Graduate toolbox

Completing your application
Writing a resume
Online ability testing
Telephone interviews
Assessment Centres
Behavioural event interviews

Completing your application

• Your application is part of your marketing document, just like your resume. It is your first chance to "sell yourself" to us." Give yourself a minimum of 45 minutes to prepare and complete the application, so that you can do yourself justice.
• There is an opportunity to preview the application form, and to print it out. This can be useful preparation, especially for the question that require detailed answers.
• All our communication with you will be by email and SMS so ensure your contact details are accurate and you are as available as possible. Please use an email address that you can check frequently and that gives a good impression. Your university email address is ideal. Hotmail and gmail accounts frequently fill up quickly and this may mean you miss an important piece of information.  We strongly encourage you to choose to receive SMS messages from us. (We will only use SMS to communicate with you regarding the application and selection process).
• You MUST be an Australian or NZ citizen, or hold Australian permanent residency AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION. We are not able to consider applications from people who do not meet this criterion.
• Be prepared. Make sure that you read the instructions carefully and that you have read the graduate pages of our website thoroughly.
• After completing your application, review and check for spelling and grammar errors. These are small things but when we look at hundreds and thousands of applications they become very annoying!
• Don't leave your application to the last minute. Just before applications close, the system can become very busy and you may have difficulty completing your application.
  

Writing a resume and covering letter

We use your resume to find out more about you and your ability to communicate than we can through the application form. The style is a matter of personal preference. Below are some hints about the basics.

Your covering letter

We do not require you to write a covering letter with your application unless you would like to include one. An example of a time where you may wish to include this would be if you want to highlight something significant about yourself and your experiences that has not been covered in the application.

If you choose to include a covering letter, please address it to the Graduate Management Team, or simply "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Sir/Madam", as the letter may be read by a number of different people as you move through the selection process.

Your personal details

We need your first and last names and your contact details. If you have a preferred name, please include it. Ideally give us your home number (during the application time) as well as a mobile. Don't forget to include the area code on your home number. It is really useful to have voicemail in case you are not available when we call.

We don't need to know how old you are, what you look like, whether you are married or where you were born, but you MUST be an Australian or NZ citizen, or hold permanent residency AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION.

Education

This information should be presented with the most recent details first. We want to know the name of your course and any majors that relate to your degree, the university and the dates. If you have any stand-out results you can highlight these here too.

We don't need to know where you went to secondary or primary school or what you received as an ENTER score. (On the other hand, if you got an amazing score, feel free to tell us about it!)

Employment

We always like to know that you have a work history, but we are not going to mind what it is that you have done. If you have undertaken vacation work,  a co-op year or an IBL program, then we suggest that this information comes first, as it is most relevant. We would want to know dates, a brief description of the role and the employer. We would want a summary of any achievements relating to this role.

We would then want to know about any other roles that you have undertaken. If you have had lots of roles that are very similar, sometimes it is easier to group them together and summarise your achievements. If you've been working for quite a few years you might want to give roles from the last five years only.

This section can be quite tricky to write. In general, it is useful to ask how relevant are the skills and competencies I used in this role to the one I am applying for at NAB? The most relevant information should come first.

What if you had time off and went travelling? We generally like people to have had a range of experiences and so we'll look on this favourably. It is fine to say something like:

"2005 Travelled through SE Asia and then Europe, working in a variety of casual jobs as a waiter"

Achievements

These can be highlighted under each of the above sections, or you may like to give them a section of their own. We don't need to know achievements back to kindergarten days though!

Extra-curricular Activities

We like to know what it is that you do apart from study and employment that make you a well-rounded individual. This might include sporting commitments, community work, volunteering, or involvement in clubs or societies. If you have a leadership role, make sure you tell us about it.

Referees

Generally it is a good idea to include details for three referees who have known you in a professional capacity, either as your manager or in another capacity such as lecturer. As a minimum, you should list their title, first and last names, position, organisation and contact telephone number.

Questions?

We advise that you use the resources available to you through your university Careers Service, or publications and websites such as Unigrad or Graduate Opportunities.

Online ability testing

Ability testing will take place following your completion of your application for those candidates considered to be suitable. This testing may occur prior to our application closing date. These are timed tests that measure your verbal and numerical reasoning ability in a business context. They last for about one hour, and can only be completed on a PC with Internet access. Apple computers cannot be used.

In addition to the reasoning tests you will be asked to complete a "competency fit" assessment. This is a test which gives us an indication of your work preferences in relation to key NAB competencies. This test is not timed and there are no right or wrong answers. Your answers on this test will not be used to rule you in or out of the next stage of the process, so your best approach is to be honest in your responses.

Tips:

• Have a look at some practice tests to give you an idea of what to expect. Please refer to http://www.shldirect.com for useful information on this process and the Trouble Shooting Guide (PDF. 221kb) for additional information.
• Before the test, read the instructions in the email you were sent. Make sure that you have reliable internet access in a peaceful environment.
• Ensure you are well rested and relaxed.
• Choose a time of day when you won't be distracted. Turn off your mobile phone while completing the tests.
• Read the test instructions carefully. Don't assume that you know what to do.
• Work quickly and accurately. If you are unsure of your answer, select your best choice.
• Take a deep breath if you're anxious. It is perfectly normal to find the tests challenging.
• If successful at this stage of the process, you may be asked to undertake further testing at a later stage to verify the results that you achieved on this battery of tests. This second round of testing would occur at the Assessment Centre, in supervised circumstances.
  
  

  Graduate Tips from the Experts Learn what ability and personality testing is all about click here

What to expect in a telephone interview

At NAB, the telephone interview is a screening stage of our process that's really more about having a chat than conducting a scripted interview, so there is no need to prepare competency or behavioural style answers.

The interview will take no more than 10 minutes to complete and is designed so that we can find out more about you and your motivation for applying to NAB. Although this is an informal discussion, during the conversation, we will be assessing your communication skills and your overall impact. The best way to prepare is to make sure that you have clear rationale for your interest in NAB and the program that you have applied to. And most importantly, relax, be friendly and use the time to demonstrate your interpersonal skills.

Please be assured that the outcome of this interview will not be used in isolation to make a selection decision.  We will always take the results of the interview into consideration alongside your written application and your on-line testing results.

If you are selected to take part in a telephone interview, we will contact you by email and SMS and invite you to use the on-line booking system to confirm a suitable day/time for us to contact you.  At this time, you should ensure that you are somewhere quiet and that you won't be interrupted. Its also important that you know that you may not be speaking directly with someone who is knowledgeable about the business that you are applying to, but further stages of the process will allow you the opportunity to meet key business people and ask role specific questions.

Graduate Tips from the Experts Prue provides an insight into what to expect from the application process click here

Assessment Centres

Experience and research has led employers to conclude that no single selection method can satisfactorily assess job seekers.

As a result, many now combine a variety of assessment tools, for example business case studies, role plays, and delivering presentations.

Collectively, these make up what are known as assessment centres.

The assessment centre gives people an opportunity to shine in an environment that can seem less formal than an interview. "Assessment centres provide an opportunity for the individual to shine in a variety of contexts," points out Jill Ross, principal consultant from First Water Executive. "They are used for the purpose of seeing more than one facet of the candidate's behaviour and personality, and it is also very much about the candidate being assessed in a non-threatening environment."

Preparation

• Ask your careers service for sample case interviews popular with consulting firms, role-plays or assistance in preparing presentations.
• Build on the research that, hopefully, you did prior to submitting your application, including looking at the our website and finding out about what we do, and how we do it, by reading as many other publications as possible. It's important to be able to demonstrate a genuine interest in NAB.
• Most importantly, however, just relax and enjoy! As long as you've left no stone unturned in your preparation, simply aim to do your best and learn from the experience. Aim always to be yourself, but also to remember that you are being assessed from the moment you walk through the door to the moment you leave.

Types of Exercises

Group Exercises
Group exercises can include a practical exercise, such as building a paper tower, problem solving, or a group discussion or debate. Most commonly, assessors will sit at different points around the room and observe how you work with others to achieve the desired result. Competencies that assessors will be looking for from this form of assessment include your ability to work well with others, i.e. your listening, interpersonal and leadership skills.

Presentations
Generally, when presentations are part of the assessment process, you will be given a topic on the day and will be told how long to present for. This can include presenting to other candidates in the group, or directly to the assessors. This form of assessment tests your ability to structure a presentation, and to see how effectively you can communicate information to others. It may also assess how you respond to unexpected questions.

Case Study
Case study exercises may be completed in a group or individually. They typically involve review and analysis of a few pages of information and data, often related to the employer's business, and require a written report or discussion. Your careers service may also hold samples, or should be able to direct you to further information. Here, you will be tested on your ability to analyse information and to think logically, as well as your ability to express yourself both concisely and clearly.

Handling Group Assessment

• Have the right attitude from the start - unless told otherwise, your task is not to 'win' against the other members of your group. There is, of course, an undercurrent of competition, but you are all being assessed against the same standards - it's possible that everyone in your group could be selected.
• You must demonstrate that you can work effectively with others. Putting another person's ideas down or talking over them won't impress - and certainly doesn't constitute relationship-building or leadership skills if they are being assessed!
• Be actively engaged at all times, and be yourself, not who you think the assessors are looking for.
  Don't rush! Take a few moments to establish which criteria the employer is assessing and plan your strategy.
• Flexibility of thought, sensitivity towards others, a sense of humour, and appropriately asserting your viewpoint is usually preferable to confrontation and talking just to be heard.
• Don't be put off either by 'high fliers' or by people you assume have no chance of succeeding. Remember that everyone will do better in some exercises than others, so concentrate on demonstrating your own strengths - that's what the assessors are looking for.
• You may be asked in a subsequent interview how you think and feel you went in the group exercises.
  Afterwards
• Ensure you take some time to reflect on your own performance.
• Contact the employer within a few days and politely request as much feedback on your performance as they can give. It is strongly recommended that you do not become defensive or question the selectors' judgement, but use the feedback as a learning experience.

Recommendations:

• Please ensure that you arrive at least 15 minutes before the listed start time.
• Dress Code: Business or as you would for an interview.

What to expect in a Behavioural Event Interview

We commonly refer to interviews as BEIs, standing for Behavioural Event Interviews. These are the most common form of selection used worldwide. In a BEI, the interviewer is assessing you on your competencies. This is because past performance is the best predictor of future performance. A BEI requires you to answer specific questions about your past experience and how you handled situations that relate to the requirements of the job.

How to prepare:

• Think about the BEI question types and your examples (next section)
• Know yourself!
• Read the position description
• Understand the role/NAB
• Compose yourself/relax

Know Yourself!

What are the competencies/behaviours are we looking for?
Each business unit has different things that they are seeking, but as an absolute minimum, we will be assessing you on your communication skills, teamwork, leadership and organisational skills. We'll be looking for signs of your ability to use your initiative and to be a problem solver. We are definitely looking for evidence of working, but we won't mind what sort of work you've done.

What examples do you have to match these competencies?
You may have more than one interview so you'll need to think of several examples for each competency. From our point of view, there's nothing worse than hearing the same example trotted out at each round of interview!

The CAR principle (or STAR principle)

You need to explain the situation or task that you faced, to provide context and motives for your actions.

• Context (Circumstance) - leader of a project team, handling a client, managing change.
• Action - steps you took, how you resolved issue, influenced an outcome.
• Result - tell us how effective or ineffective your behaviours were.

(STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result)

BEI Questions

We are looking for evidence of behaviour/competency:

• What did you do...?
• Describe a time...?
• Have you had a situation...?
• Did you initiate or recommend any changes…?
• How did it make you feel…?

Research NAB

Explore what kind of information you can get:

• From the recruiter
• NAB's website
• Other people/employees
• News and media

Consider…

• What do you know about NAB?
• Why do you want to work for us at the NAB?

Show us your enthusiasm!

First Impressions

• Never be late! Always make sure that you will arrive half an hour before your interview. You can always wait in a coffee shop!
• Business attire is appropriate. Suit and tie for the men, tailored attire for women (no skimpy tops, no visible bra or belly button, no bare feet - pantihose recommended).
• You have 30 minutes to sell YOUR brand, yourself.
• Make sure you shake hands (if culturally appropriate) and look the interviewer in the eye.
• Volume/Clarity/Ramble/Length. Speak clearly and concisely. Know what you want to say and stick to the point.
• Use relevant examples. Try and use ones that will stick in the interviewer's mind rather than "At university I had to complete a team project with five others…" unless that is your only relevant example.
• Don't forget deodorant! Don't drown yourself in perfume or aftershave.
• Smile…it takes fewer muscles!

Last impressions

• Should you ask a question at the end? Yes, provided you ask something that cannot be found out through any of our materials in print or on the web.
• What question should you ask? Questions about your interview style are good, as are questions about the next steps in the process if you have not already been given this information.
• Leave on a positive note!
• Humour V Comedian!!! It is fine to have a sense of humour but you are not part of the Comedy Festival!
• The million dollar question: $$$$. Don't ask it. This information will be given to you at the time of offer. We market match our salaries with similar roles in other organisations in your state.

More information

We advise you to contact your university Careers Service for more assistance with preparing for interviews.