Job interview tips how to prepare for an interview in Australia

The job interview tips that matter most

Good interview preparation in Australia comes down to five things: read the job ad and any information pack closely, research the employer, have four or five real examples ready, line up your referees, and practise saying your answers out loud. On the day, take your time, ask for a question to be repeated if you need it, and finish with two or three questions of your own.

This guide sets that out as a timeline, from the moment the invite lands to the follow-up email, using advice from the Queensland Government and the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC). It works for private employers as well as government jobs.

When the invite arrives

Reply quickly and confirm four things in writing: the date and time (with the time zone), the format (in person, Teams, Zoom or phone), who will be on the panel, and whether there is any test or presentation. Ask for the position description if you do not have it.

For government jobs there is often an information pack or "info kit" and a named contact officer. The APSC says the panel will rate you on your application, your interview, any other activities such as a work sample test, and referee comments. So read the pack again: it tells you exactly what is being assessed.

If you need an adjustment, for example extra time or a different format because of a disability, ask now rather than on the day.

Interview preparation: the week before

Research the employer properly

The Queensland Government suggests going in knowing "what they do and what they stand for", using their website, their most recent annual report and any recent media releases. For a government agency, the APSC adds the corporate plan. Write down three things you learnt and one question each raised for you.

Match yourself to the job ad

Print the ad or position description and highlight every skill or duty. Next to each, write one thing you have actually done that proves it. Those notes become your answers. If you wrote a response to selection criteria, reread it, but the APSC suggests "picking a few additional examples to use in the interview" so you are not just repeating the application.

Pick your strengths

The Queensland guide advises choosing "3 or 4 personal strengths" that set you apart, "anything from being calm in a crisis to being able to multi-task and meet multiple deadlines". Have a short example ready for each.

Line up your referees

Call your referees now, not after the interview. Tell them the role and what it needs, and check they are free to take a call this week. The APSC notes it is "generally expected that one of your referees will be a current or recent supervisor".

Prepare for the common questions

Work through the questions you are almost sure to get. Our list of interview questions in Australia sorts them by stage, and the STAR interview questions guide shows how to build the "tell us about a time" answers.

Five examples that cover most questions

You cannot guess every question, but you can walk in with a small set of stories that bend to fit most of them. Aim for five, each from real work, study or volunteering:

1. A win you are proud of, with a result you can measure or describe clearly.
2. A problem you solved when the usual way did not work.
3. A time you worked with someone difficult, a customer or a colleague.
4. A mistake and what you changed afterwards.
5. A time you learnt something fast, such as a new system, product or rule.

For each, write four short lines: what was going on, what you had to do, what you did, and how it ended. Then practise telling each one in about two minutes. The same story can answer "a time you showed initiative" or "a time you worked under pressure" if you change which part you stress. The STAR method answer generator turns rough notes into a clean answer.

How to prepare for an interview the day before

• Do a mock interview. The APSC lists "doing a mock interview using the job description to think up possible questions" as part of preparing. Ask a friend, or use the free AI mock interview, which reads questions aloud in English and gives feedback on pace and structure.
• Plan the trip. Check the address, parking or the train and bus times. The Queensland guide says to arrive at least 15 minutes early so you can gather your thoughts.
• Sort your outfit. Formal office wear is usually safest, but the Queensland guide notes smart casual can suit a labouring role. Try it on and make sure it is clean and pressed.
• Print a copy of your resume and application. Both the Queensland guide and the APSC say it is fine to bring them.
• Get a good night's sleep. Stop preparing by the evening. A rested brain recalls examples better than a crammed one.

Interview tips for on the day

Things the APSC says are fine during an interview, which many candidates are not sure about:

• Take time to think before you answer.
• Ask the panel to rephrase a question you do not understand.
• Bring a copy of your application or notes for quick reference.

And from the Queensland guide:

• Avoid one-word "yes" or "no" answers, but do not ramble. Aim for around two minutes per answer.
• Work your strengths into your answers.
• Do not complain about previous employers or about how hard it is to find work.
• Ask two or three questions at the end, and restate your interest in the job.

If your mind goes blank, say so honestly and ask for a moment, or ask to come back to the question. Our page on what to say when you don't know the answer has lines that work.

Interview tips for panel, video and phone interviews

Panel interviews

Common in government, health, education and universities. Look at the person who asked the question when you start, then include the others. Each panel member may take notes or score you, so a clear structure helps them follow.

Video interviews

Check the time zone on the invite, open the link the day before, put the camera at eye level and sit facing the light. Run the video interview checklist. On a video call on your laptop, the ClapAssist AI interview assistant can show prompts from your resume, if the employer allows AI help.

Phone interviews

Find a quiet room, stand up if it helps your voice, and keep your notes in front of you. ClapAssist cannot hear a call taken only on your mobile, so use it to prepare beforehand. Our phone interview tips go further.

After the interview: follow-up and feedback

• Say thank you. The Queensland guide suggests a short letter, email or call to thank them for the opportunity. The thank-you email tool drafts one in a minute.
• Warn your referees. Let them know they may get a call this week.
• Follow up if it goes quiet. The APSC suggests that if you have not heard anything in the weeks after the interview, you call the contact officer and ask about the timeframe.
• Ask for feedback. Both guides recommend it, win or lose. Be gracious about it and use it for the next one.
• Know about merit lists. In the APS, a merit list may be kept and used to fill similar jobs for 18 months after the job was advertised in the Public Service Gazette, so a "no" now can still lead to an offer later.

Tips for graduates and people new to Australia

Graduates

Graduate programs often have several rounds: online tests, a recorded video interview, then an assessment centre. The APSC describes assessment centres as "job simulations, role-playing and group discussions". Use examples from uni projects, part-time jobs, sport and volunteering; they all count. Read our guide to one-way video interviews if a recorded round is part of it.

New to Australia

Your overseas experience is valuable; add a line of context so the panel understands the company and its size. Be ready for questions about working rights and local referees. If you are interviewing in your second language, slow down a little and practise your key answers aloud with Say It Better in English. ClapAssist itself understands English and many other languages, and can show its prompts in the language you choose.

Practise first, then get help in the live call

Use the free mock interview and the interview simulator in the week before. On the day, if the interview runs on Zoom, Teams or Google Meet on your laptop, ClapAssist shows a short prompt from your resume for each question and stays hidden from screen share. Some employers do not allow AI help in interviews or tests, so read the rules first: is ClapAssist safe?

Next, prepare your opener: tell me about yourself, with Australian examples.