public service role has always included things the private sector struggles to match:
- Job security — particularly valued in uncertain economic times
- Flexible and hybrid working arrangements — embedded into enterprise agreements, not left to manager discretion
- Generous superannuation — many APS employees still benefit from defined benefit or above-standard super arrangements
- Leave entitlements — including generous personal leave, study leave, and long service leave conditions
- Meaningful work — the chance to contribute to policy, public programs, and outcomes that affect the whole country
When you add a competitive salary on top of all of that, the case for public service becomes genuinely compelling.
What This Means for the Competition
Here’s the practical reality: more people are paying attention to public sector roles, and that means recruitment processes are becoming more competitive.
The APS was already known for a rigorous, structured selection process — one that’s quite different from private sector hiring. Applicants are assessed on behavioural evidence, the STAR method, the APS Work Level Standards, and the Integrated Leadership System. A strong CV alone won’t get you across the line.
As the talent pool drawn to government roles grows, the standard of applications will rise. The candidates who prepare thoroughly — who understand how to respond to selection criteria, how to pitch their experience in the language of the APS, and how to perform well in structured interviews — will be the ones who succeed.
There Has Never Been a Better Time to Invest in Yourself
The opportunity in front of you right now is real. A well-paid, secure, and deeply rewarding government career is within reach — but only if you show up to the process prepared. And that’s exactly where professional coaching makes all the difference.
Think about what’s at stake: a role with a strong salary, rock-solid job security, meaningful work, and conditions that genuinely support a great quality of life. Investing in professional public sector interview coaching isn’t an expense — it’s a career decision that pays for itself many times over the moment you land the role.
The candidates who succeed in APS recruitment aren’t always the most experienced. They’re the ones who understand the process, know how to structure their responses, and can clearly articulate the value they bring — in the language the selection panel is listening for. That’s a skill, and like any skill, it can be learned and sharpened with the right guidance.
Whether you’re new to government, looking to move up the classifications, or eyeing an SES-level opportunity, our coaching packages are designed to meet you where you are and get you where you want to be.
Is a Public Service Career Right for You?
If you’ve been considering a move into the APS — or a promotion within it — the current environment is arguably the most favourable it’s been in years. The pay gap that once gave people pause is narrowing or has reversed entirely in many classifications. The working conditions remain strong. And the opportunity to do genuinely meaningful work at a national level is real.
But wanting the role and getting the role are two very different things. The APS selection process rewards preparation, and it rewards people who can clearly articulate what they’ve done, how they’ve done it, and what impact they’ve had.
That’s exactly what we help with at PS Interview Coach.
Ready to Make Your Move?
The window is open. Public sector salaries are strong, the lifestyle benefits are unmatched, and a rewarding government career is a very achievable goal — for the right candidate, prepared the right way.
Don’t leave it to chance. View our coaching packages and pricing and take the first step toward the public service career you’ve been working toward. The investment you make in yourself today is the career you’ll be proud of tomorrow.
👉 See our coaching packages and pricing here.
by APS Interview Coach | Jan 23, 2026 | APS Level Pros and Cons, Public Service News
A question quietly doing the rounds in APS circles: if you had the chance to go permanent EL1, would you take it? Increasingly, the answer isn’t always yes.
There’s an assumption baked into most career conversations — that progression is always the goal, that the next rung on the ladder is always worth grabbing, and that saying no to a promotion is somehow a failure of ambition or confidence. In the Australian Public Service, where EL1 is often seen as a significant threshold — a move from “doing” to “leading” — that assumption runs particularly deep.
But a growing number of APS employees are quietly pushing back on that narrative. People who’ve acted at EL1, performed well, received positive feedback, and still chosen not to pursue the permanent role. Not because they couldn’t do it. But because, on reflection, they decided they didn’t want to — at least not right now, and not in this role.
If you’re sitting in that position, you’re not alone. And your decision is more valid than you might think.
Why People Walk Away from Permanent EL1
The reasons are as varied as the people making the decision, but a few themes come up again and again.
The role or the area isn’t the right fit. Acting opportunities don’t always land in places that align with your long-term interests. You can perform well in a role — meet the standards, earn the feedback — while simultaneously knowing that the work, the team, or the business area isn’t where you want to build a career. Accepting a permanent role in the wrong place just to hold the classification is a trade-off that many people, on reflection, aren’t willing to make.
Personal life is a legitimate priority. EL1 brings with it a meaningful step up in responsibility — more complex work, people management expectations, greater accountability, and often longer hours. For someone going through a significant life phase — young children, caring responsibilities, health, study, or simply a season where they want more space — that trade-off doesn’t always make sense. Protecting your personal life isn’t a retreat. It’s a considered choice about what matters right now.
The timing isn’t right. A permanent EL1 in the wrong agency, the wrong branch, or the wrong moment in your career can close doors as easily as it opens them. Mobility — the ability to move laterally, explore different policy areas, or apply for roles across the APS — can be more valuable at certain career stages than locking in at the next level.
They’d rather find the right EL1 than take the available one. There’s a real difference between going permanent EL1 in a role you’re lukewarm about and going permanent EL1 in a role you’re genuinely excited by. Holding out for the latter isn’t timidity. It’s strategy.
What You’re Not Losing
Here’s something worth sitting with: the experience doesn’t disappear just because you don’t take the permanent role.
The months you’ve spent acting at EL1 — the complexity you’ve navigated, the leadership you’ve demonstrated, the outcomes you’ve delivered — that’s all real, and it all goes on your record. When you do pursue an EL1 role that genuinely fits, you won’t be starting from scratch. You’ll be applying with evidence. That matters enormously in APS recruitment, where demonstrated ability at level is one of the strongest things you can bring to a selection process.
Choosing not to go permanent now is not the same as choosing never to go EL1. It’s choosing to be intentional about where and when you make that move.
The Question Worth Asking Yourself
If you’re weighing this decision, one question cuts through a lot of the noise: Am I saying no because I’m genuinely not ready, or am I saying no because this particular opportunity isn’t right for me?
Those are very different answers. The first might be worth examining — sometimes hesitation is useful signal, and sometimes it’s just fear of change dressed up as self-awareness. The second is simply good judgment.
Knowing the difference is where honest reflection — and sometimes a good conversation with someone outside the situation — really helps.
When You’re Ready to Move — Make It Count
Whether you decide to go for the permanent EL1 now, wait for a better-fit opportunity, or pivot to a different area of the APS altogether, the moment you do decide to make your move is the moment preparation matters most.
EL1 recruitment is competitive. Selection panels are looking for more than technical capability — they want to see leadership, sound judgement, the ability to manage complexity, and a clear sense of how you add value at that level. Being able to draw on acting experience is a real advantage, but only if you can articulate it well.
That’s where professional public sector interview coaching makes a tangible difference. Whether you’re preparing to apply for your first permanent EL1, targeting a specific agency or policy area, or just want to understand what panels are really looking for at that level, we can help you get ready to put your best application forward.
You’ve already done the hard work of proving you can operate at EL1. The next step is making sure the right people know it — in the right way, at the right time.
Your Decision Is Valid
If you’ve chosen not to pursue a permanent EL1 because the role, the area, or the timing isn’t right — that’s not a failure. It’s not a missed opportunity you’ll always regret. It’s a considered decision made by someone who knows what they want and is willing to wait for the version of progression that actually fits their life.
The APS will have more EL1 opportunities. There will be other acting stints, other vacancies, other recruitment rounds. What matters is that when you do decide to go for it, you go for the right one — and you go in prepared.
When that moment comes, we’re here to help you make it count.
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