Interview Guides
Interview Types in Australia (Behavioural, Competency, Technical, Case)
Updated 2026-10-03 · Interview Buddy team
Not all interviews are the same, and preparing for the wrong type is a quiet way to lose. A behavioural interview, an APS competency panel, a technical round and a consulting case each reward a different kind of answer — and most Australian processes combine two or more of them in one loop.
This guide explains the four main interview types you'll meet in Australia: what each is really testing, who uses it, and how to prepare so you bring the right approach to each round.
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Behavioural interviews
The most common type in Australia. Questions start with 'Tell me about a time…' or 'Give me an example of…', and the premise is that past behaviour predicts future behaviour. The banks, consultancies, graduate programs and most corporates lean on them heavily.
What it tests: how you've actually behaved in real situations — teamwork, conflict, resilience, initiative, failure. The answer the interviewer can score is a specific STAR story with your personal actions and a result.
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Who uses it: almost everyone — banks, corporates, consulting, grad programs, retail.
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Prepare: a story bank of six to eight STAR examples covering the main competencies.
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Watch for: vagueness, 'we' instead of 'I', and stories with no result.
Competency interviews (APS and government)
A structured cousin of the behavioural interview, used across the Australian Public Service and other government panels. Questions map to a published capability framework and each answer is scored against a rubric so candidates can be compared fairly.
What it tests: evidence of specific, named capabilities at a particular classification level. The strongest answers address the capability by name and prove it with a STAR example calibrated to the level.
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Who uses it: APS agencies, state government, large institutions.
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Prepare: a STAR example for each capability in the selection criteria.
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Watch for: stories that never name the capability, or examples pitched at the wrong level.
Technical interviews
Role-specific rounds that test whether you can actually do the work: a coding or system-design round for engineers, a SQL/Excel task for analysts, a practical exercise for trades or finance. At tech companies these are usually paired with a separate behavioural/values round.
What it tests: applied skill and how you think through a problem out loud — not just the final answer. Explaining your reasoning clearly is part of the score.
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Who uses it: tech, data, engineering, finance and many specialist roles.
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Prepare: practise the relevant skill and a repeatable way to structure your approach out loud.
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Watch for: going silent while you think — narrate your reasoning.
Case and product interviews
A business problem or product scenario you reason through live. Consulting firms (Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, EY and the strategy houses) use cases; product and product-owner roles use product sense and prioritisation scenarios.
What it tests: structured thinking, communication and judgement under ambiguity. Interviewers score the method — how you frame and work the problem — as much as the conclusion.
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Who uses it: consulting, strategy, product and some commercial roles.
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Prepare: practise structuring a problem, stating assumptions and working through a framework aloud.
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Watch for: jumping to an answer without a structure, or not checking in with the interviewer.
How the types combine in one loop
Real Australian processes mix these. A tech loop pairs technical rounds with a behavioural/values round. A bank loop runs a video behavioural stage then live behavioural interviews. A consulting loop combines behavioural and case rounds. An APS process combines a written work sample with a competency panel.
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Ask the recruiter which stages the loop includes and the format of each.
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Identify the type of each round so you prepare the right approach.
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Build one behavioural story bank — it serves the behavioural and values rounds across any loop.
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Add type-specific prep on top: technical practice, case practice, or capability mapping.
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Rehearse each format out loud, because pacing differs between a case, a panel and a recorded video.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of interviews in Australia?
Four show up most: behavioural ('tell me about a time'), competency (APS/government, scored against a framework), technical (role-specific skill rounds), and case/product (a problem you reason through live). Most processes combine two or more.
What is the difference between behavioural and competency interviews?
They're close cousins. Both ask for real examples, but competency interviews (common in the APS) map each question to a named capability and score answers against a rubric by level, where behavioural interviews are usually less formally scored.
How do I know which type of interview I will get?
Ask the recruiter for the stages and format. The role is a strong hint too: government means competency panels, engineering means technical plus behavioural, consulting means cases, and almost everything includes behavioural questions.
Do I prepare differently for each type?
The behavioural story bank is your foundation for all of them. On top of that, add technical practice for technical rounds, problem-structuring practice for cases, and capability mapping for APS competency panels.
What is a case interview?
A business problem you work through out loud with the interviewer — common in consulting. You're scored on how you structure the problem, state assumptions and communicate, not just on reaching a 'right' answer.
Are technical interviews only for tech roles?
No — any role with a core practical skill can include one: a SQL task for analysts, a modelling exercise in finance, a practical assessment for trades. The principle is the same: show the skill and narrate your reasoning.
How can I practise for different interview types?
Run mock interviews that match the type and role. Interview Buddy lets you pick HR, behavioural, technical or leadership focus and scores each answer, so you can prepare the right approach for each round of your loop.
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