Application Process & Interviews at Auckland Council

Phone interview, in-person interview, reference checks, coffee catch-up

Interviews are not fun and are not the best way to see a candidate's potential. I was indirectly recruited for the graduate programme so did not have to jump through the standard hoops. I had a case study to prepare and an interview where I was super nervous and pretty much blew it. Auckland Council is currently working on improving its inclusive recruitment practices.

After CV and cover letter were sent, they gave me a phone call and asked questions. Some were strange and they noted they were looking for someone from Auckland (I am not from Auckland). The facetime interview was very easy and chill.

not too intensive application, phone interview, psychometric screening, in person interview, offer

Interview process was easy straight forward and communicated well through all the steps

it was very easy and didn't feel much pressure

Fair and transparent process.

There are a few steps to complete for sure. But you are updated accordingly throughout the process. That makes it an enjoyable experience.

Spectacular recruitment process. Cannot complain.

The interview panel gave me a second chance to take a few seconds to myself to take a few deep breaths to gather my thoughts together and adapted to interview me in a way I felt calm and comfortable.

The interview process was good. I had one call and one in person interview. The hiring manager got back to me within a few days after the interview which was good. I did not have to do any assessments for my role.

The interview process was very good and effective, the interview process was around 1 month and then once you were offered the role you knew about a month in advance before the role.

My interview process was simple compared to other application process I have been a part of. I did one roughly 1-hour phone call answering questions, and one in-person interview of the same length. I had ample time to prepare for both of these and though I was nervous, I was made to feel very comfortable in both environments. Particularly my in-person interview was very conversational, and the managers helped me to understand what they were asking and were relatable. Though it was a long process, the comms with Talent Acquistion kept me in the loop and made me feel as though I could reach out at any point!

Interview process was a breeze and simple. Never felt confused or overwhelmed. The phone interview and in person interview were spaced apart in a good way, didn't wait too long nor too little. Had time to prepare myself for the in person interview. The phone interview, I felt a bit less prepared for as I wasn't expecting it, but it was still a breeze. All interviewers were professional, friendly and fun to talk to. I had a great time being interviewed by them all! I felt like there was no confusion at all in the hiring process. Hiring manager was super informative and onto it. I felt like all information required was sent over effectively and any questions I had were always answered quickly. Overall, hiring process was chill B-)

It might be changed, but I experienced application, phone screening, and face to face interview with presentation.

During my hiring process, it was very well simplified where I did not have to go through many screenings initially until I had reached the interview stage. I found this much more appealing compared to other organisations as it showed that Auckland Council had both their interests and my interests in mind by saving each others time throughout the recruitment. When the interview stage had launched, I was required to work through a case study which required thorough research and allowed me to have a good talking point during my interview to show why I would be a good fit for the organisation.

Interview process was fun. I recall having to do a presentation during the interview process to the manager. I found it quite in-formal, the questions were about me and not necessarily my academic background. In-person assessments were interesting. I recall meeting our GM and team managers over light refreshments. Assessments were intimidating, we had the team managers watch us interact and solve a question.

The interview process felt fair and transparent. There was a significant amount of work required before I received an offer however, including multiple interviews, psychometric testing, and a written report/test. I was fine with this after getting the job, but I would have been quite put off by the amount of effort that went into the process if I didn't end up getting the job.

Good process.

Graduate programme has a longer than average processe - the assessment seems fair, aside from the onlne quiz, which the IT guy told us, everyone fails and does not seem to work

Behavioral questions, technical geotechnical engineering questions & health and safety questions

Tell me about a time when....

Describe when you were resilient? Describe an accomplishment you were proud of. Describe a time when the rules were changed and you did not like it and why. Describe a time where you did something to improve safety.

how i would incorporate te tiriti within the business. obstacles and how i overcame them how i stay on top of things when making changes to auckland what is the process i would take

What has been a piece of work you have been proud of? Example of health and safety you have done in the work place? What is your knowledge of te tirti ?

can't remember

Predominantly behavioral questions alongside some technical questions specific to role. But I guess the very first online assessment is a nightmare. I did not understand the pattern of the questions. the steps are not the clearest ones. I would highly recommend to review this step.

It's been too long I could not really remember.

It was mainly general interview questions, also open brief questions.

Mainly questions about how I dealt with different situations in previous roles and some technical questions specific to the role I applied for.

Why do you want to work for the Council? What is something interesting about you not on your CV? Tell us about a work conflict you had in the past? and how did you overcome this?

In both of my interviews I was asked a wide range of questions that were well framed and that I felt I could comfortably answer. Over the phone, I was asked some generic questions like why I applied for this role?, why am I interested in working for Council? and what would I change about Auckland if I could? Before my in-person interview I was told that I would be asked questions where I would have to use a STAR method of answering, so I had time to practice. In the interview I was also given a heads up that my interviewers were now asking a question that I should answer using the STAR method, so I knew exactly how to go about answering their questions. In my in-person interview, I was asked a range of questions where I had to 'give an example of a time when...' and draw on past experience. The question that I struggled to answer the most was: Tell us about a time you had to deal with ambiguity- what did you do to combat this? or something to that effect.

A lot of my questions were based on myself as a person, I didn't have any technical questions at all asked. The questions asked were answered with the "STAR" method. Formatting of questions were mostly "Give us an example on when x happened to you, what was your response". One question I remember being asked vividly was "Can you tell us something about yourself not noted on your CV, and go into detail". This interview was super focused on myself as a person, what I'd be like to work with, how I navigate working with others and such. They weren't too worried about how much technical knowledge I had, as they understood this position is a grad position, and that the whole point of it was for me to get a good learning experience. My character mattered a lot in this interview.

A presentation (case study given 1 day prior) and a few following questions, and some behavioural questions.

I was asked more personal questions which would provide an understanding of how I would interact in situations with people in the office. For example, I was asked how I would handle a situation where a colleague is acting aggressively towards me.

What are your strengths/talents? - what gives you energy? - if you could change one policy, what policy would that be?

Typical interview questions, provide an example of: - A time I had to make a difficult decision/take leadership + what outcomes this created - Negotiation, leadership - Communication

Can't remember, but mostly problem-solving questions and a presentation I had to prepare

questions regarding Council core values and goals, and how you align with them, technical question x 2

How have you overcome a mis-agreement in previous jobs? What are your greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses? What is something new you have been involved in? Explain your answer for your written task?

Use STAR method. Practise answering the questions. Do a mock interview.

STAR - situation, task, actions, result. All answers should meet this format to provide a clear picture of your experience.

Mention specific words to the field. For example, mention katabatic winds for air quality or saltwater intrusion for coastal and water allocation. I have been told that is why I received the job.

use the materials the organisation give you. do a lot of research into the organisation and what areas attract you to them. what about their strategies and how does that apply/ how is that going for them ask them a lot of questions

Be yourself and provided relevant good examples from your own experiences. Best prepare by understanding of the values Auckland council stands for

prepare for STAR interview structure

Have questions prepared about why local government and commitment to the treaty

Apply with your best formatted CV and Cover letter. complete each step in a timely manner and confidently. Attend the interview confidently. Remember Confidence is a huge ting, and it can break or make. Take a deep breathe if feeling nervous, THIS HELPS

Be open and positive. Be personable

Research about the organization Think about questions to ask the interview panels Know your skills and what you want to achieve in the potential role

Prepare by using the STAR method and if possible, look at the skills the job description highlights. Prepare some questions to bring with to the interweaver.

If you have made it past the first stage of interviews and get the call back, it means you have the skills that the council are looking for. Be confident in yourself with what role you are applying for and believe you should be the person hired. Be passionate about growing and wanting to develop your skills.

I think my advice for the interview process would be to be yourself! You are made to feel very comfortable throughout the process and you are able to build relationships with the people you interact with; I think a sense of authenticity and being genuine can get you a long way. Plan to answer questions with examples from a range of different experiences. And maybe that you can never prepare too much! I spent a good amount of time writing down my answers to potential questions, writing down things I experienced at Uni or work that I could draw on and use as an example of my character (In a stressful or new environment you may forget things that you wanted to touch on! so I think that making a note of these helps to remember).

I still would recommend being prepared for some technical questions, even though I wasn't asked any personally. I still prepared some basic knowledge around current events relevant to my job. What I'd suggest mostly though is to really hone in on your people skills, and get used to hyping yourself up! Your character matters a lot. I feel as though my department were really looking for someone who they'd like to spend time with and work with for the next 18 months. If you prove you're confident in yourself, and that you're just a good person, they'll be super happy. Being comfortable with yourself, and chatting to the interviewers as if you guys are just have a chill cup of coffee together is how I reckon you should approach it. Being someone that can sit and just chat about yourself, your experiences and your opinions on things is something you should focus on...

Be genuine and present yourself, whether your value aligns with the organisation is important to the success of the interview and the work life after you've got in. Do some research.

My advice is to have a look through the Auckland Council website to get a good understanding of what the organisation stands for as well as some of the long-term goals the organisation is working towards as a collective. It would also be a massive benefit to learn Te Reo as it used frequently in meetings, it is a very good look when someone has clearly practiced their introductions in Te Reo.

Be yourself - Be confident - familiarize yourself with the principles or values of the organization/company you are applying for and relate that to your CV, academic achievements or life goals.

Look into what exactly to teams do and prepare answers related to your past experiences dealing with issues such as miscommunication, time management, and prioritisation of work. All past experiences are valid, including community/voluntary work , and other service-oriented experiences such as childcare/care for a family member.

Do not overthink it.

with council each department responsibilites can be found in the website, so do research