Application Process & Interviews at Tatauranga Aotearoa | Stats NZ

The manager made the interview less scary and more comfortable and boosted my confidence to continue all throughout the interview.

Came through the Tupu Tai pathway

The interview assessment was a bit challenging. Direction was given but could have used a bit more context on what the team does/what they produce to make the assessment a bit easier. The interview was a bit daunting, and I went in with no knowledge I would be interview by a panel.

Straightforward. One interview.

My experience of getting this job was aided by the internship program I am in. They found me this job and recommended it to me and from then they passed my CV and cover letter to my manager and organised an interview for me.

Questions about my experience, what I'm good at, why I chose to apply here.

I originally started working at Stats NZ as an intern and I found the interviewing process very quick, effective and to the point. I have had experiences in the past where I'm left waiting for months to hear something back, or the people interviewing me weren't very professional. I had another interview when I applied for my permanent position and again that was handled well and went very quickly and efficiently.

60-minute interview. Got sent data 24 hours before which I had to present at the interview.

One formal in person interview and one informal catch up.

I dont remember

Tell us about yourself, other behavioural questions

Questions based on various life experiences and how I navigated through them etc.

I can't recall many questions (it's been a while now) but most were fairly generic and required the STAR approach. There was one question where I was asked "What do you do to engage with your culture?" which I found a bit uncomfortable.

Questions around my personality, and how I interact with people.

There were questions about teamwork, the job description, demographic questions, my study at Otago, the papers I take etc. and other questions which I cannot remember.

I was asked questions like: 1. Show us an example of when you used your technical skills 2. Tell us about a time you were in a team and something wasn't going well, how did you handle that? 3. Why do you want to work at Stats NZ? 4. What do you want to work on while in this position and what support can we give you to do that? 5. What skills do you bring to this role?

Experiences, strengths & weaknesses, what department I would like to work in, and why I chose to apply here.

Behavioural based questions, and skill related questions.

Situational questions.

Be yourself

Be calm and smile at all times.

Just be yourself and don't oversell if you can't match it. The soft skills are very important and valued and think about how you can make a difference or stand out (like what makes you different) from other applicants - fresh perspective is always great

Address what the organisation is looking for in the cover letter as much as possible, and be sure to add or emphasise relevant experience/qualifications/skills in your CV. Practice common interview questions and try to structure your responses as much as possible.

No specific tips. Just be yourself.

Prepare your introduction because it really gives you confidence in knowing that you already have something to say. Try and gather a couple of questions as well so that you can see what they company can offer you and how it can aid in your career progression.

Be prepared, be honest, and bBe yourself. Authenticity is key, and just relax and remember to smile. No one is trying to catch you out, they just want to get to know you and see if you fit in with them, and it will give you a chance to reflect whether they fit in with what you're looking for and whether they can help you be your best self.

Don't be shy and go for it, Stats NZ is a great place to work.

Look up the STAR method. Come prepared with a few examples.

Practise the star method, etc.