Preparing for an APS or NSW government interview
Government interviews for administrative roles are usually structured: a panel asks set questions and looks for real examples of how you have worked. APS (Commonwealth) roles and NSW public sector roles describe those expectations with different frameworks, so start with the job advertisement and role description, then prepare a few examples you can tell clearly and defend under follow-up questions.
Who these guides are for
These guides are for people applying for entry and mid-level administrative roles in government: APS 3–4 roles in the Australian Public Service, and administrative roles in the NSW public sector. They cover the interview, not the whole recruitment process. Other states and local councils have their own frameworks and are not covered here.
Two frameworks, not one
APS (Commonwealth). Agencies recruit under the Public Service Act 1999, which sets out the APS Values and the merit principle. For APS 1–6 roles, the Australian Public Service Commission’s Integrated Leadership System (ILS) describes five capability groups: supports strategic direction, achieves results, supports productive working relationships, displays personal drive and integrity, and communicates with influence. The APS Work Level Standards describe what each classification is expected to do.
NSW public sector. Role descriptions list focus capabilities drawn from the NSW Public Sector Capability Framework, each set at a level. A revised framework was issued in January 2026, and agencies have until January 2027 to update role descriptions, so the wording in an advertisement may follow either version. Use the one in the role description you are applying for.
Both lead to similar interview questions, but the language differs. Answer in the language of the job you applied for.
What the panel usually does
The APSC describes a selection panel of two or more people, often including the job’s supervisor. Questions often follow the job description and may be behavioural, starting with prompts like “Tell us about a time when…”. Panels may also use work sample tests, and they check what you claim with referees. Agencies vary, so read the information pack for the format of your process.
How to use these guides
Start with behavioural questions to see what is being tested. Then build answers with STAR, check how your written application connects to the interview, and test each example against likely follow-up questions. When an example holds up on paper, say it out loud in the app and fix one thing at a time.
Interview guides
- APS behavioural interview questions, explainedWhat APS and NSW behavioural interview questions are really asking, how they map to capability frameworks, and how to prepare examples that hold up.
- From selection criteria to interview answersHow written selection criteria, pitches and NSW targeted questions differ from interview answers, and how to turn your written examples into spoken ones.
- Handling follow-up questions in a government interviewWhy APS and NSW panels ask follow-up and probing questions, the common types, and how to answer them without losing your example or making things up.
- STAR answers for government interviews, with examplesHow to use the STAR method in APS and NSW government interviews, with fictional answer examples, a timing guide and the mistakes that weaken spoken answers.
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