Application Process & Interviews at Policy Futures Graduate Program (Queensland Government)

Online assessment/testing, in-person interview, in-person group interview.

Smooth and supportive recruitment process all the way through.

The hiring process for the graduate program was intense but equitable and well supported. The process design allowed me to undertake several stages whilst overseas. The process included several rounds, aptitude testing and video interviews.

I felt as supported as I could possibly be throughout the entire process, information was always available and plentiful

Online testing, video interview, assessment centre and in-person interview.

I had to do a very long staged process to get this graduate position. I haven't experienced the normal interview process for permanent positions. The assessments we had to do involved logical testing, personality testing, written assessment, group assessment, and private interview.

The details of each step and its expectations were well explained allowing for thorough preparation

Policy Futures recruitment was fantastic.

Interview process was very comprehensive with various stages from the online tests and vide interview to a big group assessment centre with a group interview and one on one interview.

The process was very rigorous but felt fair and also gave an opportunity to be yourself and try your best. the interviewers weren't intimidating which was good!

Multiple levels of assessment and final interview/group activity do a good job of streamlining the best candidates and assessing a variety of skills

For grad program as a whole the process was good, there were several stages of assessments and interviews (initial application, video interview, written assessment and an assessment centre (includes group assessment and individual interview)), but we were kept well informed throughout and the PF staff keep in contact with people often so people know what is going on.

Very respectful and accommodated my personal needs.

The application process was easy enough, a written task and video questionnaire were completed. Following acceptance of this an in-person interview and group activity was conducted. The group activity was very well done, it assessed our abilities to work together cohesively and under time pressure as well. Every 2 candidates was monitored by a single assessor so everyone was judged fairly. The in-person interview also went well with applicants being given the opportunity to answer the questions in whatever order they wanted.

Application assessments - online testing assessments - online written task - virtual interview assessment centre and f2f interview.

Out of 4 assessment centres I attended, Policy Futures was the most well run and timely. Prior to assessment centres, the testing and video interviews were similar to other agencies and equally rigorous.

While the application process is long, it moved faster and more smoothly than other similar graduate programs I applied for. The process is managed entirely by the dedicated graduate team within the department, not by an agency. Ample support is provided throughout the process. The assessment and interview process had numerous phases including an initial online application, online psychometric testing, a one-way video interview, a written assessment, and an assessment centre featuring a group activity and one-on-one interview. The initial application was straightforward, involving personal details and resume, residency status, and some general written questions. The psychometric testing assessed math, written comprehension and logic. I believe the testing system has changed from the one we applied under. The one-way video interview was largely personality questions. You were timed and only had one attempt at filming responses, so it was rather stressful. The written assessment was a roughly 30 minute task that is very similar to the work I now do on a daily basis as a graduate. You are provided with a number of policy documents and asked to synthesis the information and draft a response letter to a fictitious constituent's enquiry using a template. The group activity portion of the assessment centre involved working through a topical policy problem with other candidates, generating and expanding on ideas and adapting to changing circumstances quickly. Some presenting was also involved. The individual interviews are conducted simultaneously in one large room, though it is only yourself and two assessors at your table. I found this quite intimidating, but the assessors were fantastic at reassuring and guiding you through the process. The questions are printed and placed on the table for you to refer back to as needed, and you are able to return to a question and expand on an answer if you feel this is necessary.

Graduate program recruitment was intense but a great experience

Well organised and highly professional teams. Very responsive to any questions you may have. Excellent feedback.

The hiring process was lengthy but the team were friendly and warm throughout. They kept us well informed through each stage of the hiring process.

Examples to demonstrate leadership and policy analysis skills. How I manage/handle stress and challenges.

How I've managed conflict in the past, how I've worked in a team before.

A variety of STAR-L related questions.

Questions around my way of dealing with different work and life experiences

I can't quite remember all of them but one was about "When was there a time in a previous job where something has gone wrong, and how did you deal with this?"

Behavioural questions relating to work and resilience capabilities

Why I want to work in PS. A range of behavioural ones.

I was asked a variety of questions, but it was a fairly relaxed conversation style interview overall

Questions regarding my experiences with failure, career motivations and experience

Standard behavioural questions such as responses to challenges and examples of conflict resolution

I cannot remember the specifics, but they were general behavioural type questions where you had to provide examples of how you acted in certain situations or how you handled something that had happened in a work or university context.

Most of the questions were based around my lived experience and also a how I would handle a scenario working in a community as a policy officer

From memory they were questions regarding working in teams, under pressure, examples of times when we have wanted to learn more, and other questions assessing more of our capacity to learn than our already existing knowledge base.

Give examples of when you ...... type questions.

The interviews focus on behavioural interview questions - you don't need to have subject matter knowledge to excel.

The individual interviews during the assessment centre were mostly behavioural, STAR-E style questions. The questions asked largely assessed your adaptability, innovation and ability to work with others. For example, give an example of how you've resolved conflict in a work or team environment; give an example of a time you struggled with a task - what was your method of resolving the issue?; What have you done when you were going to fail to meet a deadline?

I don't fully remember the questions; however, the questions were mainly on the behavioural questions to answer using STAR methods. I believe there was questions about continues growth, team player and dealing with difficult tasks/persons and so on.

The questions were mostly around team work and adaptability. There was an individual and group activity that required the skill to process information under pressure and to make a decision as a team.

Examples to demonstrate leadership and policy analysis skills. How I manage/handle stress and challenges.

I can't remember them all, generally about challenges, working under pressure and dealing with tenuous tasks, etc.

Be honest, ask questions, in the group interview, achieve a reasonable balance of making meaningful contributions and listening.

STAR-L preparation is key.

Follow the instructions, research anything unclear, and ask if you cannot find information any other way

I would recommend they best prepare by collating all their experiences so they can draw upon them as examples in answering the interview questions.

Read the instructions and ask if something is unclear

Be genuine and natural.

Just relax and trust yourself, your skills and personality are important and will shine through the best if you relax and just be yourself

I would say to do practice logic puzzles if you haven't done them before! i would also advise candidates to be themselves as much as possible throughout the entire process and really show their personality as it's a good indicator as to whether they will suit the culture of the company/graduate program.

I had a list of common behavioural type questions that I may be asked and had thought of examples in advance for work and uni that may fit a variety of these situations, which helped me in the interview to have an answer somewhat prepared. I would also say to not worry too much about specifics at the start of the process, it was quite hard to prepare for the video interview and written assessment in advance (I had prepared the same type of questions as above but if I remember correctly I think the question was quite different?). For the early stages, I would say the best advice is to spend a short amount of time thinking about an answer (want to make sure it is at least a reasonable approach), but to then commit to it and follow through as there are short time limits and overthinking it may create more stress.

I would recommend that they read about what the organisation does and prepare some questions to ask.

I would recommend candidates to reflect on their career and study experience and really draw on the base experiences they had. For example, working in a team that doesn't do well in a group project can be attributed to a variety of reasons, try to analyze what didn't work well and how that impacted you and your team. Could you have done something to change that outcome? Questions that ask what values you hold and how flexible you can adapt yourself to scenarios with difficulty would prove great.

Know that the assessment centre group interviews are more about how you work with others, rather than finding the best result. Prepare lots of examples for potential questions.

Best way to prepare is by doing what you are doing now, scour the internet for feedback about the program! Additionally, I would prepare and memorise response scenarios for some of the most common behavioural interview questions, this really helped me when it came time for my interview.

Understand your 'why' of joining the program, and have a quick sales pitch prepared. Google behavioural/STAR-E style interview question examples and pre-prepare and rehearse answers for some common ones. Practice your answers! Stay on top of news and current affairs.

No specific prep work, just know what you want

Prepare interview responses with the STAR method.

Be aware of the topical issues and relevant government policies. Make yourself familiar with using STAR method in addressing selection criteria. You are being assessed not only during your interview, but also being informally assessed on how you are conducting yourself during breaks and people around you.

Focus on the key characteristics that would enable you to be agile as a government employee.

Be honest, ask questions, in the group interview, achieve a reasonable balance of making meaningful contributions and listening.

Have a growth mindset and be willing to learn. Be open to changes and opportunities as well as challenges.