Application Process & Interviews at Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC)

The graduate hiring process was long, but Minh stayed in contact with us all and kept us in the loop.

The application process involved several stages, these were all very well-communicated and explained

The interview process and assessments were very well organised. The graduate team were in contact regularly with updates. I felt the assessments were given context appropriately so we would understand where they tied into the role.

Very thorough but fair. I sometimes think politics play a part in selecting a candidate instead of selecting the best person.

Pretty standard grad hiring process. Bunch of tests then an interactive day at the end. This was better than most due to the promptness of their replies, many companies will not maintain communication throughout the process.

Easy initial process. Interviews comprised of an assessment day which was quite stressful and prolonged.

I had to: submit a written response to selection criteria and a resume. attend a group interview where I undertook a written task, had a face to face interview with selectors and a group task.

Recruitment to the graduate programme is conducted in-house, unlike the vast majority of Australian Public Service employers. It is easier to get a sense of the culture of the Department through the recruitment process than is the case for other departments and agencies, with high-ranking staff frequently directly involved in the recruitment process.

During the application process, you are asked to respond to a series of questions about your experience and reasons for interest in the job. If you pass this, you are invited to an assessment centre. At the assessment centre, you are required to undertake an individual written assessment, a group task, and an individual interview.

The selection panel were warm and friendly, which settled our nerves! I found it is best to be yourself in the interview and assessments. People were also very forthcoming in telling me about their experiences at the Department.

I found the assessment process challenging. Having said that I also preferred this process to others as there wasn't any online psychometric testing. I felt my initial written application was read and assessed on its merits, which does not happen with all departments.

Assessment centers are held where an interview, written task and group activity is conducted. The interview was 20 minutes and consisted of four behavioral questions. The assessments were approximately an hour long each and were related to the work the Department does. Assessment centers also included past graduates who would talk to us about the program and answer any questions we had.

The written application was a lot better than most, because it actually asked you why you wanted to work there. From there, we went straight to assessment centre. I appreciated not having to undergo psychometric testing, because I have real doubt as to both the value and the integrity of that kind of online testing. The assessment centre was a pretty good experience

Behavioural questions, what we knew of superannuation.

How do you work in teams?

There was a culture fit assessment thing. Otherwise just psychometric/aptitude testing

Mostly behavioral questions rather than experience based questions.

Written brief, group activity based upon comprehension, interview questions based upon competency.

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I was asked general skills based questions during the interview. The group assessment was Infrastructure specific and it focused on delving into a difficult policy problem.

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How I had completed different tasks in the past. How I would be suited to work in the Department.

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Be open to any type of work or experiences. Have good communication skills. Be friendly. Practice a lot.

Understand the CSC values

Research practice questions to prepare, but don't try too hard to memorise your answers. Its better to speak candidly, and be able to improvise in case the assessments or interview questions are different from what you practiced. Familiarise yourself with the STAR method - this will come in handy for every question at any interview with any prospective employer. Make sure you have some sensible examples from previous work, your education or even at home. Do not leave a question such as "give us an example of a previous time at your workplace" blank because you haven't been employed before. Keep your answers succinct, clear (do not refer to unique concepts or systems without explaining), and include each point of the STAR method. Signposting can assist with clarity and direction.

Be yourself and explain why you are the best fit for the organisation.

Get good at aptitude testing.

Read the annual report, attend the careers fairs.

Just be yourself, and think about both what you could add to your organisation, as well as what it could do for you. Experiences like internships and volunteering are highly valued.

Research what the Department does. We cover such a broad area it will assist you in the interview process if you have some idea of what section you would like to work in.

Know the Department, know current events, be relaxed, be friendly, show your time management, leadership isn't necessarily doing something first.

Before completing your written application for the position, have a look at the Department's website. Try to incorporate key words from the Department's vision or mission statement in your response, and identify particular areas of interest you may have.

Practise prioritising information in a written response; practise giving oral responses to selection criteria; practise the timing of your interview answers.

Read the Department's website and be familiar with the sort of work they do. Other than that, just be a good team player.

Be open, honest and follow your instincts. Read about what the company does and identify some areas of interest. Respect other people. you don't need to be better than anyone else, just make sure you are doing a good job. Help others if the opportunity arises.

Definitely know your "stories". The stories about your achievements and past experiences which can be adapted for tricky interview questions.

Choose examples that can be taken in a lot of different directions. Major projects/achievements typically have elements of all desirable attributes (e.g. communication, teamwork, organisation, research) so choose examples where any of these can be teased out - in detail!