Application Process & Interviews at Queensland Government

Time for looking at questions, then discussing answers with the panel.

After applying, it was just an interview.

Interview process was simple and efficient.

Application process involved online application, creating a short video, then interview. Process was fairly standard, however time from application to offer was around 6 months, and offer wasn't received until very close to the start date.

Had no issues with the interview process, it was very professional and casual. Unfortunately, it took 6 weeks to find out if I had secured the job or not due to internal approvals. I have since heard that they had essentially decided on me as soon as they met me, so this delay in process brought me a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

I had one interview and was sent a letter of offer. I had considerable difficulties obtaining my certificate of graduation from the uni and the department was very supportive and flexible in giving me the time to get that cert. Even going so far as to contact the university themselves to help obtain it, when they could have moved on to another candidate.

Did a youtube video and then a panel interview

Comfortable and casual interview environment. No unnecessary repeating of information already in the resume.

Some logic tests before being requested to record a short video about myself. Once shortlisted, proceeded to an interview with three members on the panel.

Simple 20-30-minute interview, three panel members and three - five questions.

Video assessment, psychometric assessment, in-person interview and confirmation took almost 4 months. During interview, panel members were very welcoming and made me feel very comfortable

Interview was pretty straight forward and interesting

Had to video myself answering questions - felt horrible and unnatural (I did my interview during covid) for the first lot of interviews and did the other interviews over Teams calls.

The interview process was well structured and very comfortable to have experienced. Other than my application through the graduate program, there was no formal assessment that I had to take, just a interview that was mostly about the type of work the department does.

Uploaded an unlisted YouTube video where I gave a quick explanation of why I was interested in the QLD Government ICT Graduate Program. I was then invited for a virtual panel interview.

Really easy interview where I met the majority of the managers/AO6/7 in my department (though I didn't realise it was that small at the time) and had a great conversation with them through the interview. After that though the actual process of going from a verbal offer to confirmed employment (and a desk apparently) took roughly 3-4 months in total.

Some required small quizzes however this one was more how to respond to specific data science related problems.

Interview Process is quite long and lengthy but worth it. Hiring manager and team manager will understand the staff in detail.

I was hired through a graduate program with a different department, so I can't really comment on the full process, but the final interview with the Department of Transport and Main Roads was what made me choose them over another department I got an offer from. They were friendly and discussed my experience and what I would be doing with me as a conversation.

Just one interview over teams. Process was a little odd as I later received word that I had made it through to second round of interviews, but never had one and just received a job offer.

Technical, decision making when can't meet requirements, open-ended previous project descriptions.

A mixture of technical questions and questions around personal character.

General questions about my ethic and behaviour.

Questions about how I work in a team, handle stress, schedule tasks, and what I learnt at university and work experience.

I was asked to talk through some of my portfolio work, I was also asked about my process and how I have handled difficult situations. I can't remember exact questions because the process felt more like a natural conversation.

I was asked mostly technical questions to evaluate my abilities in software development tasks and some questions on teamwork. This was in the form of written prepared questions followed by follow-up questions based on my answers.

I cant remember

Process questions specific to the job to be done. Challenging to link back to experiences outside the industry

How would I teach technological concepts to someone that's not digitally native. How I did I address a tough situation?

The interview process for the graduate job was fairly straight forward, simple three questions relating to how you work in a team, solve problems etc. Had to create a process flow in teams, complete a written exercise which consisted of a series of questions, and also complete a small (5-10min) solo interview which also consisted of three panel members.

How to face and solve hypothetical work-related situations, questions about past experience, what was the outcome

I was asked what kind of work or experiences in the past would benefit the job. There were also discussions about my interests and lots of opportunities to share about the type of person I am and who the team was.

I was asked about how I get tasks done. I was also asked to describe a time I dealt with a difficult colleague/classmate.

It was 6 months ago - so vaguely relevant topics like what CIA principles are, what's the difference between risk, vulnerability, and threats, and probably how to handle an incident too.

How would you handle missing data?

Informal questions because my hiring manager said my resume had already been submitted, so it's better to know about the person.

Basic interpersonal skills examples, and what my experience with writing was.

I was given a list of tasks and how I would prioritise them. What was my work experience? What skills do I have that can be applied to my role?

Think about what previous projects show about you outside just IT skills (time management, problem solving, people skills), technical questions should focus on approach and reasoning almost more than the solution itself. Explain things, external person on the panel likely has no idea how the IT stuff works so need to give them context.

For a graduate role, it is ok to not know everything there is to know.

Typical interview prep.

Know your work and know yourself well. You are being hired based on your potential less so on your work experience. Show some of your personality and don't be afraid to talk about when you've made mistakes. Just make sure you are able to talk about how you have grown and learned from them.

Be prepared for technical information relevant to your role. Don't be too stressed out. Feel free to ask questions and relate to your interviewers. They are probably as uncomfortable as you are. Aside from the technical abilities, they are also looking for people they would like to work with day-to-day.

Read about the job description

Link to your specific experiences rather than looking for the 'right' answer.

Be ready to have a conversation. It's harder since it's a formal process. But being able to converse despite the nerves and pressure will go a long way. If you were shortlisted for an interview, it's because they believe you can do the job. The interview is to judge how you'd fit in with the company socially and whether you can do the job well.

Always use SMART or some process/method to answering questions. Use real examples to complete each answer. Know who you're addressing in the room, and tailor your answers.

When answering questions think about: Situation that you faced, set the context Task, describing what was your responsibility Action, the steps you took to solve the situation Result.

Adjust your resume and coverletter for the job you are applying for.

I would suggest candidates be prepared to actively listen during the interview, you learn a lot about the team and their work which benefits your understanding of the job and how you can relate that to your experiences. Make sure to be yourself, don't take things too seriously (but be professional), and give yourself a bit of time before any meeting to prepare.

For a panel interview, prepare some questions to ask the panel members about current projects they're doing and company culture. This shows that you are interested in the company, and means you have to talk less during the interview.

Do a lot of interviews and you'll get an idea what they'll ask - take notes on topics that are actually relevant to the job beforehand, and you may get lucky with an overlapping question but most of the time it's just chance with notes and actual knowledge is better.

Keep cool and don't over-think responses. Bring in lots of examples of how you handled similar problems.

Don't only focus on questions which you find on the internet. Some of the questions are about your mindset. Know about decision making, growth mindset, always to praise and working in a team.

Prepare STAR method situations you can discuss for your aptitude under stress and working in a team.

Be polite, remember interviewer names, take your time to respond to questions, be honest.

If you can, bring in some printed examples of your work. Show you're keen to learn, grow and develop skills.

Use the STAR technique when answering interview questions