Application Process & Interviews at Victoria's Big Build

A lot of the initial interview process and assessments were online. I was overseas at the time of this and the staff were very flexible about the timings that I could do which I was very grateful for.

Excellent, very fair. Took a long time though.

I went through numeracy and literary tests, assessment centres and interviews.

The process included: - Application; - Video interview (filming yourself responding to written questions); - Psychometric testing (eg pattern recognition and maths); - Online group interview; and - Individual interview, which was mostly motivational questions. I think the process was quite standard for a graduate position but the wait between each stage could be quite long. This is understandable though due to the large quantity of applicants.

Clear, transparent, good candidate management & communications. Interview questions were provided up front and with guidance on STAR methodology.

The interview process and assessments continued over 3 months and through a series of stages made up of psychometric testing, group interviews and then individual interviews.

Long hiring process.

The whole application process up till receiving the offer and starting on day one was extremely smooth. The recruitment team did a great job in making sure we were well-informed on when our start date was and to send us check-ins every now and then to ensure that we were kept in the loop even though our start date was so far away.

The interview process for this grad program was quite long. There were quite a few phone calls, zoom meetings and assessment tests. Although it was easy to navigate and everyone was very friendly, so it didn't feel too overwhelming.

Thorough and effective

Recruitment process was fairly stressless. Getting to do the group work simulation was a good chance to show off my skills. The test was really strange and didn't feel like an accurate test of my skills/didn't apply to my job. Felt like an arbitrary way to weed out people.

I was invited to apply for the role via LinkedIn. I carried out psychometric testing and, after passing, I was interviewed by my direct manager and the Graduate Coordinater. I was accepted after my first interview.

Submit resume & cover letter > Aptitude test > Video recording interview > Group interview > Individual interview > Offer. Can be quite time consuming but pretty standard at most other places.

Pretty standard. All conducted online with a mix of individual and group interviews.

I submitted my application in the first week of April and within two weeks I did online assessment. After online assessment, the next step is to submit video interview. Within a month after completing video interview, the online assessment centre took place and after that was Online interview with HR and managers from different alliances.

The interview and assessment processes were quite extensive, though it's understandable given how many graduates apply to Victoria's Big Build. I recall having to first send a cover letter and resume (standard). After this, there was a cognitive test which I didn't really understand the point of it and some of the questions seemed really obscure - these tests also take a lot of time and I'm not sure if they're really the best way to measure how good someone is (maybe I'm wrong though...). After this, there was a one-way interview online where you had one chance to record. I remember this being a little daunting since there was only one chance. After that there was a group assessment which I actually quite enjoyed, followed by a one-on-one interview to confirm the suitable candidate.

The process did take some time between each stage but was always transparent about timings and what was next.

Multiple stages of tests/interviews/q&a's before getting to the main interview, then not finding out for months after it.

Lengthy hiring process with multiple stages and assessments, group interview and individual interview. Somewhat misleading to give separate engineering titles when no actual engineering is being done in these roles. A better description of what interface engineering and client project engineering is would have been helpful.

Interview process was straightforward

I believe I was asked why I was interested in a role with the big build. I was also asked about my previous jobs and education and how they could be applied to a role within this company. I think I was also given some scenarios of which I had to react and respond to.

What's one thing you would improve about the business -Where do you see yourself in 10 years -What are you hoping to get out of the grad program

I was asked work related questions and questions about my studies and about myself.

I think the video interview was about 15 minutes or less, and you are given a couple of minutes to answer each question. I believe questions ranged from, "what degree did you study?" to "why do you want to work for the Big Build?". The group interview was more about undertaking tasks together and assessing how each person can work in a team. One task involved discussing as a team what items we would want to have if we were stranded on an island and coming to a group consensus. The final individual interview I remember to be more motivation based and I do not think the STAR method was necessary. It was more about showing your knowledge of the projects and explaining why you want to be involved.

Why did you choose engineering, what makes you a good candidate, what are your strengths, how do you handle a difficult situation etc.

My interviews were quite a while ago, so I don't remember the exact questions that were asked. Although I do remember, I was asked about my experience, my degree and had to complete some general tests. We were also asked to role play through some situations with other interviewees.

Mostly behavioural based questions

None. Did group activity for interview.

I was asked about my previous roles, my academic background and assessing my understanding of key topics. I was asked how I would approach a certain scenario and how I work with other people.

I honestly can't remember. The discussion was largely about my past experiences and what my studies were. I was also asked about my area of interest, which at the time I was just open to anything.

A lot of it was based on whether you would be a good fit for the company and less about your knowledge. They want to ensure that you will enjoy working here and they can teach you the practical skills on the job.

The interview was 2 years ago now so I don't have a distinct memory of the questions. General questions about personal experience, difference, and skill.

Video interview: Background into who you are. Where you see yourself going. How you would fit into the company. In person interview: Further background on yourself. Elaborate on answers to individual and group tasks. What attracts you to the role and the company.

The interview was quite casual, talk about yourself, why you want to work here, strength and weaknesses and discussion about your written answers

Behaviour in example situation related to project delivery, key drivers.

Why do you want to work at MTIA?

Reasons for choosing the project. As the role I was applying for was commercial, I was asked some specific questions around commercial management.

From memory, the video interview was standard and had questions regarding why you want to join the program and your experiences. The on-on-one followed on from a design task in the group interview and you were required to explain your design as well as why you are suited to the role.

Questions were pretty standard from memory, "Why do you want to work at MTIA?", "What makes you the best candidate for this job?". However, interviews only formed a small part of the application process

Why do you want to work for this company? What sets you apart from the other applicants?

I think just read up about all the projects that are being carried out in the wider big build and just be confident and enthusiastic about what you are saying!

NELP has a big focus on people. Make sure you are someone good to work with, the technical skills are secondary.

Do research on the company.

Do research on the different Big Build projects and maybe learn a couple of objects/statistics from each. It is also a good idea to be more specific to the discipline you are applying for to explain why you want to work on the projects (eg in legal you may have an interest in working on PPP contracts). It is also important to be yourself and be approachable and friendly, particularly in the group assessment.

Be punctual, present yourself respectfully and be curious and interested.

Definitely google common interview questions and practice answering them truthfully but also to impress your interviewer. Also make sure to do your research about the company and the projects which are going on or are yet to come.

Be open and confident! Do some research on the projects that the organisation are doing. Think about why you would like the job and remember to express that in the interview.

Learn about LX before you go into recruitment process.

Have a couple of examples of working with others, solving difficult problems, and conflict resolution that you can refer to when asked. Having these at the top of your mind saves you from being caught out or stalling when you can't think of any examples because you are under pressure.

Be personable and friendly.

I think just having some baseline knowledge of what the company does and has done is best. Being passionate about the role too is really important.

Public sector work can often be different to private roles. I'd recommend knowing what the role you are applying for looks like and if that is something you would like to do.

For engineering graduates, understand your strengths and selling points, focus on the breadth of project management rather than the detail, be warm and engaging.

Prepare a memorable item related to yourself to talk about. Also, be prepared to demonstrate how you can be a team player.

The best thing I can recommend is to choose a company that matches your interests and values. It's cliche but just be yourself and let your interests and passions shine through, it really is the best way to distinguish yourself from the pack. I'm very interested in this industry, and I believe showing this interest really helped in getting me the role.

Do your research and read up on the projects and what they do.

research the organisation, the role of the project as a delivery agency. Be the best you not what you think the best grad may be.

Research the projects prior

Research Research Research. Note what the project are trying to test at each stage.

Do your research, know your own experience and where it's relevant, show your passion for the role, and most of all be yourself. It's corny but recruiters can tell if you aren't being genuine.