Custom-built interview preparation services for the Australian public service and private sector.
Interview Coaching & Preparation
The Art of Acing an Interview
The primary reason that job interviews don’t convert into a job offer, is lack of preparation.
Mastering the art of acing an interview is a primary tool for empowering your career with opportunities and options. Whether you’re stepping into your first interview or vying for a senior role in the public sector, thorough preparation is crucial for interview success.
Your resume and job application might get you in the door, but your performance in an interview will determine not only whether you secure the job offer, but the salary, conditions, and benefits with which the offer comes.
At Elevate Career Services, we believe interview preparation is more than just memorising answers—it’s about first and foremost understanding the position and the expectations of your prospective employer. And secondly about presenting your skills, sales pitch, and story in that context.
We understand that preparation is the key to ensuring you sell yourself fairly and impactfully within the brief time span a job interview typically allows. That’s where our interview coaching and mock interview services come in.
The Significance of Interview Preparation
Effective interview preparation is the difference between those who excel and those who stumble and leave the interview regretful at not having done all they can do to land their ideal role. Here is why interview preparation is important for your career success:
- Selling Your Skills — Interviews are your opportunity to articulate the value you bring. Preparation helps you align your experiences with the job requirements, ensuring you speak directly to the hiring panel and clearly demonstrate how your skills and achievements make you the ideal candidate.
- Handling Tough Questions — Not all interview questions are straightforward. Questions like “Tell me about a time you failed” or “Why should we hire you over everybody else?” can catch candidates off guard. Being prepared helps you approach these questions calmly and structure your responses in a way that highlights your strengths.
- Demonstrating Professionalism — A well-prepared candidate ALWAYS stands out. Researching the company and the hiring panel, understanding the role, and preparing thoughtful questions show interviewers that you are serious, diligent, and genuinely interested in the position.
- Reducing Anxiety: Interviews are often stressful, but preparation builds confidence. When you know what to expect and have prepared STAR or SAO examples that cover core capabilities, you’ll feel more at ease, allowing your personality to shine through and the interview to transform into a conversation between peers.
The Power of EXAMPLES
In job interviews, examples from your experience are your secret weapon. Employers want more than abstract claims about your skills—they want proof that you can deliver. The ability to provide clear, concise examples of how you’ve successfully handled situations in the past is one of the most powerful tools you can use to excel in your interviews, particularly for the public service.
Well-chosen and well-articulated examples will:
- Highlight Your Accomplishments: Instead of saying, “I’m good at problem-solving,” use a specific example (in STAR or SAO format) that shows how you tackled a complex challenge, outlining the situation, what you did, and the positive outcome.
- Demonstrate Relevance: Tailor your examples to match the requirements of the job. Show how your past experiences are directly applicable to the role you’re applying for, making it easy for the interviewer to see why you’re a great fit.
- Showcase Competencies: Public sector and APS interviews, in particular, place weight on focus capabilities. Using examples allows you to clearly your ability to apply these capabilities, proving that you have the practical experience and skills to excel in the role.
- Make You Memorable: Real-world examples provide the depth and evidence to your responses and make your interview more engaging. When interviewers can picture the situations you describe, you become more memorable as a candidate, and appear more credible.
At Elevate Career Services, we guide you in selecting and structuring your examples so that they are compelling, relevant, and tailored to the job. By using techniques like the STAR or SAO methods where relevant, we help you present your experiences in a way that leaves a lasting impression, ensuring your skills and achievements shine through.
Invest in Your Future Today
Interview success doesn’t happen by chance—it happens by design. With tailored coaching from our team of experienced interview specialists, including for executives, graduates, professionals, and local, state, and federal (APS) government roles, you’ll be ready to face any interview with confidence.
Ready to step into your next interview fully prepared? Book today and equip yourself to ace your next interview.
Reach out to our team for a free discovery call or request a quote online.
FAQs:
Why is interview preparation so important?
Interview preparation is critical because it is your single opportunity to convert an opportunity into a job offer, often within a very brief 20-30 minute meeting. Preparation allows you to anticipate questions, tailor your answers to the role, and sell yourself for the specific role and organisation, with confidence. Without preparation, it’s easy to become flustered or miss the chance to put your absolute best foot forward, ultimately affecting your career opportunities and options.
What is included in your interview coaching service?
Our interview coaching is a personalised, one-on-one service tailored to your specific needs. Our Interview Coaches help you prepare by focusing on: • Developing responses to common and difficult questions. • Structuring your answers using techniques like the STAR method. • Building confidence and reducing interview anxiety. • Understanding the key competencies for public sector and private sector roles. • Offering practical tips on body language, tone, and communication. Our sessions are customised to your career level, the target role and organisation, and your needs.
How does a mock interview work?
Our mock interviews simulate a real interview experience. We tailor the questions to the specific role you’re targeting, whether it’s for a public sector position like APS, a state government role, or a private sector job. During the mock interview, you’ll: • Answer realistic, job-specific questions under pressure. • Receive immediate, detailed feedback on your responses. • Gain insights into your non-verbal cues, such as body language and tone. • Refine your delivery to ensure your answers are concise, confident, and engaging. Mock interviews are the ideal method of practicing and gaining confidence before your interview.
What is the STAR method, and why is it useful in interviews?
The STAR method is a structured approach to answering behavioral interview questions, which are common in public sector interviews. STAR stands for: • Situation: Set the context by describing a challenge or problem you faced. • Task: Explain your responsibility or role in the situation. • Action: Detail the steps you took to address the problem or complete the task. • Result: Highlight the outcome or the positive impact of your actions. This method ensures your answers are clear, focused, and showcase the skills and experience that are relevant. However, at Elevate, we go beyond the STAR method, and teach you how to use other frameworks to articulate your capabilities and value with impact.
Why choose Australian-based services like Elevate?
As an Australian-based service, Elevate specialises in the Australian job market, recruitment processes, employer expectations, and industry trends.